Loi Krathong

On Saturday, Britany had a fun run at her school. All I can say is that it was very hot and not so much fun. So we finished 5 out of the 9 stations and then left and walked to a coffee shop. After that Jocelyn's mom came and picked us up and took us out to lunch and then dropped us off at Britany's host moms coffee shop. At the coffee shop I got a free iced coffee and a piece of cheesecake, made fresh at Britany's home by the three maids every night. We hung there for about three hours and then went home to get ready for the nights celebrations. At 7 we went out to dinner and a new restaurant on the river with some friends and a maid. We ate and did fireworks (I would only call them sparklers but the Thais think there fireworks). We also lit Krathongs (the thing with the flower from an older post). We also let three of the big balloons go and played some arcade games. It was a late and crazy night. We didn't eat a single thing at the restaurant that was not deep-fried, we had chicken, vegetables, cheese and fish all deep-fried. If I gain weight I will know where its coming from.
On Sunday we went to the mall and finally got to see Harry Potter 7. It was fun and was in all English not even subtitles in Thai.  We looked at clothes in the mall but didn't buy anything and then took a tuk tuk the famous more expensive taxi with three wheels back to the coffee shop. We met up with Britany's little host sister and then took a taxi to walking street. We didn't really get to buy anything because the parade that is every night during Loi Krathong was on walking street and it was crazy and hot and busy. After that we walked back to the coffee shop and met up with Britany's host parents. They took us on a drive through downtown to see all the festivities and then took us to Duke's and amazing restaurant with only western food and a menu in only English. I had the best hamburger ever and a salad with buttermilk ranch, something unseen here in Thailand. We went walking around and saw some actual fireworks and then went home and lit candles around the house. Not sure why we did, when we asked they just said it was tradition and they weren't sure either.
Monday we went to school and then home to change and then went to the last night of the parade and had dinner at these tables under a bridge. We were the only foreigners there and it was really cool. There was even a float in the parade from the American Embassy and it had an American family dressed in Thai clothing it was so cool. I think they were Norwegian because they all had blonde hair and blue eyes.
On Tuesday I was supposed to get picked up at noon but I didn't get picked up until four and then instead of going back to Chiang Kham like planned I went to Lampang and stayed with the head the the YE's for a week.