Monks in the Mist

Monks in the Mist
(or: Southeast-Asian Shenanigans, Part II)

 

We arrived in Vientiane, the capital of Laos, just in time to see the sun set in red-tinged haze over the Mekong river. We spend the next day, Christmas Day, wandering about in the pleasant sunshine and enjoying the relaxed atmosphere.

The ‘morning market’, a covered, two-storied wander of handicrafts, antiques, and the usual (Pots and pans. Thread. Jewelry. Microwaves.)

A peaceful wat with beautiful grounds.

Statues of Buddha big and small stretch in rows and hide in nooks around the square, some swathed in gold, some missing an eye, or a limb, or a head. The main hall is covered with partially-intact mosaics that have survived for centuries.

Walk. Shop. Stop.

Cold beer and cards in the shade.

Massages.

 

Holiday skypes and the Grinch stealing Christmas.

Cover songs in the cool of the evening, sitting on yellow metal chairs.

This is Christmas, Laos style.

A Turkmenistan gentleman + Laotian-inspired, original carpet designs + thoughts of my bare wood floors = my first rug purchase! Or, more accurately, my first rug order, as the rug that I fell in love with had already been sold, so they are making me another one.

 The night bus north to Luang Prabang was shoes-off, red leather, personal capsules with room to stretch out, and twisty roads that made me glad for the darkness.

It’s never fun to arrive in a new place after a night on a bus. In the cold. With transport to haggle over and a hotel to find… but Luang Prabang quickly made all that disappear.

 The town itself is a UNESCO World-Heritage site, with French-colonial architechture, shady side-streets, and the confluence of two rivers, the mighty Mekong and the Nam Khan, providing a myraid of places to sit and gaze at the flowing water while boats motor up and down.

Novice monks in bright saffron orange walk everywhere, and we take turns shooting what we hope are inconspciuous snaps… a muttering, a head tilt… ‘monks on the sidewalk! monks with umbrellas!

We hire a guy with a truck to take us to a cave up the river. The first half was pleasant and paved, the second jarring, dusty, grit-your-teeth-and-pray-it-ends-soon… but it got us to where we needed to go. Wander down the village street. Chickens, dogs, kids and women. A restaurant on the river, some guys with boats. Aha! The man with the boat is necessary to get us across to cave!

The cave is two levels, filled with Buddha statues of every shape, size, and color…

 We return to town in time to catch the sunset from the hilltop wat in the center of town… us and every other tourist in the area. Not exactly the serene golden moment I anticipated, but by heading back down the hill I was able to catch the final fuschia moments in relative peace, next to a beautiful wat.

 

The next morning we took part in a cooking class at Tom Tom Yum restaurant. We started out at the local market, learning about the local ingredients and sampling some tasty snacks. 

 Back at the restaurant, we learn how to make tomato flowers and cucumber leaves, try our hand at chopping galangal, which is like ginger but much harder and much more likely to result in a knife-related injury, and acquainting ourselves with other important ingredients in Laos cusinine, especially lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves.

Then it was on to the kitchen, where we took turns at the stove, tossing (pre-cut!) ingredients into pots and pans, stirring with flourishes, and watching the rice-making ritual (sticky rice, made by a method of steaming in which the rice does not touch the water. Unlike the steamed rice, where the rice is boiled, not steamed.).

 The end result was a delicious lunch and some excellent conversation with our cooking-class companions, one them a teacher at ASDoha. International teachers are everywhere!

Up early on day 3 in Luang Prabang, as we headed out for a day of hiking!

Back of the truck, out of town and onto red dirt roads, the Nam Khan river flowing  as families fish and wash and bathe. We cross the river after a quick look at the elephants at a camp, and off we go!

Green.

Jungle.

Mountains rise in the distance.

Dry rice fields.

Purple flowers.

Indigo Indian paintbrushes.

Groves of teak, huge leaves on the ground.

Criss-crossing small streams under the shade of trees.

 Into a village.

Students chant from inside the schoolhouse, women weave grass into roofing, children play.

 Up, up, up, rest for lunch in another cluster of houses, a man shoos the dogs away, but the rooster still pecks around our feet...

More green hills rising, streams running… until back to the river we return.

 We wait for our boat, watching the ferry pole back and forth, then head downstream under motor, watching life on the riverbanks.

 Stop at a waterfall, dappled shade, roots and vines, cold clear water flowing over sandy steps, low in the dry season

 A wonderful day, topped off by dinner in a narrow alley full of stalls where we filled plates with cheap but tasty food before crashing early….

And early to bed, early to rise.

Monks collecting alms in the misty morning. Trying not to be completely shameless about taking photos as they go about their daily ritual, but also yearning for that perfect shot… and while the mist made the magic, it didn’t help the photos turn out!

 Across the bamboo bridge to the other side of the river.

Boats awaiting their captains.

A village waking up, handicraft shops opening doors.

Natural dyes bubble on wood fires, looms wait for the weavers to arrive.

A read on the hotel balcony, shady lunch and relaxing message, shopping, dinner… yes, life is rough on vacation....

Our final day together is new year’s eve, and we spend the morning in our own pursuits before meeting again for a cruise up the Mekong. Houses on stilts perch precariously on the hillside; people bathe and fish and farm on the bank, teenagers drink beer and laugh loudly… we stop in a Hmong village, where we are surrounded by women and children, all holding small zippered pouches with various designs, and we have the impossible task of choosing which to buy… because of course we will buy some.

Sunset on riverside stairs, one last game of cards, a stroll through the night market.

A paper lantern lit as the river rushes and the quarter moon hangs heavy in the sky, constellations gleaming, distant music pounding….and at midnight, fireworks flare from everywhere and countless lanterns stream flickering red through the dark…

After an early-morning goodbye, I sleep again and wake to a lovely Sunday. Clouds float on the breeze, music plays from radios, locals and tourists go about their business, as I move from shady spot to shady spot, savoring my last day of rest an relaxation before heading back to winter....