NEW YEAR'S EVE AT JUNGCEYLON

After some debate, we decided to check out the New Year's celebrations at Jungceylon in Patong.  Tim had been given some tickets for a Thai-style celebration (typically this is a bunch of Thais in a karaoke bar getting drunk on whiskey) but I vetoed that with the reasoning that such a party was no place to take her son.  We didn't know what to expect with Jungceylon's "Countdown Phuket 2007" but we were pleasantly surprised and had loads of fun despite the very heavy security (mostly a reaction to the Bangkok bombings).

We arrived in Patong a bit before 10:00 in time to see the start of the huge light-and-sound spectacular at the new shopping center's "Port" area (the centerpiece of which is a full-sized Chinese junk admidst water fountains).  It was quite a show and led into a demonstration of traditional Thai dancing, ugly men in drag singing songs such as Tina Turner's version of "Proud Mary", and an excellent Luk Thung-style band from Bangkok.  It was all capped off by slightly late (as evidenced by fireworks going off towards the beach, Bangla Road, and up on the hill behind Nanai before Jungceylon's) countdown and spectacular fireworks show.

Enjoy a few photos and video clips from our New Year's Eve on Phuket...