We have had the trip of a lifetime, an adventure we will never forget, made new friends and visited remarkable places...but that said...
THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME
NEW OLREANS, HERE WE COME!
(Kip, Ringgits, and Bahts....Oh MY!)
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
There's No Place Like Home, There's No Place Like Home, There's No Place...
This is our 100th and final blog.
We have had the trip of a lifetime, an adventure we will never forget, made new friends and visited remarkable places...but that said...
THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME
NEW OLREANS, HERE WE COME!
(Kip, Ringgits, and Bahts....Oh MY!)
Red shoes courtesy of "Dorothy" (aka Orawan)
We have had the trip of a lifetime, an adventure we will never forget, made new friends and visited remarkable places...but that said...
THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME
NEW OLREANS, HERE WE COME!
(Kip, Ringgits, and Bahts....Oh MY!)
Monday, May 23, 2011
You Could Stay Here Forever
The travel books warn you that if you plan on just a few days in Luang Prabang, you will regret it and want to stay longer, maybe even a lifetime. The quiet streets, the French Colonial architecture, and the tranquility and beauty of the city quickly captivate the unsuspecting traveler and certainly has taken us by surprise. It is truly lovely.
Last night we had dinner with two women travelers, whom had met one another just recently on their own adventures, one from Australia and the other from Croatia. They had planned to leave Luang Prabang several days ago, but cannot seem to tear themselves away.
Another now local resident, who runs the beautiful "fair trade" store Kopnoi(and whose textiles and crafts she pomotes from the local hill tribes that we are bringing back to the USA to "pitch" locally)is originally from Quebec.
She is now living here because her daughter, 10 years ago, traveled here, fell in love with the city, and NEVER left. Her daughter eventually opened Loas' first bookstore, and now she is married with two children, living in Luang Prabang with her family. The mom, who is incredibly creative in her own right, owns not only the store, Kopnoi, but the cool local bar/restuarant, "The Hive", where we attended the fashion show last week. She too, has made this city her home.
So, it is true what they say....some stay longer and some never leave once they visit Luang Prabang....
We shall surely return to this magical and peaceful place someday. It was a perfect way to close out our adventure.
Last night we had dinner with two women travelers, whom had met one another just recently on their own adventures, one from Australia and the other from Croatia. They had planned to leave Luang Prabang several days ago, but cannot seem to tear themselves away.
Another now local resident, who runs the beautiful "fair trade" store Kopnoi(and whose textiles and crafts she pomotes from the local hill tribes that we are bringing back to the USA to "pitch" locally)is originally from Quebec.
She is now living here because her daughter, 10 years ago, traveled here, fell in love with the city, and NEVER left. Her daughter eventually opened Loas' first bookstore, and now she is married with two children, living in Luang Prabang with her family. The mom, who is incredibly creative in her own right, owns not only the store, Kopnoi, but the cool local bar/restuarant, "The Hive", where we attended the fashion show last week. She too, has made this city her home.
So, it is true what they say....some stay longer and some never leave once they visit Luang Prabang....
We shall surely return to this magical and peaceful place someday. It was a perfect way to close out our adventure.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
"Wat" a Day This Has Been
We have not even come close to seeing all the Wats(Buddhist Temples) in the area of Luang Prabang. Many of the wats we have visited are beautiful and serene, but vary in detail and design, location and proximity. They included Wat Xieng Thong, Wat Tham Phousi and Wat Phra Nua.
We have walked, hiked up steps and ridden our bicycles from one Wat to another.
We also visited the National Palace Museum, built for King Sisang Vong from 1904 to 1909. It has its own Wat, as do many palaces and presidential buildings. This "complex", now refurbished and adorned with authentic and gorgeaous pieces (including gifts given to the king from all different countries), was the royal residence until the Pathet Lao seized control of the country in 1975. The last Lao King, Sisan Vattana, and his family were exiled to a remote part of the coutnry and never heard from again.
We also visited the National Palace Museum, built for King Sisang Vong from 1904 to 1909. It has its own Wat, as do many palaces and presidential buildings. This "complex", now refurbished and adorned with authentic and gorgeaous pieces (including gifts given to the king from all different countries), was the royal residence until the Pathet Lao seized control of the country in 1975. The last Lao King, Sisan Vattana, and his family were exiled to a remote part of the coutnry and never heard from again.
No...It's Not.....
I miss my pink cadillac. This is just a cheap (rented) substitute for the "real thing"..a one night stand. But, what's a girl to do in a pinch?
