Familiar Walks of life in Thailand

My husband and I left the confines of the city to spend two weeks in the "Land of Smiles" for our honeymoon and it only took us 20 hours to get there. We prepared for our little adventure watching YouTube videos, taking advice from friends and relatives, and reading books about the tropical paradise.

Our journey started in Bangkok. After a goodnight's rest, we were ready to hit the town. We filled up on tropical fruit and omelettes for breakfast and started exploring the neighborhood by our hotel (Ibis Styles Bangkok Khaosan Viengtai). It was right in the middle of all the action...DAY and NIGHT!

Walking through the streets of Bangkok felt like Deja vu. The streets, sounds, and smells were all too familiar. I guess because we both have walked through hustling and bustling streets in our own home countries to know this was no different. It was nice. We were about to cross Khaosan Rd when we heard music and these beautiful ladies in gold colored saris and jewelry dancing in the street.

They were followed by group of musicians

... and then a float which was adorned with lots of colorful flowers and at the top of the float was a Buddha statue.

It reminded me of an Ūrēgimpu or parade that I've seen in Andhra Pradesh. Except this was more for religious purposes. The people on the float were handing out trinkets as blessings to followers and local business people.

The only other time I've witnessed this kind of parade outside of India was during Lunar New Year in Chinatown, NYC. The local martial arts school students dress up in lion or dragon costumes and perform dances around the town. They go from business to business collect money and give blessings. It was fun to watch.
We may be from different countries but we all have similar beliefs and traditions. Even though my home is far away...I felt right at home here. Stay tuned for more from our trip...