Laos

While my love of train travel remained strong as we made our way toward Laos, The Captain’s fondness for it was starting to wane. He was looking forward to flying back to Italy for the Salone Nautico of Genova to present his new book, Amandla. La vita, la quasi morte e i miracoli del Capitano.  I was just starting to consider how I might entertain myself during his absence.

The Captain Bravely Weathers Another Storm

Given our non-stop trip through Myanmar, both of us were exhausted by the time we arrived in Vientiane, so we spent the predominance of our limited time there catching up on sleep. We only ventured out of our guest house long enough to enjoy the amazingly delicious and affordable French food and wine on offer. I failed to capture any images of the feast as it wasn’t on our plates to snap a photo.

After two days, we hopped a bus to Luang Prabang. Here we wandered the streets touring several of Luang Prabang’s thirty-four Wats (Buddhist monastery / temples).

Phon Savanh

While visiting Wat Choumkhong Sourintharame, we befriended Phon Savanh.  She educates monks and novices in art of sky-lantern making to keep the ancient craft alive. Her lanterns were the most ornate we saw in SE Asia, decorated with a multitude of characters. The lanterns are flown during Lai Heua Fai held in October.

Night Market Tents At Wat Mai

We spent most of our evenings walking Luang Prabang’s night market, although one evening, we dined at Son Phao where we were treated to delicious food (Japanese!) and five different Lao traditional dances performed in an intimate dinner theater at an affordable price.

Son Phao Dinner Theater

Still recovering from our Myanmar tour, we were often in bed by ‘Cruiser’s Midnight’ (9:00 P). But before sunrise, my sweet dreams were infused with the rhythmic sound of drumming that emanated from each of Luang Prabang’s Wats to announce the start the morning meditation.

Devotees Gathering

There is not much that will get me out of bed before sunrise voluntarily (no matter how early I retire the night before), but I was so excited to observe the ritual to follow that I quickly dressed and was on the streets shortly after the drumming commenced.

Patiently Waiting For The Procession

Why?

Monks Receiving Alms From Devotee

Because at sunrise, following the morning meditation, all the monastery residents from the most seasoned monk to the youngest novice leave the Wats and proceed through the streets to meet devotees who have lined it to offer alms (sticky rice and sweets) in return for blessings.

Boys as young as seven enter the monastery where they are given room, board, and education

The procession draws a lot of interested tourists to observe or participate along Kitsalat Road, but I had a much more intimate view as the monks and novices made their way along Ban Thong Chaleum toward Wat Hosian Voravihane.

Wat Hosian Voravihane

The monks are very approachable. After The Captain left for Italy, I made my way up Mount Phousi to take in the views. There I met Monk Phout, a very energetic, intelligent and giving young man.

He divides his time between his own studies (hoping to earn a scholarship for study abroad) and educating young students in the countryside.  I am still in touch with Monk Phout. If you’d like to make a contribution to his efforts, please let me know and I can ensure he receives your contribution.

View From A Top Mount Phousi

After leaving Luang Prabang, I started to make my way toward Vietnam via Phonsavan. I hopped a minibus filled with locals and traveled along one of Laos’ many switchback roads. Although a short distance, the trip was lengthened by a mudslide.

Waiting For The Roads to Clear

I had the good fortune to secure Tey Lassada (lasdadatey@gmail.com, +8562022946979) as my guide to Phonsavan’s Plain of Jars. He was a welcome face when I arrived at the Phonsavan bus station.

Tey Lassada

Tey developed his deep knowledge of the 90+ Plain of Jars sites while working as a translator for UNESCO team during their efforts to document, rehabilitate and safeguard the Plain of Jars.

The Jars pre-date recorded history and their purpose is speculated but not fully known. Locals think the megalithic vessels were used to store water and food. Research by French archaeologist Madeleine Colani has substantiated their use for burial.

I opted for a full-day tour with Tey which included visits to the famous Plain of Jars Site 1, a remarkable Mulberry Silk Farm, and local Hmong Village.

House and Fence Constructed with Weathered Remnants of War

But the sights visited that will be etched in my mind forever are those that bear silent witness to the tragic events of the Secret War here such as the Tham Piu Cave where 374 villagers met their deaths while seeking shelter when The US bombed this location thinking it the stronghold of Laos’ communist government. Will we never learn?

