Kuey bai Laos lai Ayutthya.

I have officially been to Laos.  Last Thursday night (the 18th of December) after my evening class, I boarded an overnight train from Bangkok to Nong Kai.  On the train, I sat across from a wonderful Thai woman who was going to visit her mother.  Soon, however, a young man from San Francisco traveling on holiday engaged me.  After a long conversation and many beers in the dining car, I retired to my upper bunk.
Following an early morning arrival in Nong Kai, we headed to the boarder.  Four hours later, I was standing in Laos, 1500 Baht poorer, but one visa richer.  We managed to get a Tuk-Tuk into the capital city, Vientiane.
I met up with my French friend, Serge, and he helped me find accommodations.  An invitation to a party that evening at the French Cultural Center set my plans but left me plenty of time to explore.  I must say that Vientiane is a beautiful city.  It is what one imagines when conjuring images of the French settling in Southeast Asia:  wide boulevards, colonial architecture, and restrained sensibilities.  While not a small city in its own right, compared to the sprawling, congested urbanity of Bangkok, it seems downright quaint.  A peaceful calm pervades.  Sitting at a quiet outdoor cafe, sipping cappuccino and eating quiche was not just unexpected, but nearly unimaginable the day before.
I wandered around on foot, which is not very difficult given its small, well-laid out city heart.  After eating a delicious sandwich of pork pate with radish, cilantro, and chili on French bread, I made my way to the banks of the Mekong River.  Watching the sun set through the banana leaves and looking at the far bank, seeing Thailand, was tremendously relaxing.
There are, in fact, many French people living there.  The influence is impossible to overlook.  French bistros abound, and heavily accented English wafts through the air as readily as the smell of milk being steamed.
Communication with the Laotians living there was very easy; most spoke not only the languages of Thailand and Laos, but also English and French.  The Thai and Laotian languages are very similar, but do have many differences.  This ensured that I would expend about zero effort to learn it.  Everyone was also extremely gracious and eager to talk with me.
Frustratingly, the Laotian monetary unit, the Kip, is tremendously confusing.  One Thai Baht is worth about 250 Kip.  As you can imagine, the amount of Kip required to do simple commerce is immense.  My sandwich cost 5000 Kip.  This would be complicated enough, but the denominations looks nearly identical, with hard to identify values.  They also come in odd sizes:  the nearly worthless 500 Kip note, 1000, 2000, 5000, 10,000, and finally, the 50,000 Kip note.
It was slightly unnerving at first to attend the party at the French Cultural Center, realizing quickly that it was a fairly small community, and that Serge was not actually all that involved with the center.  After some conversational dead-ends (isn't that often the way with French people?) I managed to make some interesting friends.  One was a very impressive young Laos man who is leaving to study in Paris soon.  He speaks English nearly fluently, along with French, Thai, and of course Laos.  There was also the very sweet French woman who will be moving to Cambodia at the end of next month, and a group of Australians, some residing, some visiting.
Roxana (the French one) took me for phu in the wee hours of the morning.  Phu is like the ubiquitous noodle dish of Thailand, kuay te-ow, but offers slightly different noodles, along with tomatoes and sometimes cabbage.  Not as flavorful, it does not offer a true broth, but rather moistens the dish with the liquid used to cook the ingredients a la minute.
The next morning, I rented a 250cc motorcycle and began my journey north towards Vong Vienne.  Driving through the changing countryside was an exhilarating experience.  From the flat rice paddies of southern Laos into the mountains nearing my destination I drove.  Stopping to take pictures, refuel the bike and myself, and seeing what was available in the small towns along the way was an adventure unto itself.  And that's not even mentioning the thrill of the ride, increased exponentially as I entered the winding mountain passes.
Tremendously hot at the outset, as I increased altitude and the sun began to dip lower, the temperature dropped dramatically.  By the time I reached Vong Vienne, just after sunset, it was decidedly cold.  Wishing that I had brought some sort of fleece to compliment my light windbreaker was a good learning experience.
