I do yoga in the mornings these days and Thai classes in the afternoons. It makes for very full days so every so every so often I take a down day to catch my breath. Today was a down day for me. Some days just are like that. I took it very very easy.
September 22nd – did some photo work to 400 pixel size and uploaded to the web site. It’s much faster than the 600 pixel size photos up there. I’ll have to redo the entire site.
I spent a lot of time with the Bank of Ireland trying to sort out the automated payment for the mortgage. It’s very frustrating to look for Customer Service and get no help what so ever. The Bank of Ireland hasn’t moved to the internet electronic age very well yet. Sure I can get on-line account information but nothing about transactions or other stuff. And if I want to do serious stuff like set up automated payments, that has to be by paper with a physical signature on it. Aaagggh
September 23rd, 24th – spent time finding guest houses in Vientiane as that’s where our next visa run is to.
Monday, September 20, 2004
Thursday, September 16, 2004
Thai classes and internet access at the Victory
Spent some time researching local serviced apartments that have internet access in the room. Found the Victory hotel and we’ve booked a one-bedroom with internet access for a month, starting 19th September.
September 19th moved into Victory Hotel. I headed out to AUA to see what their Thai classes were like. It’s certainly different to most ways of teaching I’ve had before. They give you a class pass so that you can go in and listen to one lesson to see what you think. There is no study or homework required, all you have to do is look and listen. At about 800 hours they figure you’ve listened and looked enough to start speaking Thai. Before that they don’t want you speaking Thai.
All the teachers are native Thai speakers and that makes a big difference.
Construction started outside our apartment block today. It’s very noisy, however we hope it won’t last too long. We found a local restaurant for dinner, Tida esarn.
September 19th moved into Victory Hotel. I headed out to AUA to see what their Thai classes were like. It’s certainly different to most ways of teaching I’ve had before. They give you a class pass so that you can go in and listen to one lesson to see what you think. There is no study or homework required, all you have to do is look and listen. At about 800 hours they figure you’ve listened and looked enough to start speaking Thai. Before that they don’t want you speaking Thai.
All the teachers are native Thai speakers and that makes a big difference.
Construction started outside our apartment block today. It’s very noisy, however we hope it won’t last too long. We found a local restaurant for dinner, Tida esarn.
Wednesday, September 15, 2004
Back 'home' in Bangkok
I don’t sleep very well on trains so I’m tired as we reach Bangkok and descend from the train. It was nice to get a Taxi and arrive back in a familiar bedroom at the Wild Orchid Guest House, even though it was still very early in the morning the room was ready.
Then we headed out to My House for breakfast and checkin to email. There’s a gorgeous looking girl sitting casually back on the low Thai seats and pillows. All the Farang guys can’t help but look at her. Though I think she’s aware of the looks she is getting, she takes it in her stride and casually gets on with eating her breakfast and reading her book.
Two of the guys checking her out are from the train we just got off. It’s a small world when you got to Khaosan Road or Banglamphou. I’d heard the older guy talking on the train about how many girls he had slept with. It sounded sordid and nasty they way he talked about ‘making out’ with girls. I don’t think he had any respect for women. Luckily the younger guy now with him had better manners and taste.
Leon gave me a CD with lots of old news articles about the 1953 floods and flooding of the fjords in Holland and how they shored up the dykes and made dams over the following 12 years that still stand today.
Then we headed out to My House for breakfast and checkin to email. There’s a gorgeous looking girl sitting casually back on the low Thai seats and pillows. All the Farang guys can’t help but look at her. Though I think she’s aware of the looks she is getting, she takes it in her stride and casually gets on with eating her breakfast and reading her book.
Two of the guys checking her out are from the train we just got off. It’s a small world when you got to Khaosan Road or Banglamphou. I’d heard the older guy talking on the train about how many girls he had slept with. It sounded sordid and nasty they way he talked about ‘making out’ with girls. I don’t think he had any respect for women. Luckily the younger guy now with him had better manners and taste.
Leon gave me a CD with lots of old news articles about the 1953 floods and flooding of the fjords in Holland and how they shored up the dykes and made dams over the following 12 years that still stand today.
Tuesday, September 14, 2004
Songkran Movie, Ganga and leaving Chiang Mai
Leon and I had toured the town early in the day on a small photo shoot. As we returned to the Triple NNN Café for a quick coffee we noticed a film crew, actors and extras all milling around the moat Gate to the night markets. It looked like a recreation of Songkran, the water festival held in April each year. Some of the extras were Farang and some were Thai. The crowd had high powered modern water pistols as well as the usual buckets and other containers for water. The idea behind the water Festival is that you drown whoever passes by with water.
Along with the water dousing are parades which include a water buffalo, Buddha images and other important reliquaries decorated and paraded high above the crowds heads. All were recreated for the movie.
Beside the Safe House Guest House we’re staying in is a little hair dressers. This is where I get my hair washed and blow dried. They have a dog which was paralyzed in it’s back legs. But they had managed to turn a pair of small wheels into a cage for his back legs which allowed him to walk on his front ones and ‘wheel’ along on his back ones.
Booked tickets to Bangkok and picked up the replacement power supply for the MAC.
