The King and the Communists

Lan Xang Hom Khao - the Kingdom of a Million Elephants and the White Parasol - is centered here in Luang Prabang.  The royalty lived here until 1975, when the Communists took over, and sent the last ruler and his family  . . . well, I'm not sure anyone knows their fate.  Or they aren't telling.
But it could be that the royal family's legacy is making a comeback.

The National Museum, as it is now called, was originally the palace built for King Sisavang Vong and designed by the French colonials.  

Luang Prabang is packed with wats - the most beautiful in the world, and the monks are still following their daily rhythms and prayers, undeterred by the dry-season tourists.  But the art work on the interior of the Museum was something truly astonishing, and unlike anything I've ever seen.  No pics allowed, unfortunately. The rooms were spacious and ceilings high. Walls were covered in many places with red tile mosaics, with iridescent pieces and gold inlay, which depict everyday life.  The scenes of farming, worshipping, marriage, trees, rivers and elephants are so absorbing, and so full of life and movement, that it draws you into the art.  It's like a window into a living past.
   The Museum also has the living quarters of the Royal Family - not fancy, but comfortably inviting rooms with a wind-up phonograph and records, and family photos. 
The main hall has displays of gifts from foreign nations, including moon rocks and a plaque from Richard Nixon, and ornate boxes from Russia.  

We stayed at Ban Lao, a hotel run by Sirivan and her sister, ASV alumni.  This Colonial building has a beautiful open-air restaurant area shaded by trees,and bungalows that make it feel homey and rustic while being completely comfortable.  I can't imagine a better place to be in Luang Prabang.

We were very lucky also, in that Sirivan has connections to the old Royals.  We were treated to a Baci ceremony and  performance of old Lao traditional music and dance, guided by a man whose family were counselors to the King.  (I will do some more fact checking on this - I really want to find out more about who this was, and about his work.) 
   He said that the Royals had always encouraged the arts, and that courtly life  included learning the music, dance, costume making and crafts that were the heart of Lao tradition.  After the Communists came, this tradition was gravely endangered; but now, with the new relaxation (and tourist dollars at stake), he is able to revive these arts with young people in the region.  
This performance, right here at our home at Ban Lao, was unforgettable.

  Several of us lunched on the veranda of a recommended eatery in town one afternoon.  A young American man next to us struck up a conversation, overhearing us talk about the old days - he asked, "You mean Laos is really a Communist country?  I thought those flags were just for fun!"  I doubt he knew what he was in for; a history lesson on our involvement here, going back to French colonial times to now.  I have to hand it to him - he actually was really interested, and he was learning from the real primary sources, like K.  
   I don't blame the fellow for being unaware.  But as our Man in Vientiane pointed out, " Take a look at the Vientiane Times.  Do you see any bad news?" Well, no.  On the contrary - reading this English Language national paper, I see only stories on growth, international connections, improvements, and the government hard at work to make the country better every day.  Problems mentioned always have a government solution underway.  Hmm. Much of this news is true.   It's just that there is a lot out there that is true also, but we don't read about it.

We spent a relaxed afternoon just walking around aimlessly.  The wats, home to the monks, were each different in character, and I only wish we had another week to see more.  We stumbled upon a practice session with energetic gongs, drumming, and bells - young men jamming, always fun to listen to!

The night market at Luang Prabang was incredible.  We found the most inexpensive, well-made weaving in Laos.  I asked about whether these crafts could be sold back in the States, but the families are not able to make an amount large enough to be sold at that scale.  So bring a large extra duffle bag  when you come to visit!
My favorite T-shirt . . .

The stairs to the top, several hundred

Our goal was to climb up Mt. Phou Si for the sunset. And we did - along with several tour bus loads of Chinese visitors.  Did I mention this was New Year week?  
The view was worth it.











   

The shrine at the top of Phou-Si

From Phou-Si, looking up the Mekong

As for that sunset, I headed back to my favorite 
place to catch it - Jules went shopping. 
                                                                                                                                                        

Talking to people at the sunset bar, I found the traveler tribe.  The beautiful German woman who was blind in one eye was traveling on her own - she'd had some scary moments in the last year on the road, but she, like so many others, said she'd never trade a second of the journey for any money.  There are real adventurers out here, some out for a few months, some for years.  They have homes to go back to, "real" lives somewhere, but they are in no hurry.  And I have a suspicion that when they are back in that desk job, back at that so-called more real life, it won't be long before they are reaching for that Lonely Planet book on the shelf - and find themselves looking for that favorite backpack... 

Next, our last day in LP, with elephants.                             

