On the Friday night after the Water Festival (Songkran - Thai New Years) we went with the other Senior Couples in Bangkok to the Royal Plaza (สนาม หลวง). Our intent was to go and see some dancing and displays at the National Museum located nearby. But the museum was actually closed that night. However we happened upon a large activity at the Royal Plaza. The Royal plaza is a very large field in the old part of Bangkok. If my memory serves me right, 40 years ago it was the location of the weekend market.
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The building tops in the background is the Grand Palace,
location of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha |
The Ministry of Culture was putting on a large activity which included, what I have coined as a kite Festival. There was dancing and music and floats and other things. But the thing that got our attention was the large kites we saw nearby in the Sky. The actual event I learned later was in a celebration for the 233rd anniversary of the Chakri Dynasty (reign of Kings). Current king is the 9th - King Rama the 9th. It was a great evening in Bangkok.
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These kites was enormous - I would estimate that they were 50 feet long.
We got closer when they were on the ground later. |
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| Senior Couples in a tunnel of handmade kites - with their self appointed guide (green shirt) sharing his joy of kites |
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| Yes that is a Turtle kite |
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| Making kites |
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| Beautiful original kites |
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| More kite making in the background |
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| Some of the kites were for sale - only a couple dollars to buy yourself a kite |
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| Cobra kite made by our self appointed guide - who spend time with us |
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| Kite wranglers - note the basket in front - holds his string to control the kite |
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| Music also provided |
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| More than one set of musicians playing |
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