My leg is much better, it definitely needed the visit to the Chiang Mai Ram hospital to get lanced and cleaned out.
This evening two Americans from Hawaii arrived at the Guest House. They’re here to get dental work done. They’re middle-aged to older and are way into ganga. One’s a Rastafarian. But they were too loud about the ganga and I was nervous for them. Eventually we thought we got the point across.
It transpired that a friend of theirs lives in Chiang Mai with his Thai girlfriend. He arrived later with a load of ganga and they immediately took off to their room to smoke it. As they are in the room next to us it’s impossible to not smell it.
Torrential rain again last night so I didn’t sleep very well.
This evening as I waited for Jeff, I met a lady called Jill. She and her husband and baby son Henry have come from Indonesia to live and work in Chiang Mai. She’s an English teacher. They figured it’s better to raise their son in the family-oriented and community environment of an Asian country rather than the States.
Leon was very sad to see us go. I think he will be more lonely now.
On the train our seats, 30 and 32, were occupied by other Farang. They didn’t realize how the seating numbering worked, but all turned out well once we’d worked through it. The gentleman we were talking with about the seats was from Madagascar originally, but had lived in Paris for the past 25 years. He was traveling with a group which didn’t really seem to suit him. He didn’t like the fact that they kept moving on day after day, mostly by bys. Unpacking and packing every night.
I can’t say I blame him. The group he was with included a French lady who was very rude. Her seat was by the diving doors between the carriages. At one point a Guard walked through the door and forgot to close it after him. She literally screamed at him to close the door. As he was Thai, and an authority figure, he didn’t understand what she was saying but understood the rude manner in which it was delivered. He politely closed the door, but you could hear the whispers about her actions make their way down through the entire carriage. An obnoxious woman. God help her husband.
We pass many small towns. Some with very picturesque stations, others just railroad crossings. Many dogs, many chickens.
Along with the water dousing are parades which include a water buffalo, Buddha images and other important reliquaries decorated and paraded high above the crowds heads. All were recreated for the movie.
Beside the Safe House Guest House we’re staying in is a little hair dressers. This is where I get my hair washed and blow dried. They have a dog which was paralyzed in it’s back legs. But they had managed to turn a pair of small wheels into a cage for his back legs which allowed him to walk on his front ones and ‘wheel’ along on his back ones.
Booked tickets to Bangkok and picked up the replacement power supply for the MAC.
My leg is much better, it definitely needed the visit to the Chiang Mai Ram hospital to get lanced and cleaned out.
This evening two Americans from Hawaii arrived at the Guest House. They’re here to get dental work done. They’re middle-aged to older and are way into ganga. One’s a Rastafarian. But they were too loud about the ganga and I was nervous for them. Eventually we thought we got the point across.
It transpired that a friend of theirs lives in Chiang Mai with his Thai girlfriend. He arrived later with a load of ganga and they immediately took off to their room to smoke it. As they are in the room next to us it’s impossible to not smell it.
Torrential rain again last night so I didn’t sleep very well.
This evening as I waited for Jeff, I met a lady called Jill. She and her husband and baby son Henry have come from Indonesia to live and work in Chiang Mai. She’s an English teacher. They figured it’s better to raise their son in the family-oriented and community environment of an Asian country rather than the States.
Leon was very sad to see us go. I think he will be more lonely now.
On the train our seats, 30 and 32, were occupied by other Farang. They didn’t realize how the seating numbering worked, but all turned out well once we’d worked through it. The gentleman we were talking with about the seats was from Madagascar originally, but had lived in Paris for the past 25 years. He was traveling with a group which didn’t really seem to suit him. He didn’t like the fact that they kept moving on day after day, mostly by bys. Unpacking and packing every night.
I can’t say I blame him. The group he was with included a French lady who was very rude. Her seat was by the diving doors between the carriages. At one point a Guard walked through the door and forgot to close it after him. She literally screamed at him to close the door. As he was Thai, and an authority figure, he didn’t understand what she was saying but understood the rude manner in which it was delivered. He politely closed the door, but you could hear the whispers about her actions make their way down through the entire carriage. An obnoxious woman. God help her husband.
We pass many small towns. Some with very picturesque stations, others just railroad crossings. Many dogs, many chickens.
Monday, September 13, 2004
Triple NNN and Farang who lost his backpack
While sitting doing email and blogging I couldn’t help but overheard an American tourist who was explaining to the waiter how he had ‘lost’ his bag in the Café yesterday. He appeared to be a guest in the Hotel part of Triple NNN.
His prescription medications were in the bag, as were his passport and other valuable documents related to his work and life in general. His story was that he had been in the Café yesterday with a Thai lady friend who he had taken pity on when she had approached him to help her.
It sounded like he had stupidly talked to the girl, expecting that if he helped her she would return the favor by being very friendly with him. After some time she was ready to go home or somewhere else and he called a cab for her. When he returned to the Café his bag was gone.
He offered the waiter a reward if his bag could be found. He figured that the waiter would have a better chance of scouring the local town and community to get information about it and get it back.
Apparently it worked, he returned the following day and the bag had been returned, with the prescriptive medicines and documents, but minus the money. Ouch.
