Depart Vientiane for North Laos

Journey to Luang Mam Tha.

Joma Bakery Cafe on central Chanta Street. -a tourist hangout, great coffee and yogurt.

Just now a young handicapped man walking on hands and dragging his feet came to my table and just looked up at  me.   It was hard to look at him directly.  What to do?  Fortunately, my breakfast was fruit and yogurt
so I bundled up some bite size chunks of fruit into a napkin and offered it to him.  He looked me in the eyes, lifted his dirty walking hands to show me how dirty they were.  So I slowly put the pieces of fruit in his mouth which he quickly ate, then thanked me. My heart broke thinking about the way he had to live.

We are on the Lao Airline to Luang Nam Tha pop. 35,000, next to China-Burma border for 5 days.  Two features of this province: Nam Ha National Protected Area ( 2224-sq-km area) densely forested regions (96%primary forest cover) in Laos and many ethnic villages which include Hmong, Akha, Mien, Santao, Thai Daeng, Thai Lu, Thai Nuea,  Thai Kalom, Khamu, Lamet, Lao Loum, Shan and Yunnanese.

The plane trip was highlighted with the conversations with to vibrant Madrid residents - Francisco is a photographer for a Newspaper and covers the world hot spots, Alexandra works in the photography collection department.

Just checked into our guest house, Thoulasith-$15 no air con or breakfast.  Beautiful village with palm trees, rice paddies, wooden houses on stilts and a very quiet commercial center.  There are many restaurants with extensive western and local restaurants.  We are eating next door to our guest house at the Minority Restaurant -bamboo shoots soup and sweet and sour chicken with vegetables and rice.

Guest houses are everywhere to accommodate the young active travelers who will kayak, trek and explore in this paradise.

We're making plans for a days journey tomorrow to visit some of the ethic villages close by.  What will we see?  The night market with weaving here turned out to be a huge disappointment.  Too bad

A bicycle ride around town and then some yogurt smoothies followed by an herbal sauna in one of those wooden houses on stilts with bamboo flooring.  We declined the massage because there were several others waiting for their turn.  Quite an experience.  Very few people here speak English.

We met a German man who had biked in from Tajikistan.  He said his favorite part of the trip was in Tibet due to the uniqueness of the people and their kindness .

Enough for today.  Sleep dear sleep.


Hotel in Muang Sing. Phot Ii Bungalow 020 55686909-086-400012

Vientiene, November 14, 2010

                                                                    Vientiane, Laos

Sitting at a sidewalk cafe, Croissant d'or, on Rue nokeoummane s a prelude for our day of exploring Vientiene on bicycle. The days are in the 80's, dry and perfect. Traffic is most mild with loads of motorcycles, Tuk tuks, motorized or leg propelled carts, or SUV's - not much in between.
I have seen just a few traffic lights so far here. I'm sure there are more, but many intersections are up to the drivers. People just seem to go with the flow.

Our guesthouse is wedged between two large wards or monasteries. Every day we walk through one of them to visit neighboring streets. The grounds are very simple, not manicured but with 3 or 4 large mature trees. Once in awhile we see some of the monks about. The murals inside look beautiful as we pass by. We'll see. Off for now.

Bicycle tour included a ride along the Mekong River road, and then along the flower lined boulevard to the Patuxai monument. En route we passed the huge Talat Sao market complex. The monument, built in 1960 with road building funds(it's called a vertical road project), looks like the Arc de Triumphant from a distance. As you get closer, stone sculpture work looks very similar to the work on Ankor Wat.

Vientiane, November 15, 2010

                                                           Wat Ong Teu Mahawihan

My first cup of American style coffee in Laos. Wonderful here in the little French cafe across from the Mixay Wat. A very creative place with photos of weaving process and Laos cultural scenes in innovative scenes.

Today is Wat day and for me a return to the Talat Sao market. I am getting to know this place a little. Wat Ong Teu Mahawihan is one of the most important in Laos. Originally built in 16th C by King Setthathirat and is said to be built on site used for religious purpose as car back as 3rd C. Destroyed and rebuilt in 20th C. Now monks come from all o er Laos to study Buddha's teachings. Famous for wooden facade near the 5.8 meter bronze Buddha, a masterpiece of Lao carving. Spoke with a monk who explained the 450 year celebration of the founding of Vientiane.