Jan 14th - Big Brother Mouse

Games with students at Banchane Primary School

This was what I'd been waiting for.  Hard to believe I was really here, after all - it was a dream triggered by picking up a random mystery novel in the little train depot library in Lyons, Colorado.  The mystery was written by Colin Cotterill, and set in Vientiane, Laos.  I did a double-take on that . .  who sets novels in Vientiane??
After reading the book, Google led to emails, and Colin C. put me in touch with Big Brother Mouse.  And here I am, getting yanked off my feet by a line of kids in a tug-of-war game outside Luang Prabang.  Who knew?  There are worm-holes in the Lyons library . . .  

Here is Big Brother Mouse, the mascot for the Laos Literacy Program based in Luang Prabang and Vientiane.  Sasha Alyson, an ex-pat American, got this going, but the goal was always to make this a Lao-run non-profit, and that goal has been met.  
In Laos, many children outside the few cities have never even seen a book, much less learned to read and write in their own language.  In the interest of helping the people hold on to their culture, become literate and independent, BBM's Lao staff write, illustrate, and publish books to take to the villages. They are fostering the love of story-telling and art that are already part of the cultures of Laos, and bringing new skills to children and adults.  An educated populace is a lot more likely to control its own destiny in the modern world, something long overdue for Laos. Go to: bigbrothermouse.com to learn more.

At the small shop, we meet Sasha and staff, and arrange for tomorrow morning's trip across the river to Banchane School.  Karen M will go with us, she's also been contributing to BBM, and we're all excited to get off the beaten path.

Japan friends, check this out - BBM is looking for funding for a book on Japan!  I funded a small geography book, and they sent a copy to me.  It's in Lao, so I can't read it, but it looks cool!

This is the typical scene along the river, subsistance farming during dry season.  In summer, the river rises to cover much of this riverbank, depositing new soil.  The changes in the river flow due to China's dams may become a problem.

Electricity for these small villages comes from turbines using the river current.  One line from the turbine (in covered rock structure) comes into Banchane.  

                

As we go upriver for about 20 minutes
and then walk to the village, Karen, Jules and I learn more about our BBM hosts.  Lathsavong, below with Karen, grew up in the Plaine de Jars region of upcountry Laos, an area VERY heavily bombed.  As a 10-year old, he and other kids would use slingshots to try to explode UXO left from the war, shooting and ducking . . . to sell the scrap metal to pay for school.  The goal of both Lathsavong and Sipay, our games leader and immensely entertaining reader-aloud, is to get through the University of Laos, in Luang Prabang or Vientiane.  Sipay spent 4 years in a temple in LP, after his father died, and would like to continue in this smaller town.  He says he is wary of gangs in Vientiane; he's heard that young men can be coerced into joining drug rings, and he is not comfortable in the "Big City".  This raised our eyebrows, and will make us look a little closer next time we are in VTE.    The biggest obstacle to university education is cost.  Each year's tuition is a MILLION kip.  Sounds like a lot, right?   It comes to about $150 dollars American.   And this makes it almost out of reach, requiring much dedication and patience.  

 Here, the kids are bringing out benches to sit on as we assemble outside in a big clearing.  It was a Saturday, and school is not in session, but all the teachers, kids, and some parents assembled to see us (the first Westerners to visit in over a year).  This Book Party is a big deal, a huge celebration.
The students spent an hour in class, working on writing and drawing.  This was for real - the teachers took advantage of the gathering, and we got to see what and how they are learning.


In general, the students worked really hard!  They helped each other, and the teachers walked through to guide.  There is now a standard Lao alphabet that everyone learns, although there are many tribal languages here.  


             

Jules presents books from BBM to the teachers and Principal of Banchane Primary School.  BBM also is running programs on teaching teachers how to use the materials, and modern instruction techniques.  This is gaining regional recognition, and they are now hosting clinics.  The movement grows!




Kids get to choose their own book to read for a while.  Then they exchange at school.
They were completely engrossed.




                                                    
GAME TIME!  Evidently, games are not something traditionally part of the school day.  We played Laughing Ball, in which the leader would toss a ball up, and only during its air-time were we allowed to laugh.  Anyone laughing after the ball was in his hands was OUT!  But then you could make your friends laugh!  We also played a game like Simon Says, naming body parts to touch - the leader would sometimes touch a different part than what he said, tricking the kids.  And then of course, Tug-Of-War!   
If the VIDEO looks black, just hit the Play button at bottom.  Too cute for words.

As we went back to Luang Prabang on the boat, we realized how lucky we had been to take part in this celebration.  Siphone, who is running the day-to-day operations, had worked hard to make sure we could attend during our short stay.  Sometimes, it takes days on boats, hiking, and even elephant rides to reach remote villages with books.  And yet here is Banchane, practically across the river from Conde Nast Traveler's recommended $1500 per night hotel rooms with spa and pool in Luang Prabang!    More on that next post.  Meanwhile, time for a cool one at my favorite spot in LP.