His prescription medications were in the bag, as were his passport and other valuable documents related to his work and life in general. His story was that he had been in the Café yesterday with a Thai lady friend who he had taken pity on when she had approached him to help her.
It sounded like he had stupidly talked to the girl, expecting that if he helped her she would return the favor by being very friendly with him. After some time she was ready to go home or somewhere else and he called a cab for her. When he returned to the Café his bag was gone.
He offered the waiter a reward if his bag could be found. He figured that the waiter would have a better chance of scouring the local town and community to get information about it and get it back.
Apparently it worked, he returned the following day and the bag had been returned, with the prescriptive medicines and documents, but minus the money. Ouch.
Sunday, September 12, 2004
Food, Transport and Leon's Stories
The different kinds of food, bbq, noodles, fried rice, boiled rice, coconut wrapped in banana leaves, quail eggs cooked on little griddles, papaya salad, spicy kai lob (chicken) made with the freshest of herbs give unblieveable taste and flavor to dishes from street vendor to high class restaurant. I love the Pad thai, the Papaya salad, the bbq chicken sticks, the bbq corn on the cob.
Each day or evening the street vendors set up their little stalls. On the stalls they have either the noodles or rice that has been precooked and ready to be reheated or being kept hot over a boiling pan. They have hot-coal pots that sit neatly into the cart with the coal-rack just at the same level as the cart, keeping the hot coals below and out of the way of passing people and danger. On the cart they also have all the herbs, fruit or vegetables that they’ll use for making their particular dishes. They also usually have a glass cabinet that sits on top of the cart that holds the meat or other delicacy that is their particular thing to sell. It can be everything from pork, chicken, fish and other unknown meats to just noodles for Pad Thai. The bug vendors exclusively only serve bugs such as worms, scorpions, cockroaches and crickets.
The variety of fruit is enormous, dragon fruit, rambutan, lychee like fruit that taste a little like grapefruit but just a tad sweeter. Watermelon, pineapple, papaya, melon, apples, small local bananas that taste so good bbq'd, Farang fruit, and endless amount of new fruits to taste. Orange juice squeezed from the most delicious little fruit oranges I have ever tasted.
I don’t recognize half of the stuff they are selling. I do know that the round balls on the skewers can be anything, pork or chicken or a combination of stuff that I probably don’t want to know.
The rice or noodle sausages are interesting but I think the one time I tried it it wasn’t from the best vendor. Or else they are simply not my thing.
Banana leaves are used extensively as plates or coverings on rice baskets. They’re also used to make containers for coconut or other delicacies and they are also used as little dishes to cook quail eggs in over the hot coals. It’s surprising how versatile they are.
Leon’s stories about his time in Jail in Iraq are harrowing. He was locked up for 14 months in Iraq. Tortured by electricity. Not allowed to use toilet facilities so his toilet was his jail cell. His back is destroyed because of the torture and he never uncovers it in public.
He was evacuated from the Iraqi jail by the US Royal Marines in a helicoopter, after which it took him a year to recuperate from his experiences. The man’s indestructible. And that’s after he had encephalitis twice, 2 paralyzing strokes as a young, numerous other diseases from trips in Africa and other wild places. His legs still show the marks of the disease he picked up in Africa. Now he has been diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumour. It’s on the stem of his brain which means it’s inoperable. He’s had chemo twice already.
Round the town there are Akha women dressed in traditional tribes clothes selling their wares. People who are paralyzed don’t have wheelchairs or perhaps they are using the sympathy vote by not using it to get money. I can’t tell.
Craig the idealistic British student of Thai brought his teacher to the Guest House one evening. All I can say about his teacher is that he looks like he’s on so many drugs he never sleeps. His eyes are sunken deep into his face and the dark circles under his eyes are not just circles they are half moons. He’s dangerous but Craig just can’t see it. He’s also very rude and uncommunicative or social. I put it down to the fact that he’s strung out on something. He looks close to death. His dour countenance and personality only make him seem more sinister.
Transport here is all Sengthaw which I believe are left over small troop movement trucks from past wars. But I think they're made as a general means of transport now. A Sengthaw can be hailed at any point in it’s journey and you negotiate where you want to go and what the price is. Then you climb into the back of the truck which has wooden benches on both sides and is covered by a canopy top. The sides are open to the air. Anytime in your journey the driver may stop to pick up other passengers. The more people he can get into the truck the more money he will make on each trip.
Each day or evening the street vendors set up their little stalls. On the stalls they have either the noodles or rice that has been precooked and ready to be reheated or being kept hot over a boiling pan. They have hot-coal pots that sit neatly into the cart with the coal-rack just at the same level as the cart, keeping the hot coals below and out of the way of passing people and danger. On the cart they also have all the herbs, fruit or vegetables that they’ll use for making their particular dishes. They also usually have a glass cabinet that sits on top of the cart that holds the meat or other delicacy that is their particular thing to sell. It can be everything from pork, chicken, fish and other unknown meats to just noodles for Pad Thai. The bug vendors exclusively only serve bugs such as worms, scorpions, cockroaches and crickets.
The variety of fruit is enormous, dragon fruit, rambutan, lychee like fruit that taste a little like grapefruit but just a tad sweeter. Watermelon, pineapple, papaya, melon, apples, small local bananas that taste so good bbq'd, Farang fruit, and endless amount of new fruits to taste. Orange juice squeezed from the most delicious little fruit oranges I have ever tasted.
