Down the main street I head and gear drums and noise.
Across the other side I just went wandering, saw some Wats, saw lots of gorgeous homes, few tourists and lots of locals. I walked alomg looking into their shops (we would call them stalls) and still wonder where they do their real shopping, but maybe this is real.
I turn round and see a truck with three guys in the back. Looks like a wedding and the groom is being escorted on his way to the bride. Behind the truck are about 50 people. Women in their sinh and sabais, men passing round shot glasses onto which was being poured Johnny Walker. The Lao people have a reputation for being amongst the heaviest drinkers in Asia and are apparently party animals. Havent seen a drunk one yet but have certainly seen lots of drunk tourists.
I double back. I forgot my coffee and Banneton is just behind me. These croissant are too damn good. I have to have one.
Coffee done, croissant done I head off and walk on as far as the end of the peninsula where the Khan River meets the Mekong, stopping to take a few pics. I move on along the Khan's banks where I come across a small, beautiful and wriggly snake. Ugh. I must be getting better because I didn't run, nor did I hide, and the camera came out to prove it.
Further along I walk across THE Bamboo bridge, but not before I watched a number of Monks cross before me. I figure if it can hold three strapping young lads it can hold me. It was as solid as a rock despite the fact that it was held up with a few bamboo poles shoved into a rapdily flowing river. When the rains start the bridge is out of bounds and I can see why. The water level was not too far away from the bridge. It certainly was a lot more steady and not as scary as the old bridge we crossed to get to the wedding venue.
I stop for lunch at a resort called "My Dream Boutique Resort". Very lovely and I sat looking imto their swimming pool longingly. My meal was a traditional Lao dish called Or Lam which is a stew with veg and thicked with egg plant. I had it with chicken but it comes with other emats too. Pretty bland but edible. I changed my usual order and had a DARK BeerLao and didn't expect to enjoy it so much but I did. Horrors, I am ordering beer instead coke. Less calories so thats a plus.
I get close to the bridge and find a gorgeous restaurant, on several levels, overlooking the river. A gorgeous spot and looks like gorgeous food. Note for next time Dyen Sabai Restaurant....... I also find a super jewellery store that does quite a lot of work on cord which for someone that has metal allergies, like me, is womderful. I splurged and bought a bracelet. OMG about $10. OMG.
From the bridge I walk back along the river for a way. On the way I found a shop called Kopnoi that I want to buy. The whole shop. It had the most divine handcrafts and in particular a wall hanging that made the other ones I had fallen in love with seem pretty boring. I want. Big time. It wasnt cheap so I have to think about it and also think where I would put it given the layout of my house and the fact that it needs a big space. I still want.
Then I decide to go check out the stadium and the chinese market that I read sells everything. A tuktuk was hailed and off I go, speedig through the traffic until we come across, alas, a traffic jam. Big grader chopping up road. No one can pass. No one cares. I pay and hop out amd walk the rest of the way. The stadium was closed so I cross to the market. "Everything" was sort of an overstatement. Lots of trashy clothes, plastic jandals, suitcases, a few tools and some electronics. But, I did find a junky pooh bear overnight bag which I had to buy for around $10. Wow I am splurging today.
Too much spent today, my budget shot so I decide to walk back and so glad I did. Right through a residential area, not a tourist in sight and on the way passed what I found to be a funeral procession. Again I heard drums etc and stopped to investigate just in time to see people climbing on board a truck where there was a wooden coffin. The women all wore mainly black sinh and a white ribbon in their hair and the men had a white fabric tied round their head. I took a video which I cannot upload but it is at the address below. You need to copy the whole thing as the short URL version doesn't seem to work
https://vimeo.com/81101659?utm_source=email&utm_medium=clip-transcode_complete-finished-20120100&utm_campaign=7701&email_id=Y2xpcF90cmFuc2NvZGVkfDk1NzQxNTNiNjU4ZDlkNjJjMWUyY2E3YzhjMDAwNmFmMTYwfDEzMTU4NTc5fDEzODYyNTI5NzB8NzcwMQ%3D%3D
Beautiful homes lined the road. For a country that is so poor there do not appear to be many of the poor people around this area. The homes are fabulous.