I had planned to make my way from Phonsavan to Minh Vietnam the next morning, but my friend James from SY Mahiti alerted me to inclement weather there in the form of Tropica Storm Doksuri, so I opted to stay an extra day and travel to Hanoi via Sam Nuea, Laos and Thanh Hóa, Vietnam.

Sam Neau Near The Laos / Vietnam Border

There is zero traffic at this lengthy walk-across border in Na Mèo so it was a surprise gift when a beautiful teacher and her entourage of three handsome men offered me a lift across in their brand new Lexus SUV. It is times like that where I feel that my friend Mary is still traveling by my side and looking out for me.

Laos / Vietnam Border at Na Mèo

What will I remember about this final road trip through Laos? The comfortable temperatures in the higher altitudes so welcome after months of oppressive humidity of the tropics, the jaw-dropping landscapes along endless switchback roads, the delightful fragrances emanating throughout the sparsely populated mountainside, easily accessible remoteness (I saw only one westerner from the time I left Luang Prabang until the time I arrived in Thanh Hóa, Vietnam), and most of all, a forgiving population that seemed to harbor little animosity toward the United States although the scars of our ‘visit’ there 40 years ago were evident everywhere.

Bomb Crater Along The Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos

~~ Next Stop …Vietnam ~~

87 comments Laos

[…] Laos […]

An interesting read, and lovely photos. I’ve lived in Asia, so I found the first photo relatable. The young monk looking skyward is a particularly nice image I think.

I thank you so very much for your visit, kind feedback and retweet Amy. The Captain chuckled when I told him you could ‘feel his pain’. His expression in that pic says it all ?

Sounds like another packed round of travel. Good that you had a couple of days rest in Myanmar, and then took it easy for the Laos leg. Sometimes we just need rest, and there is so much to take in while traveling. The views do look intimate from your photos, so close to the local way of life. All look very eager to pose for you. I suppose to them, life is very simple – there is more to life to them than posing for a photo; it’s a moment where the get to connect with you and share a bit of positivity 🙂 All of these shots are nothing short of stunning, sharp and each one tells a story. I’m always amazed at how all of your shots look so composed – whenever I travel I tend to get very excited by what I see and my photographer’s hat go out the window. Travel safe. Mr Wobbles and clan say ahoy and hope to see you and your sailboat again some day ???

The trip was delightfully exhausting Mabel but definitely required some downtime. I gave up blogging and IG while land traveling because it was just too much. I actually ended up catching a nasty cold in Vietnam which kept me bed ridden for a few days, but luckily in a comfy room watching The KenBurns / Lynn Novick series on Vietnam #surreal. But more on that in the next post. And I’m rambling. Thank you so much for your supportive feedback on the pics. What I lack in technical ability I try to make up with heart ?. Looking forward to sharing an anchorage with team Wobbles soon. How does Madagascar or South Africa sound ✌️❤️?

The cold sounded nasty but glad you recovered. And you do have a lot of heart, I can ascertain that having met you – and I am sure everyone else you have met and will meet along the way ? Mr Wobbles is very excited about Madagascar and South Africa. A bit too excited. I have to remind him that he is needed here to help me cook ??

???⛵️?

Easy for us to forget in our daily lives, Lisa, but there are many for whom the very name Vietnam conjures terror. Today’s Iraq! No, the powers that be never seem to be in touch with what people want. Simply peace and a way of life that does no harm. Hard, here in the west, to imagine a daily life of getting up to give alms. But I love a sunrise. 🙂 🙂 Many thanks for sharing.

May we have a future filled with peace, goodness and love and may all enemies become allies. Thank you for hanging out with me Jo ?

A very beautiful land, Lisa. Many thanks for more eye-mind-opening photos and commentary.

? Thank you for traveling with me to Laos Tish and for your very generous compliments ✨

Great photos Lisa. I really liked the portrait of Tey Lassada. He seems look such a kind dude in his pink shirt, but then has all these weapons behind him. 🙂

? Thank you for your very kind feedback Pete. That picture of Tey is my favorite from Laos. I loved the contrasts in that moment ?.

Paula says:

Marvelous photos to back up your story Lisa. Wishing you a great 2018 to both you and Captain!

