Flowers Fit For The King
It has been three days since I've posted and... can you feel it? I'm in yet another country! Presently I'm at an internet cafe in Luang Prabang in Laos, but I have to do some typing in retro to get things caught up. Where did I last leave the tale...?
When I left the internet cafe in Chaing Mai and returned back to my room where I found Stacy fresh from her cooking extravaganza that day. I was still feeling a world of lousy, but wanted to get out and DO something so we went to wander the night market and met up with Steven. Steven is a Brit whom I met the night before in the lobby of the guesthouse. I was looking for the desk girl and he came down and asked if I had a card... I told him that I'd be happy to give him one, but I didn't work there. For a moment I thought he was the owner's son myself and he laughed at that. He's one-quarter Chinese and half... well, something else. He's from an island that I'd never heard of next to Moritius. His accent, however, is charmingly English.
So we found Steven and walked around together and before we knew it we had lost Stacy to yet MORE shopping (she bought 17 necklaces, 9 bracelets, 12 rings, 18 t-shirts, and 25 purses in the time we were together - I'M SERIOUS!). Steven and I went for a drink and to watch some of the Thai Boxing. Now Thai Boxing is like everything else in Thailand - not necessarily regulated and highly subject to fluxuating levels of safety. The fighters do not wear anything on their heads and are allowed to kick... eachother... in the head, if they like. As the night wears on and the *professionals* have their fight, others are welcome to pay to test out their alcohol induced self-esteem out. I think most of these foreign behemoth's see the li'l Asian dude and think, "I can surely take him."
It's painful to watch, really... and oddly satisfying at the same time. The cockiest of men fall to the hands of small, deft, fly-like heroes.
Before I knew it the clock read 2:30A and it was high time to get back to the guesthouse like respectable people. Steven had booked the long route to Luang Prabang for the next day. There's a three day trek to Laos which involves a minibus to the river, an overnight there, and two full days on a boat with a night over inbetween. He's set to roll in this afternoon, in fact. I've heard things about this trip, not good things, but things. People talk about being stuffed into boats for 8 hours at a stretch where you can do nothing but sit next to the other people... there's no room to stand or walk at all. While the Bratwurst treatment does sound like an experience to me, I rather enjoyed my 50 minute jaunt yesterday via Lao Airlines, thank you very much.
I said goodbye to Steven the next day after eating breakfast together (Yay! Oatmeal!) and made plans to meet up this evening. So, this was Sunday.
Stacy went to the pool again and I went on an adventure. I took a tuk tuk to the Central Airport Plaza to buy a ticket to the Royal Flora 2006 show. I'll be honest with you... I wasn't that interested. Most of you know that I notoriously have a hideous black thumb which is disguised as an otherwise normal looking digit. I had heard from too many people, though, about how great it was and I had a few thoughts:
Tickets were sold out for the day so I played my "But I'm a tourist, and I'll smile, and I leave tomorrow, and you'll make my lifetime" Card. It worked. Another 20 minutes via red taxi dropped me at the front gate and it was spectacular!
I walked for hours into the International Gardens, Corporate Gardens, Royal Pavillion, Orchid Exhibition, Tropical Gardens, Expo Center... on and on and on. Here are some pictures which aren't nearly as good as the disk of professionally captured images that I mailed home last week. There were sculptures of elephants and people, towers of drying corn (they were showing conversion to Bio fuels), gazebos, traditional dancers, foreign dignitaries, animals, and all in one place. I was so dig tired when I got back to the guesthouse, but it was a great afternoon - all in all. The only thing is... I still mainly only know Forsythia.
I left Chiang Mai yesterday and my flight was delayed into Lao... which was, at first, annoying, but then a good thing. I got to see the sun setting over the Mekong River from the plane. By the by, I'm a danger in the skies - did you know? I left my pocket knife in my carry on bag by mistake. (I should re-name it my mango knife, as that is all it has been used for...) Nestled safely next to my pepper spray I made it though two security checks before they saw it, made me re-scan my bag, and then had me remove it. They looked at it, opened it up, felt that yes, the blade is very sharp, and handed it back to me. I suppose as long as the threat has been identified they're willing to gamble with lives in S.E.A..
The airport in Lao was hysterical... I wish it was easier to get a picture of it. It was seriously about 15' square with two desks (one to apply for your visa and one to stamp your passport) and one turnstile for luggage that they didn't even use. They put the bags all into an oversized shopping cart and let people rifle through them. I don't think I've ever been on a plane with propellers before, either.
I saw a little bit of the night market here last night and there were actually some new things that I haven't seen before - mainly quilted bedspreads that were GORGEOUS! It was very cold here last night and I'm thinking I don't want to stay here too long... it's beautiful though - in a way Thailand is not. I'm going to show you a picture from this morning of the farms along the Nam Kham River... they build steps into the riverside and if you look at the lower left you can see three young monks in orange whom are playing in the dirt.
I've pretty much decided to come home on schedule and not prolong my trip - for one main reason. I have been sick for weeks and just cutting back and eating Western food hasn't helped much, if any. I'm psyched at the idea of seeing Malaysia and Singapore while I'm here, but I also want to get my body feeling normal again. Additionally, I miss work. Yep. Sad but true...
Holiday Love to All from Laos!
xoxo
Janice
***1:13p Tuesday, Internet Cafe, Luang Prabang, Laos
When I left the internet cafe in Chaing Mai and returned back to my room where I found Stacy fresh from her cooking extravaganza that day. I was still feeling a world of lousy, but wanted to get out and DO something so we went to wander the night market and met up with Steven. Steven is a Brit whom I met the night before in the lobby of the guesthouse. I was looking for the desk girl and he came down and asked if I had a card... I told him that I'd be happy to give him one, but I didn't work there. For a moment I thought he was the owner's son myself and he laughed at that. He's one-quarter Chinese and half... well, something else. He's from an island that I'd never heard of next to Moritius. His accent, however, is charmingly English.
