Getting what I wanted and so much more...

OK. Where do I start? Seriously...

I had no idea what I was getting into when I booked the guesthouse at the base of the waterfalls. I just knew I wanted to stay as close to them as possible. The fresh, clear water I swung into this morning is still very fresh in my mind, body and soul. I suppose that's where to begin. It was the reason I went, but not the reason I found whatever it was I was looking for on this journey.

Over lemongrass omelets for breakfast, I talked with my new friend Gail (Laoation woman who lives in Luang Prabang) about what it was in my experience at that place (Vanvisa Gueshouse 2) that made me find what I was seeking. It was the combination of everything really. It was taking a short nap upon my arrival on the deck overlooking the river then walking inside and being invited for my first Laoation meal...lunch of sticky rice, papaya salad, local greens soup, and chili paste. It was then the afternoon swim in one of the many waterfall pools, then the afternoon nap. That first day was settling in and relaxing even further.

Dinner that first night was something I will never forget (though, most of this trip will probably be like that). Last month was Laoation new year and none of the family was able to get together, and everyone was there on that first night. I watched the passing of offerings to Madame Vandara (owner of the house) and her husband...the tradition of new year is to honor the elders and give thanks for family while appologizing for any bad things that have happened in the last year. I sat down (on the floor, of course) with the elders, Gail and a couple other family members for dinner. Laap was served (completely pounded and ground meat with chili and lemongrass seasoning) along with salamander soup (yes, I ate it) fresh spinach (that we collected from the local organic garden) and, of course, sticky rice. Each meal is finished with fresh fruit (collected from the trees on the property) and consist of lychee, banana, and mango. Lemongrass tea is the typical after dinner drink and it seems no liquid is consumed while eating (in the traditional way) but rather saved for the end. I slept like a log that night...on my very firm mattress surrounded by the softness of a mosquito net.

Breakfast was, of course, lovely and I started off the next day to the waterfalls. I felt like I was the first one in and didn't want to just jump in and swim on my own (I got over that quickly). After climbing up many many many stairs carved into the side of the mountain, I made it to the top of the falls...looking out over the valley was fantastic. Then I saw people...they were just making their way down to the uppermost turquoise blue pool and I thought I would join them. The climb down was a bit sketchy, but the reward was the most amazing river swimming I've ever done. The pool was perched atop a ~80 meter cliff and was probably 10 meters deep. The perfect limetone diving platform was about 2 meters above the pool...and in I went...into deep turquoise bliss. The people were fun and we wound up spending the rest of the day together exploring all around the area...taking turns to pools uninhabited by others and just enjoying the time. At the end of the day I walked back down to my guesthouse and my new friends found their way home (back to Luang Prabang) on a tuk tuk.

That evening I learned how to cook Laoation food. The kitchen is outside and they use two wood fired "burners" and woks. The meal was coconut based with pork, pumpkin, and of course, chili. But it was the fried fish salad that topped everything. It tasted so amazing and fresh...it is useless for me to explain the ingredients, you'll just have to taste it when I cook it for you (tofu fo you steffanie). The most interesting thing I ate, by far, must have been the omelet cooked with ant eggs (they're collected from a huge nest that grows from a mango tree). Wow. The conversation while cooking turned to the idea of being inthe now...of really participating in the activity in which you are conducting. The explanation of Madame Vandara and Gail made it seem so simple. It's easy to be present for a moment...but it's the act of doing in with regularity, even while bathing or sitting in traffic is what makes even the most fun activities that much more pleasurable. Feeling what we are feeling in each and every second is important. My multitasking mind struggles with that simple feat, but I think the way it was explained made it seem more clear to me. I hope to bring that simple thing back with me. I was hoping for that tool.

Yesterday was another lovely one with a hike first to the source spring for the waterfalls. I have never seen so many butterflies in my entire life...astonishing and amazing. Eventually, upon my return, I will post photographs, but it's hard to capture the little guys when they're flying by...they were continuously surrounding and landing on me. Madame Vandara was the guide for the hike and we were accompanied by a french couple - water color painters/teachers. They stopped to paint at the spring. After a lot of loveliness, we walked back a different way and into a small village where there was a very very unexpected feast being prepared for us. We ate by a river and drank from bamboo cups. Again, the food, amazing... I had no idea I was getting that for lunch. The rest of the day at the river was swimming and perfecting my waterfall rope swing technique...that was until I face planted into the water after about the 10th time...my hands were tired. oops! When I arrived back at the house, I sat down with the french water color painters and the man taught me how to paint...so, I learned how to correctly paint a water color! It inspired me to take a class, and I hope to do that upon my return.