Eventually I make it back to the hotel. Excitement starts. I am shifting to the Deluxe suite today for two nights. My upgrade. Wow. I go into a huge room. Lots of space, mainly empty space. But it has a jug. I can make a coffee. I wonder why they don't have a jug in the other rooms, seems weird but oh well. Im getting used to not having coffee as soon as I wake up so thats no problem. Then it starts.
The Deluxe suit is right on the road way, which turns out to be a rather busy road. It is also,opposite a motor bike repairer, which it turns out is a very noisy business. It is also close to the neighbour who has a rooster, that is cock-a-bloody-doodle-doing from now. It is also close to the backpackers along the street. They have an outdoor area to socialise in. Why the hell would you put your best room in the worst location? My other room was lovely and quiet except for the noisy guests that would stand in the courtyard and have loud conversations. Maybe the Deluxe suite wont be as noisy later on. Let us see.
I couldn't stand the noise so left for a walk to the other end of town, to Ock Pop Tok where one of the guys from the craft centre was giving a talk about the Hmong new year. It was pretty boring but was fun to be welcomed so warmly by the people from the craft centre. I checked out their wall hanging that I first fell in love with and it has now gone to place no 2 behind the one I saw this avo. Next thing to check out the wood and silver work I have seen and decide which, if any, I am buying. The wood and silver work shop sells a variety of beautifully fine crafted hardwood items, mainly table ware. It is all finished with a fine sliver beading and absolutely stunning. I had spied a piece and know exactly where it will go so can check out when I leave here.
I wander along checking out menus. So much international stuff, so little local food. So annoying. I come to the wood and silver shop, Caruso Lao. OK maybe the wall hanging is not that expensive after all. The cheapest wooden piece's price has almost as many zeros as the wall hanging price except is in USD and not kip. . $7,000.00 for a set of three stunning bowls which would sit and gather dust is not within my budget at the moment. Wall hanging I saw today might just be coming home with me.
Did I mention that apart from the junk tourist clothing they have a few divine shops here with beautifully crafted and quality clothing. Ot expensive by out standards and gorgeous design, tailoring and fabrics.
For dinner I stop at the Coconut Gardens and sit out the back in their garden where I really enjoyed my meal of grilled fish, stuffed with pork and wrapped in banana leaf. Of course I had to have it with sticky rice and I had to eat with my fingers. It tasted soooooo good.
Another walk through the markets to get home and I wander further along from the hotel looking for an ice cream shop. A trumpet please is all I want. They make them in Laos but there don't seem to be many ice cream shops up here. Bummer.
I get to my Deluxe Room. The traffic has subsided. The motor bike repairer has closed. The rooster is quiet. It is still noisy as hell and it is all people noise and I think all coming from over the road where the neighbours seem to be having an outdoor party. Brilliant. 10pm is normally far too early for me, but I really want to go to sleep. Please shut up.
I think this is the noisiest country I have ever been in and tonight is not an exception but seems to be the norm. Its not just the locals but everyone seems oblivious as to whom they may be annoying with their noise. I do miss my lovely quiet house and waking to the sound of the birds and nothing else.
Another thing that I have noticed, partly with the locals but mainly with tourists and that is that no one makes way for anyone. I always make way for someone if I can and seldom is it acknowledged, in fact peopel look at me funny if I bump into them and say sorry. Sad. Today I waited at the top,of the stairs to the bridge for about four lots of people (no room for two safely on the stairs). They all saw me standing there waiting and no one even looked at me when they got to the top and passed me. One guy even looked up, must have seen me, stopped and fixed his camera and them comtimued and walked straight past me at the top. No nod, no nothing. So two can play at that game. Instead of waiting till the way was clear I descended and when I met someone coming the other way stood my ground and made them move over a bit to pass. I would have been there all day otherwise.
10:21 dare I say it but I think they have shut up. It was a mix of germans, americans and some asians. I could tell by the accents. They have moved along and not quite so noisy. Im popping a pill and so goodnight from Luang Prabang and the Deluxe Suite. I've had a great day.
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