Being in a remote village I always need to travel a good distance to meet, socialise and visit places. I have regularly been riding to Phayao on a Friday lunchtime to join friends at the P.W. Farmers, have a chat and a few beers, so all it needed was to add an overnight stay and I'd get a chance to visit this Mien - Yao event for the first time. Thankfully the smoke season is not yet with us so it was still decent weather and pleasant conditions for the 180 kms down to Phayao yesterday. After a pleasant midday meal I rode into the city and found the festival was located on the side of the lake near to a Chinese temple still decorated for new year and located next to a busy night market. Lots to see all in one go.
At 3.30pm it was warm but not too hot so there was plenty of activity at the show site. As with all things Thai eating and drinking were high up the list and shopping for the ethnic clothing and jewellery was a must.
Some elder women were busy with the usual Mien activity of sewing and a group of younger women were providing some dance entertainment. Just to show there was no racial bias a small group of Lisu girls also joined in the dancing.
By now getting a bit warm I went off to find a room, get a shower, change clothes and have a break. I used a place I have stayed before, the Anchisa Mansions, and a room was still 400b, same price as 2 years ago. This hotel even sells a beer for a cheaper price than my local market shop, 58b a Leo, quite a good deal.
Just as the sun dropped behind the hills I was back by the lake side and found an atmosphere that is maybe unique to Phayao, certainly unlike the village I live in. The locals appear to really enjoy being out on the water front, bringing easy chairs to sit around in, snacking from vendor food carts or just strolling in the pretty public spaces this city provides. It was lovely experience to see people enjoying and using the spaces provided, being entertained by a busking musician or having a relaxing massage.
Back at the festival area a decent sized crowd were now enjoying yet more food, a good quantity of beer and some luk thung style singing from singers who were announced from USA, Vietnam and Philippines. A very relaxed, friendly atmosphere with the elderly and the young happy in each others company. Local dancing girls took background to the singers, big white boots being the preferred footwear.
Amazingly for a special event the snack food stalls right here at the festival were providing food at very cheap prices so pad thai and fried chicken provided the evening meal which finished just as the pretty ladies hit the stage for the first preview of the beauty queen contest. Unlike the nation contests there was a wide variety of shapes and sizes but the footwear confirmed that they all thought they were too short.
It wasn't yet late but this man had had a long day so took a stroll back to where my bike was parked and cruised along the lakeside. My earlier impression about people enjoying this city was once again reinforced and it looked to me as if the Mien festival and the Phayao citizens were a great match, everyone laid back and happy.
At a last picture stop some young lads tried out their English, the group gained a couple of girls they knew, then a couple more and I found myself in a friendly chat about work, lifestyle and wealth.
A great round off to a good day, old friends for lunch, new friends for dinner and never a feeling of being alone or unwanted.
At 3.30pm it was warm but not too hot so there was plenty of activity at the show site. As with all things Thai eating and drinking were high up the list and shopping for the ethnic clothing and jewellery was a must.
Some elder women were busy with the usual Mien activity of sewing and a group of younger women were providing some dance entertainment. Just to show there was no racial bias a small group of Lisu girls also joined in the dancing.
By now getting a bit warm I went off to find a room, get a shower, change clothes and have a break. I used a place I have stayed before, the Anchisa Mansions, and a room was still 400b, same price as 2 years ago. This hotel even sells a beer for a cheaper price than my local market shop, 58b a Leo, quite a good deal.
Just as the sun dropped behind the hills I was back by the lake side and found an atmosphere that is maybe unique to Phayao, certainly unlike the village I live in. The locals appear to really enjoy being out on the water front, bringing easy chairs to sit around in, snacking from vendor food carts or just strolling in the pretty public spaces this city provides. It was lovely experience to see people enjoying and using the spaces provided, being entertained by a busking musician or having a relaxing massage.
Back at the festival area a decent sized crowd were now enjoying yet more food, a good quantity of beer and some luk thung style singing from singers who were announced from USA, Vietnam and Philippines. A very relaxed, friendly atmosphere with the elderly and the young happy in each others company. Local dancing girls took background to the singers, big white boots being the preferred footwear.
Amazingly for a special event the snack food stalls right here at the festival were providing food at very cheap prices so pad thai and fried chicken provided the evening meal which finished just as the pretty ladies hit the stage for the first preview of the beauty queen contest. Unlike the nation contests there was a wide variety of shapes and sizes but the footwear confirmed that they all thought they were too short.
It wasn't yet late but this man had had a long day so took a stroll back to where my bike was parked and cruised along the lakeside. My earlier impression about people enjoying this city was once again reinforced and it looked to me as if the Mien festival and the Phayao citizens were a great match, everyone laid back and happy.
At a last picture stop some young lads tried out their English, the group gained a couple of girls they knew, then a couple more and I found myself in a friendly chat about work, lifestyle and wealth.
A great round off to a good day, old friends for lunch, new friends for dinner and never a feeling of being alone or unwanted.