By the time I arrived, it was past dark, so I missed seeing the mountains surrounding it.  Taking care of  my immediate necessities I found a guesthouse for 20,000 Kip (about $8 U.S.) and went off in search of food.  Unfortunately, Vong Vienne is not a great town in my opinion.  Partying college students, drugged up backpackers, and generally ignorant travelers have overrun it.  The identity of what was probably once a beautiful haven in the mountains has been replaced by one where finding traditional food is the exception, not the norm.  Familial establishments can't compete with the many restaurants selling buckets of booze and showing 'Friend's on televisions mounted around the pool tables.
I found perhaps the only restaurant in my area that actually had some Laotian people in it and sat down.  A group of farang beckoned me over, and luckily, they were likeminded.  We had an enjoyable meal together, exchanging life information, and generally lamenting the state of the town.  My guesthouse was quiet and I managed to sleep soundly if not for an extended length of time.
Intending to get started so that I would have plenty of time to stop along the way, I woke up early.  Apparently the best laid plans of mice and men can be thwarted by a dead battery.  The motorcycle would not start.  Unfortunately, because of the early hour, I had to wait for the mechanic to open his doors before I could swap the battery out.  That done, and the spark plug drained, I was once again on my way.
The 150-km return trip to Vientiane was actually a lot of fun.  Mostly downhill, there was no traffic, and the sun hadn’t risen to its blazing pinnacle.  I returned the motorcycle, though, of course not without an embarrassing attempt to drive it up and over a curb (in the center of Vientiane mind you).  It seemed like a good idea to try taking a bus across the boarder so I found the station and got a ticket with 15 minutes before it left.  This time going through customs went much more smoothly and I was in Nong Kai with plenty of time to spare.
My sense of relief at being again surrounded by something closer to what I have grown accustomed to was surprising.  A medium sized boarder city, it has plenty to offer.  From shopping and eating to visiting wats, I could easily spend two days here.  Seeing the cuisine of Isaan collide with the traditional Laotian cuisine was interesting.  Here was the Kuay Te-ow that I was familiar with, but seasoned with shrimp paste and a different chili blend.  First things first though, I changed money and bought a kaa-fee buulon yen within two minutes of having Baht in hand.  A dense, dark coffee left to steep for time unknown is mixed with sweetened condensed milk and canned milk, then poured over ice.  It’s heavenly.
On the train, I made friends with a pair of Thai gentlemen.  They live in Ayuttya, the previous capital of Thailand.  It lies about 70 kilometers north of Bangkok.  One of the gentlemen was a professor at the University, and he spoke English fairly well.  The other, a jolly fat man, sells antiques there and owns another store in Luaprabong, Laos.  Daang Moh (Watermelon) speaks virtually no English, but between my Thai and his friend's translations, we were all having a great time.  The beer and whiskey may have helped a little too.
As the dining car closed, Daang Moh invited me to come to Ayuttya.  He wanted to show me around the city.  Of course seeing as that was a good four hours away, it seemed like a brilliant idea, and I readily agreed.  Returning to my bunk, I made certain to set my alarm.
While the train was running an hour behind schedule, I had no way of knowing this, and was constantly getting up to try to ascertain our position.  Needless to say, it wasn't the best night's sleep ever.  Finally, at 5:00 a.m., the train arrived at Ayuttya, and I stumbled off.  I was greatly relieved to find my new friends on the platform waiting for me.  We secured a Tuk-Tuk to take Suchart home and Daang Moh and myself to his antique store.
Daang Moh's store is rather impressive, and he is obviously tremendously proud of what he has.  Artifacts and pieces range from the commonplace to truly ornate religious pieces several hundred years old, and hail from all over Thailand and Laos.  He showed me many things and with the help of a book, introduced me to the different periods of art and culture in the Chang Mai region.
We also discussed the new house he has just completed in Luaprabong.  He had many architectural books showcasing styles throughout the region and years.  Of course the invitation to accompany him to see his home was extended, and I look forward to having the opportunity to take him up on the offer.
We ate breakfast at his mother's restaurant.  Truly, the adage about a fat man delivering you to great food can be true.  His mother is a fantastic cook.  It is a fun little restaurant overlooking the Chao Praya River as it runs through Ayuttya, making the central area an island.
As the main attractions to visiting tourists are the temple ruins, he made certain that I was properly introduced to those.  Obviously a once thriving center of wealth and prestige, the city is strewn with the remnants a flourishing and expansive civilization.  Founded in 1350, it was one of the most populous cities in the world when it was destroyed by the Burmese army in 1767.
