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Published: December 8th 2006
Just out for a stroll
In a city with countless monasteries and temples, the stylishly orange monks were everywhere! 00
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Until I get home for Christmas!!!
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6:14am Halloween morning. A deserted street in Vientiane, Laos:
“You go wrong way!”
“What? Huh?”
“You go wrong way!!!
“How do you know where I’m going?”
“You go to bus station, yeah?” there’s a sly smile on my stranger’s face while he takes another drag from his rolled smoke. I can tell he
loves spotting a foreigner.
“Umm. Yeah, okay then, bye!” I continue on my way, seriously lacking the caffeine to deal with touts at this early in the morning.
“You go wrong way! Come. I drive you. Only tee dollas”
“No thank you, I know where I’m going, goodbye!” I sauntered away on my knowing heels. Or rather, my knowing flip flops.
“You want northern bus station? It that way 5 kilometers.” He is pointing in the direction I just came from, and I roll my eyes.
“Um yeah, northern bus station... but I know it’s this way! I can read a map. Here, look!”
I bring out my trusty Laos Lonely Planet guidebook (which I attribute Bible-like status too) and show him the map of inner Vientiane, and there (marked for
The Royal Palace
Is it me, or do the Bangkok, Phnom Penh AND Luang Prabang's Royal Palaces all look the same? granted on different size scales. all to see) is the northern bus station only 2 km away, which I was stubbornly attempting to walk to is order to save some cash.
“Hahahahahaha...this bus station...OLD bus station!” another sly smile “New one is that way! You go Luang Prabang?” still pointing in the direction I had just come from.
“Yes....so wait... I have to go to
this bus station instead?” pointing to somewhere on the outskirts of town.
“Yeah, I drive you, tee dollas!”
He’s leaning against a motorbike and like hell am I gonna pay $3 for a 5km ride on a motorbike!
“No way! $1 for a motorbike ride is all I’m payin’!”
“Motabike??? Nooo lady, I have taxi!” indicating the engine with rusted walls to his right.
“Oh...well I’m still not giving you $3...I’ll give you $1, you’ve got nothing else to do! And if you’re wrong you have to take me to the
right bus station!”
Another couple minutes wasted over price, switching back and forth between American dollars and Lao kip, and I settle on $2. At this point it’s bound to be 6:30am (I am still sans watch but I’m learning to read the sun), I’ve had
no The Royal Palace
gotta prove that I was there! Self-portrait time! coffee and I was hoping to catch the 7am bus, (which without a ride is quite far away still), so $2 it is.
Luckily for the life of my stranger, he was right. I was walking to the wrong bus station and thanks to him I made my 7am bus and set off for my 2nd Laotian destination, Luang Prabang.
8 odd hours later and only one pit stop, we’re ferried off the bus on the outskirts of town, accosted by the familiar throng of touts, and I somehow manage to find my pack from below, secure it on top of a jumbo and myself and a French couple wind our way through the inner city scoping out cheap guesthouses.
I drop my bag at a quiet family-run guesthouse and set off to explore the streets before the sun goes down and I remind myself to call my father for his 50th birthday. Luang Prabang reminds me of an old-fashioned movie set with cute little cafes and handicraft stores everywhere you look, and a sick number of couples walking hand-in-hand admiring trinkets. The air is cooler here then in Vientiane (which doesn’t come as a surprise since
I’m in the mountains) and the atmosphere has ‘relaxed’ written all over it!
I spend my first couple days slowly exploring the streets, checking out cafes, sampling the Lao coffee, reading my book and firmly reminding myself to save the market shopping for my last day.
I dine on cheap veggie baguettes for most meals, visit temples, pagodas, chat with friendly and curious monks, contemplate the brown Mekong River and try to count how many times I’m seen it or been on it on this trip, and generally pay no attention to time or days. The title of this blog says it perfectly: “Tranquility, at last!”
Having mapped out most of the city and finishing off two books, I set about finding a mini van to the popular Kuang Si Falls. I admit, the company I chose to book through had no special discounts or extras, but there was a
very good looking man in front of me asking for the same bus ticket, and heck! What’s a girl supposed to do?! So I left with ‘whatever company name’ it was that drove us, but with ten of us squished into a van, there was no opportunity to
speak to the random hottie I had followed.
As fate would have it, instead of getting the opportunity to chat up my day’s prey, I was spied by an older Dutch couple and they were instantly drawn to me and wanted to know everything about me
and my trip. Falling naturally into the granddaughter role (and perhaps because I miss my own grandparents so much) I spent the afternoon with Edith and Nelson. I realized that this was actually the first time I had spent time with people
considerably out of my age bracket since the beginning of my trip! I actually enjoyed playing surrogate granddaughter for the day, and they relished in all my adventures and experiences much like my own grandparents do!
