Living Space and Food

I have written various e-mails to various folks-some of you have the details on my living space and some of you have gotten a food report.

So, if the following is old news, just skip.

My Living Situation
From Canada, my plan was to book into a low-cost hotel in Luang Prabang for a few nights and then scout out a long term solution to accommodation. There are so many guest houses here, I figured I could negotiate a reduced rate for a long-term stay. The first part of the plan worked well-from home I booked into Hotel Rama for four nights . The place cost about $28 a night, including breakfast. The rooms were air conditioned, and the place was very clean. But, it certainly was not a place to stay long term-the rooms were small-very small, and really bare. The bathroom was a typical Lao tourist bathroom-it has a flush toilet, on a raised platform-gives “the throne” a whole new meaning, for sure. The shower is a hand-held showerhead, attached to the wall, with taps below. Since the entire room is tile, the idea is you just soak as much of the room as you need to..important to remember to remove the toilet paper before showering. And the colours-for those of you who were in my Braeside house-remember the blue tile in the bathroom on the main floor?well, that would be a considerable improvement on the bathrooms in Laos. Think of the ugliest, homeliest pink shade you can imagine, now go one shade darker and one shade lighter. now think of the nastiest geometric swirly pattern you can conceive-put them together, and you have a Loa tourist bathroom. Regrettably, sunglasses are not provided.

ANYWAY, Rama was not going to be my home for 2+ months. I started to check out the quaint little guest houses in the old part of town-there are many, many of them. Since my last visit, prices have increased exponentially-pr ices of $80 to $100 a night are common. Of course, there are cheaper places, but I don’t do roaches, and consider a window in my bedroom to be an essential-call me fussy, if you will.
Not only were the nice guest houses expensive, they were not interested in discounting for a long term tenant-none of them, at all, no interest.

A few times, staff said their brother/sister/uncle had an apartment/house to rent. So, I ventured off with them for a look. The first two times,I assumed I was just unlucky-by the third time I started to see a pattern. Not only were windows optional,but so was running water and a fridge. Forget about a stove-some offered a stone habachi type thing, on the floor, often next to the open waste water trough (are you feeling illl yet??).I was really, really worried. $100 per night times 60+nights is mucho dollars. I was really starting to worry I might have to cut my trip short, by several weeks.

I had read in Travel Fish (an on-line travel service for SE Asia) about these places called Mekong Estates. They said they were very nice, but the owners would only rent by the week. They also said the place had no signage, and were hard to find-they were right on both counts. After much walking and sweating, I found the bookstore that is supposed to be right across the street from the units. I asked in the bookstore, and while he was not sure, he suggested I ask a guy across the street who was washing his motorbike (a daily activity here in L.P.). Turns out the bike washer guy was the assistant to the General Manager-read he is the Lao go-fer for the French national owner/manager. In any case, he showed me a unit, despite my sweaty appearance. I really, really liked it They are two levels. On the main floor, there is a livingroom-narrow and long, which is oddly furnished, but it is o.k, cause I don’t use that area much. Behind the living room is a little dining area, with a wee table and two chairs. Behind that is a little kitchen, with a fridge, a two burner hot plate (yes, Loo-we both have hot plates) and a minimum of dishes-one pot and one frying pan, 4 plates etc.

Upstairs, there is a bedroom, which is open and very airy, with a little balcony off the bedroom. There is also a bathroom,with a proper shower stall. Those who have visited me so far (I have only had three guests) are most in love with my hot plate-it is new and not at all scary,and really beats the pottery habachi thing. They also covet my shower-I have a real shower stall, and a real shower curtain.

We are supposed to have WiFi,but not yet up and running. Lao Tel is worse, much worse than Bell...scary, I know, but true.

There is a nice woman who comes in each day to tidy-up-heres she is called the may ban, which means, literally, house mother.

The colour scheme is cream and grey-which is also most unusual. Each of my guests made the same comment: the colours were selected by a falang (foreigner), not a Lao.

So, I’m very content, safe and happy in my place. Rather embarrassed by the abundance of space, and the “western feel” to the place, but so happy to have the room, and to feel safe and guess what-I AM a westerner!.

