So we left China, a land of great paradoxes that made it interesting, exciting but at times frustrating. Travelling through the poorer South West areas it is clear that China is expanding too fast and not fast enough. The lack of infrastructure has kept cultures separate for years, allowing traditions to be maintained and ways of life that seem so historic to us Westerners to exist in the modern world. It is our fascination in their existence that is beginning to dilute it, but more than that, China's realisation of the wealth in tourist dollars (particularly since the Olympics I am told?) that is developing these areas too fast. Every scenic spot has an admission fee and a mountain of plastic bottles near by. The locals, so recently used to a subsistence living, do not have the means to dispose of the waste efficiently- it does not even cross their mind as they simply wind down a window and chuck their wrappers into the most spectacular scenery. This, coupled with the habit of spitting (they find it disgusting to blow your nose and pocket it and would rather hock it up and flob it on the floor outside, on the bus, in the supermarket, wherever!) and a lack of understanding with regards to queuing (I really am proud of the British attitude to this social decency) meant some aspects of China were not as magnificent as the landscape we so enjoyed exploring.
Also, the shift from Communism, or relaxation of the rules whereby individuals can earn as much money as they are prepared to work for (Capitalism?!) led to some forceful sales techniques. It is unnerving walking around a shop being tailed by three sales assistance ready to pounce on an item should you linger on it a second longer than another. It was for these reasons that we were satisfied with ourt Chinese adventure and looking forward to the change of pace a trip in to Laos would offer.
The moment we stepped off the plane things felt different. The heat was the most noticeable thing, and the air smelt more fragrant with sweet scents drifting through. The passport officials wore huge welcoming smiles as they arranged our visas and taught us the most important Laos phrases- hello and thank you. We collected our bags in record time and headed straight for the most touristed part of Vientiane, Nam Phu.
After checking in to a lovely room we wandered briefly around the surrounding streets and headed fro an internet cafe. We were so excited to finally escape the tyranny of Chinese censorship, using Facebook as a safeguard against all our pictures should anything happen to our memory sticks and catching up with friends and family. It has only been a month (though we can barely believe it has been that long!), but we are already excited abut the prospect of returning home and sharing our experiences with the people that will care the most. (I can't wait to see my granny's face when she sees the pictures of The Gorge!)
As the evening started to fall we followed the roads down to the banks of the Mekong, a river seen by so many back home but which has been an ambition of mine for so long. We strolled passed street vendors offering riverside barbeques, promising to return the following evening once suitable doused in insect repellent, bought a frsh coconut and drank the milk through a straw and headed to a rustic French restaurant (this is a colonial town after all!)
As we sat by the open window with views of the fountain, turned on briefly and lit up with a group of Laos children playing nearby, the atmosphere was quite romantic. We enjoyed a delicious meal- Blakey had Steak au Poivre with the most amazing ratatouille and chips I have ever tasted whilst I indulged in my favourite goat's cheese salad. Things in Laos already felt incredibly relaxed and it was definitely catching on. We headed to bed early and were soon fast asleep.
The next day we strolled around Vientiane seeing the sights, amazed at how easy it ws to walk from one to the other considering this is the capital of the nation. The architecture here is more elaborate giving an exotic air- the spindly spires that decorate each corner of the roofs and the colourful paints- reds, whites and golds- which stand so bold against the lush green palms and flower bushes which the temples were nestled within.
By the evening it seemed we had seen most of what we aimed to see in the capital and so we bought our ticket to Vang Vieng before heading back to the Mekong. We were shown to a seat on large rugs down by the river, an upturned crate with a tablecloth surrounded by cushions and a backrest to make us comfortable, and stared across the huge black ribbon of water, mesmerised by the lights reflected in th e surface and occasional fireworks coming from the distant bank across the way. We enjoyed another peaceful and romantic meal in this utterly tranquil p\spot, Blakey indulging in freshly barbecued fish cooked on the temporary stoves carted there by the street vendors each evening. A slow stroll home and a stop for coffee later, we are truly enjoying the relaxed pace of life here.
Also, the shift from Communism, or relaxation of the rules whereby individuals can earn as much money as they are prepared to work for (Capitalism?!) led to some forceful sales techniques. It is unnerving walking around a shop being tailed by three sales assistance ready to pounce on an item should you linger on it a second longer than another. It was for these reasons that we were satisfied with ourt Chinese adventure and looking forward to the change of pace a trip in to Laos would offer.
The moment we stepped off the plane things felt different. The heat was the most noticeable thing, and the air smelt more fragrant with sweet scents drifting through. The passport officials wore huge welcoming smiles as they arranged our visas and taught us the most important Laos phrases- hello and thank you. We collected our bags in record time and headed straight for the most touristed part of Vientiane, Nam Phu.
After checking in to a lovely room we wandered briefly around the surrounding streets and headed fro an internet cafe. We were so excited to finally escape the tyranny of Chinese censorship, using Facebook as a safeguard against all our pictures should anything happen to our memory sticks and catching up with friends and family. It has only been a month (though we can barely believe it has been that long!), but we are already excited abut the prospect of returning home and sharing our experiences with the people that will care the most. (I can't wait to see my granny's face when she sees the pictures of The Gorge!)
As the evening started to fall we followed the roads down to the banks of the Mekong, a river seen by so many back home but which has been an ambition of mine for so long. We strolled passed street vendors offering riverside barbeques, promising to return the following evening once suitable doused in insect repellent, bought a frsh coconut and drank the milk through a straw and headed to a rustic French restaurant (this is a colonial town after all!)
As we sat by the open window with views of the fountain, turned on briefly and lit up with a group of Laos children playing nearby, the atmosphere was quite romantic. We enjoyed a delicious meal- Blakey had Steak au Poivre with the most amazing ratatouille and chips I have ever tasted whilst I indulged in my favourite goat's cheese salad. Things in Laos already felt incredibly relaxed and it was definitely catching on. We headed to bed early and were soon fast asleep.
The next day we strolled around Vientiane seeing the sights, amazed at how easy it ws to walk from one to the other considering this is the capital of the nation. The architecture here is more elaborate giving an exotic air- the spindly spires that decorate each corner of the roofs and the colourful paints- reds, whites and golds- which stand so bold against the lush green palms and flower bushes which the temples were nestled within.
By the evening it seemed we had seen most of what we aimed to see in the capital and so we bought our ticket to Vang Vieng before heading back to the Mekong. We were shown to a seat on large rugs down by the river, an upturned crate with a tablecloth surrounded by cushions and a backrest to make us comfortable, and stared across the huge black ribbon of water, mesmerised by the lights reflected in th e surface and occasional fireworks coming from the distant bank across the way. We enjoyed another peaceful and romantic meal in this utterly tranquil p\spot, Blakey indulging in freshly barbecued fish cooked on the temporary stoves carted there by the street vendors each evening. A slow stroll home and a stop for coffee later, we are truly enjoying the relaxed pace of life here.
No comments:
Post a Comment