To Give and To Receive
Mickey and I woke up before sunrise this morning to experience a daily ritual on the main street of Luang Prabang. Every morning at approximately 5:45 a.m. all the monks and novice monks from the local Wats (temples-there are about 26 temples and over 250 monks in the procession) form a line to receive alms.
People line up on the streets (either standing but mostly kneeling on mats) with bamboo basket containers of sticky rice and other offerings to pay respect. Our driver impressed upon us to buy only sticky rice from a particular vendor, as this is what the monks apparently prefer, and not from the many other street vendors who were asking us to purchase rice from them.Wedid not understand the logic but we saw postings at other locations making the same request.
The driver set up mats for us to kneel on and provided us with scarves to wrap around our neck and chests (Mickey's was blue and mine pink). The two other guests who rode along with us from our hotel were somewhat unfamiliar with some of the rituals and cultural "dont's" when it comes to monks.
One is that you are NEVER to touch a monk. It is especially serious if a woman makes contact with a monk. Thus, each of the monks and novices carried bamboo baskets to recieve the alms. You use the right hand, not left to offer the rice. Shoulders and knees should be covered; shorts and tank tops are a "don't" and you always sit or stand lower than a monk. Finally, when sitting on the mats, your feet must face backwards; feet are considered the lowliest part of the human body in Buddhism so you don't point them at a monk and especially never at a statute of Buddha.
What stood out most to me during the procession was a family and some individuals who attended and did not bring any offerings at all. Rather,they brought empty baskets or plastic bags. The monks, rather than recieving offerings from these folks, shared from their baskets some of the offerings they had received along the way. They received and in turn, gave to those in need. It moved me.
The Buddhists believe that if you give offerings to the monks, hence to Buddha, you will never be hungry in the after life.
The procession lasted about a half hour with towns people and tourists and tuk tuk drivers and other drivers on call, milling around. Many were taking photographs. (taking photographs is apparently not taboo)
After the crowd broke up, we visited the morning market (as opposed to the night market and the OTHER morning market we visited before our cooking class).
There we saw hoards of people selling the "usual"? Pigs legs(with the fur still on them), live frogs trying to jump out of mesh covered buckets, live fish, eels, live turtles, plucked chickens with legs and claws sticking up in the air, roosters, birds, ducks. None of the live creatures seemed to have "much future". Mickey swore at that moment that he was going to become vegetarian (ask him what he had for lunch..)
Of course, there were also the fruit and vegetable vendors; bread, coconut cakes, sitcky rice, noodles of all kinds, cookies and pancakes were also being sold.
Dogs and tuk tuks were aplenty (it is so crazy that there are so many stray dogs in Souteast Asia and we have not seen even ONE DOG grab food from a market or street vendor in three month's time! Take that Beckham!
Lessons to be learned at home, eh?
The purchase of food is an event and we are ever willing participants!
People line up on the streets (either standing but mostly kneeling on mats) with bamboo basket containers of sticky rice and other offerings to pay respect. Our driver impressed upon us to buy only sticky rice from a particular vendor, as this is what the monks apparently prefer, and not from the many other street vendors who were asking us to purchase rice from them.Wedid not understand the logic but we saw postings at other locations making the same request.
The driver set up mats for us to kneel on and provided us with scarves to wrap around our neck and chests (Mickey's was blue and mine pink). The two other guests who rode along with us from our hotel were somewhat unfamiliar with some of the rituals and cultural "dont's" when it comes to monks.
One is that you are NEVER to touch a monk. It is especially serious if a woman makes contact with a monk. Thus, each of the monks and novices carried bamboo baskets to recieve the alms. You use the right hand, not left to offer the rice. Shoulders and knees should be covered; shorts and tank tops are a "don't" and you always sit or stand lower than a monk. Finally, when sitting on the mats, your feet must face backwards; feet are considered the lowliest part of the human body in Buddhism so you don't point them at a monk and especially never at a statute of Buddha.
What stood out most to me during the procession was a family and some individuals who attended and did not bring any offerings at all. Rather,they brought empty baskets or plastic bags. The monks, rather than recieving offerings from these folks, shared from their baskets some of the offerings they had received along the way. They received and in turn, gave to those in need. It moved me.
The Buddhists believe that if you give offerings to the monks, hence to Buddha, you will never be hungry in the after life.
The procession lasted about a half hour with towns people and tourists and tuk tuk drivers and other drivers on call, milling around. Many were taking photographs. (taking photographs is apparently not taboo)
After the crowd broke up, we visited the morning market (as opposed to the night market and the OTHER morning market we visited before our cooking class).
