How lucky am I

I feel like I have hit the jackpot.  I've been asked to house-sit a lovely home and 2 siamese cats.

How beautiful at nighttime

I've been "in residence" since this afternoon and I've been walking around with a smile on my face the whole time. What do I do with all this space?  This is a very beautiful home with all the comforts, and more, of home.  In my guesthouse I live in one room with ensuite bathroom.  My possessions are my clothes, sewing machine and the books and paperwork associated with teaching.  I have one cup, spoon, knife and plate.  I am very happy in my little world and don't miss having a home to myself.  It is only when I stay in this beautiful new space that I realise how different my current life is to the one I led at home in Australia.   

I have not had a kitchen and thus have not cooked a hot meal for more than a year!  So for the next week I will have access to a fully equipped kitchen.  Will be interesting to see what, if anything is produced.  

The view from upstairs

AND, THERE'S MORE............ It just so happens that this house is in the grounds of a temple, so imagine the good Karma. At 5.30 every day, the monks and novices chant which is one of my favourite experiences in Laos.  I can now enjoy hearing this without even leaving the house.  

I'll include some photos taken from upstairs..  The novices have been raking the temple grounds. The people of the Bann (village) are just going about their usual Sunday life. The grounds of the temple are like their back yard.   


Oops the karaoke has just started.  Lao people love Karaoke - the louder the better. When I rule the world, the first 2 things I am going to ban are plastic packaging and Karaoke.   Why is it always people who can't sing who want to get up and show their lack of talent to the whole world?   The good thing about this part of Laos is that you know that on the dot of 12 midnight, everything stops.  It's easy to put up with the noise when you know exactly when it will finish.




Yesterday was the Boat Racing festival and people of this Bann participated,  So their long boat which holds about 50 men is still in the grounds.   This huge boat had to be somehow  manouvred out of the temple grounds and through the narrow streets to the Mekong River.  

That's Mount Phousi behind

One shy cat

The sounds of Laos

Forever, the main sound I miss will be the Monks chanting.
Chickens
the throb of ceiling fans
motor bikes
karaoke
chanting of monks
the sound of Lao being spoken by the people in the massage place next door.
chuck chan
cats meowing.
suitcases on wheels rolling along the streets

Another walk on the wild side

It is "winter" here.  That means that mornings can be cool (12 degrees), evenings balmy and afternoons pleasant.  It's the best time of year. It is the most pleasant time of year to go for walks.  so a couple of times, a friend Emi and her dog Leon and I have been walking.

This Sunday we caught the ferry across the Mekong to Chompet and walked for a few hours.  We actually walked past or through about 7 temples.  

Beautiful to be away from the crowds and more amongst nature.

It's winter so you put a jumper on your dog.

Emi and Leon heading for Wat Long Khoun. Set in peaceful grounds, it was once used by Luang Prabang’s kings as a pre-coronation retreat involving ritual baths, meditation and reflection. The wat was restored in 1995 by the École Française d’Extrême Orient. Of note are the two Chinese door guardians painted either side of the main entrance to the sim, and the murals within.

WAT LUANG KHOUN TEMPLE
Wat luang khoun was built in the 18^th century. At first, it was always regarded as a place for meditation rather than a place for worship, but during King Anourout Manthatourath era in the 19^th century, it was established as the temple for meditation and continued to be one for monks. All the Kings in the past, such as King Sisavangvong and King Sisangvattana became monks in this temple before they  were crowned.

Time: 08:00am-05:00pm, Admission: 10,000 Kip

Your ticket for the wat includes a guided visit to nearby Wat Tham Sackkalin, which is actually a caverepository for old and damaged Buddha images.

3. Wat Tam Sackkalin

 Wat Had Siaw

After about a kilometer of walking you should reach Wat Had Siaw. It’s known for its walking meditation building which unfortunately seems to be used mainly for storage (look for the long narrow building). Walk through the grounds to the back and look for a sign “Vat Nongsakeo 300 m”. The path continues into the forest before splitting. Either path you choose, you have to cross a bamboo fence and continue uphill through the forest.

my community

Walking home yesterday I was thinking of the sense of community I have where i live.
When I go out there are all these people to say hello to.

The family who own my guesthouse.

The lovely family next door.  Their little boy was less than a year old when I moved here.  He will be 2 in November.  so watching him grow.  Watching the pregnancy of his Mum.  She has just had another baby.  We have't met yet

The lady who looks after her granddaughter.  As well as seeing her on the street often, we met at the childrens hospital when I was volunteering there and her little one needed some treatment..  Since then she always has a warm welcome - she in Lao and me in my halting Lao.  She has even taught the little girl to put her hands together in Sabaidee.