So we found Steven and walked around together and before we knew it we had lost Stacy to yet MORE shopping (she bought 17 necklaces, 9 bracelets, 12 rings, 18 t-shirts, and 25 purses in the time we were together - I'M SERIOUS!). Steven and I went for a drink and to watch some of the Thai Boxing. Now Thai Boxing is like everything else in Thailand - not necessarily regulated and highly subject to fluxuating levels of safety. The fighters do not wear anything on their heads and are allowed to kick... eachother... in the head, if they like. As the night wears on and the *professionals* have their fight, others are welcome to pay to test out their alcohol induced self-esteem out. I think most of these foreign behemoth's see the li'l Asian dude and think, "I can surely take him."
It's painful to watch, really... and oddly satisfying at the same time. The cockiest of men fall to the hands of small, deft, fly-like heroes.
Before I knew it the clock read 2:30A and it was high time to get back to the guesthouse like respectable people. Steven had booked the long route to Luang Prabang for the next day. There's a three day trek to Laos which involves a minibus to the river, an overnight there, and two full days on a boat with a night over inbetween. He's set to roll in this afternoon, in fact. I've heard things about this trip, not good things, but things. People talk about being stuffed into boats for 8 hours at a stretch where you can do nothing but sit next to the other people... there's no room to stand or walk at all. While the Bratwurst treatment does sound like an experience to me, I rather enjoyed my 50 minute jaunt yesterday via Lao Airlines, thank you very much.
I said goodbye to Steven the next day after eating breakfast together (Yay! Oatmeal!) and made plans to meet up this evening. So, this was Sunday.
Stacy went to the pool again and I went on an adventure. I took a tuk tuk to the Central Airport Plaza to buy a ticket to the Royal Flora 2006 show. I'll be honest with you... I wasn't that interested. Most of you know that I notoriously have a hideous black thumb which is disguised as an otherwise normal looking digit. I had heard from too many people, though, about how great it was and I had a few thoughts:
- This King rocks... and he just had a birthday and is celebrating his 60th year in power. The people love him, and it's devoted to the guy!
- God help me, but the only flowers I can recognize are the kinds you mainly see in bouquets and Forsythia (which I'm sure I'm grossly misspelling). I only know Forsythia from years of garage saleing with my botanically gifted Aunties and Gram who tried to bestow some horticultural knowledge upon me.
- There are 33 countries participating and over 20 corporations that have set up eleborate gardens, structures, and exhibitions... there are plants there that I've never seen before.
- I was longing to cure the boredom of my last afternoon in Chiang Mai with something new and different.
- I thought of Auntie Cin, who wouldn't miss this.
Tickets were sold out for the day so I played my "But I'm a tourist, and I'll smile, and I leave tomorrow, and you'll make my lifetime" Card. It worked. Another 20 minutes via red taxi dropped me at the front gate and it was spectacular!
I walked for hours into the International Gardens, Corporate Gardens, Royal Pavillion, Orchid Exhibition, Tropical Gardens, Expo Center... on and on and on. Here are some pictures which aren't nearly as good as the disk of professionally captured images that I mailed home last week. There were sculptures of elephants and people, towers of drying corn (they were showing conversion to Bio fuels), gazebos, traditional dancers, foreign dignitaries, animals, and all in one place. I was so dig tired when I got back to the guesthouse, but it was a great afternoon - all in all. The only thing is... I still mainly only know Forsythia.
I left Chiang Mai yesterday and my flight was delayed into Lao... which was, at first, annoying, but then a good thing. I got to see the sun setting over the Mekong River from the plane. By the by, I'm a danger in the skies - did you know? I left my pocket knife in my carry on bag by mistake. (I should re-name it my mango knife, as that is all it has been used for...) Nestled safely next to my pepper spray I made it though two security checks before they saw it, made me re-scan my bag, and then had me remove it. They looked at it, opened it up, felt that yes, the blade is very sharp, and handed it back to me. I suppose as long as the threat has been identified they're willing to gamble with lives in S.E.A..
The airport in Lao was hysterical... I wish it was easier to get a picture of it. It was seriously about 15' square with two desks (one to apply for your visa and one to stamp your passport) and one turnstile for luggage that they didn't even use. They put the bags all into an oversized shopping cart and let people rifle through them. I don't think I've ever been on a plane with propellers before, either.
I saw a little bit of the night market here last night and there were actually some new things that I haven't seen before - mainly quilted bedspreads that were GORGEOUS! It was very cold here last night and I'm thinking I don't want to stay here too long... it's beautiful though - in a way Thailand is not. I'm going to show you a picture from this morning of the farms along the Nam Kham River... they build steps into the riverside and if you look at the lower left you can see three young monks in orange whom are playing in the dirt.
I've pretty much decided to come home on schedule and not prolong my trip - for one main reason. I have been sick for weeks and just cutting back and eating Western food hasn't helped much, if any. I'm psyched at the idea of seeing Malaysia and Singapore while I'm here, but I also want to get my body feeling normal again. Additionally, I miss work. Yep. Sad but true...
Holiday Love to All from Laos!
xoxo
Janice
***1:13p Tuesday, Internet Cafe, Luang Prabang, Laos
posted by Janice at 12:25 AM
1 Comments:
i miss you soooo much.. i think about you all time. i'm home in lenox for the holiday's. i've called you several times since you've left forgetting for a moment i can't really reach you. you're in my thoughts always. be safe bean. all my love, carolyn
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