? Thank you Paula. Looking forward to hanging out with you virtually in 2018 ?

Fascinating. I hope that at least some animals are happy for that bomb-formed watering hole.

? I love how you always find the positive way to look at life ?

What an adventure you are on! Great post.

Thank you so much John and Susan. Grateful every day! I hear that there is some flooding in Panama. Are you feeling its effects where you are?

Hacky says:

An incredible journey – with amazing photographs!

?? Thank you Joe! Sending warmth and hugs from Ko Muk

lexklein says:

Cannot make the Like button work today (?), but this needs more than a mere Like anyway. I love the photos of the monks (especially the one distracted by the sky!), and I relish the idea of the remoteness and the absence of non-locals for at least a short time. If one were unaware of its origin, the bomb crater might be a pretty little lake in the foreground of those beautiful hills and fields – one more way that Mother Earth repairs herself after our follies, I guess.

Love you Lexie. I could totally relate to that little monk novice looking skyward. I am forever distracted by the wonderful world that surrounds me. Drives The Captain nuts. And Mother Nature’s artistic reclamation never fails to amaze me. I’ve loved seeing her transformational mastery through the lens of so many bloggers in this week’s ‘Weathered’ photo challenge. Looking forward to sharing many more off-the-beaten-track travel adventures with you in the future (virtually and actually). Very excited to see what you see in Quito!

rxfrazier says:

Wonderful travelogue. Also liked the ‘hidden’ weathered link to the weekly challenge. Great post.

Great to see you Rawls! Thank you so much for your visit and lovely compliments.

I’m so impressed by your enthusiasm to venture out on your own like that. It wouldn’t be my safety that I’d worry about, it’s more that I would be unable to communicate adequately enough to make my way through unfamiliar places. The history of our involvement in Vietnam and Laos is a tragedy that we only read about, but that their citizens have to bear.

The internet makes off-the-beaten-track travel pretty easy these days. It is AMAZING the places where one can find it. And with downloadable Google Translate, one can get by in a pinch when there is no internet. But really, it is amazing how much people along the way want to help and are very patient in working through language gaps. You’ve actually just got me thinking about how many awesome opportunities I had to communicate with people using only gestures. A lot can be said with gestures (luckily in all but one case, it was good). I hope that mankind can get to a place where war is something only in the history books. Sadly, we seem to be trending in the opposite direction at the moment.

prior.. says:

such culture rich details and the lanterns are my favorite takeaway – how nice to keep this art going – and such meticulous work – ahhhh – so many factory made things these days it was nice to see hand cut and assembled.
and like the selfie too – and the capn’ with humor.
also – now I know what cruising midnight is….

It is amazing to see the lanterns airborne. How I would have loved to see Phon Savanh’s set off alight. The Captain never fails to make me laugh. I just love that picture of him. Thank you so much for your visit Yvette!

Your photos never fail to show the story as you share your travels, Lisa. So many of your images are just stunning and capture the local flavor of where you are. I hope the Captain enjoys Italy and that you enjoy this other leg on your incredible journey! Love how you wove WPC “weathered” into your travelogue 🙂 Cheers, my friend!

Aloha Terri! How lovely to see you here virtually (and even more awesome to see you right now in Hilo actually!!!!). I had just finished the first draft of my post when I saw ‘Weathered’ was this week’s photo challenge. I thought to myself, ‘well now how am I going to work that in’, but once I got going, I was amazed at how much ‘weathered’ I had there. I visited Laos in September but was so busy with full-on travel, followed by Mom’s unplanned surgery in Bangkok, followed by endless boat work that I am just getting around to writing my land travel experiences. We are happily at anchor in Ko Muk Thailand at the moment where we are relaxed so I finally have time to write. Mahalo for your visit and generous compliments.

So wonderful to read your post on Luang Prabang and see your beautiful photos. This was definitely one of the most unique and memorable places on our travels in South East Asia and we loved it so much that we stayed a full month. It really is a remarkable place and it brought make so many lovely memories reading it. The plethora of monks and temples in Luang Prabang is quite unique. A very sad and tragic history. Thank you.

