I put my earplugs in before bed last night and could hear the sound of firecrackers reverberating in my ears. This morning the same noise woke me up but it was coming from the street outside. I jumped up and in usual fashion, turned the light on and yelled something to those still semi-conscious.
We rubbed our eyes and rushed downstairs to see the street procession of the temple nearest us, the Jui Tui Temple, which we refer to as "our temple". It was much like the others but lasted much longer. Everyday we add to the list of things we see pierced through someone's cheeks and no longer are the pierced only men. By now we have seen many women and even teenagers with objects through their cheeks. Today, shoved through large holes in cheeks we saw: candles, a life-size plastic toy machine gun, handcuffs, a ceiling fan, umbrellas, a cluster of prayer beads, vegetables with their stems, a florescent light tube, hacksaws, bunches of plastic/real flowers, chains, and a lantern. Noteworthy are the microphone stand and badminton rackets we saw through cheeks yesterday. Needless to say, the whole event is really unnerving because those pierced look very uncomfortable and burdened. Their helpers cluster around them with tissue to sop up drool and blood and to give them small drinks of water. Afterall, they walk through the streets for hours in this state. Sometimes I think us spectators must all go into a shallow state of shock when we see these things, or our minds force us to look at them as if it's not real (especially the children who are watching). I'm pretty certain I will never, ever see something like this again.
For all of us, the early morning processions are the most interesting but we're still intrigued by our festival calendar that lists other tantalizing events. Last night we set out to witness the fire-walking. It began at our temple where a huge gathering was setting out to run through the streets led by the usual brand of priests in colourful garb and their white-clad entourages. We ran with the procession for a while until I freaked out. You see, people line the streets and toss firecrackers at the procession (or more precisely, the people in it) to ward off evil spirits. You literally have to jump over them and run fast enough to outrun someone who is about to toss it at you, all the while holding your ears to spare your drums. Call me a prude, but I wasn't too into that and we were all really annoyed by the constant loud cracking sounds. I ducked into an alley, followed close behind by Magi and Aaron. We then figured out how to get through this without getting our hair singed and ear drums blown out. It was simple, we left the procession and walked directly to the mini-field where the firewalking was to be held. There was a large area gated off for specators. Inside was a large-ish patch of hot ash that about a dozen men in white were tending to. We waited and waited as the crowd began to swell. A large brown cockroach walked it's own little procession over Aaron's feet. We waited and waited some more. The event was now two hours late. Magi and I gave up waiting and then as we were walking away (of course) it all began. We stood in the back and watched. Aaron stayed up in front. It was very anti-climatic after all that waiting. We met Aaron back at the guesthouse and he told even children were able to walk over it and that he would have if we were there to take his picture!
Tonight we went to another event, the bladed-ladder climbing. What it was, as you may have guessed, is a ladder whose rungs are made of "razor-sharp" blades. There were about thirty rungs on either side of the ladder and those who attempted the feat had to step on them all. We watched, expecting to see something gruesome, but in the end we didn't even spy a cut. I think maybe a lot of this self-mortification is more symbolic than anything; so far only the street processions have really wrenched our stomachs. Still, just the carnivalesque atmosphere around all these events is pretty interesting in itself.
We've been in Phuket for quite a while now. Slowly a pattern is developing in what we do on a day-to-day basis. Our days consist of either: the morning procession, festival food, movie theater chill, shopping for "The Dog" items, time on the internet, and late night talks or: the morning procession, festival food, Magi and Aaron playing in the surf at the beach while I cross-stitch on the sidelines and go for a dip now and then, time on the internet, and late night talks. Tough life, I know. There is nothing but self-pity going on here.
Note on "The Dog" stuff: You probably all know that Magi and I are a little keen on canines. Well, there's this brand over here called "The Dog" and what it is is a variety of items; from an immense variety of bags to notebooks to cellphone holders to keychains to t-shirts to cigarette cases to pens to hair ties to stickers to wallets to charms to stuffed animals to coin purses to erasers to (okay, okay, you get the point).... all with a picture of different breed on them (sadly the breeds are limited to about ten or fifteen). But it's not just any picture, it's a picture angled as if you are looking down on the dog, so the head is really big (and cute) and the body is really small. Everyday we see different The Dog items and not buying them is a little like being tortured. So we have indulged every now and then but we always look through all the store's selection first. Aaron is so bored of looking at The Dog stuff that he cringes whenever we are about to pass by a shop or booth selling the stuff but he doesn't know we feel the same way whenever he walks by a DVD/VCD rack! So nuts to him!
Magi has added a new phrase to her vocabulary, prounouced "Dichan poon pasa tai maidai" which means "I do not speak Thai." Locals always get a gleam in their eye when they see her with us, as if they are thinking "Phew, at least I'll be able to communicate with her, she's Thai people!" Magi is spoken to in Thai on an hourly basis. Until now, she's only been able to say "Uh, English?" or stand there with a blank look on her face while the people continue to chat her up. The odd time, she'll try the old "smile and nod" technique which just encourages them to talk more! With her new phrase she should be able to save herself from much confusion and embarrassment.
Goodnight, or goodmorning, to you all. Much love from all of us.
tothesea,
k&m