12-19-10: Nong Kiaw, Day 2

Today started very slowly, but finished strong. We awoke to a
formidable fog that made even the giant mountains surrounding us
disappear. The fog didn't burn off until 11:00am, which means we
weren't really awake until then either. Maybe Seattle isn't the best
place for us... Still dreaming and hunkering against the cold, we drug
ourselves to breakfast at our standard restaurant, Mekara. There we
watched the meat man deliver some meat. Basically he had two woven
baskets attached on either side of his motorbike, each full of meat,
unpackaged. Locals crowded around, picking up the bits they wanted,
which were weighed on a scale and then paid for, perhaps they were
then dropped in a plastic bag for transport. It seemed pretty
unsanitary, but we hadn't gotten sick, so alas, perhaps that is just
how it goes in Laos.

Next we bought some pink toilet paper and took it home to use it. They
only stock toilet paper here because they can sell it to travelers,
but why is it pink? Breast cancer awareness month? Doubtful, but the
pink stuff was far more superior than our previous white roll, which
was the consistency of springy crepe paper and inevitably shredded
whenever you tried to rip it. We will stick to the pink stuff, if
possible. To think we initially avoided it so that Robert wouldn't be
subject to wiping his bum with PINK paper, so unmanly!

After more reading in the hammock and finally watching the mountains
appear, we went to the Indian restaurant, Deen, for Internet and a
snack, just to say we bought something. I tried a salt lassie and
immediately regretted it. Basically it tasted like very thin, very
salty yogurt - not my cup of tea. I gave the lassie a fair shake; at
first I convinced myself that it wasn't so bad, just an acquired
taste, but by the tenth sip, each of which was smaller than the last,
I allowed myself to abandon it in favor of a more palatable,
diabetes-inducing Sprite.

Walking to Tham Pha Tok

Our big excursion of the day was to visit a cave called Tham Pha Tok,
where locals hid during the Second Indochina War. While I am not sure
who was fighting with whom during the war or why, the cave was pretty
cool. We walked about an hour away from the river, through the village
outskirts to get to the cave. The walk was just as interesting as the
cave. There were all sorts of things drying on the sides of the road:
fresh cotton, sunflower seeds, reeds, chilis, roof thatching, rice
still in its hulls, fresh river weed, river weed pressed into sheets,
pumpkin seeds. We also walked past two fresh water "faucets," where
people were bathing and doing their laundry - perhaps this is where
our laundry was done, here or in the river. Women bathed in long
sarongs, while men bathe in tighty-whities (never white in color). I
enjoyed watching the women re-tie their sarongs because I am so bad at
it, but I felt it wasn't quite appropriate for me to stare them down
while they were tenuously clothed. I think the key is getting a piece
of fabric long enough so that you can fold it all the way around you,
join the edges and fold it back the other way before tucking and
rolling the end. I didn't get too many pictures because I didn't want
to make a spectacle of their houses, but Robert will post pictures of
the drying things.

The clouds completely burned off and it was quite sunny, but we had
forgotten our hats. Instead I picked up dead teak leaves and made a
shade for myself. Robert abstained at first, but when I found him an
extra large leaf, he accepted and realized it was a much better plan,
even if it made us look silly. Eventually we found elephant ear plants
growing by the road and traded up to fresh leaves that were ginormous.
The knife came in handy for the first time!

Tham Pha Tok

Eventually, we got to the sign for the cave. This was one of the least
developed sights we have visited. No tickets, no gates, no informative
signs. As we approached, we enjoyed watching a group of kids playing
soccer in a nearby field. The game immediately broke up when we were
spotted. It was a strategically placed game - they hung out by the
cave to become hapless tourist's tour guides, whether you wanted their
help or not! We had heard others complain that the cave was closed
because they were working on the ladders used to access the cave, but
we encountered no such thing, just a recently completed steep concrete
staircase! There were two logs crossing the bottom of the staircase,
but our entourage of local kids quickly removed the logs and suddenly
the cave was open!

The staircase was crazy steep, but sturdy with red handrails on both
sides. This cave was quite large, with at least two lookout points
over the nearby rice fields. The cave ecosystem was clearly decimated,
no stalagmites or stalactites to speak of, no evidence of critters. I
took this and the fire soot on the ceiling as strong evidence that
people did in fact occupy the cave and it wasn't just a ploy for
tourism, not that they were charging entrance fees. Someone had gone
through the cave and put up signs indicating what used to happen in
each section of the cave: Police Unit, Communication Unit, Covener
(Governor), Music Unit, etc. I did not believe those signs.

