This Shindig starts Monday

My first year in Sakon Nakhon I had the privilege of getting a behind the scenes look at this festival , since members of my Thai family participated. Almost every year since I stood at the temple entrance on December 11 to watch the start of the parade.   The big show is December 12

สกลนคร Sakon Nakhon

I'm probably all wrong by calling it the dragon festival, as it also involves cobras and lions

The parade gets underway quite early in the morning.  Once the parade hits the main road part of the parade may head in different directions. The dragons and lions enter CHinese Businesses and wish them a prosperous year ahead.   Watch out for fireworks   How elaborate the celebration will be this year, is yet to be seen.  I've only seen  the dragon fight high in the sky twice in the years I have been here I've always enjoyed visiting the temple days before and watch them practice their routines The parade is December 11, with nightly activities an the temple. Make sure you check out all the artifacts on display

Father's Day Thailand, December 5

สกลนคร Sakon Nakhon

Sakon Nakhon Father's day December 5

สกลนคร Sakon Nakhon

Tha Rae Christmas Parades

Ask ten people and you get ten different answers. My latest source is an employee at the Tha Rae church.  Fair grounds and sales begin at 4 pm. The motorized star parade on December 23 begins at 6 pm. There is a walking parade with handheld stars on Dec 24  I recommend you park a few blocks from the church and walk in.  Otherwise you may get blocked in.  I've been going to Tha Rae days before the parade and photograph people busy decorating houses and floats.  I'll be doing that this year also and it there are any changes I will post it days before the event

สกลนคร Sakon Nakhon

Week condensed into two days

สกลนคร Sakon Nakhon

December is the beginning of the party season

Dec  1 Grand Opening pet shop December 11-22 at Robinson  Dec 17  Apples Restaurant Dec 11 - 18 Parade and activities at the Chinese temple Dec 18 - 28 Phu Phan Cup Football Don't miss the halftime show during the opening and final game Dec 26 through Jan1  Temple Fair nightly concerts  Dec 20 -24 Star light Festival and parades Bare Bottoms Tourism not allowed in Thailand Article linked to ABC News For those people who like to pose with wild animals  Article linked to independent.co.uk It's one of those test balloons  Article linked to ThaiVisa

สกลนคร Sakon Nakhon

Two days left for the Agricultural fair at Kasetsart University ends Dec 2

สกลนคร Sakon Nakhon

The rainy season is gone, it's time to pack up the frowns and "BE HAPPY!"

Gloomy weather (rain and clouds) affect our personalities, we've all experienced it to some degree.  Hot weather tends to make me somewhat lethargic (sluggish). Temperatures from the mid fifties to the mid seventies suit me ideally.  It's great for housework, gardening, shopping, traveling  and all those other fun things. Long Alaska winters and no sunset summers probably probably had some influence during my teen years.  New scientific findings seem to confirm my own assumptions, and examine other effects, including 'global warming.' Our personalities are shaped by the climate we grew up in, new study says - The Washington Post  How the Month You Were Born Affects Your Personality | Time

สกลนคร Sakon Nakhon