I don’t recognize half of the stuff they are selling. I do know that the round balls on the skewers can be anything, pork or chicken or a combination of stuff that I probably don’t want to know.
The rice or noodle sausages are interesting but I think the one time I tried it it wasn’t from the best vendor. Or else they are simply not my thing.
Banana leaves are used extensively as plates or coverings on rice baskets. They’re also used to make containers for coconut or other delicacies and they are also used as little dishes to cook quail eggs in over the hot coals. It’s surprising how versatile they are.
Leon’s stories about his time in Jail in Iraq are harrowing. He was locked up for 14 months in Iraq. Tortured by electricity. Not allowed to use toilet facilities so his toilet was his jail cell. His back is destroyed because of the torture and he never uncovers it in public.
He was evacuated from the Iraqi jail by the US Royal Marines in a helicoopter, after which it took him a year to recuperate from his experiences. The man’s indestructible. And that’s after he had encephalitis twice, 2 paralyzing strokes as a young, numerous other diseases from trips in Africa and other wild places. His legs still show the marks of the disease he picked up in Africa. Now he has been diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumour. It’s on the stem of his brain which means it’s inoperable. He’s had chemo twice already.
Round the town there are Akha women dressed in traditional tribes clothes selling their wares. People who are paralyzed don’t have wheelchairs or perhaps they are using the sympathy vote by not using it to get money. I can’t tell.
Craig the idealistic British student of Thai brought his teacher to the Guest House one evening. All I can say about his teacher is that he looks like he’s on so many drugs he never sleeps. His eyes are sunken deep into his face and the dark circles under his eyes are not just circles they are half moons. He’s dangerous but Craig just can’t see it. He’s also very rude and uncommunicative or social. I put it down to the fact that he’s strung out on something. He looks close to death. His dour countenance and personality only make him seem more sinister.
Transport here is all Sengthaw which I believe are left over small troop movement trucks from past wars. But I think they're made as a general means of transport now. A Sengthaw can be hailed at any point in it’s journey and you negotiate where you want to go and what the price is. Then you climb into the back of the truck which has wooden benches on both sides and is covered by a canopy top. The sides are open to the air. Anytime in your journey the driver may stop to pick up other passengers. The more people he can get into the truck the more money he will make on each trip.
Thursday, September 09, 2004
Photo work for www.ourlifesucks.com
For the last couple of days I’ve spent the early mornings working on photos to get them ready to upload to the web site. It’s been a while since we uploaded stuff and I really wanted something there just to get it started. I find that as I go along that I think there are better ways to prepare the photos, to set up the way they look on screen, the way they flow from one into another and that they are lacking description information that would be so useful to someone looking at them. I can see a lot of work ahead to get that rearranged and in better order to make sense to site visitors.
We continue to lead a fairly quiet life her in Chaing Mai. Mostly it's so Jeff can get his work done. On occasion we come across Oliver who still hasn’t got money from his brother or a job.
We continue to lead a fairly quiet life her in Chaing Mai. Mostly it's so Jeff can get his work done. On occasion we come across Oliver who still hasn’t got money from his brother or a job.
Wednesday, September 08, 2004
Chiang Mai Wat visiting and Lawyers for Monks
Yesterday we visited the Airport Plaza, a fairly nice shopping centre. Then went to see The Terminal with Tom Hanks. It’s a good movie and I was surprised at how well Catherine Zeta Jones did in it.
Jeff got his hair cut today while I visited the wats. I visited Wat Pan Ping opposite our Safe House Guest House. It’s a fine Wat but the best part was chatting with a local Thai person. He was a lawyer and had an office beside our Guest House. He’d been educated at the Wat as a young monk, as that’s the only way he could afford to get educated. Now he was doing lawyer work for free for them in repayment. He was a very nice person and enjoyed telling me about the Wat, his education there and his working in Bangkok and other places before returning to Chiang Mai.
Watched The Green Mile again. Met a Dutch guy at the Guest House while waiting for Jeff to come back from work at Starbucks. He had some very interesting stories to tell. He had lost his right hand at 28 years old in a fireworks accident. He had a tough life, he smoked and drank to excess but made no excuses for it. He freely admitted to being an alcoholic. He kept a couple of cases of beer in his room all the time. The stories he told about being in Brooklyn and fights he got himself into were hair raising. He has a girlfriend of 10 years. He survives on disability payments but also trades in T-shirts which he exports from Thailand and sells in Holland at huge profit.
Also met a US TELF teacher. She and her husband and 10 month old son were in Chiang Mai to continue their careers as TEFL teachers. They wanted to bring their son up in Thailand or the Asian community as they felt that it was a better upbringing for a child than in the US. They’re right. They’d taught in many places including Indonesia, Malaysia, China and Java.
Jeff got his hair cut today while I visited the wats. I visited Wat Pan Ping opposite our Safe House Guest House. It’s a fine Wat but the best part was chatting with a local Thai person. He was a lawyer and had an office beside our Guest House. He’d been educated at the Wat as a young monk, as that’s the only way he could afford to get educated. Now he was doing lawyer work for free for them in repayment. He was a very nice person and enjoyed telling me about the Wat, his education there and his working in Bangkok and other places before returning to Chiang Mai.
