Celebrating New Years’ in Chiang Mai
Look at those baby faces!
For the first time since Kochi, Kerala 13 years ago, we were ringing in the new year in the middle of a giant party — and it was amazing!
There we were, launching giant burning lanterns into the air with new friends and thousands of others, as fireworks exploded over our head…
But I’m getting ahead of myself.
In the weeks prior, we had become friends with a number of other worldschooling families in Chiang Mai. Some were just travelling for a year like us, some taking a vacation from their expat bases (Nicaragua), others already travelling for 3, 4, or 5 years (this is becoming mainstream!).
Meeting regularly at board-game nights (ostensibly for the kids, though Masha aggressively lobbied all to join the games), and having celebrated Christmas together, a New Year’s with friends was a no-brainer. We tried booking a restaurant with a view of the promised lantern launch for the evening (over the eastern entrance to Old Town), but they were all prohibitively expensive, and of dubious value. In the end, it was decided to gather on the rooftop park of our building and then go on the hunt for the place to launch lanterns.
Thus, we found ourselves on the roof of the Astra at sunset, with a bevy of kids running around, as the adults gathered for drink and song
I was nominated for cocktail duty, which proved challenging, as basic supplies like shakers were nowhere to be found. But, necessity is the mother of invention, and it turned out bubble tea cups could create a surprisingly good seal as a makeshift shaker. Soon, a Thai-inspired menu of quaffs was ready to go
With this encouragement, the party kicked into gear. It turned out we had a number of musicians in our midst, passionate enough to carry their (acoustic and electric) guitars with them around the world! That’s how we found ourselves in the middle of a two hour impromptu rooftop concert galloping across the history of rock from Beatles to Lynard Skynard to the Animals
It seemed like no time had passed before the guards were closing the rooftop and kicking us out. So we took a picture of the remaining group, and went into the city in search of lanterns
We saw the first lanterns floating in the sky like slow-motion meteors even before leaving the hotel. As we walked the festive streets, those initial timid scouts turned into a full-on armada, rapidly spreading across the visible sky
Initially, they seemed to be drifting from far beyond the city. But the rumors that the festivities were emanating from the Eastern gate of Old Town turned out to be true. As we walked there along with a swelling crowd, the lantern fleet filled the entire visible sky like an eerie, mesmerizing scene from the Three Body Problem
Getting closer toward the source of the lanterns (and we could now see what they looked like instead of just pinpoints of light) the streets filled with revelers — spilling out of restaurants, massage parlors, and bars
After a few more turns , we began running into people actually launching them. Now, this armada — this giant three dimensional cloud of glowing lanterns — was above us, and we could see why this kind of thing would never happen in a city in America
By now, midnight was approaching and it was time for us to launch our own lanterns (that we had just bought on the street). Masha led the charge,
And I followed
And then, as the fireworks burst right above our heads during the countdown… 5… 4... 3... 2... 1!!!!!, Alya launched her own
The launching of the lanterns in Thailand is not only a beautiful, but also a symbolic act. Replacing our usual tradition of ushering out the old year and welcoming the new one with a toast, we tasked our lanterns with carrying away a bad thought or habit from the old year and with opening us up for a good one -- a resolution of sorts. It was cathartic to watch the lantern fly away and Masha even teared up a bit.
Following the launches and the amazing display of fireworks over our heads, we munched on a warm fresh roti with condensed milk and made our way back. The city was still pulsating with energy all around us as we strolled the lit up lanes, past the dancing masseuses, and chatty bar patrons spilling onto the street.
To celebrate in such a joyous, musical way, surrounded by a happy group of new friends and an entire city celebrating so tangibly is a rare treat. We will treasure this new year forever!