Peta

I so enjoyed sharing Luang Prabang with you, albeit 3 years apart. Thank you for sharing it with me Your posts are magnificent and make me wish I was there again. So envious that you got to enjoy it for a whole month. Would have loved to have stayed that long. Next time around.

www.retirementreflections.com says:

Hi, Lisa – Your travels, words and photographs are truly stunning! They made me want to return to Asia as quickly as possible. Thankfully, we already have tickets booked to visit our son in Singapore this February. ‘Can’t wait!

Oooo how lovely to know that you will be traveling back to the region in February. I love Singapore. Health permitting, we will be sailing back to Thailand and onward to The Andamans, so we will miss you in Singapore. Hopefully we can meet up in another port in the future. Thanks for traveling with me virtually Donna and for your kind words.

www.retirementreflections.com says:

I’d love a meet up with you, Lisa. Here’s hoping that our paths will cross to allow that to happen!

Natalie says:

Hi Lisa, I enjoyed reading your posts on Myanmar and Laos, and your photos are stunning. Look forward to reading your next post. Wishing you and the Captain a healthy and happy 2018!

Thank you so much for your visit, lovely feedback, and well wishes Natalie. I am impressed by the number of countries you have visited! It will be a pleasure to travel with you virtually.

Your travels and photographs are a treasure. Thank you for sharing.

? Thank you so much for joining me for the journey and for treasuring the experience ?

themofman says:

My wife bought me a sky lantern for my birthday in 2016. We planned to take it to South Carolina in the summer of 2017 to let it go but we forgot to pack it. We’ll have to pick another special occasion for the release.

Oooo I can’t wait to see the pictures when you launch it!!!

Laos, well captured!

Thank you so much ???

I’m keen to visit here one day. Thanks for this tantalising entree to the country.

Would love to see what you’d find with your lens there ?

Liesbet says:

You created some more amazing memories in Laos, Lisa. I’m so glad the spirit of Mary accompanied you on this solo-trip. Finding the right guides deepens the understanding of these countries and you seem to have a knack for finding them and creating these personal experiences. I never made it to Luang Prabang and some of the other sites you visited in Laos, but I do remember houses on stilts in the countryside, where the TV antennas on the roofs seems out of place, and all the anti-mining efforts of organizations. We joined a group into the fields once to witness them set off unexploded bombs – dropped by the Vietnamese or the Americans. So many helpless Laotians became victims of a war they didn’t even participate in.

Thanks for the love Liesbet. Hope your mother-in-law is continuing to respond well to treatment.

Tey called those TV antennas/satellite dishes ‘The National Flower of Laos’.

Sadly, I think about 30% of the bombs remain unexploded; a fact that was top of mind when our mini-bus dropped us off by the side of the road for a ‘rest stop’. I went running into the bush with everyone when that fact suddenly popped into my mind. I slowly retraced my steps, got back in the bus, and thought ‘I can hold it’ which I did for another 4 hours ?.

I can not imagine having to navigate through those life-threatening ‘souvenirs’ on a daily basis. So many lives and limbs continue to be lost years after the secret war ended. ‘These days bombs are most often detonated by children who play with them, scavengers seeking scrap metal to sell and villagers who unwittingly build cooking fires near where they are buried.’ [1]].

Jen Pen says:

I’m so glad Angel Mary found you a ride in a fancy sedan.
Love the collage photos and your advocacy for peace.
How exciting about The Captain’s book. I know no Italian so…
Your smiling face in a fabulous outfit in Vanity Fair Italy is awesome!
Another awesome blog post. Went and saw the Instagram pics as well. Fantastic.
Your home town street is well. Ccccchilly today.
❤️

Ahoy from Koh Muk Jen! Lovely to receive your warm greetings and love from my chilly childhood street #homesick. You know Italian?!?!? I do hope you give The Captain’s book a read. It is about the pre-Lisa travels although my image made the cover. I am the star of Book 2 :-). And I am lucky to have many ‘Mary Moments’. She always seems to be near in the more challenging times. An angel indeed.

PS. Loving Magnus’ BULL-log #woof

Amy says:

Thank you for taking us there, Lisa! Wonderful series! 🙂

Thank you so much for traveling along virtually and for your kind words Amy. Always a pleasure to have you along on the journey

Ruth says:

I am in awe of your travels and your documenting your trip so thoroughly for us to see. Wow!

Thank you so much for sharing the experience with me Ruth and for your ‘Wow’! Greatly appreciated.

