Yesterday, Lucy, Georgi, Jo and Analise came down from Kuraburi to see the Vegetable Festival. This festival is a time that Chinese buddhists believe in the 9th month of their lunar cycle (happens to be our October this year) one should wear white.
The white shows a cleansing, clean, new spirit. Leaving any or all sins from the previous year behind. The only eat vegetables during this time, again a sign of one clensing the body. It's also a time for reflection on the previous year. To review and look at what was good and what was not so good.
Many people go into trances and start piercing themselves with swords, knives, and everyday household things, with the belief that if they do not bleed then they are cleansed, clean for the coming year.
One such test is to walk up a ladder whose steps are made of knives. Then down the other side. I've heard that if someone bleeds at any point on the steps they are removed - so as not to contaminate the other climbers.
All the temples in the Chinese district of Phuket are decorated, visited, prayed at. Some have large chimneys where offerings of pretend money are set on fire. Some also have a separate chimney stack that houses a bunch of fire crackers. When they go off the noise is unbelieveable.
The nightlife and food was delicious, we girls had great fun.
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