After the frozen north, Chiang Rai was like a vacation... albeit a vacation with strange doll visitors. By the time Moving Day has come around, the phenomenon has stopped, along with the nightmares plaguing employees. There are no more bruises; there is no more indication of danger. Moving Day dawns like any other – warm and humid and still. The day is spent without preparation for the evening's guests. Instead, once employees rouse for the day, they spend it making ready to leave. Riggings are taken down, shops are secured. As night falls, the feast is laid out on long tables (this time enclosed in mosquito nets). There's food and drink, and employees come and go as they wish, moving between the closed circus and the adjacent Night Bazaar. The only rule for the day is the traditional rule: all employees that intend to travel with the Cirque must be in their trailers by 11:59 PM.
At midnight, the Coven, the Ringmaster, and some of the Fae gather around the Cauldron. Soon, the familiar power begins to build. The magic is the same as always, both familiar and strange. A steady build, a sudden swell – the feeling of time and space folding in on them... And then the release of all the magic, the dizzying sensation of movement and then settling. The humidity lingers for a moment, but only that. A cold breeze replaces it almost immediately, sweeping away the last of Thailand's sultry warmth. Despite the late hour, there are the sounds of revelry quite nearby. Employees peeking out their windows will notice that the Cirque has not settled down in a quiet space, but has been dropped into the midst of a bustling holiday market
Beginning in the middle of November, Vienna's City Hall Park is transformed into a Christmas wonderland. The city's annual Christkindlmarkt takes over the large park. There are shops and food vendors, small carnivals for children, a rink for ice-skating, and many more holiday attractions. These include daily performances by choirs, bands, and street musicians. With all its glitter and
sparkle, the aroma of punch and Christmas delicacies, it makes getting in the mood for the most wonderful celebration of the year a very special experience.
Of course, there is much more in the city than just the Christmas Dream. Ball season has just begun in Vienna, and the city is alive with the spirit of it. There are balls at mansions and small palaces on a nightly basis, and the city's fashion merchants are eager to provide for partygoers. Most balls begin at 9PM and continue until 5AM, although it isn't uncommon for the festivities to last well into the next day. There are a variety of balls to be enjoyed, themed and formal. And interestingly enough, tickets to any desired ball are provided by the Management, an early holiday gift to employees.