Having waited out the afternoon I headed back out to the park around 5:30 hoping to catch some of the action leading up to the real festivities I made the mistake of thinking started earlier this morning. The walk was noticeably more crowded heading over towards the park and by the time I hit the highway it was a full on mob of people headed in every direction. Thousands of people fighting with cars for road space as police did there best to keep things moving. It was quite a change from just 4 hours ago but refreshing as it reaffirmed my high hopes for the night.

      Inside the park after fighting the roads and parades you could really feel the energy starting to pick up. Once bare green fields where now packed with people staking early claims to prime spots for tonight. Tents once empty where now only open to those willing to spend an hour fighting heavy crowds. In the distance I could see stages being set up for later and louds of thai military filing the open spaces in full uniform ready for presentations later in the night.

       Soon after I starting walking around the giant track like loop that surrounded the park to check out the roads and possibly any parades marching by. It was here though that I realized this seemed like one of those places where you could see everything with a mediocre view or you could stake out one spot early and see one thing with a perfect view. I did my best to fit through gaps in the crowd and get close to the barriers near the road to see some awesome lighting of nearby temples and buildings. With sun setting and lights coming on everything here was really starting to get into full swimg. My height was proving great when it came to pictures as everyone in front of me was a full foot shorter so I just raised my camera and had a full view. As I was doing this a young Thai girl was on her toes arms raised above her head trying to get a picture above the crowd. She gave me a look as I took my picture with ease and just starting giggling and walking away but I grabbed her camera and took the some photo I took for myself. Pretty funny though.

      Following the roadside barriers around the park I made my way to a view of the royal palace glowing in gold with the help of the nighttime lighting. Really a sight to behold and with the wall of the palace and the wall of people I again managed pictures thanks only to my height. I walked rather slowing here as Moving just a little created a better angle of the palace and I found my self taking roughly the same image with a minor change many times over. 

      In front on the palace gate I was looking at there were ceremonial soldiers instead of the usual casual army guards which was pretty cool. They don't stand still like there equaling crazy hat wearing european brothers do lol.

      Further along the path I had made it to the other end looking directly down the center of the park opposite where I came in. Now it being almost completely dark everything had a different feel to it. Lights where beaming into the sky from the stage and signs where clear that things would soon be underway.

      About 3/4 the way around There where some blue lights that from far away looked like lighting attached to a building but where in face hanging from above lighting the entire road on this side. While the opposite side was cleared of foot traffic for parades and entering dignitaries this side was a full on carnival street with thousands making there way down the gorgeous arrangements of lighting. I have no idea when it happened but heading down the road it really occured to me just how many more people were here than an hour ago. Hundreds of thousands where expected and while earlier that seemed greatly exaggerated it was looking more and more like a reality.

      I walked until there was an opening leading back into the middle of the now almost unbreakable wall of people and tried to get closer to see something. I have no idea how it happened but I got bounced around like a pinball for a bit by people who were moving quick and knew where they going as opposed to my going with the flow. I managed to get pushed to within yelling distance of the stage and in a prime viewing spot for of the speech of Prime Minister Yingluck Shiniwatra. At this point there were so many things that were becoming clear. This was the single largest gathering of people I'd ever been to in my life with over a 1/4 million people. The love of the king here in thailand is absolute and unbreakable and so many had traveled so far and yet not gotten as close as I had. The atmosphere was so powerful I felt like I was in the clouds and yet it wasn't really an event meant for me at all. The mood of the people just made it impossible not to be having a great time even in the midst of such crowds.

      About a half hour after standing in my spot things got underway and you could really see just how big a whos who of thailand this event was. Top military brass from every branch, celebrities of all types, miss thailand, governors, the prime minister herself and too many more. All taking somber walks to the stage delivering ceremonial items that once complete would mark the beginning of teh candle lighting ceremony. I was grining ear to ear for most of it and I'm not sure why. I just found it amazing to be so close to so many important people here.

      I lasted about an hour and a half of the 2 hour ordeal before having to step aside and give up spot due to the need for something to drink. This proved to be one of the best choices as I got to stumble upon the lighting of a different type of candles... the ones that fly. All along the roads surrounding the park people where light there giant paper candles and as they filled with gas from the flame slowing lifted off like a balloon. Watching the entire process was magical. Some fail and burn to the ground the while others slowly rise and join hundreds of others now drifting though the night sky. I stayed here for a bit and watched in amazement as the young and old all enjoyed the popular pastime. I have no idea how long I would have stayed but the abrupt roar of the crowds back where I was previously standing told me things where moving along.

      Really though at this point all I could do was turn around as getting within 5 minutes walk of where I was before was impossible. However when I reached the point where I had to stop a nice lady handed me a small yellow candle to light and join in with the tens of thousands of others that where all lit at the same time. It was really an amazing this to take part in and even more so as to the thais its a giant gesture of there love for the king. Fireworks started shooting off not long after the candles where lit which for most signaled the end of the nights events. Many would stick around until the wee hours of the morning milking every last bit of it but I had had my fill. Truly amazing.

      Going home isn't exaclty easy though. What happens when 100,000+ people all decide to leave at the exact same time with absolutely no directions being given from authorites? Your fucked. Combine that with the fact that people take over highways and cars push right into people to keep moving and its a death trap. A fun one though. What is really a 5 minute took long enough where I stopped keeping track but I did move through without any serious issues.

      Back on Khao San Rd things seemed brighter. The neon lights that usually annoyed me seemed pretty, the noise seemed softer and even the things that just get in the way like the guy who pulls up in the currency exchange van and blocks the road seemed less troublesome. I took a little bit of the atmosphere of the night home with me.

     Not wanting to end things just yet I decided to head over to gullivers bar again and cap everything off for the night. Simple right? lol. Till tomorrow. Also John if you end up ready this had a great time man. Hope your trip goes well and you have a great time in cambodia.