Valentine’s Day came and went in the Big Mango in a manner that would make you forget that the holiday is an American import.  On the Skytrain, ladies carried roses from their lovers.  In the mall, men swamped the chocolate counters, leaving shelves nearly bare.  This is one import that has grabbed the hearts of Thais.

Some celebrate the day, others deride it as “Singles Day”.  I thought Val made a good point when she wrote on Sunday, “…I feel compelled to remind [everyone] that it was not meant to be a day for couples but instead a day to remember the love we receive from all quarters and in all forms and to return that love.”

Amen to that!

For our Valentine’s celebration, Tawn and I traveled to the old city to watch a film.  The annual French-Thai cultural festival la fête presented a screening of the French romantic comedy Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amélie Poulain by Jean-Pierre Jeunet.

The screening was held outdoors, on the lawn behind Museum Siam.  The setting was gorgeous, the weather perfect, and eating a picnic of salami and goat cheese sandwiches, grilled vegetables, olives, and chocolate cake with ice cream (the cooling wonders of dry ice!) was the perfect way to spend the evening.

A brief video to show you the lay of the land just as the show was starting.