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Laurie and Marion arrived and it felt so good to meet friends after travelling for a long time on my own !
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We met in Vientiane and then went to Vong Vieng, Luang Prabang, Pakbeng, Nong Kiaw.
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Here are some highlights of our journey…
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Enchanted river
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…….When we shared about our most unforgettable moments here, the three of us mentioned the times when we were on the river.
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Lao is a country that remains quite wild and which is not very densely populated.
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We spent 2 days navigating on the Mekong river and experienced our most magic moments – just being here, looking at the fascinating landscape, warmed up by the sunshine and refreshed by the wind passing through the windows.
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Green impressive nature and wild forest, a few animals, very rarely a fisherman, blue tall mountains appearing in the distance.
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In this small boat, with almost no other beings around, in front of this powerful nature, it was as if we were explorers from the past discovering new territories.
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It felt like being in Pocahontas. In Indiana Jones. In Avatar.
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Navigating conditions : the boats are furnished with bus seats that are not fixed to the ground ; there are orange fluo life jackets all around, that we used as pillows ; the ceiling is made of flowery cardboard ; there are basic toilets on the boat that become less and less clean while time passes by ; the noise of the motor is very strong in the back of the boat but on the front you barely hear it…
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Our magic arrival in Luang Prabang
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…….Luang Prabang is the most beautiful town of Lao – a city that belongs to Unesco World Heritage. It is very small, situated on a peninsula, on the Mekong river.
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There are Buddhist temples all around. You walk along monks in their vivid saffron clothes ; the colonial architecture is beautiful.
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We arrived there one night while Lao people were celebrating Bun Awk Phansa and Bun Nam – the end of the Buddhist fasting.
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Families prepare offerings made of banana leaves, flowers and candles, and build sophisticated colorful huge paper boats with candles.
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Then they go to the river to send them away. The temples are decorated with paper lanterns and colorful enlightened decorations.
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Our first steps in Luang Prabang were absolutely dreamlike… It was warm, and calm, and there was a very particular spiritual magic atmosphere.
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Guesthouses surprises
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We slept in guesthouses. Each guesthouse is a new experience, and sometimes it turns out into a real adventure.
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In Luang Prabang we were welcomed every evening with a fresh juice and a delicious fruit salad.
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In Pakbeng, the sheets were not clean, the flush of the toilet was not working, the neon light was blinking. The bathroom was not very clean either and we decided not to take a shower… – the room was very cheap, which explains all that.
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In Nong Khiaw, they had decided that the three of us would sleep in the double bed of the bungalow – they had unilaterally agreed to « accept to let us do so » ! The bed was quite big so we thought it was fun – but still, we were quite surprised !
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We had a very kitsch mosquito net with pink/purple flowers. There were cockroaches and other bugs in the bathroom and in the morning, there was a pair of flip-flops that did not belong to us just in front of our bed (?!).
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The most memorable « guesthouse moment » was in Vong Vieng. When we arrive, there is no one at « Chez Mango » where Laurie had booked a bungalow – following the Guide du Routard advise.
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Beautiful garden. It is 2pm, it is hot, we are hungry, we wish to enjoy the place. So we find an empty bungalows that looks like a garden shed. We put our backpacks there, close the door.
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We go for lunch, and then for a walk in the amazing karstic landscape. We have a drink in front of the river and mountains. The sun sets and it is time to go « home ».
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When we arrive, it seems that still, no one is expecting us. We insist and the owner says that we have no reservation here and that it is full for the night.
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We look at the booking confirmation : Laurie had booked a bungalow at « Mango Guesthouse »… in Indonesia ! The owner of the Lao Mango guesthouse recommended us another place, very close, where they have many bungalows. And there we end up ! All is well that ends well…
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Taking care of our body
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We went to yoga classes at Utopia – a really great bar, restaurant & garden on the Nam Khan river.
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Every morning at 7.30am and at 5pm there is a yoga class on the deck, just on the river. it is simply magic to do yoga in this environment and the yoga teachers are very good (mainly vinyasa yoga).
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We had massage – and Laurie also got muscle pain afterwards…
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Well it is not always very clean (in that case we ask for a clean towel that we put on the massage table…), and they have a different way of considering the notion of client, service and detail. It can be surprising, but we get used to it.
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It is a bit casual and rough : « turn around », « sit up », « finished » – that contrasts with the state we are in during the massage !
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Getting used to Lao rythm
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Travelling in Lao made us reflect and work on they way we behave and think. In our Western minds, we value performance, quickness, efficiency, proactivity, anticipation and leadership.
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Here, it is REALLY different, because there is a Theravada Buddhist philosophy of life. A successful life is about behaving well so as to build a good karma to reach positive reincarnation.
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In our Western world, we are very materialistic and rational. The spirituality here is also animist. Lao people believe in spirits and often organize ceremonies to nurture good relationships with spirits (spirits of nature, spirits of some parts of the body…).
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Lao people are not worried at all about leadership and organization and efficiency. On the contrary, they feel sorry about us having that kind of problems and pressure. They are quite laid back.
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They want to experience fun in their life, to enjoy themselves. They try to reduce sources of stress that are useless. Their motto could be : « Baw pen nyǎng » which means « no problem ».
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The French said at the time of colonization : ‘The Vietnamese plant rice, the Cambodians watch it grow and the Lao listen to it grow.’
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So here, we learnt to see life with a different perspective and at a slower rhythm.
