Catching Up

A few weekends ago we were in Luang Prabang, which is north of Vientiane. LP is situated between the Nam Khong (Mekong) and the Nam Khan and is hugged by mountains on either side. It is a very beautiful town and quite relaxed. Unlike Vientiane, LP actually caters somewhat to tourist set. There are loads of nice guesthouses, restaurants and shops. There is also a great night market selling clothes, handicrafts and jewelry. We were in LP for 4 days and stayed busy by touring the towns many wats, taking a boat ride on the Nam Khong and trekking to some waterfalls. The tour spots were littered with falang, but beautiful nonetheless. We also managed to fit in some night-time activities such as dancing at a nightclub, bowling and a late night snack at one of LP's best noodle shops.

We befriended a tuk-tuk driver our second day in town and he was kind enough to give me his mobile number and act as our driver for the duration of our stay. His wife had a stall in the night market, were Gin and his son Bohn helped out as well. In addition to being a available whenever we called, Gin also was keen to introduce us to Laos culture. After dropping us off at a pool one afternoon, he stuck around to drink some BeerLao and show us how to play pa-tong. Pa-tong is basically bocce ball and is quite fun. After a few hours of playing and BeerLao, I laughed with my friend Jase as we noticed the sun setting behind the lush green mountains that were all around us. It was a surreal moment. But, a feeling that has been somewhat common during my several weeks in Laos.

Safely back in Vientiane, we had one night to enjoy the city with Meredith and Caitlin before they returned to Kuala Lampur. Because Malaysia is very muslim, the girls had not had too many opportunities to go out in KL. So they were excited to enjoy a cheap night out on the town. Boum, our consummate hostess, quickly lined up some events for the evening. First, and at the time most important, was a van pick-up at the airport in Vientiane. She came to meet us and seemed happy to have us back in town. After a shower and some dinner, Boum had the van come pick us up to head to a nightclub. Lacking enough seats, and having failed to take a shower yet (on account of doing the dishes), I sent the crew to the nightclub and followed later on my motorbike. Being that it was a Monday night, the place wasn't too hopping, but we had a good time nonetheless. Most of my friends were feeling the effects of the tiring weekend, and headed home before I did. I stayed with Boum and her Lao friends until the club closed down. When we walked out we were met by a spectacular rain storm. I had no jacket or poncho, and waiting out the storm was not an option. So, I got my bike, Boum hopped on the back, and we had a lovely ride back home in the pouring down rain. After a few minutes I forgot I was soaking wet.

Last week I was fortunate enough to spend the week at a training on human rights law that was put on by a local non-profit. The training was for Lao people who work with INGO's. The training was not too legal, but did educate the learners on various aspects of UN declarations, charters and conventions. I did learn quite a bit, and I know that the Lao people who attended learned a lot about what they can do in their jobs to affect positive change in Laos on the human rights front.

The weekend was pretty mild. Jase and Simon were away for work and Sarah and Dena were both nursing injuries. Sarah was working off some illness and Dena was still a bit sore after being hit by a motorbike. Concerned for our general safety; I sliced my finger pretty good Thursday night while cutting cucumbers for our lap, Boum insisted that the weekend begin with a trip to the wat where we were blessed by a monk. After we received some good luck, we went over to the market to pick up veggies which Boum made in to an excellent dinner. After we ate, we watched Alive on HBO. It took me about 20 minutes and some leafing through my dictionary to convince Boum that the movie was based on a true story.

Saturday we went to the Lao-Thai border with the neighbors for some shopping. We did not know this was the purpose of the mission when we left, but it was a fun morning. I acted as the babysitter for NeeNee, who is 10 months old, as her mom and the other ladies shopped. I got a few looks from the Lao people and was asked more than once if she was my daughter. When we returned home, we mustered the strength to head to the Saturday bush hash.

The run began about 10k outside the city in a field next to a dirt road. The first bit of the run was done in a crouched position in order to make it through the bush. We also ran through our fair share of flooded rice paddies, buffalo pastures and farmland. Oh, and it was raining quite heavy the entire run. Like most hashes, it was a great time. After the run a few people had to be punished for sins on the run and were made to sit on bags of ice. The men with their pants pulled down. It was quite the scene.

After we got home and cleaned up, several of us went to a dance club with Boum. As always, it was a fun evening and we were blessed with no rain. Sunday was a quiet day. I went with the neighbours to the airport to drop off some family members who were headed to the states. It was interesting to see the fanfare that went along with a trip to the States. We spent Sunday night at a birthday party for a fellow hasher. It was fun to spend some time with ex-pats and be able to speak english without worrying about the other person understanding.

Only a few weeks left here, so I'll try to stay a bit more up to date with the postings.