Thursday, November 10, 2005
Sunday, October 30, 2005
There are some points while traveling that you can actually blend in and feel part of the place.
Such a feeling I had during Luang Pravang's end-of-the-rainy season Festival Parade. Starting at sunset when families gather to bring their self-made light boat (loaded with flowers, candles, insects, drawings and part of their body - hair or nail) and sail it down the Mekong River along with a wish for next year. The entire town is outside watching this colorful parade as it marches / dances along the main road. I made some local friends which adopted me to be part of their family group... next thing I know I am holding 2 pieces of round metal (aka "Meziltayim") and banging them to the rhythm... later promoted to carry the big drum and banged it till my hands went blue... The Mayor happened to be part of the family and they all took care of me (which means lots of dancing and Lao Lao rice whisky). It was absolutely great as I actually felt part of the parade. Funny thing was when little boys ran after me yelling "Zidan, Zidan" as they confused me with the famous French football star... naturally I played along and kicked around...
After this warm welcome, we felt at home in Luang Pravang, the ancient capital of Laos with numerous temples (called vat), interesting night market with typical handmade clothing, carpets, wooden and silver work. Above all, eating in the market is always an experience; For 1$ you get a free buffet of curry rice, noodles , bamboo, pumpkin, morning glory (green veg spinach-like), fresh fish and delicious rice/veg/meat combination wrapped inside a banana leaf. Seems like everything is made of rice (or banana or coconut) - Besides plain rice and sticky rice, rice is used for whisky, noodles, BBQ paper, lamp shadow and even the peels are used as pig's food.
Took a tuk-tuk (a funny 3 wheel vehicle that haven't decided if it's a motorcycle or a car) to the Sai waterfalls - a hidden place, but what a pearl! Dozens of mini-falls creating round pools with trees allover the beautiful turquoise water. Nothing less than amazing.
Then we went off the beaten track to visit villages of the "Monk" and the "Khamu" minorities next to Moung Noy village, where nature is wild as you would imagine it: Green everywhere, rivers, waterfalls, caves, farms, endless yellowish Pedi-fields, tropical rain forest with unique plants like Shy Mimoza (it's leafs folds when you touch it), level trees and loads of colorful butterflies flying around in this butterfly land. and yes, also got some leech bites, but they were kind enough to leave us some blood to keep the system running...
Last couple of days spent in ever connecting, badly polluted, incredibly touristy Bangkok. Wondering about the streets of this Far-East Disneyland, drowning in the endless Thai symphony: "yes yes solly madam same same tuk-tuk kawasan Pad-Thai no hhhhhhave market cheap cheap buy more Thai massssssssssage no cccccccan Pat Phong banana loti...."
and then it was time to fly back home (and let the traveling spirit rest till the next journey).
Hanan
Such a feeling I had during Luang Pravang's end-of-the-rainy season Festival Parade. Starting at sunset when families gather to bring their self-made light boat (loaded with flowers, candles, insects, drawings and part of their body - hair or nail) and sail it down the Mekong River along with a wish for next year. The entire town is outside watching this colorful parade as it marches / dances along the main road. I made some local friends which adopted me to be part of their family group... next thing I know I am holding 2 pieces of round metal (aka "Meziltayim") and banging them to the rhythm... later promoted to carry the big drum and banged it till my hands went blue... The Mayor happened to be part of the family and they all took care of me (which means lots of dancing and Lao Lao rice whisky). It was absolutely great as I actually felt part of the parade. Funny thing was when little boys ran after me yelling "Zidan, Zidan" as they confused me with the famous French football star... naturally I played along and kicked around...
After this warm welcome, we felt at home in Luang Pravang, the ancient capital of Laos with numerous temples (called vat), interesting night market with typical handmade clothing, carpets, wooden and silver work. Above all, eating in the market is always an experience; For 1$ you get a free buffet of curry rice, noodles , bamboo, pumpkin, morning glory (green veg spinach-like), fresh fish and delicious rice/veg/meat combination wrapped inside a banana leaf. Seems like everything is made of rice (or banana or coconut) - Besides plain rice and sticky rice, rice is used for whisky, noodles, BBQ paper, lamp shadow and even the peels are used as pig's food.
Took a tuk-tuk (a funny 3 wheel vehicle that haven't decided if it's a motorcycle or a car) to the Sai waterfalls - a hidden place, but what a pearl! Dozens of mini-falls creating round pools with trees allover the beautiful turquoise water. Nothing less than amazing.
Then we went off the beaten track to visit villages of the "Monk" and the "Khamu" minorities next to Moung Noy village, where nature is wild as you would imagine it: Green everywhere, rivers, waterfalls, caves, farms, endless yellowish Pedi-fields, tropical rain forest with unique plants like Shy Mimoza (it's leafs folds when you touch it), level trees and loads of colorful butterflies flying around in this butterfly land. and yes, also got some leech bites, but they were kind enough to leave us some blood to keep the system running...
Last couple of days spent in ever connecting, badly polluted, incredibly touristy Bangkok. Wondering about the streets of this Far-East Disneyland, drowning in the endless Thai symphony: "yes yes solly madam same same tuk-tuk kawasan Pad-Thai no hhhhhhave market cheap cheap buy more Thai massssssssssage no cccccccan Pat Phong banana loti...."
and then it was time to fly back home (and let the traveling spirit rest till the next journey).
Hanan
