Mother’s Day
I don’t know what happens in town to celebrate Mother’s Day but here the resorts have ceremonies.
I live near Khao Ka Lok, a headland which splits the coastal area into distinct halves. One side leads to Hua Hin, the other away from it. The leading side is more built up, has many resorts and receives lots of tourists, mainly Bangkokians for their weekend break. There is a small stretch of beach on the other side of Khao Ka Lok but to reach the larger stretch, travellers have to turn up onto the Sam Roi Yod road, driving for about ten minutes before turning left down to the coast.
This side is less populated and although there are distances between the few resorts it is starting to grow. On this side is a resort called Dolphin Bay and that is where we went for dinner. The food varies from okay to good and is reasonably priced but that is subjective.
When we arrived we were given a candle protected by a clear plastic cup. A television had been set up at the entrance to the resort where the Dolphin plaque stood. People were gathering around to watch the televised ceremony.
At 7.30 the candles were lit and the crowd responded to the formal words and songs. I cannot speak Thai so I could only participate where there was repetition that I could pick up. When that happened I attempted to sing the words and raised my candle in salute. In the pauses I could hear voices drifting on the wind from other resorts.
To end the ceremony I followed everyone across the road to the beach and made a hole in the sand with my index finger where I planted my candle.
I found it emotional because this was the first Mother’s Day without my mother who died earlier this year. She and I participated in a similar ceremony last year for the King and she enjoyed it so much.
Back at our restaurant table, dinner was being served but we could see the row of flickering lights and it looked very pretty. On the other side of Khao Ka Lok, probably from the Evasons, fireworks burst into the sky. This time we raised our glasses and shouted ‘Chockdee’.
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