That night I realized that I had gotten what I had hoped to achieve out of my trip. I had no plans for it, but I wanted to spend time at the waterfall, develop some deeper form of introspection and therefore have a new tool to get me through each day, and I really wanted to paint (water color was what I thought). How did those things just fall into place? They happened because I was not holding onto anything tangible and I just flowed. I found people, places, things, as they came to me and didn't design any ultimate plan. You get what you put out there when you let it all go. Traveling is easy for those things...they come, they help you to live. But, it's harder in the day to day of regular life. One moment at a time, I hope to bring in the beingness that I have rememered. I hope to relax and be truly aware of my actions in all moments (no matter what they are). I think that, in and of itself, brings a sense of peace.

Tonight, I'm back in Luang Prabang. This morning, while doing some last and solo swings into that beautiful pool, I found the friends I met at the waterfall a couple of days ago (they made the trip out again). I am staying at their guest house and will perhaps see them later, for my last night in Laos. And when I get home, I'll bring a lot of this place back with me...and I hope to return.

Peace, love, and respect to you all.

Waterfalls to counteract heat

Bye bye (for a few days). I'm heading into the surrounding hills to soak up some waterfall action. In three days I will return with new cooking skills and hopefully in a state of even more heightened bliss than I am currently living.

Peace be with you.

stroll...drip drip drip

I didn't consider it possible to be hotter at a higher elevation and a more northern latitude, but it is. Laos is cooking. It's at about the maximum level of heat for the day, and I'm seeking refuge inside this air conditioned oasis. Waves of exhaustion pass over me in about 30 minute increments, and it becomes necessary to either sit in the shade, find a cold beverage, or go indoors. My saving grace today is the umbrella I remembered to carry with me. I find myself taking deep breaths, walking very very slowly, and my eyes seem to almost be half way closed. I think I'm relaxed...

Besides the heat, Luang Prabang is absolutely stunning. This is a very charming town with brick pathways that lead through flower and tree lined lanes amongst a mix of housing styles. There's pockets of simple wooden walled traditional Lao houses amongst light-colored colonial style buildings with dark wooden shutters and French doors. The trees and plants are blooming and the overall city's color scheme seems to be a mix of greens, white, brown and orange. The orange offsets it all in a fantastic way: tree flowers, monk's robes, and small banana leaf and dandelion shrines that locals make to place at the base of Buddha shrines for prayer. Buddhism is everywhere...it permeates this place. Two rivers, the Mekong and Kahn join together at the north end of the city and form the peninsula on which all this loveliness is located. I didn't know anything about it until arriving, but it's a UNESCO world heritage site and, although beauty is in the eye of the beholder, it has been donned "the most beautiful city in Asia." It's certainly lovely...

With my eyes soaking in the delicious colors and my body completely dripping, I feel calm and slow. It's impossible to rush here, first of all you'd pass out, but it's more about the relaxed pace of life. When I landed yesterday I understood how a person could come to Southeast Asia and get stuck. It seems like a very easy place to just hang out and be for quite some time.

So, to beat the heat and to get out and around, I am heading to Kuang Si waterfalls tomorrow to begin a few days of 'homestay' with a Lao family. I will be living in their house at the base of the falls where I will be able to completely relax, soak in the limestone pools, swing on the rope swing, and learn how to cook traditional Lao food. I think I may stay there for the rest of my trip, but I'm struggling with whether or not I really want to stick to one spot. I suppose I'll figure it all out when I figure it out. The only thing I really have to do is be back here on May 13th for my flight back to Bangkok...still 5 more days to mellow out to the point I'm merely a puddle on the floor...well, I'm pretty close now actually.

30 minutes til airport...

I'm heading to Laos today. The day in Siem Reap yesterday wasn't spectacular, but I did meet some people. After hanging out and talking with them last night it made me want to stay a bit longer...for the human contact side of things. But then again, that isn't the purpose of this trip.

I am heading to Laos where I will be immersed in introspection, no doubt. I'm ready...

quickie after breakfast

I'm very very full after a breakfast fit for a queen (for $4). It's the first time I've eaten breakfast and had coffee since traveling. It was delicious.

A list, kind of:
1. Cambodian currency is the US dollar for all intents and purposes. Anything <$1 is given back as change in the Riel (4000 Riel = $1).
2. Full body massage = $6
3. Manicure or Pedicure = $2
4. The "old market"area looks like a dusty version of a European town (thanks to the French colonization a while back) with little bits of badly designed concrete and glass front architecture.
5. The French influence means there's chocolate croissants everywhere.
6. I had ice cream on a terrace overlooking the river yesterday.
7. Yesterday was the day of the Australian person encounter.
7a. While having my ticket checked to enter Angkor last night, an Australian woman ran over to the tuk tuk and asked if she could go watch the sunset with me. She was nice, it was good to have someone to talk to...very interesting and easily relatable conversation.
7b. I had dinner with a male Australian reporter last night who talked too much. Said reporter went to see the "temples"this morning and spent only 2 hours there...he was bothered by the touristy aspect of it all.
8. Today = reading, relaxing, manicure (?), talking to more people (?).
9. I am leaving for Laos tomorrow.

