Sawatdee Bee Mai!!!!!!

Happy New Year from Thailand!!! We celebrated New Year's Eve Thai style. Our neighbors shown in the last photo invited us to their home for New Year's Eve. Bua (shown bending down on the left) and her sister Ying (directly behind Bua which means "lotus flower") pose with their mother, younger sister, and Bua's daughter, Faa (which means "sky"). New Year's is a time for gift exchange (as opposed to Christmas in America). Games followed for the children and everyone seemed to have a good time. Being the old people we are, we left the party well before midnight, but the party moved over a block for karaoke that continued until 4 a.m. -- and it was loud. We know no one complained, since it is the Thai way to "save face" and of course, Thai's love to party. We thought that would wear everyone out -- we were wrong!!!! The next three nights were a repeat of New Year's Eve. Loud music until the early morning hours!!! No wonder you find vendors, security guards, and workers sleeping on the job!!! To everyone in America and Thailand --- Happy New Year. May your year be full of hope and promise. Kaw hai mii kwaam suh dawlawt bee (may you have happiness all year).