Watched The Green Mile again. Met a Dutch guy at the Guest House while waiting for Jeff to come back from work at Starbucks. He had some very interesting stories to tell. He had lost his right hand at 28 years old in a fireworks accident. He had a tough life, he smoked and drank to excess but made no excuses for it. He freely admitted to being an alcoholic. He kept a couple of cases of beer in his room all the time. The stories he told about being in Brooklyn and fights he got himself into were hair raising. He has a girlfriend of 10 years. He survives on disability payments but also trades in T-shirts which he exports from Thailand and sells in Holland at huge profit.
Also met a US TELF teacher. She and her husband and 10 month old son were in Chiang Mai to continue their careers as TEFL teachers. They wanted to bring their son up in Thailand or the Asian community as they felt that it was a better upbringing for a child than in the US. They’re right. They’d taught in many places including Indonesia, Malaysia, China and Java.
Monday, September 06, 2004
A necessary visit to Chiang Mai Ram Hospital
Triple FFF was closed so we had breakfast in the UN Irish Pub. It was sufficient, nothing spectacular. Then we headed for the Chiang Mai Ram Hospital (pronounced ‘Lam’) as my leg was still suffering from the run-in with the wooden spinning top at the Hilltribes games. The bump had not reduced and the swelling and bruising was still continuing along my leg and foot.
The hospital experience was unbelieveable. In the space of just 50 minutes I registered as a new patient, got my ID, was seen by the pre-check nurse, had an initial consult with the doctor, had an x-ray and surgery on the wound to open it and remove the infected haematoma, got my drugs and paid the huge sum of $57. In the US first I would never have been seen immediately unless it was in the Emergency, where I would have waited for probably 2 hours before being even acknowledged as present. And it would have cost my health insurance company probably close to $1,000 for the whole process.
The doctor gave me a local anaesthetic around the wound, Jeff came in to hold my hand. The doctor opened the wound with a scalpel and remove the debris inside, then proceeded to squeeze it to get the last infection out. Now that part I felt. Afterwards they dressed the wound. I was on anti-biotics for a week and had to change the wound dressing every day. The next day it felt so much better it was unbelievable. I had gone so long not having something done about it I'd got used to the discomfort, now it was going to get better.
The hospital experience was unbelieveable. In the space of just 50 minutes I registered as a new patient, got my ID, was seen by the pre-check nurse, had an initial consult with the doctor, had an x-ray and surgery on the wound to open it and remove the infected haematoma, got my drugs and paid the huge sum of $57. In the US first I would never have been seen immediately unless it was in the Emergency, where I would have waited for probably 2 hours before being even acknowledged as present. And it would have cost my health insurance company probably close to $1,000 for the whole process.
The doctor gave me a local anaesthetic around the wound, Jeff came in to hold my hand. The doctor opened the wound with a scalpel and remove the debris inside, then proceeded to squeeze it to get the last infection out. Now that part I felt. Afterwards they dressed the wound. I was on anti-biotics for a week and had to change the wound dressing every day. The next day it felt so much better it was unbelievable. I had gone so long not having something done about it I'd got used to the discomfort, now it was going to get better.
Sunday, September 05, 2004
Leaving Luang Prabang and nearly losing our luggage
Jeff is still incapacitated today but much improved, even well enough to get us to the Airport and survive the one hour plane journey. Yeah! It was $4 for a ride to the Airport, rather more than we would have paid if we’d bargained. But we got it through the Guest House so we were committed and it made a huge difference to Jeff’s comfort.
The driver was very very helpful too, I think the Guest House had told them his back was a problem because he helped lift everything for us.
As we flew from Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai the skies were absolutely amazing. Lots of fluffy cumulonimbus and other clouds. I always think they are like the ocean, except an ocean of clouds. I feel like I am sailing the cloud ocean as we fly through the air.
Time and again I’m surprised at how utterly inappropriately some people dress when visiting Buddhist countries. In front of us were two Italian girls. One of whom had shorts on that started at her but crack and ended above the curve of her butt. Her top was of similar sizing, from the top of her bust to well above her belly button. It would have been less ugly if it was an attractive reveal, but her flesh just hung out all over the edges. Yeuch! Her companion was a bit better, in a dress which though figure hugging was many times more discreet when compared to the shorts and top girl.
As we were standing in line for our immigration processing Jeff noticed that our bags had begun to come out on the conveyor belt. In front of us the two Italian girls were having problems getting through immigration. It appeared that things were not in order somehow for them. As we waited interminably the other lines moved through quickly. Then Jeff noticed our bags were the same as two others, and one of the guys who owned the same looking bags had picked up mine!
As I was processed by the immigration officer I watched the guy head for the exit to hand in his papers. I rushed over to him just in time to stop him going through and ask him would he mind doing a check of his bag because we have exactly the same luggage has they did. I checked the bag, knowing it was mine, and found my name tag on it. As I said ‘Great minds think alike’ he kind of laughed and he and his companion walked over to the conveyor belt with me. They picked up the right second bag for them and we picked up Jeffs. It seems incredible that two other people with the exact same Arcteryx backpacks and exacty the same Lowepro duffle bag cover should be on the same plane as us.
