Here I am in Vientiane! Sabaidee.....

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Hi everyone!

Yes I have arrived in Vientiane, Laos ready for a new life, job and whatever life throws at me along the way. Yes sounds corny I know but if I am going to do things like have my first experience in Laos riding a moto during peak hour when all the kids are getting out of schools, running across roads, parents driving/parking more manic than usual...then I think it is fair to say I kind of ask for the strange things that happen to me....needless to say I have survived...

I have been at work this week, but Wednesday was a public holiday for the That Luang festival celebrated at the full moon every November. Wed morning was the peak of the festival (at least the subdued spiritual peak, the partying festival peak was the night before) with pretty much every monk in Laos, and every person in Vientiane turning up to the That Luang stupa with their platters of snacks, candles and lotus flowers. The monks were all sitting behind a small wall in a covered walkway area, and everyone else sat down on mats in the inner and outer courtyard areas surrounding the stupa. Please keep in mind that we were doing this at 6amish. Peter (a friend of Stephen's he introduced me to), her mum, Grace, Tom and her brother all were there. Tom was doing the photographer thing while the rest of us sat on the ground chanting with the other hundreds of people around us. We learnt that there is a delicate art to place a lit candle in a bowl full of food and paper money then hold the bowl in the air while the chanting blesses the food which is gifts to the monks all the while avoiding dripping hot wax onto yourself...or others.....There was only mild success on my part....

Once all this was over there is a rush to the monks as everyone tries to get in the front of the line to give their offerings to the monks who are lined up with their alms bowls waiting for the custard cakes, wafer biscuits and handfuls of sticky rice we give to them. It is perhaps not very culturally acceptable to say so, but I did hesitate when I pulled out a custard cake to put in a novice monks bowl only to look up into a rather "large" boys face grinning at the cake in my hand.

We joined then joined the massess trying to get out of the complex and we walked looking at urns and pots of steamed or boiled chicken....tempting...but....maybe next time...Peter and her Mum then spied the noodle shop and we all sat down to a feast of kanon Jeen as it is known in Thai, similar to nom ban jok for those that know Khmer, and rice noodles in a fish curry sauce for everyone else.....not bad and with the incredibly strong Lao coffee with condensed milk...perfect....

Anyway....as I have no photos for you at the moment....they are ummmm...in my camera and I left the cord to download them in Sydney....don't say it...I know....but it should be on its way and I will uplaod the photos for you as soon as I can....with the rest of my first week in Vientiane stories.....until next time then.....N

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