Sao Lao

On January 28th of last month, my relatives in Vientiane got up extra early for a special Morning Alms Giving. On that day Buddhist Monks from the nearby temples would travel beyond the usual routes. There would be around 40 Buddhist Monks that would make a procession pass a short and tiny street where Aunt Kian’s house is located. Aunt Kian is very religious if I compare her to other relatives for the fact that she takes part in the rituals of Morning Alms Giving daily and often attend religious events at her local temple. Some other relatives that I visited in Laos would not even take part in the Morning Alms Giving, not even once a week or once every two weeks.

Even though I am not a Buddhist anymore Aunt Kian always tell me that she tum boun and thuk badt for me as well because of the money I sent on a regular basis, which she used part of it for merit making. She told me that if we tum boun together and the next life we would see each other again. I told her that I don’t mind at all to see her and the other relatives again in the next life if there is such a thing.

A few weeks ago my relatives in Vientiane were invited for a visit at a papaya garden at K50 or Lak 50. It was a day full of fun for the kids and adults. My cousins were having fun feeding and playing with the animals. They got to ride on the the wagon and helping with collecting papayas. All the relatives that went for the visit all got enough papayas and bananas home and for the next two weeks they were eating green papaya salad and riped papaya.

This green papaya salad became part of a lunch that day.

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I got special treats this week with a package from the A Team in Spain and one from aunt Kian in Vientiane. From Vienne was the Lao Cook T-Shirts in size small. I tried it on and it was a perfect fit. Now I just need for the warm weather to get here so I can put the T-Shirt on and advertise Laocook.com all over the Netherlands. I didn’t expect to get some homemade jeow bong and prawn crackers and will be enjoying eating them all by myself. If you are nice, maybe I’ll share some with you.

I didn’t get any food from aunt Kian this time but she sent me 5 photo CD and that should be plenty of pictures to keep me busy posting at all my sites for awhile.

For the majority of the people in Laos there is no such thing as taking a vacation. Most of my relatives (the poor ones) have never been anywhere beyond their town or province. If they are fortunate enough to have relatives outside of Laos that would often visit them, then they have a chance to go to places they have only heard about or seen on TV.

After Bay’s engagement party, her finance took everyone out on the town. This waterfall in Pakse is one of the spots they went to. The name of this waterfall is Huay Xe (if I read the sign correctly) and one of the places I didn’t get a chance to visit during my stay in Laos last year. This waterfall is simple and many people like to take a shower underneath it. It is not as grand or as spectacular as Khone Phapheng, Lipi, Tad Fane, or Tad Paxuam but it is a place where many locals would go to for a family picnic with green papaya salad, BBQ chicken, and sticky rice. Mo (pictures above) told me that no one should take a shower there and he would never do it again himself. The reason? Well, the water might be clear but near the source on higher ground there are pig farms. Guess where the farmers dump the waste? Down with the water of course.

For my relatives in Vientiane that are well to do they often take vacation outside of Laos. For a quick vacation they would go to Thailand so they can enjoy the sun at the beach or shop until they drop. For a longer vacation they would go to the USA and visit relatives and then go to New York or go to Europe like Paris or London. Just like anywhere in the world, when you are poor, you keep busy trying to find enough food to eat. When you have enough money at a certain level then vacation is a luxury that you can afford.

I have a new love in my life and her name is Sidney. She is eight months old and a very sweet baby. My two aunts in Vientiane take care of her during the day time while her mother is at work. In Laos working mothers have a great deal of freedom. They get at least one month off with full paid after delivering a baby. Breastfeeding is encouraged by the Ministry of Health so working mothers would run home during lunch break to feed their babies. There is no daycare yet that I know of for infants and toddlers in Vientiane. Relatives and friends are the babysitters, free of charge. It’s the Lao way after all.

I get a big smile on my face and I feel warm inside when I think of her and each time I see her photos. She is not blood related to me but to her I am her auntie already. Last weekend I was out doing some windows shopping with Johan. Guess where I took him to mostly? Where else but little people’s clothes section. I told him I was looking for something pretty for Sidney. Johan asked me who Sidney is and I told him that she is the new love of my life. I can’t resist a face like that.

Growing up in Laos I never had a birthday celebration. I didn’t even know my own birthday to begin with. I never attended a birthday party either since none of my friends were having a birthday party or any sort. It was a big news to me to know that having a birthday party is a trend in Laos now a day. Just like in the US, some parents would throw a big party with cake and have big amount of food like a boun with all you can drink Beer Lao.

My cousin Aae was celebrating his 10th birthday last month while Aunt Kian was in Pakse. Aae is not related to me by blood. My Grand-Mama adopted his mother (Aunt Phone) when she was young and has been treating her like one of her daughters. Aunt Kian told me they celebrate someone’s birthday in a simple manner. The family would all get up early and will prepare food for the Morning Alms Giving. The menu for dinner is only Khua Mie (fried sticky rice noodles) and maybe a small cake.

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I received another care package from my aunt in Vientiane a few days before Christmas. All I wanted was a CD with photos from Houay Laou Elementary school and Sao Lao Magazine that I have been waiting for the last couple of months. My aunt was not able to find the magazine at the Morning Market or at a book shop. She sent my cousin to the book store at the National University of Laos because there might be a few issues left. In the end my cousin was not able to find an issue and bought me instead Sokdee magazine and an old issue of Sayo Laos magazine (from October 2006).

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Grand-Mama didn’t do anything big for Boun Ok Phansa and only spent $50.00 for a small donation in the form of a meal offering at her local temple on the day after the Boat Racing Festival in Pakse. My two aunts were busy making khao thom for the Morning Alms Giving. Since Grand-Mama can’t sit too long with her knees folded, she was not able to attend the service at the wat but my aunts and cousins made sure her bowl of offering made it to the temple.

I have to admit that when it comes to love song, I am more into sad songs. Maybe it’s because I don’t know much about love and coming from a broken family, I don’t believe in a fairly tale love story. Perhaps I like sufferings and sad songs are my tunes. If I have to pick one love song to respond to Amphone’s post I would pick Jom Jai Khon Jon. It is a Lao song that I found out it was written for my Mama. Someone loved her so much to have written this song for her and she was the one and only Jom Jai Khon Jon for that particular man. Mama was this definition of “Jom Jai Khon Jon. ” Maybe someday there will be a man that would think I am his Jom Jai.

She was his Jom Jai

Jom Jai Khon Jon by Manith

Jom Jai Khon Jon by Anousone

After waiting for two weeks for a package from my aunt in Vientiane, the mailman finally made the delivery yesterday afternoon. I was very happy to see what I’ve asked for: a Laotian Fondue, toasted sticky rice and a CD of photos from the Boat Racing Festival in Vientiane. I was a bit disappointed that I didn’t get my Sao Lao magazine as requested. My aunt misunderstood me and thought I wanted Update Magazine with the coverage of Miss Apone Beauty Pageant 2007 winner.

This coming weekend would be a good time for me to try out the Laotian Fondue with Johan for Thanksgiving dinner. I’m going to get a few bottles of Beer Lao and have a big party. You’re all invited.