Jan 12 - Bittersweet

My experience here pales in comparison to that of the people I'm with.  One woman, K, came here during the war as a young bride of 9 weeks, recently married to an Air America kicker.  Now, she spent part of the day meeting with a JPAC (Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command) team official at the American Embassy to find out how things were going with the recovery of his remains.  He is officially MIA, had been shot down, and they know where.  The villagers nearby say the plane burned for three days.  It is known that his aircraft was carrying white phosphorus, so this equates.   There are two main problems with recovery - first of all, DNA will not have survived the burn, and second, UXO (unexploded ordinance) is still a very big issue in parts of Laos, and this is in one of those areas.  So, K was satisfied that they are still trying, and it's a matter of priorities - remains that are easier to access will be approached first.  
K is not the only person in our group who has lost people here.  I feel very fortunate that my Dad stayed safe.  He flew into some dangerous areas, and the barracks at Long Tien were shelled during a week he was NOT there, thank God.

Long Tien, not  too far from Luang Prabang, upcountry.  Base for the CIA's partnership with Hmong fighters against Pathet Lao.  

There is an interesting read in the Lao Airline magazine, Champa Holiday, about this history.  The Hmong are portrayed as misguided pawns of the US and Hmong General Vang Pao, refusing the helping hand of the new Lao regime at the end of the war due to misinformation given to them.  The magazine article attempts to ride a fine line between chastising the Hmong for fighting, while also proudly stating how the Hmong are now allowed full citizenship and an equal place in society.  

Lao T-28 aircraft destroyed on the site, Long Tien, ca 1969.  Dad took this shot. 
I wish he was still around - he would have gotten great joy out of this trip.



As we come to our final dinner in Vientiane, I will at last give you foodies something to think about.  The food in Laos is fantastic, using many mild flavors like lemongrass and coconut, and chicken, fish, and beef.  Honestly, I wish I knew what was in this stuff. But absolutely delicious, and this special meal at the Don Chan, with the American Ambassador to Laos meeting with us, was unforgettable.  (did I mention the baguettes and croissants on the street?)

 Best Spring Rolls ever.  Couldn't be any fresher.



Here is where to go.  Don't tell everybody.





Miscellaneous shot of the gang on our mission to get sarongs made for our dinner - We had no idea what we were getting into.  Pick the cloth, the top, go to the tailor - voila!



Below is just one of many places within Talat Sao Mall to pick a top for our sarongs.  And then this woman created our sarongs from our chosen cloth, and it was delivered to us. 




And we are saving them for our next reunion!!









Again, apologies for my food ignorance.  You will simply have to go find out.

Fruit art alone is worth the journey.

The Ambassador to Laos, Karen Stewart, was kind enough to address our group, and let us in on what is happening now in our relations.  Some sobering thoughts, but much good news as well.  Infant mortality, women's rights, and education are all big agenda items, and progress is being made.  Education is a big key to the other issues of course, and US NGOs and government agencies as well are working to improve access to basic education.  Girls are given particular focus, to lower risk of human trafficking and improve health for mothers and babies.  There is still a long way to go.  The modern improvements are not, by a long shot, the whole story of Laos.  As we move on to Luang Prabang, I will get a chance to become more involved as Big Brother Mouse takes us off the beaten path.

Jan 11 - K6 - Full Circle

Someone help me out.  I need a new word, because "surreal" is just not enough.  Maybe there isn't a word for this.  For so many decades, this whole place, and the people, were locked up in my mind, sitting on a dusty shelf.  And I had accepted that, but did not feel complete, really, with this weird disconnect in my personal timeline.  Kwan were missing.  Especially now with my parents both gone, I needed to see that it all really happened.


With the advent of the Web, and Becca's efforts to reunite us, and Lloyd's can-and-will-do attitude, here we stand, back in the old 'hood. 
If there was one thing I wish I could add to a blog, it would be the sense of smell.  The annual burning off of crop fields adds a tinge of grass smoke.  The warm cereal smell of "haam", the rice mix we fed our horses.  Oil heating, for food on the streets.  Klong water.       Photos and inadequate words are all I can do, but at least it's down off the shelf, for family and friends, and my own peace.

 The entrance gate.  In K6, there is now the Kaysone Phomvihane Memorial Museum, and K6 is the base of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party. (Thanks, L, for the write-up help!) We did not see the Museum, which is usually required.  Lloyd says that chronologically, the events are basically correct, but the presentation depicts foreigners in Laos from the 50's through the 70's as Imperialists.  Lloyd gives the excellent advice in advance to remember that "this is their way of telling their history . . . and we are guests in their country.  We are not asked to accept any of this, but we are expected to participate quietly in the tour . ."  