There we saw hoards of people selling the "usual"? Pigs legs(with the fur still on them), live frogs trying to jump out of mesh covered buckets, live fish, eels, live turtles, plucked chickens with legs and claws sticking up in the air, roosters, birds, ducks. None of the live creatures seemed to have "much future". Mickey swore at that moment that he was going to become vegetarian (ask him what he had for lunch..)
Of course, there were also the fruit and vegetable vendors; bread, coconut cakes, sitcky rice, noodles of all kinds, cookies and pancakes were also being sold.
Dogs and tuk tuks were aplenty (it is so crazy that there are so many stray dogs in Souteast Asia and we have not seen even ONE DOG grab food from a market or street vendor in three month's time! Take that Beckham!
Lessons to be learned at home, eh?
The purchase of food is an event and we are ever willing participants!
Saturday, May 21, 2011
"Bearly" a word
I am glad to say that we have not had a disappointing day or moment in this treasure of a city (Luang Prabang). When not engaged in a specific activity, simply walking the streets and absorbing the sights and sounds (it is really a very quiet place) is more than enough. When not in the city we reside on a mountain overlooking a forest and other compelling views.
This brings me to today's puzzler..
What do Bears and Waterfalls have in common? I suspect that under most circumstances the answer would be "nothing". That is not the case, however, when discussing Kuangsi, an hour's tuk tuk ride south of Luang Prabang. Kuangsi is home to both.
It is best known for a series of spectacular waterfalls and opaline pools. The falls are not nearly so wide as Iguazu or Niagra, but they start from a tremendous height and cascade to form many separate tiers of individual falls. At the base of each fall water collects and you can swim or wade in icy blue pools which themselves rush away, falling to form another pool or series of pools. The falls are only part of the beauty of this protected forest in which they reside.
Kuangsi is also a rescue home to Asian black bears which have long been illegally hunted and poached. The bears are now protected and a separate habitat(akin to a zoo, only larger) has been established to house a small number of the bears. Other bears roam free protected in the park.
This bear was so smart he was actually flossing his teeth!
This brings me to today's puzzler..
What do Bears and Waterfalls have in common? I suspect that under most circumstances the answer would be "nothing". That is not the case, however, when discussing Kuangsi, an hour's tuk tuk ride south of Luang Prabang. Kuangsi is home to both.
It is best known for a series of spectacular waterfalls and opaline pools. The falls are not nearly so wide as Iguazu or Niagra, but they start from a tremendous height and cascade to form many separate tiers of individual falls. At the base of each fall water collects and you can swim or wade in icy blue pools which themselves rush away, falling to form another pool or series of pools. The falls are only part of the beauty of this protected forest in which they reside.
This bear was so smart he was actually flossing his teeth!
Friday, May 20, 2011
You Get to Eat What You Cook
OR better yet, given that it was just me and Mickey in attendance at cooking class today, "You reap what you sow"?
We did great, however, and we wont forget what we cooked, at least until we do our laundry, because Mickey proudly wore each ingredient on his t-shirt when we left the class.
In preparation for the class today, we "crammed" last night by having dinner at the Tamarind restuarant in Luang Prabang. Dare I say, it was the best food we have had thus far in Laos, and one of the top so far? So what that it was also one of most extravagant meals we have had, at 240,000 Kip (that's 30 US dollars)
But, I digress. I mean to give menu...
Last night's set menu was appropriately entitled "A Taste of Laos". It included, for 120,000 Kip a piece, a glass of wine or large beer (Beerlao)each; chunky bamboo and vegetable soup (with young pumpkin); then came a platter of Lao "specialties" with sticky rice and sweet chili paste on the side. It included LP sausage, dried Buffalo (a delicacy here), leafy green vegetables, smoky eggplant dip, mild tomato salsa, and dried river vegetable chips with tomoato, garlic and sesame seeds (WOW); the main courses were herbed fish steamed in banana leaf served with this amazing sauce of stir fried young pumkin and kaffer lime and ginger; lemon grass stuffed with chicken (really yummy too). Dessert was purple sticky rice with tamarind sauce and sticky rice cookies.
So, the program today at the Tamnak Loa Restaurant's cooking school (school, restuarant, adjacent bookstore and inn owned by a Brit with Lao family-she is a whole other story) went like this:
Mickey and I showed up at the designated time of 10:00 a.m. We were swooped away by the chef, Leng, and the driver of a tuk tuk who took us to the local market. I cannot even fairly begin to describe the markets all over Southeast Asia. You can get everything there and that is where everyone shops, every day!
Fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, flowers, seeds, herbs and spices, clothing, housewares...(but I digress again!)
Leng chose many of the vegetables, spices and herbs we would be using throughout the day. After about an hour, we got back into the tuk tuk and went to school.
There Leng prepared the first two dishes that Mickey and I would eventually have to attempt on our own. Leng was organized and methodical in his technique. He was neat and efficent in his cutting and preparation. He (and then we) prepared Luang Prabang Salad with a special mayonaisse dressing made from scratch, and the "Feu Khua"-Sticky rice noddles with chicken and vegetables.
We were as messy and disorganized as Leng was otherwise, but it was fun and we had some great laughs and photo ops. We had dishes strewn everywhere and had to keep looking up what and how we were supposed to cut ingedients and the order of things. The wok was pretty easy to cook in, even though we just about incinerated it roasting garlic, apparently not using the right amounnt of oil. We then ate the "first course" at around lunch time. We were exhausted!
After lunch, with three hours to go (what! no nap?), Leng made five dishes of which we were to choose 3 that we would make ourselves.
They included, "Hicken Larp" (chicken salad); Kheu Sen Lon (Vermicelli noodles with pork, vegetables and woodear fungus); Geng Phet (Chilli Casserole); "Oh Paedak" (Lao Pork Casserole); Khua Maak Kheua moo (Fried Eggplant with Pork) and chilli paste "Luang Prabang Jeowbong". For those of you who know how I love eggplant, we had to make one of the eggplant dishes; Mick loves the Larb so chose that one, and then we mutually decided on the dish made with coconut milk.
We had a serious cnversation during lunch and decided a better gameplan for the afternoon of cooking was to get organized BEFORE we launched into the cooking thing, both of us being pretty impulsive. We also were intent on making a good and lasting impression on our teacher (which I am sure we did)
The results were pretty impressive if we do say so ourselves and WE GOT TO EAT IT ALL, with some to "take away", as they say here.
We also were given a cookbook with all the recipes and explanations; one recipe is for one of the best lime pies I have ever had! ( we got one of those to go too!)
It is no wonder these folks dont weigh 300 kilograms! But, they don't. All healthy foods- no preservatives, tons of fresh veggies, fruit and other ingredients.
We will practice the recipes on our family first and then maybe open a restaurant when we get back to the states....
We are also willing to cater for private events, but book well in ADVANCE as I am sure we will be in demand.
We did great, however, and we wont forget what we cooked, at least until we do our laundry, because Mickey proudly wore each ingredient on his t-shirt when we left the class.
In preparation for the class today, we "crammed" last night by having dinner at the Tamarind restuarant in Luang Prabang. Dare I say, it was the best food we have had thus far in Laos, and one of the top so far? So what that it was also one of most extravagant meals we have had, at 240,000 Kip (that's 30 US dollars)
But, I digress. I mean to give menu...
Last night's set menu was appropriately entitled "A Taste of Laos". It included, for 120,000 Kip a piece, a glass of wine or large beer (Beerlao)each; chunky bamboo and vegetable soup (with young pumpkin); then came a platter of Lao "specialties" with sticky rice and sweet chili paste on the side. It included LP sausage, dried Buffalo (a delicacy here), leafy green vegetables, smoky eggplant dip, mild tomato salsa, and dried river vegetable chips with tomoato, garlic and sesame seeds (WOW); the main courses were herbed fish steamed in banana leaf served with this amazing sauce of stir fried young pumkin and kaffer lime and ginger; lemon grass stuffed with chicken (really yummy too). Dessert was purple sticky rice with tamarind sauce and sticky rice cookies.
Mickey and I showed up at the designated time of 10:00 a.m. We were swooped away by the chef, Leng, and the driver of a tuk tuk who took us to the local market. I cannot even fairly begin to describe the markets all over Southeast Asia. You can get everything there and that is where everyone shops, every day!
Fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, flowers, seeds, herbs and spices, clothing, housewares...(but I digress again!)
Leng chose many of the vegetables, spices and herbs we would be using throughout the day. After about an hour, we got back into the tuk tuk and went to school.
There Leng prepared the first two dishes that Mickey and I would eventually have to attempt on our own. Leng was organized and methodical in his technique. He was neat and efficent in his cutting and preparation. He (and then we) prepared Luang Prabang Salad with a special mayonaisse dressing made from scratch, and the "Feu Khua"-Sticky rice noddles with chicken and vegetables.