I understand there is a new hotel in town, with not inexpensive rooms, where the bathrooms are hot pink-everywhere. Popular with the Korean and Japanese group tourists is my information. I was told that anyone over four and not female would loath the place. Hoping to see it before I do.

Food
Describing my digs leads directly into food...I get breakfast each morning, delivered by two guys on a motorbike-the driver has a plastic bag over his arm, which contains a small thermos of hot (well, sort of hot) water, and a plastic water bottle filled with fresh juice. The guy on the back is balancing a tray. On the tray are:, 1.a bamboo basket,covered in aluminum foil, with two pieces of toast (horrid) a croissant (about a 3 out of 10) and two pieces of baguette, which are rather good; 2. a glass (for my juice); 3. a china teapot (the semi-hot water is poured into the teapot-the loose tea is already there, with a strainer; 4. a china plate; 5)a cloth napkin; 6)cutlery. The set up of the breakfast takes about ten minutes after they arrive (honestly), and it usually takes them twenty minutes to arrive after I call for my breakfast. I can’t call until 8 a.m., and I have to be at BBM for 9:00 a.m., so time is tight in the morning. I sit on the balcony and watch them arrive..So far, no disasters,but it is bound to happen, for sure-will keep you posted. I used to stay while they set up the breakfast, but my presence just made them flustered, and slower, so now I wait downstairs, and only come up after 5 minutes-I mean, how long does it take to pour water from the thermos into the pot, and juice from the bottle into the glass? of course, they also have to take the foil off the bread basket, set out the napkin and cutlery, and so and so. Often, I pour the tea into a mug from my kitchen and take it to work with me, cause I have no time to drink it on the porch.

I found it really helpful to have a mug at BBM-they have a wonderful large water cooler, with really cold water. They also have a tray of glasses beside the cooler, so you go up, take glass, pour your water, have your drink, AND PUT YOUR GLASS BACK ON THE TRAY...!!!!! They all do it, all the staff, all the students. I have watched carefully, and the glasses are not washed at the end of the day even-as far as I can tell, they sit on the tray forever. So, my tea mug affords an excellent excuse for my own private drinking vessel...silly me, not wanting to share.

As to food: you can get just about anything here: pizza, hamburgers, cookies, ice cream, Thai food, spaghetti...there is even an Indian restaurant. An Aussie who owns a guest house told me, with a completely straight face, that he goes to the Indian restaurant whenever he is “blocked up”. I won’t be dining there, thanks.

I probably won’t have a burger either-just cause it is here does not mean it should be eaten. However, there is a great bakery (Joma) where you can get excellent chocolate chip cookies and ginger snaps. You can also get a tuna sandwich on whole wheat-with or without tomato and cucumber...that I have tried, and it is indeed delicious.

There are a couple of high-end restaurants, with fancy food. I had spaghetti in one(cheapest thing on the menu-it was almost $10, which is a fortune here) and it was delicious. Not so sure I would try steak or scallops, even in the high end places. No telling where the cow has been, and the scallops come from southern Thailand, which is a minimum three day journey for a person, if you make good plane connections. No telling how long it takes the poor scallop. I think I will wait, thanks all the same.

I have noticed a considerable reduction in the amount of chicken that is on offer in the markets and on menus. Bird flu is no joke so close to China. In fact, chicken is rarely on menus-and in many restaurants it is not on the menu at all.

Did find an epiciere that caters to falang, and bought a bottle of olive oil ($8-not bad considering the journey it must have had from Italy) and a very small package of grated parmesan($6), from France(?) .The expiry dates were prominent on both packages, and appeared to be original, so considered these treats worth it.

Everyone talks about the lack of good chocolate...you can buy Toblerone bars on the main street, for about $2,but they were made before WW2-I know, I tried one, and actually had to spit out the first bite. It was horrid beyond belief. I have spoken to others who have had the same experience-in some cases, they returned to the store, demanding a refund (unsuccessful).I have been here long enough that I just figured it served me right, and that I should be happy with my Joma cookies.

Have also eaten lots of sticky rice, and am now really, really good at eating with my hand. When I come home, you may have to remind me to use my knife and fork.

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