Love your travel experience in Laos! I will keep this post and perhaps contact your guide once I visit the country. I have tasted some Hmong food here in Minneapolis and loving them – just wondering if they are even better in Laos 😀 Have a safe trip to Vietnam!!

Oh I do hope you visit there Indah. I would love to see your lens on Laos! A beautiful country with a heartbreaking past but a bright future. Do you have Hmong communities in Minneapolis? I was actually in Laos in late 2017 but full-on land travel, followed by unexpected surgery for my Mom in Bangkok, followed by loads of work to prepare for our Indian Ocean crossing kept me away from documenting my SE Asia travel adventures. Playing catch up now and hoping to complete the series before we set out for The Andamans in mid-Feb. Thank you for your visit and kind compliments. Always a pleasure to see you here.

I hope to visit South East Asia this year – fingers crossed – and certainly I will include Laos on my trip. Yes, there are Hmong communities here and I have some friends who were refugees from Laos. It was a challenging country for some people but glad that things are improving.

Wishing a speedy recovery for your mom and all the best for the next travel! Stay safe and looking forward to reading your travel experience in Vietnam 🙂

Oooo how I wish our trips had overlapped. Would have been fun to meet up. I have a very good friend from Laos that also came to the US as a refugee and has become an incredible success. The US is at its best when it welcomes rather than fears refugees.

Aquileana says:

This is an excellent post… You have visited so many exotic countries dear Lisa… I love that criteria as I think that many tourists have a very standard approach and that´s not your your case…. Wat Hosian Voravihane is extraordinary, by the way. I enjoyed reading you traveling chronicles here… Great photographs, too 😀 sending love & best wishes 🙂

?? I am a very lucky girl to have the opportunity to visit so many wonderful places and to have friends like you who travel along there with me virtually Amalia. Our plan is to sail South America in 2019-2020 (health permitting) and I am hopeful to meet you along our way. Two oceans to cross first ⛵️

Aquileana says:

Great!. It would be very nice to meet you… Let me know! ? ((And yes, it is a long trip… I think we have 14 hours of difference, so you can imagine)) 🙂

I truly enjoyed reading this post, Lisa! You’ve beautifully captured the highs and lows of travel through your photography and words. I loved the pictures of the dancer (with shadows), the temple, and the procession of monks. The last picture was haunting and reminded me of our visit to Vietnam. It was an eye-opener for me. I’m eager to read your travel journey in Vietnam!

You always delight me with your visits and kind compliments Cheryl! I am working on my Vietnam post(s) now and just had to jump over to your site to join you on your wonderful adventures there. Your Hanoi guide is a ‘must-read’ for anyone planning a visit there. Definitely an eye-opening experience.

What a fascinating and beautiful country, Lisa. These very talented people look happy and hard working. I’ve not been to Vietnam, but would love to go there. You and the Captain have had some truly marvellous travel experiences. Thanks so much for sharing your wonderful photos too. 🙂 xx

Thank you so much for joining us our journey to Laos Sylvia and for your kind words on the images. We very much enjoyed our visit there. And I would love to see you travel to Vietnam. It will take me a few posts to describe how wonderful that place is ?

A very nice post Lisa. Enticing as usual. Laos is definitely on the list for the next Asian trip.
“Next stop is Vietnam?” I couldn’t help remembering Country Joe Mac Donald’s song… 🙂

…and it’s 1, 2, 3 what are we fighting for… Delighted that you enjoyed the post and truly hope another trip to SE Asia is in your near future. You’d love Laos ??

I see we have similar musical references… 🙂 (I guess I’m a “Woodstock” child sort of. Laos is definitely on the next list. Difficulty will be to convince the wife to fly another 30 hours one way. 😉
Have a nice week-end.

…or should I say ‘Give me an F’…

“Gimme a U?”
What’s it spell? 🙂
I can still vividly see the images of that particular song. 🙂
It took… balls then to sing that. I guess he’d go to jail now. 🙂
But those were other times.
Bon vent mon amie

Cecilia says:

Great pictures, make me think that maybe one day I should visit this place. Thank you and greetings.

Oooh I do hope your actual travels bring you to Laos. It is such a wonderful place. Thank you for sharing it with me virtually

Laos seems like it has lots to offer and like you had an awesome time there, Lisa! Exceptional pictures. How many days would be enough to explore Laos?

