Year of the Snake came in with a bang.  Well, many bangs actually.  Seems that a never ending volley of firecrackers is the approved method of celebrating Chinese New Year.

For weeks, they have been hanging red lanterns all over Hat Yai and Songkhla (and I’m sure in most other parts of Thailand).  You can drive down any road and see dozens of shops fully stocked with clothing for the impending holiday.  Red material, gold patterning, dragons, mandarin collars, brocade…

My school made no mention of special activities for Chinese New Year (which is on March 9th) until Friday (the 8th) at 4pm.  We needed to wear red on Monday (the 11th) as we would be ringing in the New Year then.  HIC seems to do things a little later than other schools… I guess I will be shopping for a red top this weekend.  Dreading it.  Chinese red is not a good color for me.

On Friday night, we foreigners got together and dressed in costume for a party at the German restaurant in Hat Yai, Gäps Garten.  Buffet dinner. Without a costume, 399 baht.  With a costume, 99 baht.  No brainer.  I am typically resistant to things like this.  Don’t ask me why, I just don’t tend to enjoy costumes.  However, a 300 baht difference was motivation enough.  I decided to go as Robin.  As far as my imagination and limited options would take me.

For lack of a costume store and an overabundance of fabric shops, I opted to purchase some material for a cape and mask.  I also didn’t want the cost of the costume to negate the savings on the buffet.  That would defeat the purpose of dressing up in the first place.  I needn’t have worried.  My cape and mask ran me 65 baht.  Bright yellow/gold satin for the cape and a thin green nylon for the mask.  Due to a lack of good scissors, the mask ended up being scrapped in favor of lots of black eye make-up.  Thank God for Samantha and her theater major.  And her black leggings.  And her “bum” skirt, as I called it (that’s all it covers).  By some miracle, I already own a tank top in the shade of green I needed.

The most amazing part was riding on my scooter with my cape flying behind me on a busy Friday night.  I imagine there were stares but I am sure it was because it was so epic.  I have suggested that we all get together in capes and masks one night and hit the town on our motorbikes.  Pretty sure it would be talked about in Hat Yai for years to come.

After spending a great night out with friends, food, and festivities, I arrived home at 1:30am and went to sleep at 2:30am.  To be woken by a noise that I couldn’t place.  At 7:30am.  Sounded as if it was in the hallway.  Firecrackers.  How I hate them.