Through the border and into Laos

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Our flight to northern Thailand was quite uneventful or so we thought, we didn't realize the tasteless cold fish lunch on the flight would have an impact on us 12 hours later. When we got off the shuttle to the Laos border, I realized I did not have a passport photograph for my visa. The official pointed to a dirty, delapidated Coke stand indicating that someone there would assist me. Much to my dismay, and if you were there you would have seen it, I was told to get on the back of small scooter and a man would take me somewhere into town to a photo shop. As I rode away, leaving David with the suitcases, I had thoughts I might never see him again, I thought about headlines in the Canadian papers...I reminded myself I am in the land of Buddhas. I was excited, terrified, and elated. At the photostore, three T-shirted puppies ran around the legs of the fat owners, fat wife as she got her nails done. Within five minutes my photos were done; I look quite alive in them, and I was taken back to the border. After numerous forms were filled and monies paid we were on the other side of the Friendship /Bridge and in Laos. We entered Vientiene with a Canadian from Fernie and an actor from Holland in a typical tuk tuk. For those of you who don't know a tuk tuk is a motorcycle engine attached to a two wheel cart. One driver in front and any number of bags of rice, boxes of alchol, animals, suitcases and/or humans (up to 7 or 8) are in the cart. We chose not come into Vientiene in the air conditioned manner that was touted by the innumerable taxi drivers but rather in the colourful little machine that we see everywhere here.

They didn't mention in the write up of our mid range French colonial hotel that the temple across the street would begin banging its' loud gong at 6:30 a.m. Nor did they mention the crowing roosters and the dog fights at 5:00 a.m. They talked about the attention to detail in the decoration of the guest hotel but didn't mention that the was a limited amount of hot water to fill the delicious looking tub in the bathroom and that I would end up having a bird bath. Nor did they mention that the lovely young man who checked us in would sing beautifully to us while playing his guitar, which he had learned from his father. He became quite tearful when he told us about a motorcycle accident where his friend died and he was left brain injured and with a broken elbow which still affects him to this day. It made his singing all the more poignent. They mentioned eating on the terrace, which we did, they didn't mention the strong black thick coffee that would arrive with the crisp bagettes, jam, butter and dragon fruit. I even got to have the dog laying at my feet.

As some of you know, David has a habit of passing out on occassion It is a very frightening experience to hear a thud in the bathroom and to find David passed out. Needless to say, we believe the cold fish dinner is the cause of the food poisoning. David has a black eye, broken glasses, an egg size bump on his forehead and some cuts on the top of his head. Amazing how makeup can help.

We haven't had much time to explore this tiny, river side city with dusty streets, slow moving traffic and women in traditional dress. It is a huge contrast to vigorous fast paced, dirty, colourful energy of Bangkok. I think I will like it. It seems somewhat gentile here. Many of the building look like they are of strong character but haven't been attended to in long time. The Mekong is a fascinating river with all the countries that it travels through. My last recollection of it was in Cambodia, last year, where we would watch the boats on it from the Foreign Correspondence Club. We have booked two more nights at our hotel (Villa Manoly).
(e-mail for Kevin- [e-mail]. I want to explore the textiles being woven here, maybe go out into the countryside...Written by Carol, advice by David Bye for now

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Comments

[Olwyn]

Sounds like you are...
getting along just fine over there - even without sufficient hot water to have a relaxing bath! I always love to read your descriptive entries, Carol. They make me feel like I am right there along with you! I am VERY jealous of all the wonderful textiles that you are going to see. Take lots of photos!!!! Take care of yourselves! Olwyn