           
Here is the neighborhood.  Small bungalow homes, tree-lined lanes.  The trees are much bigger than I remember, and the houses smaller.


















We approach The President's home.  This is a museum now, and was Marilyn's home back in the day.  Kaysone Phomvihane was the first President of the new Laos under the Communist regime.  Imagine Marilyn's surprise, when she found out a few years back, that her old home was now a cultural touchstone of Laos!

Marilyn says the swing was put in place by the President. She marveled at the size of the trees her mother had planted, Bougainvillea and Frangipani.  There is still the rattan chair there, probably old USAID issue.  The President's bedroom was actually M's old room!


Our guide and Marilyn look over photos.


      President Kaysone used the house next door to Marilyn's as his "office". Here is the living room of this house, now with artifacts.











Below, Kaysone Phomvihane with his his mentor, Ho Chi Minh.  The house bookcases were also full of Lenin and Marx's works, and treatises on economics and political theory.

                                                                    
Below, our ASV alumni group, with our gracious hosts.  
We signed the guest book, after watching a short film - reminding us of the Party Line here.  But it's not over yet. 
Since the Soviet collapse, the Lao attitude has become much more relaxed.  During the first reunion in 2000, K6 was not permitted at all, I believe.  Then, in 2010, a neighborhood and museum visit was OK'd, but they never got to see our old Alma Mater.  Now, that is about to change. 
One of the Museum Officials came up at the end, to especially thank Marilyn - it turns out, unbeknownst to any of us, that she has been sending supporting funds to the museum in order to preserve our joint heritage.  We are amazed and grateful indeed!  And the unforeseen benefit is that we are now allowed a bus ride around our school - we finally get to see what is still there, and what has changed.  Turns out, the pool is still there!!  We all were pointing, and shouting out our memories - (quite a few involved that darn high-dive board, Rick F!)  What a joyous thing to be a part of.  This building is now called Ban Sivilay, and is refurbished nicely - but it IS the Central Committee Headquarters, and most Lao never get to see it.  Equivalent to the Pentagon, or possibly even the White House, it is protected by their secret service, and non-essential visitors rarely get withing 100 yards. (thanks again, L)
No photos were allowed.    That Sadie Hawkins field? Still there.  

 

Jan 11 - Return of the ASV Cobras!

We're baaa-aack . . . Unbelievably, we stumbled upon our old Cobra mascot, in town - I believe it was at the door of the Lao National Museum.  Our Cobra used to be at the entry to our school, six kilometres outside of Vientiane.  K6 was where our school was, our stables, and where most of us lived during our time in Laos.  I lived there for a few months, before we got a house in town.
Here are Frank Manley (who never left - Our Man in Vientiane!) and Lloyd, with our mascot.


First, a few pics of school days - Sadie Hawkins (OK, who remembers Lil Abner?), exploring the countryside, and SEAP (SouthEast Asian Peninsula) games - all in K6 area.  I am not sure where all these competitors came from, but it was definitely a big deal.








Below, the start of the Sadie Hawkins race.  For you young people who have never heard of this, the girls go after the guys, and grab 'em for the dance that night.  
There was also a real live greased-pig catching contest, pie and watermelon eating contests, and so on.

  I wish I could control the formatting better.  But here you see old Americana at its finest.  Yes, we had cheerleaders, and baseball, and the Blue Team and Gold Team.  Some of the American families did everything they could to recreate Stateside life.  My folks chose to live in town - they wanted to experience the place as it was.  My dad and I truly loved our time there - my brother and mom not so much.  For sure, it changed us kids forever.

Captured!  A popular guy!

And we have a winner of the watermelon eating contest!

Our cheerleaders.  Nope, not me.  Not in a million years could I have done that in middle school.  

Instead, I was learning how to burn off leeches from our horses' legs when we swam through ponds out in the country.  In dry season, we would gallop through the rice paddies, jumping the low walls every 10 strides or so.  We were not supposed to ride out, and heard scary stories of Pathet Lao kidnappings - but we didn't take it seriously.  I don't really know if it was dangerous or not.  We liked to think so then, in our relative ignorance - danger meant adventure.  Knowing a little more now, I feel a bit ashamed that I treated possible danger in such a casual manner.  Not all of our parents and friends made it out of the country alive, and some are still there.  

I remember one boy who tried his hand at riding a water buffalo.  He did not do that again.  Boy 0, Buffalo 1.

Below was the prototypical scene, most anywhere in lowland Laos.  It's still there, but you have to get outside of Vientiane now.  There are highways and multi-story buildings where this photo was taken, on the way to K6, I think.