Edith and Nelson weren’t able to go much further then the viewing deck surrounding the largest part of the falls, but they were thrilled to watch me climb the mountain and appear at the top for their waving pleasure. They only resembled ants to me from that far up, but I could tell they were wavering furiously and most likely jealous that they couldn’t have been up there with me. I took my time
The royal palace art exhibit
which I looked high and low for, but there didn't seem to actually BE an exhibit! Just the posters:( wandering around the top area, my bare feet on slippery rocks and yanking myself up and down small rock-stairs with the sole aid of vines and tree branches. Ah nature, gotta love it!
When I worked my way down to the bottom again, my elder companions were gone, so I ventured into the jungle to get some better pictures of the run off from the falls. I only lasted 20 minutes by myself before
another older Dutch man found me attempting to use the timer on my camera and insisting he should help. What was with me today? Did I have a sign on my forehead saying “Single and lonely 20-something woman in need of grand-parental attention”? (not that I was lonely, but maybe that’s how I was coming across on this particular day?!)
So, walking aimlessly through this beautiful natural park, I learned all about Benjamin’s 3 children (2 of which were with him on this trip) and his grandchildren, and then he started telling me about his latest visit to good-old Canada to see his ex-girlfriend! Whoa! Hahahahahaha...He explained that he could tell ME about his trip to Canada because I didn’t know his wife, but
L'estranger
Really terrible picture of such a cozy place! They refilled your water bottle for free while you watched foreign films! Love it! he would never tell her! (I was honestly laughing inside; sometimes I can’t believe the things strangers just come out and say to me!! Do I come across as
that trusting when you meet me??) I now forget the name of old-Benjamin’s 1st love, but she lines in Ottawa and makes a damn fine pot roast!
Old-Benji (as I’m now referring to him as) and I make our way back to the group of food stalls and souvenir shops where our van and van-companions are waiting. There, we find his children (two 40-somethings with tons of tattoos) and my original Dutch companions drinking beers and eating peanuts. It was quite a sight, but I was offered free beer and peanuts, so how could I refuse!
The group of us sat around for the better part of an hour, mainly discussing me (insert blushing face here) and comparing me to their own grandchildren, and how wonderful it would be if I could meet them. I told them all about my own Dutch step-father and his cute-as-hell parents and they were even more impressed that I now had some sort of stake in their homeland. I only wish I had
My lovely guesthouse:
Only $4/night at The Pathoumphone! known where my Oma & Opa were originally from, to further credit my claim with knowing real Dutch people! Ohhhhhh....good times!
That night, once we returned to town, we all said our goodbyes and I commenced yet another ‘window-shopping only’ trip through the amazing street market. I had knowingly left most of my shopping for Laos and Myanmar as I’d read that they had the best and cheapest handicrafts and souvenirs, so with that in mind, I was taking every stall in turn and scoping out the things I would eventually buy, and (of course) getting prices/quotes from each vendor. This was my third night on the prowl.
During all my days in Luang Prabang, I was daily visiting “L’estranger” bookshop. It was this adorable cabin like building with a loft above all the books with cushions spread all over the floor, beautifully prepared vegetarian food and foreign films showing every night. I swear, I wanted to move in! PLUS, they filled your water bottle for free! How fabulous of a deal is THAT?! Anyone on their way to LP, you MUST visit “L’estranger”! (There’s my sole plug for this entry)
My 2nd last day in Luang
View of the Mekong
I never HAVE gotten used to all that brown water! Prabang was set to be my ‘shopping extravaganza day’. After a quick lunch at a café called “Nao’s Place” (and I only went there because I actually have a friend named Nao), I headed off to the market with my money, and my backpack cleared out of all unnecessary items. I was fueled and ready to go!
3 hours and $115 later, I had two HUGE bags in each hand with handcrafted quilts, purses, stone jewelry, t-shirts, tank tops and more and I was
exhausted from bargaining all afternoon. Negotiating takes a lot out of you, ya know! But I now had several beautiful pieces to (one day) decorate the home I will (one day) have; My father wants to start charging me rent for the space I’ve taken up in his basement with all the stuff that I will (one day) furnish my home with. Hehehehehehehe.........
Plus I bought several Christmas and belated birthday presents etc.
Being at such peace with myself and not having the energy or the strength to take 2 days worth of buses back to Bangkok, I booked myself onto a cheap Lao Airlines flight and left the next day. From the
airplane, I watched as the brown Mekong River zigzagged across the region, the mountains broke to reveal farmers’ fields and I slowly braced myself for my return to Bangkok and the passport/Myanmar-VISA hell and furry that I was about to re-enter.
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Krysta.......i hate you for the folloing reasons, 1. you are so BROWN! 2, you take amazing photos! 3. you have been everywhere, while i'm stuck in a class full of 36 snotty kids whining all day!!! God am i jealous....oh but V.EXCITED to see you at New Year!!!! sxxx