Phimai

nick and i arrived from the airport and got some food in bangkok then left almost right away to go to Phimai (about 5 hours bus ride east of bangkok). we left with my step siblings and their dad. i have a lot of extended family in phimai that i visited once before 3 years ago. nick and i were warmly welcomed. that week was an annual festival with the main event being boat races.

nick getting his morning meditation on




boat races


assorted insects





these are some pretty unique ruins from the civilization that built angkor wat in cambodia. about 900 years old, centered around buddhist practices.







relatives


one of the largest trees in the world. trunk to branches to the ground to roots back up a few feet away as another trunk.


a small part of the tree


some girls with traditional style for the show that night

getting a ride on a three wheel bicycle taxi

nighttime show for the festival. this picture is of an intro play, the main event took place in the ruins. it was more of a sensory performance- lights, fireworks, music, dancing (at one point involving two large groups doing choreographed dances in between several large wooden poles being slammed together at there feet- timing really counted with that one)










part of the festival was a small carnival with rides and games, some pretty rough bumper cars and this guy... 100% vertical wall

people handing him tips




no hands, sitting sideways



nick eats some grub


playing music for the boat races

the view from the roof of my relatives house


step-niece?

this guy was in the bathroom two days in a row. you can imagine how i felt going in their at night when it was dark and i was feeling for the light...

overall we spend three days there. a lot of fun. the festival, riding on the backs of trucks and motorcycles, staying up super late playing card games with relatives (ending only when we realized there was a fire in another room caused by a fan). we spent the last evening eating at a really cool restaurant built over a small lake. each dining area was its own platform about ten feet up from the water with a thatched roof and walkway to the shore. very traditional. low table with everyone sitting cross legged around it. good times.