We were as messy and disorganized as Leng was otherwise, but it was fun and we had some great laughs and photo ops. We had dishes strewn everywhere and had to keep looking up what and how we were supposed to cut ingedients and the order of things. The wok was pretty easy to cook in, even though we just about incinerated it roasting garlic, apparently not using the right amounnt of oil. We then ate the "first course" at around lunch time. We were exhausted!
They included, "Hicken Larp" (chicken salad); Kheu Sen Lon (Vermicelli noodles with pork, vegetables and woodear fungus); Geng Phet (Chilli Casserole); "Oh Paedak" (Lao Pork Casserole); Khua Maak Kheua moo (Fried Eggplant with Pork) and chilli paste "Luang Prabang Jeowbong". For those of you who know how I love eggplant, we had to make one of the eggplant dishes; Mick loves the Larb so chose that one, and then we mutually decided on the dish made with coconut milk.
We had a serious cnversation during lunch and decided a better gameplan for the afternoon of cooking was to get organized BEFORE we launched into the cooking thing, both of us being pretty impulsive. We also were intent on making a good and lasting impression on our teacher (which I am sure we did)
The results were pretty impressive if we do say so ourselves and WE GOT TO EAT IT ALL, with some to "take away", as they say here.
We also were given a cookbook with all the recipes and explanations; one recipe is for one of the best lime pies I have ever had! ( we got one of those to go too!)
It is no wonder these folks dont weigh 300 kilograms! But, they don't. All healthy foods- no preservatives, tons of fresh veggies, fruit and other ingredients.
We will practice the recipes on our family first and then maybe open a restaurant when we get back to the states....
We are also willing to cater for private events, but book well in ADVANCE as I am sure we will be in demand.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
"Live at the Hive"
While our time here dwindles, the wonders of discovery don't seem to end. On Wednesday night we went to an Ethnik (yes with a K) fashion show at a venue called "The Hive"(catch that Lisa?). It is fascinating and is one of three Green and Lao centric businesses run by Celine, a woman from Quebec, and her daughter and son in law. The daughter is a filmmaker. The fashion show featured authentic dress from many of Laos 49 ethnic groups. The runway included 3 separate platforms and the models are all locals. To say that the clothes were jaw droppingly beautiful would be an understatement. To give you a sense, Mickey made no jokes about or during the show, and not once did he complain or even comment that he was missing a free movie next door, 127 Hours. He just stared.
Thursday, today, found us on a wooden boat going 2 1/2 hours up the Mekong River to the Pac Ou caves which are natural caves along the Mekong containing thousands of Buddhas. The upper cave required a climb of some 240 stairs. It s not only home to many Buddhas but during the war, locals would seek shelter during bombing raids.
Along the way we stopped in one village where the artisans specialize in making beautiful paper and silk and cotton clothing. We also visited a village where the principle products are rice whiskey and rice wine. There was a sweet red rice wine which I handed to Mickey to taste. As I would expect, he put the red shot glass in the same hand as the shot glass with the white rice wine. He sipped from the white wine and as he did so he poured the red wine all over his formerly white t-shirt. He made quite an impression. One elderly man makes musical instrument, and played several for us.
The trip up the Mekong was slow and impressive. The river is brown from the sand bottom which is always being churned. Green hills with low hanging clouds frame the river for the entire trip. In spots, the river is very shallow and our long wooden boat had to zigzag across the river to avoid grounding. Along the way there were many raised homes 100 yards from the banks as the river rises significantly during the rainy season which begins in May. We saw some drizzle but no real rain. Fortunately, we saw only a little uncovered sun.
For those who want written menu we stopped for lunch where we had Laab--minced chicken with outstanding seasonings and onion-and a yellow chicken curry in the nature of a Masaman.
Our trip covered 7 hours and every minute was special.
Tomorrow, Mickey takes a cooking lesson--We get to (or have to) eat what we cook. So, this could be my last blog.....
Thursday, today, found us on a wooden boat going 2 1/2 hours up the Mekong River to the Pac Ou caves which are natural caves along the Mekong containing thousands of Buddhas. The upper cave required a climb of some 240 stairs. It s not only home to many Buddhas but during the war, locals would seek shelter during bombing raids.
For those who want written menu we stopped for lunch where we had Laab--minced chicken with outstanding seasonings and onion-and a yellow chicken curry in the nature of a Masaman.
Our trip covered 7 hours and every minute was special.
Tomorrow, Mickey takes a cooking lesson--We get to (or have to) eat what we cook. So, this could be my last blog.....
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