Travels

No, we haven’t dropped off the face of the earth. I know it’s been a while since we’ve posted anything, but things have been hectic lately. Starting July 4, we were off on a twelve-day trip to southern Lao, Cambodia, and northern Lao. Then we were back in Vientiane with Chris for what seemed like a fairly continuous string of days and evenings out, parties, etc. The day after Chris left, we headed out again for a three-day trip to Xieng Khuang and the Plain of Jars, and we just got back this morning. And now it’s only a few days before we leave for home, and we have a long list of things to attend to before we go.

But, enough of that. Let me tell you a little bit about our recent travels.

Our trip to southern Lao started with a one-hour flight to Pakse, the second largest city in Lao, where Nin, Chris, Cathy, and I met up with our driver and guide. From there we headed to the ancient Khmer ruin at Wat Phu.

To get to Wat Phu, we had to cross the Mekong by ferry. Let’s just say that the vessel would have had a hard time passing a Canadian Coast Guard safety inspection, and that there was no safety announcement, nor signs telling you where the lifeboats or lifejackets were (because there weren’t any). Rather than being designed by a marine architect, the vessel appeared to have been designed on the back of a napkin, and they put together at Joe’s welding shop. Still, the vessel floated and carried its load of cars, and there was something agreeable about being on a jury-rigged boat where scant attention was paid to safety, and none to comfort.

Mekong Ferry.

Little seems to be known about Wat Phu. Started sometime in the 6th to 8th century, it apparently predates Angkor and, in fact, there is some thought that the Khmer civilization that built Angkor started in the Wat Phu area, and then moved to Angkor because the Angkor area was able to support a larger population. Remnants of the ancient 250 km road that connected Wat Phu to Angkor can still be found here and there.

Originally built as a Hindu temple, Wat Phu was later converted to a Buddhist temple with the coming of Buddhism to the area. In 2001 Wat Phu was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

It was drizzly the day we visited Wat Phu, and there were very few people around. We pretty much had the place to ourselves as we wandered around, climbing from the lower level to the sacred spring at the top. From the topmost level, you could see the Mekong and the plains of Champassak stretching far into the distance until they disappeared into the mist. Somewhere beyond the mist and the distant mountains lay Angkor, linked physically and spiritually with Wat Phu.

Wat Phu.

From Wat Phu, we re-crossed the Mekong and headed down to Don Khong (Khong Island) where we spent the evening. Don Khong is one of the Sii Pan Don (Four thousand Islands).
The next day we traveled further south to see the Khon Phapeng falls where a main channel of the Mekong flows over a rocky ledge. Although the falls aren’t that high, there is an impressive volume of water flowing over them. Even more impressive are the rickety bamboo structures where the local fishermen ply their trade. Apparently, they even sleep there to be ready when the fish come. Yikes!

Khon Phapheng Falls.

We arrived back in Pakse in the late afternoon. Sivone’s sister lives very near the hotel where we were staying, and we paid her a visit. Her son, and Nin’s uncle, was also there. He had been drinking homemade rice whisky (lao-lao) all afternoon, and had a healthy glow on when we arrived. Chris had been feeling under the weather with stomach troubles, and “decided” lao-lao was just the cure he needed. Cathy and I each had a glass, but Chris proceeded to have eight. If I had had eight glasses, it would have been me with the stomach troubles, but Chris proclaimed himself cured and, sure enough, he did seem to be better the next day!

We stayed in a hotel that had originally been built as the palace for Prince Chao Bounome, the last Prince of Champassak. I suspect Chris slept well after his lao lao followed by wine at dinner, but Nin slept hardly a wink at all. Her boyfriend had informed her that the ghosts of the former royal guards haunted the hotel.

Early the next morning we flew to Siem Reap in Cambodia. We were in for many surprises in Cambodia. The first surprise was the new, shiny, well-run airport. We had our visas and were out of there in no time. We were all further surprised on the short drive from the airport to the hotel. The main roads were wide and smooth, and everywhere you looked there was new construction, and shiny new hotels and shops. There was even a brand new hospital that had just opened. Admittedly, much of this infrastructure was for the tourist industry that Cambodia is relying on to help it develop its economy, but things are moving, at least in Siem Reap. This is all the more impressive when you consider that the country has only been at peace for some ten years after a 30-year period of war which included the terror of the Khmer Rouge.

While it’s hard for an outsider to know for sure, I was even more impressed with the people’s sense of optimism, and with what seemed to be a lack of bitterness and recrimination over all the horrendous things that have happened in the country’s recent past. You got the feeling that people desperately wanted to put all that behind them, and to get on with the process of building their country and their lives. And good luck to them. They deserve it.

On our way from the airport, we stopped at Angkor Artisans, a training school to help young people from all over the country learn the skills of sculpture, painting, silk screening, weaving, etc. Many of the students are orphans from the war, while another group are deaf and dumb young women who would otherwise have few options in life.

The quality of the artwork produced is outstanding. I was particularly taken with some of the sandstone bas-relief carvings that were copied from Angkor. But, at around 200 pounds apiece (and plenty of $$!), they were far too big for carry-on luggage.

Angkor. What can you say? The hundreds of temple ruins that remain today are just a part of a vast city where, at its height in the 12th century, perhaps a million people lived. Each Khmer king tried to outdo his predecessors, resulting in huge temples like Angkor Wat, strange temples like the Bayon with its 216 faces with their enigmatic smiles, and petite, even dainty temples like Banteay Srei with its exquisite stone carvings.

Angkor Wat.

At a window high in the tower at Angkor.

Nin getting her fortune read.

At other temples, nature runs riot, as the trees and roots slowly reclaim their territory. Parts of Lara Croft Tomb Raider were filmed here, and they must have been an inspiration for the Raiders of the Lost Arc movies. (Note from Cathy, while we were visiting this temple, a group of Korean (?) tourists were very excited to take Gord’s picture in his Pendleton hat as he looked like a movie star! )

Jungle Temple.

Jungle Temple Door.

We spent two days wandering in an around the ruins, and visited perhaps a dozen temples. While Angkor Wat was magnificent, and the artistry of Banteay Srei probably unsurpassed, I think I liked the Bayon temple the best. There’s just something about all those stone faces smiling at you from across the centuries…

Nin at the Bayon Temple.

Face at the Bayon Temple.

More in Part II.