TTFN

two more days of splendor

I have 10 minutes to update...let's see what you get.

Summary
Yesterday I rode with Mr Koon out to some farther away temples...rice fields, cute towns, nice people, lovely temples. I went on a hike in the woods up a "mountain" and ended at a waterfall. The woods were littered with butterflies...everywhere. It was like walking through a butterfly, um, garden?? Sure... The sandstone river beds were carved with figures of Hindu and Buddhist gods...I have no idea how anyone discovered that place. The drive itself, well, that and the hike, were definite highlights of the day. It was great to get an outside of town perspective as to what Cambodia is all about. It has inspired me to perhaps, venture out of the town where I'm headed in Laos. We'll see what happens.

But the temples I saw yesterday were ridiculously gorgeous. Bante Srey and Bante Samedi were gorgeous...the later is essentially a squat version of Angkor Wat.

Today I woke up before the sun and rode a borrowed bike 10km to the back side of Angkor Wat for a solo sunrise visit. Everyone enters from the West and I headed in from the East. The sun lit the temples up in an amazing way...and again, I was the only one on that side. I had to get more time in at the temple too...it's insanely massive and I saw even more today that I didn't see before. The rest of the day was spent tooling around the entire Angkor city complex...more temples, but today was really about the bike ride. It was nice to slow it down and really be with my surroundings. I hit a wall though...heat, exhaustion, 50km later, I was done... Nothing that some cold green tea and a sit down in the shade didn't cure. I eventually pedal pushed it home and am showered and clean now...just in time for....

......
Angkor Wat at sunset! Today is my last day of temples here in Cambodia and I'm making the most of it. It's a mostly clear day with some dark clouds in the sky...I'm hoping for a dramatic sunset.

Well, Mr. Koon is going to be around to pick me up soon...must go!

Tomorrow I'll spend the day in the town of Siem Reap then will probably head off to Laos the day after. I look forward to new adventures.

Sending temple inspired insight to you! (yes, you!)

Oh OK Angkor...you can be one of the 7 wonders of the world.

I learned something about myself today. Awww...how special am I? I guess it's something that I knew, but not something that I ever really paid attention to. So, I'm a Cancer, right...right...my silly horoscope always says that, just like crabs, us Cancers are supposed to approach things from the side rather than head on. Well, I always kind of thought that was BS...I mean, if I'm not blunt, I don't know what the meaning of blunt is. I always felt like I was a person who really spoke my mind and liked to present things in a very upfront manner...

Well, that's all good and true when I'm talking with people...but it breaks down in the midst of crowds and what should/could be conceived as "the norm". It started first thing this morning when I got out of the tuk tuk and started walking across the western bridge across the moat to Angkor Wat...I walked along the path to the side with the bunked up stones, which was the path that very few other people were taking. Then, when everyone and their brother proceeded through the main gate into the walled temple, I skirted off to the right and went in through a side gate...my reward was a 12 foot tall statue of Vishnu barely backlit in the morning light through the doorway behind him. Then...out...out through that door and behold Angkor Wat. Seriously people...it's freaking insane. I cried...I cried the same cry that I cried when I stepped through the gate into Macchu Picchu...I was helplessly in AWE of the magnificence. I proceeded through the grass (totally off the beaten path, as I was the only person (of about 300ish) in the whole place doing this) toward the first small temple I could see (later to find out it's called a library...these features are in pretty much every larger temple complex in Angkor). Who was there...no one...everyone was up on the silly main walkway. I eventually wound my way down to a reflecting pond and plopped myself down for a sunrise show. I spent the sunrise with my friend's Pop...she asked me to visit the local where she scattered part of her father's ashes a while back. I figured sunrise would be a good way to honor him and the fantastic children he created. It was lovely.

The rest of the time at Angkor Wat resulted in me finding myself alone regularly...off paths that lead away from the temple and to other sites...down long corridors with intricate carvings...to view points that demanded silence.

For the rest of the day at the umpteen temples I visited, I found myself doing the same thing...entering from the side and then following pathways that were not clearly marked. That resulted in repeated periods of me being alone in those fantastic temple ruins. At several points I had entire temples to myself. Side stepping worked in my favor.

Needless to say, it didn't take me long to become completely exhausted. Since the day started at 5, by the time 12 rolled around I had to have a serious sit down...unfortunately that meant being accosted by children trying to sell me their wares. I tried to take the chatting approach...it worked for a while, until I was ready to leave, then I was more frequently than not, convinced to buy something. A bracelet, a book, a cold drink, a shirt, a scarf, etc...

I'm supposed to hit up even more temples tomorrow. I'm tired though...can't I take a day off? No...three days to use my 3 day pass to the Disney World of Cambodia. I've got to make the best of it....then relax.

At least tomorrow I get to go to waterfall where phallus symbols are carved into the surrounding rocks...that and I go to the temple of the Women.