Vanh the young man who works in the guesthouse down the road.  He's learning English and we have conversations about  what we are up to.  At Lao New Year he and a young friend spontaneously took me to show me the celebrations.

Emi around the corner.  Occasional dinner companion and Australian owner of Ma Te Sai (comes from where) who is a source of information on all things Lao and the bits and pieces that us expats need to know from time to time...

Little Peyo who is about 18 months..  The first Lao child who didn't cry when I spoke to her.

The man around the corner who does my photocopying who is always so helpful.

Teaching at my local temple a 3 minute walk away.  The respect I have for the young monks and novices.

The places where I eat.  The 15.000 kip places with such good food and friendly smiles.  At IQ inn they know my order without me having to ask.. And the young men  who run our favourite restaurant.  They work so hard and want to do such good for their communities and the future of this country.

Young people at my library.

People who you smile at and say sabaidee  because you often walk past their shop or house.
There are always people to smile at and say hello to.

And  I often run into "the Smiths"  on the street.  My family who are not family but related to my cousin's husband.  Strange coincidence.

That's just the people I meet in my neighbourhood

And of course, our new friends the newlyweds, the boys down the road .

In Home Footcare in Luang Prabang

In Home Footcarer on her way to work.  She is carrying all 

the equipment needed.

The service in progress

Many of us know that as we get older it might be harder to cut our own toenails and care for our feet. Luang Prabang has it’s own “In Home Footcare Program" and there could even be a few tips for Victorian Local Government to pick up from the Laos program. 

My observation would be that older people in Laos tend not to go out a lot.  I suspect this could be because of the many trip hazards in the streets.  Laos would be an Occupational Therapists nightmare.  Wherever you walk outside there are things to trip you up:  chords across the footpath, sleeping dogs, holes, open drains, Motorbikes parked right across the footpath and on it goes. 

The ever-thoughtful Laos people have developed their own footcare program.  It has been very difficult to take photos of these carers as when asked, they refuse to have their photos taken.  

The service can take place any time of night or day. - even at the night market.

                                                                                

          

                               Another carer on the way to work

Women ride bikes up and down the streets.  You can just signal to them as they ride past.  They have a set uniform and are covered from head to toe no matter what the temperature might be:  long pants, shirt with long sleeves (often of the tartan flannelette variety), gloves and cloth hat, usually with fabric all the way around the back so that their neck wont get burnt.  The reason for such covering seems to be that Asian people want to keep their skin as pale as possible.  Dark skin, among women especially, may mean that someone is a labourer and you wouldn’t want to advertise that fact.  (Women here also do the hard jobs on building sites.)

Materials needed to set your self up as a In Home Foot Care worker.:

•    Bicycle
•    Shallow plastic bowls for people to soak their feet in.  (Just fill them from   a local tap.) 
•    Small plastic stool about 150cm’s high for the worker to sit on.  The   “client” just puts their foot up on the workers thigh and the service can begin.
•    A covered plastic basket which contains, nail polish remover, cotton wool balls, file, clippers, various creams for ailments, nail polish and a cut lemon to rub on toes.

People of all ages can benefit from this program

It appears there are many advantages to the Laos program that Local Government in Victoria could consider implementing, including:

• There is no need for pre-booking and phone calls to make appointments – just yell out to the woman as she rides past.  This would save valuable time for the office staff.
• Equipment is kept to a minimum and is light and easily transported.. 
• The need for each client to have their own clippers is eliminated as clippers are sterilised between clients with a quick rub of nail polish remover.
• In addition to the basic service, application of nail polish is also offered for no additional charge. 
• Carers would maintain their fitness as they ride from client to client.  
• The total cost for the entire service per client is around $2.50 Australian, which includes all on-costs.

festival of light -the temples

Wat Mai

 Wat Aham

Wat Chomkong

What Xieng Moune - absolutely stunning

What Xieng Moune

Wat Aphay

festival of light - the parade

Amazing Gatow for sale.  Candles lit and incense lighted, each family will float one of these down the Mekong as a thank you to the Mekong.  They all carry all your cares away with them.

Above:  The fireboat from Bann Xieng Thong

Below: During the parade

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The winning boat from Air Asia

This amazing bird got the Falang vote for best boat

  

Jo and my gatow carrying our cares away down the Mekong