Boat Racing Festival

This past weekend was the Boat Racing Festival, which marks the end of Buddhist Lent.  This date typically occurs in October or November, and the date is determined by lunar cycles. For the past several weeks, anticipation has been building with booths and new restaurants getting set up along the banks of the Mekong. Legend has it that the Naga (a sea dragon snake thing that lives in the Mekong and has something to do with a creation story) lets out a huge fire ball from the water and that officially marks the end of lent.  Friday night I went down to the water with my host family and the streets were so packed we could barely move.  Chains of people were holding hands so as not to get separated.  Everyone had these little boats made from banana leaves and flowers and incense with candles lit on them.  Although I'm still not totally sure about the significance, it was something about getting rid of darkness with the candlelight.  So people would send these little boats out into the water as a prayer.  It was quite a sight, all of these candles floating out in the huge Mekong river, and fireworks going off above it.  

 

So then Saturday was Boat Race day and teams of rowers raced their long, narrow boats.  It was SO impressive.  These boats held up to 50 rowers and the shores were once again packed with people cheering and eating and drinking.  Quite the event...I was also on Lao television.  That's right, I'm famous.  Actually we just happened to be standing right underneath the camera guy and they just kept scanning the crowds between races. 

Some of my extended host family members and I at the festival.