The Mekong River area of Laos

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Can the frequent traveler become jaded? Does the explorer ever say “I have seen it all.”? Might voyagers reach the point when they realize that “there is no place like home”? I am still reflecting on my trip to Laos and struggle with just how I perceived the whole vacation. I had chose to visit Laos, especially Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and not go home for Christmas. I think that decision weighed heavily on my mind while I toured and explored. Never-the-less, frankly I was a little disappointed. Laos was not what I had heard, not what I expected…. quaint little houses, cobble stone walkways, charming and boutiqueesh! Nope!
As in most Asian towns and cities I’ve visited there was a layer of dust, a incompleteness, a mixture of the finished and unfinished, and, the ever present litter. Though Laos didn’t have the excess air and water pollution, the abundance of sight trash, and the traffic dangers I’ve experienced elsewhere in Southeast Asia, a leisure walk still required a sensible amount of visual precaution. Even a casual stroll was often interrupted by hanging electric wires, protruding rebar and ankle bust’n sidewalk cracks, especially in Vientiane, the capital of Laos.
Luang Prabang was cleaner, less soiled. Yet it was dry season, and the iron rich red soil that forms the top few feet of much of the country’s terrain, was air born, covering bushes, flowers, and leaves with a burgundy dust. But as a World Heritage site, Luang Prabang is trying to put on her best face, though much of the town is constantly under rehab, in a mish mash of the complete and the in progress……. unfinished sections of sidewalks, roads and river front green areas. I could not help but wonder why they just did not complete one section at a time, but I have learned that part of the culture of Asia seems to be a start and stop approach to construction.
Yet it is the river, the Mekong, a coffee colored river of flowing thick silt water that grabbed and held my attention. Water, like fire, draws us, entices. It is an innate part of our human heritage, our natural instinct is to be near water. The Mekong sucked me in, as rivers frequently do, and I found myself spending most of my hours on it or near it. I sat along the banks, watching as huge house boats and small hollowed craft traversed back and forth and frowned with puckered brow at the unsightliness of the river’s high water mark …..a tattered array plastic and Styrofoam clinging to and impaled on the limbs of trees and shrubs …ah, the wonder of plastic.
I do not mean to bash Laos. As usual, I meet interesting people, fellow travelers with a common agenda to explore the exotic. I always felt safe, and of course took pictures to share. The images of my trip can be viewed on the Kodak web site which I will send shortly. I remind you that some of them have written comments/descriptions underneath. Please read them.
Well, the school year is quickly drawing to a close. Karen and I leave in three weeks. I hope to share images of our trip to Macau, as well as pictures of our school and the children we have been so fortunate to learn about and teach. Karen and I hope you have learned a little about China and have enjoyed the letters and images of our adventures and experiences. We certainly have loved sharing.
Home soon.
Peace to you all.
Lindy and Karen

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