Pee Mai Songkran!!

You can run, you can't hide... EVERYONE GETS WET EVERY YEAR.
Except me ha! Well, someone has to capture all the action, so be me:)

This year's water fight is more happening than ever because we now have 2 additional restaurants - Il Tempio and Mandi-Mandi (so, more people to throw water at) and one of which comes with a swimming pool (so people can now be thrown into the water instead!). HAH! It was mandi-mandi alright....

For all our new staff, it's a helluv an orientation. Daniele, our Italian chef from Tuscany didn't quite know this but everyone was waiting to corner him the whole day. When all the customers left, he finally got his welcome-treat.

That's James (from left), Chef Daniele and Chris (our very own orang utan).
Then Jararoon, our new GM from Thailand was summoned back to Tamarind Springs, suppposedly 'by the boss to deal with an urgent matter'.

This was the act waiting for Mr. New GM to arrive....only to be grabbed and thrown into the pool like fish released from its bait.


When all was over, Tamarind Springs looked like it had rained dogs and cats indoors; Il Tempio looked like our 3 huge clay water pots just exploded and Mandi-Mandi, like the pool has just been emptied.

Here's the Queen of the Kitchen, multi award-winning chef SomKhuan Wandee, flanked by Badun (her hubby) and other kitchen and floor staff. It's party time! Or how the Thais say it SANOOK-DEE!

Our Myanmar crew from Tamarind Springs who rock! From left : James, Jeff (Jame's brother) & Robin. They said this splashing business would go on for at least 3 days in Myanmar!

The Italian crew from Il Tempio, the hard-core party buddies. From left : Ben (skinned one), Billy (crazy one), Chef Daniele (playful one), Dashna (DASHING one) & Sunny (cheerful one from Tamarind Springs - eh, salah group la lu!)

And then we have Chris, the zookeeper I've met while voluntering at the zoo some 5 years ago and he has been working for us part-time ever since. He's now animal trainer, I guess we could use some of his skills to tame our own beasts la;)

The Mandi-Mandi boys, the 'happening gile crew'. And below, the happening farang boss & chef whom have gone a long way together...

And this, is Federico's mother wh's visiting from Trieste at the moment. She has no clue this is how we play...

Daniele performing the 'bathing' of Buddha statues with fragrant water - a ritual of Songkran practised by Buddhists. It is believed to cleanse away all bad omens. I'm quite sure he'll come away converted at his own temple... jeng jeng jeng!