Every day that one can visit Laos is a treat Agness. And certainly, the longer one is there, the deeper the experience. I visited for 13 days and just scratched the surface. I would have preferred to stay at least a month, extending my time in each location that I visited and adding trips to Luang Namtha province, Don Khong, and Viang Xai. Delighted that you found the images exceptional!

AmyRose? says:

This entire post had me riveted. I know traveling is tough on the body yet the sights one sees especially where you have been is truly a world so different then that we see here in the States. Fantastic photos and I thank you so much for posting them! My husband served in Vietnam and still to this day has a lot of problems. Perhaps one day he will look towards Vietnam with Love. Count yourself so lucky to be able to travel the way you are. Thank you SO much for this post!!! Phenomenal! ??????

Thank you so much for joining me on this journey Amy. I so appreciate your visit and very lovely compliments. I am a lucky girl indeed.

I can only imagine the scars left on your husband from his brave service in Vietnam. While I think that one would be forever changed by such an experience, I hope love finds a way to heal his spirit.

AmyRose? says:

I’m working on the “Love” part with my husband and am seeing huge growth of late with the help of some very painful life circumstances. Thank YOU for your concern. I subscribed to your blog and IF my Heart leads me to do so, I will show my husband your posts. Much Love to you! ?

Fantastic to hear about your husband’s progress. Am certain that it will continue with your light and love. I’ve followed your blog as well and look forward to hanging out with you in the ‘virtual anchorage’.

Michele says:

Lisa, you are so brave to venture out on your own in such unfamiliar places. These countries are beautiful and you have met so many delightful people. I can’t image ever writing that I went out for a walk and met a monk! My knowledge and memories of Laos and Vietnam were largely formed from Walter Cronkite and his news coverage of the war. I am enriched by seeing a different version of these countries.

What a wonderful treat to have you traveling by my side. Perhaps I will get lucky and you’ll come visit us some day. Speaking of Cronkite, the most surreal experience I had on this trip was streaming Ken Burns and Lynn Novick’s ‘Vietnam‘ from Hanoi (should be mandatory viewing for every American). The first episode aired the day I arrived for my month long stay. I’d watch the history at night and see it in its current form by day ?

I think I have finally figured out why I wasn’t getting your posts – I need to make a point of checking my spam folder more often!!

I have had a fascination with Viet Nam since my youth – compliments of an unpopular war. Now I get to experience it through the photos and words of travellers like you. The fascination for this country and its people doesn’t seem to wane.

I love the look of dismay on The Captain’s face on the train, but it’s the photo of Tey Lassada that made me take notice the most … all those weapons in the background behind him. I’m guessing they have been collected from his travels around his country. Yet another subtle, but sad, reminder.

Yay! I am so glad you found my post notification. Great to see you here Joanne.

That picture of Tey is my favorite from Laos. The contrasts of his beautiful, welcoming smile against all those weathered war relics. The things we left behind. Will we never learn?

Admittedly, Vietnam was not on my bucket list. I entered the country with a much sadness mixed with shame and anger given my childhood memories of the war. But I left with a great deal of love and hope for the future. I initially went to Hanoi to get a China visa with plans to quickly be on my way, but the place beckoned me to dig deeper, so I decided to delay my China trip until my next time around. I ended up staying in Vietnam for a month and had planned to stay an additional two weeks if not for a surprise visit from family. If I wasn’t so determined to complete my circumnavigation, I would have moved to Hanoi for a few years. I’m working on my posts about the place right now and falling in love with it all over again.

Isn’t it interesting how a place can catch us by surprise and completely capture our heart? I’ve heard nothing but wonderful things about Viet Nam – both the country and the people. A few years ago it wouldn’t have been on my bucket list either, now it is!

The house and fence made out of war remnants is fascinating. Were there a lot of these in the area?

There were a lot indeed. Bomb remnants were used for decoration everywhere. I have a lot more images of these but didn’t want to overwhelm.

As we travel we see so much beauty, kindness of people and then the horrors of slaughter and stories that have been kept almost secret. Will we ever learn indeed?

Right now we seem to be regressing rather than learning but I just hope that is a small step backward on our road to getting it right ?