Making sure that I wanted for nothing in the way of hospitality, he took me to his favorite massage parlor, and we had some amazing Thai massages.  Thai massages are great.  They are much more interactive than western massages with more personal movement.  Twisting, turning, and a slight amount of pain all lead to deep tissue work and a great feeling at the end of it all.  Because they are such a big part of the culture, parlors are everywhere and very cheap.
Refreshed, it was time to eat again.  That evening one of Daang Moh's friends met us and we went to a large open-air restaurant serving food from Isaan (the northeast region of Thailand).  Daang Moh's friend, Jason, speaks English pretty well, so that eased some of the pressure of communication.  The food was delicious, and I was introduced to some new things including deep-fried chicken knee cartilage (not unpleasantly chewy) with a pickled onion slaw and shredded, fried catfish.  Whisky, beer, and ribald conversation solidified the new friendships.
As night had long since fallen and the day had been more than full, they accompanied me to the train station and we bid our farewells.  15 Baht to get back to my home station really can't be beat.  After stopping to say hello to my neighborhood friends, I returned home, weary but satisfied with my trip.

P.S.I had planned on including my Christmas celebration in this post, but am finding that to be unlikely.  It's late, and I must work tomorrow.  That, I'm afraid will have to wait for a bit.  Good night, and Happy Holidays to one and all.

Thanksgiving, king kong, laa Laos

Thanksgiving has come and gone in the United States.  I have taken on a teaching job Tuesday and Thursday evenings, so I was supposed to work that night.  My class, however, was canceled that evening, but not before I had traveled to Siam Center.  Since this is the hub of the shopping district, with four mega malls in close proximity, I opted to indulge in a Whopper as my celebratory meal, followed by my first movie here in Thailand.  The Burger King experience was not quite the same as being home for the holiday, but it did provide a note of familiarity.
My evening class has been going well.  I am teaching 14 adults who work at the University bookstore.  Unfortunately, the classes are relegated to a shoebox-sized room dominated by a conference table.  There are really no opportunities for student movement and interaction amongst themselves is limited because of this.  This seriously hampers the effectiveness of our time together.  Despite this, I think that they are getting something out of the experience.  I find that playfulness and minimal traditional teaching is what is really wanted from me.
They are a fun group, and we have started to come together as a class.  While I certainly don't think I'll be friends with any of them in the near future, it has been a valuable experience.  Seeing adult Thais who have a desire to learn English in a group setting is very different from my cobbled together English language experiences with individuals.  Seeing the group dynamic change from shy and reserved to comfortable and outgoing his been rewarding, and I am less of an outsider now.  The level of the English that the group has is generally low, but together they can communicate quite effectively.  Again, their ability to read far suppases their ability to speak and listen to the language.  Mostly, we do things that are immediately applicable to their jobs, but general conversation skills are also very important.
This job has also exposed me more to Siam Center.  Being in that area of the city is so vastly different from anywhere else.  It could be any major shopping mall in any county in the world.  They affluence and posturing are pervasive.  Salvatore Ferragamo, Christian Dior, and Mazerati all have shops in Siam Paragon.  It seems MBK offers whatever necessity you could possibly imagine.  Outdoor sitting areas with intricate fountains, young Thais eating McDonalds and licking DQ cones, and beautiful architecture make it easy to forget that this is an emerging country. 
They sky train that offers a backdrop to this scene can't be afforded by the majority of people in the city.  And while many of these Thais spend hours a week here, that is all most are doing, spending time.  An actual shopping excursion is a very special affair.  Much of this is a facade, a service offered to entice the farang.  Here it succeeds.  Everywhere one looks at these malls are farang scooping up the commodities, cheap by their standards.   Jewelry for bargain prices, designer dress shirts for $20, even the largest aquarium in South East Asia can be seen for $7. 
Right around Thanksgiving, a royalist group took control of the two International Airports in Bangkok.  They held control for 10 days, until they achieved their goal of having the appointed Prime Minister removed from power.  This action stranded an estimated half million visiting tourists, and effectively shut down much of Thailand's economy.  The orchid industry alone lost $10 million dollars a day through its inability to export.  The tourism industry, which affects every level of the economy here is expected to feel repurcusions for years to come.  They are estimating a loss of 4.5 billion dollars next year just in tourist spending.
