On the Mekong to Huay Xai
Tuesday morning I was in pier in front of Albergo Calo at a bit before 7:oo, the early light beginning the day. The Luang Say (boat) pulled out of its mooring from the rocks below street level in Luang Prabang about 7:20. The mist hung just above the water level and up in the mountains making just faint outlines out of the overlapping hills along the river. A few small homes sit at the low sandy Mekong shore-there until the high water washes them away in rainy season to be abandonded for higher ground. The sun peeks over the ridge of the shore giving hope to a warmer day to come than the breath that I can now see as I breathe in. In a little while we had motored up the river and the mist has lifted, though the temperature is still cool. Gardens along the low shore assure that beyond the river bank with thick forest there is a small village, hidden from view from the river traveler. The river is at it's lowest in this the dry season, so many rock outcroppings that tower above the boat are scenery as we motor by. And though it is tricker to navigate the river, we are assured that our captain with his 30 plus years of experience knows the river well. As I hear the hum of the boat, I know that this will be my last full day in Laos (for now anyway). It brings reflection about these last days and makes me sad to leave this "Jewel of the Mekong". Along the river there are the Lao in their low dug out boats that they paddle to the next village and often give a wave to us as we pass.
On this boat there are about 15 or so people taking this cruise up the river and over the two days I met many of them. Philip and Michael and wives from England--who do trips to many exotic places of the world, Sam and David--two AIDS activists from New York, Skip--a former Marine who speaks Thai and Lao and is trying to go as much as possible around the world on trains are a few. A stop at Pak Ou cave, home ot 1000 Buddhas that have been placed in this small cave over the years and a village along the river and the sun is finally out and I am warm! for the first time in a few days!
Our night accomodation was in a city half way called Pak Bang. The night's stay is at the place that you imagine an exotic location to have.. small walkways lit with soft lighting to take me to my small bungalow overlooking the river with its cascading mosquito netting over the bed... and a lovely night meal in an open air restaurant overlooking the river and under the stars of the cloudless moonlit night.
In the afternoon of the next day, we stopped at a Hmong village. Usually Hmong live in the mountains and often grow opium. The government is trying to stop this, so giving them land along the river so they can trade what they can grow (but the temperature is not suitable for opium). The children were so sweet here, I took pictures of them and then showed them the pictures I had taken. They smiles melted the heart and I wished I could give them more and talk with them. They followed me around the village until I left for the boat. Sam, one of the AIDS activists who works with lots of other health issues with NGOs talked about the health issues of this village...the clinic is 20 mintes down river, how they have things posted to help with some issues in the village commons. Phonsy, our guide, talked about his brother who travels with a doctor and goes from village to village speaks 10 dialets and can be gone for as long as a month at a time.
Each of these two days, there are only small villages and thatched roof homes visible. There are no power lines, no roads (the river is the road), no bridges and no signs of modern life as we know it.
Gliding along in our boat, water buffallo are often at the shore, lying in the sun or walking along the side, women are washing clothes, children playing in the water or on the shore, people are tending their gardens along the shore, people are walking along paths and then there are stretches of the river where there is no one, just the sand and the rock and the water.
As we approached the end of the cruise, I knew I had to make a decision.. was I going to stay on the Lao side, go to Chiang Khong on the Thai side or try and get a ride to Chiang Rai with Skip, Sam and David. There was enough room for a ride to Chiang Rai and so we were off. An hour and a half later I was dropped at the bus station and found my way to the hotel that I stayed in last year. In Laos, it was always... pay when you leave. Here, it is prepay for all nights and give a deposite for the key. It is on a quiet street and I am now settled in... At the computer next to me is a foreign guy with silver rings on every finger complaining loudly about the internet not connecting for him... until he finally lights on the computer next to me.. and he is watching porn on the net! Welcome to Thailand!
On this boat there are about 15 or so people taking this cruise up the river and over the two days I met many of them. Philip and Michael and wives from England--who do trips to many exotic places of the world, Sam and David--two AIDS activists from New York, Skip--a former Marine who speaks Thai and Lao and is trying to go as much as possible around the world on trains are a few. A stop at Pak Ou cave, home ot 1000 Buddhas that have been placed in this small cave over the years and a village along the river and the sun is finally out and I am warm! for the first time in a few days!
Our night accomodation was in a city half way called Pak Bang. The night's stay is at the place that you imagine an exotic location to have.. small walkways lit with soft lighting to take me to my small bungalow overlooking the river with its cascading mosquito netting over the bed... and a lovely night meal in an open air restaurant overlooking the river and under the stars of the cloudless moonlit night.
In the afternoon of the next day, we stopped at a Hmong village. Usually Hmong live in the mountains and often grow opium. The government is trying to stop this, so giving them land along the river so they can trade what they can grow (but the temperature is not suitable for opium). The children were so sweet here, I took pictures of them and then showed them the pictures I had taken. They smiles melted the heart and I wished I could give them more and talk with them. They followed me around the village until I left for the boat. Sam, one of the AIDS activists who works with lots of other health issues with NGOs talked about the health issues of this village...the clinic is 20 mintes down river, how they have things posted to help with some issues in the village commons. Phonsy, our guide, talked about his brother who travels with a doctor and goes from village to village speaks 10 dialets and can be gone for as long as a month at a time.
Each of these two days, there are only small villages and thatched roof homes visible. There are no power lines, no roads (the river is the road), no bridges and no signs of modern life as we know it.
Gliding along in our boat, water buffallo are often at the shore, lying in the sun or walking along the side, women are washing clothes, children playing in the water or on the shore, people are tending their gardens along the shore, people are walking along paths and then there are stretches of the river where there is no one, just the sand and the rock and the water.
As we approached the end of the cruise, I knew I had to make a decision.. was I going to stay on the Lao side, go to Chiang Khong on the Thai side or try and get a ride to Chiang Rai with Skip, Sam and David. There was enough room for a ride to Chiang Rai and so we were off. An hour and a half later I was dropped at the bus station and found my way to the hotel that I stayed in last year. In Laos, it was always... pay when you leave. Here, it is prepay for all nights and give a deposite for the key. It is on a quiet street and I am now settled in... At the computer next to me is a foreign guy with silver rings on every finger complaining loudly about the internet not connecting for him... until he finally lights on the computer next to me.. and he is watching porn on the net! Welcome to Thailand!
posted by Tracy at
8:18 PM