That evening we had dinner with Leon in Chiang Mai
The driver was very very helpful too, I think the Guest House had told them his back was a problem because he helped lift everything for us.
As we flew from Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai the skies were absolutely amazing. Lots of fluffy cumulonimbus and other clouds. I always think they are like the ocean, except an ocean of clouds. I feel like I am sailing the cloud ocean as we fly through the air.
Time and again I’m surprised at how utterly inappropriately some people dress when visiting Buddhist countries. In front of us were two Italian girls. One of whom had shorts on that started at her but crack and ended above the curve of her butt. Her top was of similar sizing, from the top of her bust to well above her belly button. It would have been less ugly if it was an attractive reveal, but her flesh just hung out all over the edges. Yeuch! Her companion was a bit better, in a dress which though figure hugging was many times more discreet when compared to the shorts and top girl.
As we were standing in line for our immigration processing Jeff noticed that our bags had begun to come out on the conveyor belt. In front of us the two Italian girls were having problems getting through immigration. It appeared that things were not in order somehow for them. As we waited interminably the other lines moved through quickly. Then Jeff noticed our bags were the same as two others, and one of the guys who owned the same looking bags had picked up mine!
As I was processed by the immigration officer I watched the guy head for the exit to hand in his papers. I rushed over to him just in time to stop him going through and ask him would he mind doing a check of his bag because we have exactly the same luggage has they did. I checked the bag, knowing it was mine, and found my name tag on it. As I said ‘Great minds think alike’ he kind of laughed and he and his companion walked over to the conveyor belt with me. They picked up the right second bag for them and we picked up Jeffs. It seems incredible that two other people with the exact same Arcteryx backpacks and exacty the same Lowepro duffle bag cover should be on the same plane as us.
That evening we had dinner with Leon in Chiang Mai
Saturday, September 04, 2004
Walkabout in Luang Prabang
As Jeff’s back was still not very good, he took it fairly easy today. This afternoon I took off for a walk to stretch my legs and get a bit of fresh air.
In the center of Luang Prabang I came across the Van Nong Sikhounmoung Wat. In the courtyard, over to the back and right, there was an open shed with two very large rowing canoes. They had obviously been stripped and were in the process of being repaired and repainted. I wonder for what? The head of the boats were adorned with nagas.
As I stepped back from it and over to the Chedi in the middle of the courtyard a young monk called out “Hello”. Monks love to practise their English and I was curious to find out what they were doing with the boats.
After the usual “Where are you from?”, “What’s your Name?” and a couple of other pleasantries and bits of information I asked him what the people were doing with the boats. He replied that they were getting them ready for the boat races in 2 weeks. Each year the temples hold a boat race, each temple having it’s own boat or boats in the race. The boats were being prepared by the locals for the upcoming race. The monks don’t work on the boats, nor do they row them. The townspeople do. It takes 48 people to row the boat. With 2 in the race, that meant 96 village people would be rowing this Wat’s boats. The monk was very excited as this was the first time in 3 years that it had entered the race.
That evening we went for a short walk through the night market. I was afraid Jeff would overdo it. Later we had too many beers and slept very well.
In the center of Luang Prabang I came across the Van Nong Sikhounmoung Wat. In the courtyard, over to the back and right, there was an open shed with two very large rowing canoes. They had obviously been stripped and were in the process of being repaired and repainted. I wonder for what? The head of the boats were adorned with nagas.
As I stepped back from it and over to the Chedi in the middle of the courtyard a young monk called out “Hello”. Monks love to practise their English and I was curious to find out what they were doing with the boats.
After the usual “Where are you from?”, “What’s your Name?” and a couple of other pleasantries and bits of information I asked him what the people were doing with the boats. He replied that they were getting them ready for the boat races in 2 weeks. Each year the temples hold a boat race, each temple having it’s own boat or boats in the race. The boats were being prepared by the locals for the upcoming race. The monks don’t work on the boats, nor do they row them. The townspeople do. It takes 48 people to row the boat. With 2 in the race, that meant 96 village people would be rowing this Wat’s boats. The monk was very excited as this was the first time in 3 years that it had entered the race.
That evening we went for a short walk through the night market. I was afraid Jeff would overdo it. Later we had too many beers and slept very well.
Friday, September 03, 2004
Pak Ou Caves
Some of the Buddhas at the entrance to the Pak Ou caves
The best part of the Pak Ou caves river trip was the boat trip up the Mekong. The caves themselves are interesting. The Laos are very proud of them.
It was surreal being on a boat on the Mekong. I’d seen and read about it so many times. To be there was a moment I’ll always remember. We were headed up river first to visit the Capoper village where they made Lao Lao whiskey and then to the Sapaper paper making village.
The land on either bank of the Mekong is beautifully green and lush. Yet behind it lies hardship and a farming community that uses small patches of the banks to grow vegetables to support themselves. Clearing the patches on the banks causes disintegration when the heavy rains come. The farmer and his family then have to move onto the next path. Much of the Mekong hillsides and mountains are being destroyed by the slash and burn farming here. But how else are the farmers supposed to make a living? It’s a vicious circle unless the Government steps in and does something about it.
