It was nice to chat to the young people on the boat yesterday but - like the backpackers I met on the East Coast of Australia - they all seem to be following a formula of where to go & what to do. At least these have actual backpacks. I think suitcases might be tricky in parts of Asia - particularly Laos & Vietnam.
Today I woke up feeling headachey and went out to find a shop for some coffee & breakfast. There is actually a 7-eleven just a short walk down the street.
I walked into town, passing a Monument dedicated to President Kaysone Phomvihane, the first leader of the Communist Lao People's Revolutionary Party from which grew the Pathet Lao.
I hadn't even thought about the fact that Laos is a Communist (Communist/Socialist) Country.
Also that they were colonised by the French.
Here is an account of some of the History of Laos, including their 'involvement' in the Vietnam war. They call this the Secret War.
Brief Summary:
1. Laos is a landlocked country which lies immediately to the north-west of Vietnam. Its northern regions are mountainous and heavily forested, while the population and production are concentrated in the south.
2. Like Vietnam, Laos was colonised by the French in the late 1800s. Before this, it did not really exist as a single state but was a patchwork of kingdoms and ethnic groups.
3. French colonialism and Japanese occupation during World War II fuelled a growth in Laotian nationalism. One nationalist group, the Pathet Lao, was formed in 1950 by a supporter of Ho Chi Minh.
4. The US became involved in Laos in the early 1960s, in order to prevent the Viet Cong using Laotian territory for bases and supplies. US planes bombed Laos extensively between 1964 and 1973.
5. The cessation of US bombing in 1973 allowed the Pathet Lao to tighten its grip on Laos. In December 1975 it formed a socialist one-party government, which remains in power today.
2. Like Vietnam, Laos was colonised by the French in the late 1800s. Before this, it did not really exist as a single state but was a patchwork of kingdoms and ethnic groups.
3. French colonialism and Japanese occupation during World War II fuelled a growth in Laotian nationalism. One nationalist group, the Pathet Lao, was formed in 1950 by a supporter of Ho Chi Minh.
4. The US became involved in Laos in the early 1960s, in order to prevent the Viet Cong using Laotian territory for bases and supplies. US planes bombed Laos extensively between 1964 and 1973.
5. The cessation of US bombing in 1973 allowed the Pathet Lao to tighten its grip on Laos. In December 1975 it formed a socialist one-party government, which remains in power today.
Apparently there are vast areas in Laos where there are un-exploded bombs from the indiscriminate US bombing - 260 million bombs dropped - and scrap metal scattered around the forests. People are still killed & injured today, often children who try to play with the smaller ones that look like harmless metal balls. The risk of detonation has impeded farming in many areas and impacted on the development of Laos.
I visited the Traditional Arts & Ethnology Centre (TAEC). It was quite interesting. It had information about the different ethnic groups that make up the Laos people and some of the traditions and crafts that are becoming lost like basket making & weaving but also how these people are developing, changing and adapting into the modern world.
One part of the exhibition that was fascinating was a room dedicated to the story of how the Oma - a little known ethnic minority group, living in villages in northern Laos - had their designs stolen by a large Fashion company - Max Mara - the designs & colours used were exact and clear copies of the Oma's, without any labelling to that effect. These are not just 'patterns'. They are wrapped up in the deep culture and traditions of the people, and have been passed through generations.
The designs were spotted by a former TAEC employer which led to letters being sent to Max Mara, which were ignored, asking for acknowledgement and compensation or royalties. Then a social media campaign ensued with Max Mara demanding it stop and threatening legal action against the TAEC. #MAXOMA
The TAEC have worked with the OMA to build a database of their designs, becoming the first in SE Asia to protect intellectual property for cultural ethnicity and design or Cultural Intellectual Property.
Wat Pa Houak - at the bottom of Phousi Hill
You can hear the drum and City noises in the background of this video.
Then down the hill to a huge reclining Buddha
Monks quarters
and a small cave with 'Buddha's footprint'
I walked around and along the river.
.......rubbish is a real problem here too......
Later I walked to the night market with Piper where there were some interesting foods on offer
The night market food court.
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