These demonstrations were not a direct threat to farang and from an outsider's perspective, daily life continues with nary a change.  There was violence, however, with grenade explosions killing 3 and injuring dozens.  The colors of red and yellow have taken on an all encompassing affiliation with the two opposing factions.  While it is rarely openly discussed with  me, that does not hide the tension simmering beneath the surface.
And to be sure, it is a tense time for Thailand.  What hangs in the balance is a huge step away from democracy.  The PAD (People's Alliance for Democracy) has succeeded in removing three appointed Prime Ministers chosen by the popularly elected PPP (People's Populist Party) over the last three years.  The most common name to hear when discussing this issue is that of Taksin, the exiled former Prime Minister who attempted to privatize many of the nation's infrastructure services.  While corruption is rampant in both parties, it is the wish of the PAD to remove voting power from the lower class and impoversed country populous.  They desire a return to a royally selected, wealthy ruling class.
Their support seems to have waned slightly do the events at the airport, but elections will be held in Parliament this Monday.  There are reports that they may have enough support this time to appoint someone more to their liking, and are already threatening similar guerilla tactics if that does not happen.  I, along with my host country, anxiously await the outcome of this new election.
The King of Thailand is the longest serving Monarch in the world.  His birthday last Friday is a joyous affair for the country.  Perhaps tellingly, he did not address the nation on Thursday, reportedly due to illness.  This is the first time in history that he has failed to make that address.  The Economist has been covering this with its own opinions, some of which have caused the magazine to have its distribution here suspended following a pair of articles (article1, article2).  There will be a rebuttal issued this week by the Thai Foreign Ministry.

I continue to apply myself to learning the language.  To this end, I went to the weekend market last weekend and found some childrens' books and a very good English-Thai,Thai-English dictionary.  Honestly, I have yet to truly invest myself in any of them.  Every weekend, however, I spend several hours a day teaching my friend English and working on my Thai.  Last Friday, she invited me to join a group of friends for lunch.  We had a hot-pot meal at a local shopping center, peppered with language lessons and laughs.  The most interesting Thai word I was already familiar with: king kong means gorilla.  I have been unable to definitively track down the etymology of the phrase/word, so if anyone can help, I'd appreciate it.  Idle curiosity I guess...
On a purely fact finding mission (OK, that's not quite true), I went to see the movie Ong Bok 2.  If you're unfamiliar with the original Ong Bok, rest assured that it's a fine piece of cinema. This seemingly had absolutely nothing to do with the first, sharing only the star, but Tony Jaa again delivered.  Muai Thai inspired fight coreography, brilliant weapons work, amazing stunts, and a plot that was at least cohesive made this a thouroughly enjoyable experience.  Honestly one of the most intense martial arts movies I've seen in a very long time.  I just wished they would have called it "The Next Movie That Tony Jaa Absolutely Kicks Ass and Does Amazing Stuff In" to avoid confusion.
I am also looking forward to visiting Laos this coming weekend.  While I have a year visa, I must leave the country every three months to keep it active.  This also affords me the opportunity to take a break from the city, which can be taxing.  I will board a train on Thursday after my night class.  It will travel north from the city to Nong Kai, the Thai boarder city.  It will take about 10 hours.  My return trip begins on Sunday night.  I hope that the ride affords me the opportunity to see some of the Issarn countryside.
Upon arrival in Nong Kai, I will take a bus to Vientiane, the capital of Laos.  This is very near to Nong Kai.  In a pleasant turn of events, I had met a French man who works for an NGO in Laos a few weeks ago.  He lived in Vietnam for seven years and has lived in Laos for the past two.  He asked me a question on the ferry as I headed back home after work, and we struck up a conversation.  I will be meeting him on Friday upon my arrival, and he is finding a hotel for my first night.  I might rent a motorbike and leave the city on Saturday, but I have no definite plans.
This adventure has me excited and nervous again.  It offers a million small new things, in an unfamiliar land.  A second class sleeper on a Thai train, a trip over a boarder on the ground, and a new stamp in my passport, just to name a few.