Morning of Day 6 - Wedding party

After breakfast on day 6 we had a little bit of time to walk around the village. This was, for me, one of the most interesting cultural things we experienced during our trip. There was a wedding in this village later in the afternoon. So....we got to see the preparations for the wedding.

WARNING:

If you are a vegetarian you might want to skip this blog entry.

These guys were running around the village the night before. Our guide told us that they were a wedding present....and that's why the had pink writing on them.
Here friends and neighbors are gathered to prepare food for the wedding feast and cook sticky rice. They started a huge container of sticky rice the night before. The container was the size of a large crate. It was lined with plastic and filled with rice and water. Then it was soaked overnight and cooked this morning.
Neighbors, family, and friends brought gifts of food and they were placed in these baskets.

The two baskets pictured here are full of sticky rice...one has been dyed yellow.

Other gifts for the wedding couple.

When all the gifts were assembled they were put in the baskets. The baskets were then placed on the ends of long poles and then both men and women carried the baskets.

They started to line up in a long row

It was sort of like a parade....really fun to watch

We woke up this morning to the sounds 0f squealing pigs....Not kidding!
We were pretty sure they were not squealing for joy.

The pigs were....well....put to rest so to speak....one was hosted onto a pole.....

and the other one was prepared for the wedding dinner.

When everyone was in the line as man lite a huge roll of firecrackers. He carried them as he walked behind the gift procession.

They walked through the village......over two bridges.....

there goes piggy # 2

Piggy # 2 was joined by a leg of beef They continued through the village and stopped at the home of the couples parents.

These ladies were washing veggies for the feast

Other people were cooking food in woks and also washing....okay I will say it....parts of the pig...eewww! As soon as the gifts were delivered the parade people went back to work.

And....we went back to the bus....Oh goodie! Another 4 hour bus ride!

On the way to the bus we walked through the local wet market.

That was a really great morning!