Some days we heard that the smoke from the slash and burn effect causes the hills to be misted over all day. We did see the effect later that day as we returned to Luang Prabang.
Very shortly after we’d started out on the trip we pulled over to the Sa paper making village. I was disappointed that we had stopped so soon, I was enjoying the ride. But it was worth it.
We saw how the paper starts out as a watery kind of pulp, it's set out to dry on bamboo baskets and when dry is made into the various kinds of lamps, painted and decorated. Also in the village were the silk cloth weavers, We had seen many of the silk products at the night market and in Bangkok and Chiang Mai. They said that it takes somewhere between 20 – 30 days to make one of the cloths, depending on their size. It certainly looks extremely time consuming.
After the sa paper village we continued up river. This time we had lost our front seats as we were slower getting back on the boat (read last). Being at the back of the boat was noisier and more uncomfortable. The seats here didn’t have cushions like the ones up front. I think everyone on board had been a bit surprised that the Jaspanese pair had taken over the front row seats. Thereafter that they made sure to always be first back on the boat to get these seats. Oh well.
A good deal later we stopped at the whiskey making village. Lao Lao whiskey is quite a lovely drink, though very potent. It’s distilled from rice. First the rice is put in what looks like water but potentially has more in it, for 5 or so days. Then it’s put through a still where it's distilled and the resulting whiskey tricles out into a large jar. The jars used to be made in the village here, but not any more. They are brought in from outside. The jars themselves are very large, holding a huge quantity of the lovely liquid.
We bought some of it for gifts for friends but left behind the bottles that had additional flavorings such as the scorpions, lizards and other nasties.
At the Pak Ou caves we spent about 30 minutes looking around. It was much smaller than I expected, but then it is just a cave. It was dark and difficult to take photos even with a flash. The caves are in two halves, a lower cave and an upper cave. We walked up the 220 steps to the upper cave. Inside is extremely dark luckily Jeff had brought his little LED light which just barely enough to see by. You can rent a torch from the two little girls outside the cave if you forget to bring a light with you.
After the caves we crossed the river to a couple of bamboo covered restaurants. Here we had a long leisurely lunch before getting back on the board and heading back to Luang Prabang.
It was an amazing journey back through the Mekong river. I watched the eddies and whirls that surfaced everywhere and canonly think that there was so much more turbulence bellow the surface that we didn’t see and was dangerous.
Unfortunately back at the Guest House Jeff’s back had paid the price of having to duck to get to the back of the boat all day, while carrying his heavy Brian’s Hot Tub in front of him. He was out of action for the next couple of days. Only barely being able to move to get to breakfast or a short walk across the street and back. Just as well we took this more expensive Guest House as it made it so much more comfortable for him to be suffering with a bad back. Especially the bed, it was good for his back.
Thursday, September 02, 2004
Luang Prabang's Surrounding Environment
The number of different kinds and sizes of butterflies that scurry about in the air is amazing. Some dancing together in a mating frenzy, others busy sunning themselves or skipping from flower to flower to get the nectar. Scarabs fly hither and dither. I’ve never seen a real scarab let alone a flying one before. Any I’ve seen have been on TV or dead in display cases.
The Laotian people are very beautiful in contrast to us Farang. They seem so petite and elegant as opposed to our largeness and fair skins. It makes one feel clumsy just walking around. The Laotian's like Farang and not just because the tourism provides them with a living, they really seem curious to learn about us as individuals.
Our waiter told us his salary is $25 /month. He's a student and studies during the day, working at night. He gets 2 days off a month.
Many youth join temples as apprentice monks so that they can get an education. Otherwise their families don’t have the money to allow them to take higher education. Rather they need them to work to earn money to help support the entire family.
The local Royal temple
The ubiquitous motorbike is everywhere. Touts are not so pushy here, they back off the moment you say you’re not interested in whatever they are selling. Very polite. It’s curious to see people riding motorbikes while talking on cell phones, or holding umbrellas against sun or rain. A motorbike is a family vehicle here, with up to 4 or 5 people sharing the seat as they go about their business.
Again the children are beautiful, disarming in their innocence and big eyes. They look and sound happy which is not something that can be said a lot of US children or young adults. Gryffin of course being the exception.
In Luang Prabang the Mekong converges with one of it's tributaries. The waters of the Mekong are always muddy, it has many undercurrents and eddies and is very dangerous for an inexperienced person to travel on. Underneath are submerged logs and other debris swirling about. The local boatmen know the river well and it's safest to hire one of them to take you around on the river.
We got a Laos phone chip for the cell phone. But it doesn’t seem to want to call Ireland. It’s fine to the States.
Visited Wat Xienmouane Vajiramangauram during the day. That evening we went to a local family’s house who were hosting a dance and music event for tourists at Le Tam Tam Garden bar. It really was someone’s front living room. It had been converted and expanded to host about 25 Farang and served a buffet-stlye dinner. Beer was available for purchase. The show was performed by the entire family. Grandpa and Dad and friends were the orchestra. The mother, daughers and other female family members were the dancers. It was utterly charming, more close to the real thing than I could ever have expected.
