festivals, festivals and yet more festivals.

As has been said before, the Lao people love a festival and the beginning of December was the perfect time for a festival.   It was:

-  40 years since the Laos Peoples Democratic Republic was formed and the monarchy were ousted.  

-  20 years since Luang Prabang was made a UNESCO World Heritage site.  

-  It was  also the Luang Prabang Film Festival  

- AND  THE ELEPHANTS CAME TO TOWN.  

Many reasons to celebrate  so Luang Praband had a parade with 6000 participants.  It was full of colour and costumes and even he President came.  These are some of the photos.

Waiting, waiting, waiting out the front of the National Museum

School kids from all over town

All the different community group were represented

They are holding mukbeng

This is the UNESCO symbol

Even the novices got in on the act

The spirits of Luang Prabang protect Luang Prabang.

They live at Wat Aham and their names are Pouyer and Youyer.  

See the drone above, taking photos

A boat made of bamboo and paper 

Made by the men of Ban Xieng Tong

There was to be a giant baci ceremony afterwards 

Pha = tray. 

Its like a tray to hold the mukbeng for a baci ceremony

The costume of Luang Prabang

Wax castle.  Similar to the art at temples

Young Khmu men and women and they made a huge sound with these bamboo instruments

The Hmong Community

Teachers

And at last the elephants came - about 12 of them

Led by a white elephant (really pinkish) - very rare

From being "The Land of a Million Elephants", there are only about 900 elephants left in Laos.  None live in the wild.  For years,  many have been used for logging and lived a very hard life, such that they stopped breeding.  I think that Sayabouri has the largest number of elephants at about 300.  

A group of people decided to take an elephant caravan from Sarabouri to Luang Prabang over a month or so. The aim was to raise Lao people's awareness of the importance of the elephants.  For some days, there were rumours that the elephants would arrive.  And then they did a day or so before the big parade.  

Last, but no least - the mother and baby elephant

Made of paper and bamboo

Outside Ock Pop Tok

8 degrees in Luang Prabang - IT"S FREEZING

Eight degrees may not sound so cold, but when you're living in an area where the houses have gaps and aren't insulated, and the cafe's are open to the elements and there is NO HEATING, its freezing.

This is a photo of us last night - a group of expats, mostly teachers having dinner in Emi's shop (Ma Te Sai).

We were all wearing every warm piece of clothing that we own.

From bottom: Carol, Marg, David, Andrew, Case, Gail, Butch,Trish, Ken and Emi

Christmas/New Year- Laos style

The  Yao store around the corner.

Love it.

This is "the girls" on Christmas day.

Gail, Sarah and myself.

Christmas brunch at Ock Pok Tok 

.... which went on for a very long time with lots of laughs ..........

Sounds perfect.

Gail

These are huge poinciana plants growing wild.  

At L'estranger bookshop

La Silapa had Bamboo as a Christmas Tree.

Pretty ugly - it's made of Heineken beer bottles

Sometime between Christmas and New Year.

Sindao - Lao Bar be que.  

The table is made of cement and has a hole in the centre

Into that hole goes a terracotta pot full of glowing charcoal

You then sit a large aluminium dome shaped dish on top.  

The dish has sides that come up about 10 cm.  

On top of the dome you put fatty meat.  Into the well around the outer side you put stock.

As the meat cooks, it adds flavour to the stock.

You collect all kinds of meat to cook on the dome 

and veggies and noodles and tofu 

to cook in the stock at the side.  

So you have cooked meat and veggies with a beautiful soup stock.

Quite a communal cooking experience.

This is really yummy and fun.

Left to right: Chen, Melissa, Sarah, Emi and David.

And of course, what would New Year be without 2016 made out of Laos beer boxes 

and surrounded by fairy lights.

It goes perfectly with Karaoke.

Home visits .... Laos style

Home visits ..... Laos style.    How different this is.

Some of the scenery when walking to work.

I walk into town to the ebus stop. (5 mins)  Catch the ebus for about 5 km and then walk for 1/2 an hour.

Home visits - Instead of just getting into a car and going, you have a driver, a 4wd and someone who speaks Laos.

It may be less than 40 kms to the village, but it can take an hour on very potholed dirt roads.

The scenery is stunning.  And GREEN  ( I almost feel apologetic to my friends in Central Victoria every time I speak of the green.  I don't think I will ever take it for granted.)

And …… yes that is 2 elephants in the river down there.  (not wild elephants, but I’m still excited.)

To do financial assessments the questions might include things such as

·      How many chooks/pigs/buffaloes do the family own?

·      How far away is the nearest stream? i.e. the nearest       water supply

·      Is there a toilet? – circle the answer  No  Dry  Modern
       (The person I went out with had never seen a "modern"        toilet in a village)
.      Is anyone in the house literate?

·      Is the houses roof make of bamboo/grass?

·      Are the walls bamboo?
.      Is there road access?

.      What kind of cooking?  wood, charcoal, gas.

Our lunch stop

Instant picnic

 Lunch.  Clockwise from top left:

River weed steamed in banana leaf, smoked eggplant dip, chilli.

Steamed pork, meat patties, Orlam and sticky rice in the yellow plastic bag.

This is how it goes: you get a handful of sticky rice and form it into small balls.  You use these small balls to pick up bits of the food.  

I'm not into the meat, but the rest of it is very nice.

A temple in every village

Hmong New Year

The Hmong, originally from China, are one of the largest of the 49 ethnic groups in the People’s Democratic Republic of Lao. Hmong New Year happens in the last half of December,  before the end of the twelfth lunar calendar month.  It also celebrates the finish of harvest and abundant food.  

It is a time for Hmong people to serve their favourite dishes, wear their best clothes, take a break from their businesses, and refrain from speaking critically of others.

Just take a look at some of the gorgeous young things below.

                           

                              

The most recognisable part of the Hmong New Year celebration is pov pob, 

a ball-throwing game.

Teenaged boys and girls line up across from each to toss a cloth ball (or tennis ball) back and forth to one another. This is very much a social event, where girls usually wait for boys to come along and chat by passing the ball back and forth. In this way, they get to know one another, and form new relationships that may eventually lead to marriage. (Maptia.com)

                               

                                    

Young people especially, dress in traditional dress and it is said that if you are looking, you may just find a husband or wife here.  

Different clothing and headdress designate different hmong communities but it seems 

the term "traditional costume" is used loosely. A lot of mothers have spent a lot of time at sewing machines making clothes for this time of year.

I love the fact that people are "interpreting" and adapting the traditional dress.  For many girls, the shorter the better.  And high, high heels on this ground?????!!

The "oldies" sitting on the sidelines.  Just checkin out all that is happening.

The New Year celebration begins in households, where Hmong families give thanks to their ancestors and various spirits. Specifically, this celebration begins by an in-house ritual that calls back the wandering souls of every family member in the past to reunite with the household and to help bless the house. If there is a local shaman in the house, the family will also worship the healing spirits. (Maptia.com)

                            

This is the lady who does the Hmong batik at Ock Pok Toc

Certainly many more women than men were in traditional dress.  A young friend said that if the young men could afford it, they would all be wearing traditional dress.