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The bus leaves between 5pm and 7pm. The boat leaves when it is full of passengers.
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Restaurant orders can take a lot of time to be prepared, and the different dishes won’t arrive all in the same time.
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They may tell you 30 minutes after you order that there is no banana so they cannot make your banana pancake.
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When you want to pay the guesthouse, they ask you how many nights you stayed and forget to ask you to pay for the laudry…
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You happen to know better the town than the Tuktuk driver that lives here and does not know the way…
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And so on and so on ! So it led us to put ourselves into question and work on our patience !
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Food
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We are French and food is very important to us ! 😉 Food is wonderful here !
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There are a huge variety of fresh vegetables and fruits, herbs and spices : galangal (looks like ginger but tastes softer), lemongrass, ginger, kaffir lemon leaves, chili.
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We loved eating pumpkin.
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There is a lot of rice, of course. Either sticky or steam rice. When sticky it is presented into a typical beautiful basket.
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There are also noodles – many different kinds.
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Restaurants offer many many dishes on their menu, which is quite surprising at the beginning. But it is actually many variations around the same ingredients.
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There are a lot of street food stands where you can try typical Lao food and it is very cheap : rice cooked in banana leaves, in bamboo sticks, grilled fish or meat in brochettes (including chicken legs !), dishes such as stir fried vegetables and noodles, …
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The way they interpret western food is sometimes surprising : order egg sandwich at breakfast and you will get a club sandwich with omelette inside. There are several versions of banana pancakes : more or less close to pancake or crepe, fresh bananas inside or in small pieces in the dough, or mixed with the dough. And sometimes, concentrated milk on the top – they love concentrated milk !
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As there was French historic presence here, you can find baguette and croissants … and in some places they are very good (for example at Le Banneton in Luang Prabang).
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We liked the tofu version of « lap », a dish made of vegetables and a lot of herbs – especially lemongrass, served with rice.
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We loved the curries, even if sometimes it was a bit spicy.
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We tried a mild version of green papaya salad – delicious with its lime sauce. We tried the seaweed with sesame from the Mekong.
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We enjoyed spring rolls, also very subtly flavored…
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We were fans of the coconut soup with pumpkin inside. And of course, we had mango sticky rice…
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And for the times when we wanted to have western food, they cook it very well too… The roasted vegetables and humus wraps at JoMa Café are delicious.
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We also liked a lot the Indigo Café cakes – especially the banana bread.
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At Utopia I became an adept of the Banana coffee booster. I also tried an avocado-coffee smoothie and it was delicious !
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Sharing moments, sharing emotions
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But mostly, what I enjoyed most was sharing with my friends. Sharing moments, sharing emotions.
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While travelling alone, I experience many magic moments, and many moments that are more difficult too.
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And it is hard not to have someone close around to share both magic, excitement or sadness, doubts with.
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It felt warm and comfortable to experience complicity. We had endless conversations and giggles (fou rires). We had our mottos and private jokes.
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I enjoyed spending « daily life » with them. Be a team. It was great to have friends I could rely on. I loved the way energy flowed and the way the group harmony was evolving.
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There is an African saying I like :
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« If you want to walk fast, walk alone. If you want to walk far, walk together. »
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I really enjoy being on my own, feeling so free and independent. However, being alone, far away, for a long time, I really learn how much I need the people I love and care about. How much I need to create authentic strong connection with people.
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When I am on my own, I miss sharing, I miss being generous, being here for others. And being able to rely on others. I really experience the fact that I feel stronger when I am within a group (even a group of 2 !).
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More generally, this journey helps me understand better the balance that I need to feel good, between the freedom I love and the connection and attachment I need.
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Addresses in Luang Prabang !
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Utopia garden/bar/restaurant – the coffee banana booster, the yoga classes, the green papaya salad…
Indigo café – perfect place to work, and they have a chill-out terrace on the 4th floor
And then, classics to explore – the Wat Xiang Thong, the night market, Mount Phousi, the Kuang Si waterfalls…
4 réflexions au sujet de « Friends on the Mekong river ! »
What a great read! I learnt two new words: karstic and animist and I laughed out loud when you described what they actually meant by ‘egg sandwich’! I also really enjoyed the hotel reservation story! Thanks Julia for making me travel with you as I read about
your adventures!
Ohh merci Dayle ! I loved reading your comment, thanks for your enthousiasm and spontaneousness – as ALWAYS :)) Sweet thoughts from Lao.
je viens de passer des moments de réel dépaysement avec toi au Laos!!! tes photos sont très belles et les évocations de tes émotions me touchent bcp. les cours de yoga au laos : un magnifique moment j’imagine! cette pratique universelle relie les êtres du monde entier 🙂 continue de t’émerveiller ! je t’envoie plein d’amour ma Juju
Ah naviguer sur le Mekong, j’en rêve….
Grande et belle expérience que tu fais là, à l’écoute de tes émotions et de ton cheminement…….de l’euphorie entrecoupée de moments de solitude et d’égarement parfois.
Observer l’intérieur ou cultiver « la flamme de l’attention »(Krishnamurti) plus tournée vers l’extérieur ? Si le moi est une illusion peut être faut il regarder la nature, et les choses……peut être en fait n’y t a t il pas de séparation entre intérieur et extérieur?……Bravo pour ton courage, ta curiosité……mon affection t’accompagne…..grands bisous, Luc
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