Images of Vientiane…

Pictures: A visual feast in Vientiane…

Falling in love with Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang, Laos – Every once in a while (lifetime?), you visit a place that seems to capture you, brings out emotions and experiences that somehow resonate. When you do, it’s a gift, and the eternal traveller begins the quest to enjoy that moment… and to search for the next opportunity.

Laos is a country of ~6.5m people in a geographical area about the size of the UK. It has a rich tribal history, and its past embraces being a French colony, numerous wars, and the infamous “non-war” – America dropped more bombs per capita on Laos than any other country on earth, all part of a “secret” black-ops war driven by the CIA to counter the Viet Cong.

Laos started a new, more peaceful chapter in 1975 with the installation of a communist government and the dissolution of its monarchy. Luang Prabang, the former capital, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1995. The country feels more progressive & “socialist” than the “communist” label; tourism has now replaced agriculture as its number one industry, and with a GDP growth rate in excess of 7% in recent years, change is inevitable.

So how can sleepy Luang Prabang preserve its essence as a delightful town, full of a mix of artistic culture, French colonial architecture, cafes, authentic local experience, honesty, cleanliness, and fed by the lifeblood of the majestic Mekong river? How does she do this while embracing the tourist experience that will drive the local economy?

We enjoyed our four days here immensely, gently and inevitably falling in love with it. We became enchanted with the food at the fantastic Lao restaurants, enjoyed the local craft centres, wondered at the entrepreneurial spirit, visited the Night Market, Kuang Si Falls, numerous Wats (Temples) & monasteries, the vibrant local market, with a highlight being the fascinating Traditional Arts & Ethnology Centre.

However, one memory is a standout. At dawn each morning, the Buddhist monks silently walk in single file through the town, receiving alms from the local people to support them. It’s a powerful visual picture that we sensed carries far more depth and visibility into the culture, beliefs and traditions of the Lao people.

As we left Luang Prabang, we reflected. Were we tourists, visitors, participants, or even more… maybe part of the community for that moment? While travelling, you always hope and aspire to be the latter (or more), but was the picture we perceived a false one? Were we seduced by her curious mix of Asian culture and European chic? Did we fall for a myth we created?

I worry that dramatic changes will inevitably somehow prick the timeless cultural bubble we think we experienced, that the moment might be gone and lost, a silent but precious memory. How imminent & complete will the change be that she experiences? I’ve recognised a strange yearning growing, the desire to be able to return is strong and true, mixed with a forlorn hope that her timeless beauty endures.

So, a torrid past sits in direct contrast to the relaxed, gentle and gracious Lao people. One picture imprints on my mind… will the next few decades repeat the conflicts of previous ones, or can the spirit of peace prevail?

Photo Journal: The beauty of Luang Prabang

Photo Journal – Cruising down the Mekong…

Photo Journal: Two days cruising down the most beautiful scenery...

“Being” along a river…

Mekong River, Laos – The adventure is commencing. Initial destination Laos (pronounced Lau-ow, and many other ways), a country of 7m people being “modernised” by the western (& Chinese) obsession with economic growth; new roads and bridges are creating an (enviable?) economic highway in IndoChina, with scant observance of the initial creeping transference of a greed culture.



The “Laos Country” gateway – Chiang Rai, Thailand, a city of 1.2m people that Lonely Planet helpfully states has “no tourist attractions”. The night market begs to differ, a surreal combination of tourist gift “tax” opportunities and self service food stalls with many wonderful and appetising delicacies, some more suitable for “I’m a Celebrity…”. The central tabled area featured a surreal remake of Stamford Bridge; Didier Drogba on a giant HD screen, while enjoying a refreshing Singha! Leaving early the next morning to join the convoy of “private” transfers to Chiang Khong, LP’s statement was further belittled – a huge red orb of a rising sun, reflected into the brilliant green hue of horizon filling rice fields. Beauty at its finest…

Entering Laos prepares you for their laid back lifestyle of “Being”. Fourfold queues to obtain a visa generates comical mutters as agitated western business brains suggest “process improvements”.

The Mekong River is the true gateway to gently enter a new culture, two days cruising through massively generous scenery, where the real stress is one of camera overload – the perfect picture is elusive and continually escalating opportunities present themselves. A stop at Ban Gon Dturn, a Hmong village by the river, highlights an existing culture based on agriculture and crafts. Many young children throng to greet the boat, displaying their handwoven bracelets with their captivating smiles. I purchased two, for once deliberately overpaying by 4x; it seemed appropriate for it to be my first tourist “rip-off”.

So we sit back, relax, enjoy the views, and pretend that “doing” the best picture is really an opportunity for “being”. Time for a Beer Lao…

Let the adventure begin...

Heathrow T3 - Excited, a little apprehensive. So much to explore and experience, but first 12 hours of cramped comfort en route to Bangkok, then Chiang Rai... not watching the movie that I didn't manage to download onto my PC. Grrrr! May have to talk to fellow travellers instead.

Searching for Questions…

Life is a struggle. It’s hard. After all, there’s decisions to make, mountains to climb, people to meet, goals to accomplish. And the interminable quest to get it right… make a difference, have a purpose, matter.
    
Let’s face it – this is important! We need answers!
    
Those of us (of a certain age) remember fondly the quest, the journey, to find the answer to “life, the universe, and everything”. And the answer was… [Spoiler Alert!] 42…
    
So what was the question?
    
Nearly 25 years ago, The Beautiful Nicola (TBN) was asked an important question. To celebrate, I whisked her away for a mere few days… and have regretted it’s brevity many times since. So its time to explore a different celebration. An adventure. Six weeks… 42 days! Travelling in IndoChina – Laos, Cambodia & Vietnam.

Travel is a wonderful teacher. But I’m not looking for answers this time… but for some really beautiful questions… and to celebrate one answer to one question.