After we had walked the length of the cave, lit by our mini-tour
guides' torches (and our own), we went to sit at one of the look out
points. The kids gathered round and waited. One tried to tell Robert
about a second cave, another told me we should go down now, then they
asked for money. Everyone knew it was coming, Robert and I had even
discussed if we would give them anything. The problem was, we didn't
have small money to give them. That and the whole business about
whether it is good to encourage them to sit outside the cave and pawn
themselves off as tour guides and harass tourists for money. We
ignored them for a while and they decided we were a poor investment
and left. Eventually, we climbed up to the second look out point and
enjoyed that view for a while, speculating that the other westerner in
the cave had immediately climbed up there to escape the tour guides as
there wasn't a good way for them to get near someone at the top of the
lookout.

Second Cave

Tiring of the cave smell, we left to find the other cave. This time,
we got most of the way to the cave entrance before we acquired a much
smaller and younger entourage, two little boys and an older girl. When
we got to the cave, they went in first, but they didn't have torches.
(By torch, I mean flashlight, only in British speak, not a flaming
stick.) This cave was a slot cave, tall and skinny with no skylights;
impossible to see jack without a light. Robert and I only had one
light between us, which made for an amusingly awkward journey. If the
impatient and experienced kids got too far ahead, they were struck
blind. If I followed the kids too closely, Robert was left groping and
calling out for a little light. The cave went much further than we
could have imagined and never really opened up into a cavern. There
was a sign at the beginning implying this was the National Bank of
Luang Prabang from 1940-1960, or something, and scattered throughout
the cave were more signs to that effect: Administration Room, Counting
Room, etc.

We were very thankful for this escort because we never would have
ventured so far into the cave without their fearlessness. Robert gave
them the coins he had, five baht a piece. They seemed quite confused
because it wasn't Kip money - sorry! They also did not like that the
girl got five coins (five one pieces), while the boys only got one
each (five pieces). The book suggests bringing pens to give to little
friends because they can write and not have their teeth rot out as
would be the case with giving out bits of candy. Maybe we will need to
buy a bag of pens, I don't know how much I like encouraging begging or
the likes. Granted, then they ask for pens - it's a no-win situation,
but I'd rather hear: "Sabai Dee, pen?" than "Sabai Dee, Kip money?"
which is the current popular phrase around the cave.

Walking back and Dinner

On the way back we noticed the government is building a water
facility, due to be completed in April 2012. It will be good for the
village, we thought. We also saw a man walking his pig, back two feet
tied to a leash and encouraged along by a stick. Why did the pig go
out for a walk? To find a buyer? To get some fresh air? No se. I think
we repeated out afternoon shower trick and then went for dinner.

Dinner was ridiculously delicious. Sticky rice for each of us, two
curries to share: masaman curry (aka Muslim curry, yellow curry,
musaman curry) and gang soom (hot and sour Lao soup curry). We also
were brought a plate of desert called voon, perhaps because we have
eaten every meal there for the past three days. The woman who brought
it out struggled trying to explain what it was, she got embarrassed
and made the owner, who has good English, explain: dessert. I
surprised her by replying with: khanom, which is desert in Thai, but
perhaps in Lao as well because she understood. Regardless, it was
tasty - two kinds of jello, one clear one white on top of each other
with coconut and pumpkin flavors, cut into squares. This dinner was
our most favorite. My new favorite curry is masaman curry! We have had
it many times before, but their rendition was perfecto! Spicy and
creamy and full of potatoes, plenty of sticky rice for dipping and
soaking up the sauce. My mouth is watering with the memory.

Full belly, good sleeps.

A few out of place observations:
Mirrors: all the bathroom mirrors here are on gimbals; they swivel
down so that a short person can see themselves. For many weeks, we
didn't bother trying to adjust them, just ducked down and used the
slanted mirror from a squat position. Now, seasoned travelers that we
are!, we make full use of the hinge and can see ourselves from a flat
mirror - what a luxury!

Tandoor Oven: everywhere here people are using these small,
thick-walled, clay, bucket-shaped charcoal holding containers (robert
helped with the description). Next time I see one, I will try to get a
good picture. I want one. With a grate across the top, you can
barbecue anything or put a pot on it to boil or a wok to stir-fry, you
can do anything with it!! I was calling it a tandoor oven, but I don't
think that is a correct name for it because a google search revealed
giant, clay jar looking things that do not resemble these small
bucket-shaped cookers at all. More to come, hopefully a picture and a
name soon.