The Vegetarian Festival 2010

The Vegetarian Festival was something that I looked forward to every year and I was not disappointed. There is a reason as to the festival – have a look here and here and here.

I am sorry but I was not a Vegetarian this time but it did not detract from my enthusiasm – okay next year I will go Veggie – Congratulations to Jamie.

Thursday October 14th

I visited the festival parade in Phuket Town with some of our guests from the hotel, as we did last year, not all of them chose to return again......... The visit was a pleasure – but secretly I think that I was more excited than the guests are.

The parade was a plethora of pierced people, men and women possessed and men shaving their tongues – wonderful, the furore was fabulous.  I ran around the whole parade taking photographs – the firecrackers were the most exciting.

I did not go to the bladed ladder walking because there was too much rain at my end of the island – just as well as I had to get up at five the next morning.

Friday October 15th

I visited Kathu Shrine early and was amazed that the temple was full of people all dressed in white – and witnessed the actual piercing take place – exhilarating!

I met Jamie and wanted a new camera (maybe next year I will rent one) and then we watched the believers leave the temple amid much chaos.  At this point I lost Jamie ………. More to do with me chasing the bangs…

I walked with the parade, carrying the deities, having a drink and losing my shoes – fabulous.  I walked and walked until I found a shop selling coffee – which I eventually found.  BUT I did not pay them the correct money – sorry I will come back.  By this time it was pouring down with rain – what the heck, I carried on…

I stopped at Clinic Kong in Phuket Town and got a blessing from a medium and more bracelets……….. 

We arrived at Sapan Hin and gathered on the lakeside – piercing, possessed and followers – amazing that there were no accidents – the 'Chief' said a few words and we turned around and came back.

As I returned I recognised that I was soaked and was not wearing shoes – so I went into a shop, stripped off changed and went for a coffee at Coffee Lovers.

In the evening I returned to Phuket Town to watch the fire walking – now this was very hot, okay I know that scientifically this is simple BUT… there were a couple of men who did actually walk though.

I would do this rather than pierce my self… anybody wants to sponsor me?

Saturday 16th October

The last day and I was blown away!

I joined the throng in Phuket Town – there were some of the possessed walking and the thrones being carried and a plethora of followers.  The streets were lined with people all dressed in white and all throwing a type of incendiary device – this was ‘rawer’ then previously and the excitement was coursing through my body.

As I walked through Phuket Town and to Sapan Hin the chaos became more fevered – the adrenaline was abundant in the participants and the viewers – I stayed in the crowd…

We went to the banks of the river and the Head Medium left on a fishing boat and a mountain of Chinese paper and fire crackers was lit – rockets were fired and the chaos started all over again.

I walked round the park taking possible video footage and I was bombarded with fireworks from the crowd – another rush of adrenaline – there was so many fireworks thrown that some were lodged in my pocket and melted my iStick and my shoes were burnt.

With a deep breadth I left it all behind me – vowing that next year I would do a little bit more…