Today is New Years on the Dai calendar and is the day of the Water Sprinkling Festival, their grandest festival of the year. According to the official tourist site the celebration consists of dipping branches into the river and sprinkling water onto others as a way to express their best wishes. The water washes away all of the bad luck and problems from the previous year and brings luck for the coming year.
In recent years it has become the Water Splashing Festival and
has become a gigantic water fight.
Street vendors were selling water guns, buckets, basins, water balloons
and small waterproof neck pouches for storing your phone.
Some people came fully equipped with large (estimate 2 – 3 gallons) tanks on their backs with hoses for spraying everything in sight. People were stationed along streets and at street corners…pity the poor car driver who forgets to roll up his windows…his car interior would be soaked.
Some people came fully equipped with large (estimate 2 – 3 gallons) tanks on their backs with hoses for spraying everything in sight. People were stationed along streets and at street corners…pity the poor car driver who forgets to roll up his windows…his car interior would be soaked.
Billie said that generally about 100,000 people across
the city participate in the event. The
main venue was a massive plaza in the middle of the city with large pools and
fountains filled with water, holding upwards of 20,000 people. The police had taped off various streets
leading to the plaza to hold back the crowd. Even so, everyone was trying to get everyone else wet.
The main event was supposed to start at 11:00 but at about 10:45 some roar went up from another group down the street and the entire mob that we were in crashed the barriers, overwhelmed the police, and swarmed the plaza.
The main event was supposed to start at 11:00 but at about 10:45 some roar went up from another group down the street and the entire mob that we were in crashed the barriers, overwhelmed the police, and swarmed the plaza.
By the time we reached the plaza it was a mass of
humanity and all of the pools were stuffed with people throwing water
everywhere.
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quality.
As the only Caucasians present (we think) we were treated to special attention. We were there maybe 3 – 5 minutes before we were soaked to the skin. Billie brought small basins for us so we were able to give back at least some. (He vanished as soon as we got to the plaza…he didn’t want to become a target with us.)
Every once in a while some announcement would go out over the loud speaker and everyone would double their efforts and the air above the crowd would fill with water. All the water in the air in the background of these pictures...it isn't from fountains...that is water thrown by the celebrants.
If HD does not show at end of progress bar, click there for better
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It was absolutely a riot. Everyone was in a wonderful, jolly mood and we had a wonderful and memorable time participating.
The celebration goes on for several hours but after an hour and a half we decided we were wet enough and should certainly have much luck in the coming year, and walked to a nearby hotel (getting frequently dowsed along the way) to change into dry clothes. There were people roaming the streets and milling around the hotel...ready to spread the Good Luck for the New Years (and soak some more people).
We then went back to our hotel to shower and then it was off to lunch and our afternoon touring.
After lunch we drove about an hour into some nearby
mountains for a 2 hour walk through some tea plantations.
In addition to the normal tea bushes we are all familiar with the area boasted a large number of tea trees.
Many of the tea trees are several hundred years old.The oldest was over 800 years old.
Billie said that
the area we were in (Pu Er) raises exceptional tea. In fact, some wealthy businessmen from places
like Hong Kong and Shanghai lease the acreage for their private harvest, at
the rate of up to 1,000,000 Yuan a year ($160,000+). Owners of tea bushes get only about 40,000
yaun (6,700 dollars) a year (bushes are not organic and tree leaves have 20
times the infusion of bush leaves). Most
of them also hire their own staff to harvest the tea. Needless to say, the owners of those
particular trees make a very good living.
In addition to the normal tea bushes we are all familiar with the area boasted a large number of tea trees.
Many of the tea trees are several hundred years old.The oldest was over 800 years old.
 |
| 800 year old tea tree |
The walk was very peaceful and we saw almost no one but a
few farmers, including one on a "tractor" that took up most of the path.
Near the end with we ran into six Chinese on vacation. They were quite friendly and wanted to get their pictures taken with us. Apparently they were from an area in China that got few tourists so we were a novelty to them.
This evening after dinner we walked around our hotel a bit. There are extensive grounds and it is very pretty and peaceful.
Near the end with we ran into six Chinese on vacation. They were quite friendly and wanted to get their pictures taken with us. Apparently they were from an area in China that got few tourists so we were a novelty to them.
This evening after dinner we walked around our hotel a bit. There are extensive grounds and it is very pretty and peaceful.
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