Later that evening we had a gorgeous sunset followed by lightening and a little rain. The humidity had been high today. The rain was a relief.
In the afternoon I’d seen a little boy totally absorbed with his game of marbles. He had 3 marbles, but it was the best thing since sliced bread to him. Later three little children played with the lamp posts, shimmying up them with no problem. Children played using their imagination and whatever was around them. Not a Toys R' Us in sight.
The Laotian people are very beautiful in contrast to us Farang. They seem so petite and elegant as opposed to our largeness and fair skins. It makes one feel clumsy just walking around. The Laotian's like Farang and not just because the tourism provides them with a living, they really seem curious to learn about us as individuals.
Our waiter told us his salary is $25 /month. He's a student and studies during the day, working at night. He gets 2 days off a month.
Many youth join temples as apprentice monks so that they can get an education. Otherwise their families don’t have the money to allow them to take higher education. Rather they need them to work to earn money to help support the entire family.
The local Royal temple
The ubiquitous motorbike is everywhere. Touts are not so pushy here, they back off the moment you say you’re not interested in whatever they are selling. Very polite. It’s curious to see people riding motorbikes while talking on cell phones, or holding umbrellas against sun or rain. A motorbike is a family vehicle here, with up to 4 or 5 people sharing the seat as they go about their business.
Again the children are beautiful, disarming in their innocence and big eyes. They look and sound happy which is not something that can be said a lot of US children or young adults. Gryffin of course being the exception.
In Luang Prabang the Mekong converges with one of it's tributaries. The waters of the Mekong are always muddy, it has many undercurrents and eddies and is very dangerous for an inexperienced person to travel on. Underneath are submerged logs and other debris swirling about. The local boatmen know the river well and it's safest to hire one of them to take you around on the river.
We got a Laos phone chip for the cell phone. But it doesn’t seem to want to call Ireland. It’s fine to the States.
Visited Wat Xienmouane Vajiramangauram during the day. That evening we went to a local family’s house who were hosting a dance and music event for tourists at Le Tam Tam Garden bar. It really was someone’s front living room. It had been converted and expanded to host about 25 Farang and served a buffet-stlye dinner. Beer was available for purchase. The show was performed by the entire family. Grandpa and Dad and friends were the orchestra. The mother, daughers and other female family members were the dancers. It was utterly charming, more close to the real thing than I could ever have expected.
Later that evening we had a gorgeous sunset followed by lightening and a little rain. The humidity had been high today. The rain was a relief.
In the afternoon I’d seen a little boy totally absorbed with his game of marbles. He had 3 marbles, but it was the best thing since sliced bread to him. Later three little children played with the lamp posts, shimmying up them with no problem. Children played using their imagination and whatever was around them. Not a Toys R' Us in sight.
Wednesday, September 01, 2004
First Day in Luang Prabang
Our first morning in Luang Prabang, Loas, we had breakfast at Café Ban Vaysone. They served the most delicious coffee and breakfast. If this was an indication of breakfast then we are in heaven.
After breakfast we moved out of the Heritage House and into the Luang Prabang Bakery Guest House. After the AC at Heritage House which had no controls, the AC of Luang Prabang Bakery Guest House was perfect. The bathroom was clean, well lit, not smelly and dry!
Street Life from the Luang Prabang Bakery Guest House
That afternoon we had picked up a flier from a local boy advertising the Ngam Laie Theatre Royal Ballet. They were having a music and dance event that evening. We headed out for the Theatre about 7:00pm. It's a small simple Theatre. The orchestra comprised of a xylaphone like instrument, Laotian drums and a couple of Laotian stringed instruments. It was lovely sitting listening to them before the main event started.
The main event was a Chapter from the Ramayana. The devils and gods throughout the act were local highschool students or early 20-something boys and girls. Their movements were elegant, well timed and they portrayed their characters with peace and joy.
The Orchestra
Afterwards we had a lovely time back at our Guest House talking with the waiters and waitresses, who were all eager to practise their English in a relaxed and easy way.
We found out that the naga headed cloth hanger we got for Bonnie and Darren is supposed to be good to get a boy baby! Oops!
After breakfast we moved out of the Heritage House and into the Luang Prabang Bakery Guest House. After the AC at Heritage House which had no controls, the AC of Luang Prabang Bakery Guest House was perfect. The bathroom was clean, well lit, not smelly and dry!
Street Life from the Luang Prabang Bakery Guest House
That afternoon we had picked up a flier from a local boy advertising the Ngam Laie Theatre Royal Ballet. They were having a music and dance event that evening. We headed out for the Theatre about 7:00pm. It's a small simple Theatre. The orchestra comprised of a xylaphone like instrument, Laotian drums and a couple of Laotian stringed instruments. It was lovely sitting listening to them before the main event started.
The main event was a Chapter from the Ramayana. The devils and gods throughout the act were local highschool students or early 20-something boys and girls. Their movements were elegant, well timed and they portrayed their characters with peace and joy.
The Orchestra
Afterwards we had a lovely time back at our Guest House talking with the waiters and waitresses, who were all eager to practise their English in a relaxed and easy way.
We found out that the naga headed cloth hanger we got for Bonnie and Darren is supposed to be good to get a boy baby! Oops!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)