Next we visited the Mixay temple, simpler in syle and condition. Had another conversation with a 20 year old Monk from the south of Laos. He appreciates the opportunity to get an education in the Wat.

Tomorrow we leave for the north of Laos , Luang Nam Tha, a small village with many ethnic groups living near including Hmong, Akha, Mien, Samtao, Thai Daeng,Thai Lu, ThaiNuea, Thai L
Khao, Thai Kal, Khamu, Lamet, Lao Loum, Shan and Yunnanese.

Lunch of apple and carrot salad, fish curry was at Cinnamon restaurant. Owned by a Sri Lanka and Danish couple.

On to Vientiane Laos

Checked out of Mut Mee Guesthouse at 11:00am, paid our bill of 5,000baht or $170 for room and the majority of our meals during these four days. Good value!

Took tuk tuk to friendship bridge, passed Thai customs, caught bus for bridge crossing, got Lao visa($35), passed Lao immigration, taxied into Vieniane to Souphaphone Guesthouse. Entering town one notices a distinct difference of development level. So many shacks, dirt road surfaces, even a cow along this main roadway.
Vientiane Population is about 250,000

Spent rest of da exploring neighborhood. Fabulous restaurants everywhere -many French. Of course, we're in French Indochina.

Vientiene, Laos

Eating breakfast at our Souphaphone Guesthouse. Fried egg sunny side up, two hot dogs, two pieces of white bread toasted, kool-aid orange juice, nescafe, banana, and dragon fruit. I went out earlier to the French cafe for a croissant. No more guest house breakfast here. But the place is excellent in every other respect and brand new.

Jim has had a cold so we have been resting and reading. Today we plan to go to the Talat Sao central market. I find it difficult to learn about the styles of the different ethnic groups.

At last I have found my source of older tribal pieces - in the nooks and crannies of the huge Talat Sao market complex. Today I spent most of my time with a woman from the San Neua Eastern region, right by the Vietnam border. Here are located at least eight different ethnic groups. I found some beautiful small weavings in golden browns and indigo for 150,000 Kip (3 for $18). I was seeing the same ones in shops around here for $10-40 each.in addition this woman named phengphath Boupha can share information. I am thrilled.

We continue to find fabulous food here- French, Lao, Thai, Vietnamese. Incredible papaya salads, spicy soups, great fish, crepes...

Nong Khai to Vientiane, Laos

It's hard to leave Nong Khai, pop 60,000, a sleepy village until the building of the Friendship Bridge in the 90's. Now there is much economic activity with trade via the bridge.
Vientiane's pop is more than 200,000 and is the capital of Laos.
The differences in development are radical . What will we find on the other side?
A $35 visa charge person will get us in and then we can begin exploring. I'm afraid that I will fall in love w the tribal areas and never want to leave.
The weather is divine day and night- 70's and 80's. No rain, humidity reasonable and overcast days off and on.
See you in Vientiane.

Sala Kaew Ku Sculpture Park near Nong Khai

                                                                  Buddha with the Naga!
Strange is to say the least.  This park filled with strange sculptures of the Buddha, Hindu Gods, and contemporary symbols, is one mans dream to express himself and try to reach his Master. 
     Luang Pu, a Lao national, fell into a hole as a child and there he met Kaewkoo, an ascetic who introduced Luang to many elements of the underworld which set him on his course to become a Brahmanic yogi-priest-shaman.  With his own unique blend of Hindu and Buddhist philosophy, mythology and iconography, Luang developed a large following in Northeastern Thailand, which was his adopted home after the 1975 communist takeover in Laos, where he had been working on a similar project. 
     The park is a collection of bizarre cement statiesw of Shiva, Vishnu, Buddha and every other Hindu and Buddhist deity imaginable as well as lots of secular figures.  The most bizarre sculpture is a 25 meter coiled naga with Buddha sitting at the base of a multiheaded hood.
     My favorite setting was a depiction of the Wheel of Life.  One enters through a giant mouth and follow the wheel which depicts the many stages and options of one throughout life. 
     Unfortunately, Luang was imprisoned by the King because of a negative remark he had made and was imprisoned , and then passed away a year after his confinement.
     The experience was wonderful, quiet, serene and ended with a water drink by a small pond filled with huge hungry catfish.