There Aren't Words...

   A couple of months ago a student from my Alma mater, Augustana, Sioux Falls, SD, called to thank for a recent gift.  Her English was excellent but I could tell she wasn't from SD.  When asked she said she was from Ghana.  It was her second year at Augie so I asked her how she liked winter. She said "There aren't words to tell..."
   'There aren't words to tell' is a bit how I feel about the Chinese New Year's celebration here which we attended last night.  However, in spite of the difficulty I'll give it a try.  A half hour narrated video would be much better.
   Think about the state fair, an Asian market, a street fair, neighbor's night out, a carnival, a polka fest and an outdoor trade fair all rolled into one. It occupies the main street for 10 or twelve blocks spreading into side streets. There are Chinese lanterns and decorations everywhere. On the stages are Chinese plays, orchestras, musical groups and other entertainment.  The street is lined with booths selling...well if they don't sell it you don't need it.  There are food stalls and food courts selling about everything except Lutefisk on a stick. Troupes of actors dressed as dragons move through the crowd.
  Then there is the sound or sounds. The assumption in Thailand that loud is good but louder is better.  I was walking by a major stage as they sent up some fireworks.  These were cannon type bangers that rose about 50 feet and exploded with a deafening sound...again, if 1 is good, 10 is better but hundreds would be best of all.  Competing with the fireworks are the loudspeakers from the booths touting their wares full power.
  The street was shoulder to shoulder people and in typical Thai fashion quite a few cars and motorbikes were also  moving on the street.  It reminded me of Kim, our foster son from Cambodia, who loved to be in places where there were crowds of people.

20 piece Chinese orchestra on stage.

My driver, Met, ready to take me to school.  I tell her she looks like a bandit.

Hawaa and Dam serving rice.

Chicken curry on rice was the school lunch menu...and they told me it wasn't spicy!

Poy is wearing the jeans and shirt I bought.

A shirt sewn by Met for which she's paid 29 cents.