Kayaking the Nam Ou River

Is Laos possibly the most beautiful place on Earth? Nestled in between miles of mountains, with only tiny rural settlements in the vicinity, Luang Prabang is a small town with a charismatic twist! The location is very convenient for extreme activities, such as kayaking, which we enjoyed ourselves today.
After about forty minutes drive from the tiny centre of town we were in the middle of nowhere clambering down from the roadside towards the calm Nam Ou River, with our canoes and paddles! This was, in fact, a skill of its own as the slope was very steep and it was difficult not to trip over. We felt inferior to the high reaching mountains that accommodated vast forests and stood in a trance for just a moment, intrigued by the blanket of haze that swept through the landscape. Accompanying this beauty was a quiet splashing in the river and we noticed a local fishing. He had jumped out of his small wooden boat and appeared to be wearing part of a snorkel so that he could see where all the fish were.
After clambering into the canoe, with Jon steering at the back and Simon paddling like mad at the front, we realised that we were in a paradise and just started our expedition with a couple of minutes drifting away from the riverbank. All we could hear was running river water and a few cicadas humming in the trees.
We casually paddled downstream and then it got exciting! We encountered some lively ripples in the water, which led is straight into some rapids. We paddled like mad towards the rapids to gain speed and maintained it whilst descending the choppy current. We were very careful in dodging the unwelcoming rocks and boulders that stuck out of the water.
After roughly three hours of canoeing we followed the meandering river flow and pulled up onto a sandy riverbank for lunch. The lunch was typical Lao food; flavoured noodles, spicy vegetables, sticky rice, some mystery Lao sauce made from vegetables (and plenty of chilli) and some very sweet bananas to follow. The fantastic element of this meal was that the whole lot was served up on large, green banana leaves. Who needs a ceramic, or even a bone china plate?! It made us feel as if we were really getting by on natural resources. Like jungle rats!
Some local boys came to eat the leftovers!
During the lunch stop there was also time for a quick dip in the river, which was desperately required, as we had worked up quite a sweat from all the canoeing. The water was so soothing, especially in the roasting afternoon sun. The sun was so powerful that we dried in no time once we got out.


We continued canoeing and, as we did so, we admired the humongous peaks of the mountains surrounding us whilst glancing around for small tribal villages, fishermen and locals who were panning for gold.
Further downstream, the dynamic duo were not so careful of the rocks in the water as we said earlier in this blog entry. It was the grand finale of the rapids and our chance to paddle towards it like we never had before. Instead of following the deeper sides of the flowing river, we went for the centre streak and found ourselves lodged on top of stones. Our group was flying past us at the speed of light as we were jolting our bodies in order to shift the canoe through the rocky path. We got there in the end though. It’s not what you do, it’s the way that you do it!

After taking our minibus back to the centre of Luang Prabang, we had a cool shower and then hit the street markets! We went to a food stall where the woman in charge gave us a fairly small plate and we had to choose what we wanted from a selection in front of us. Jon’s technique proved successful for us in terms of our received quantity. He started by cramming rice together to form another base on the plate, chose some vegetables and noodles to pile up, starting from the outside in so that it would balance. This small plate was intended for one person but we actually managed to get a meal for three onto it. Get in! We then handed the plate back to the lady and she sizzled it for us in the huge wok that she had. She then had slight difficulty with re-piling the cooked food back onto our plate, but the point is that she did it. It was all very delicious by the way!

The Journey From Vietnam to Laos

The alarm was set to wake us at 05.00. At 05.29, we awoke with a start: the taxi was due at 05.30! But eventually we made it onto this vintage Fokker, and down to Luang Prabang!
Our 1970s old fashioned time machine taking us back in time!
So, how exactly should we get around exploring Laos?
Guess who loves communism!
High five, low five?
What should we expect in the "Freshing redients meat" dish? Sounds exotic!
Wat's that? That's a Wat! That's wat!
Jonny goes Monk-y!
Ding Dong! It's 4pm! This calls for a celebration!
We are nimming! "Nim" means "Smile" in Lao!
Wat more could we wish for right outside the door of our hostel?
I'm getting my 10,000kip's ($1.30) worth of street food!
Cheeeeeese!
This lady is wokking wonders!
We are only truly happy when we're full!
Notice the wat with high wattage bulbs at night!
Trekking down to the Mekong River!
A very rickety bamboo bridge!

We're a little bit tipsy right now due to Beerlao, so excuse all the puns!

Ho Chi Minh

This year is a great time to be visiting Hanoi: the city is bedecked with red banners and red flags (some with the yellow star signifying the Vietnamese flag, others with the Hammer and Sickle). 2010 marks the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnamese Communist Party, the CPV:

"The 80th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) was celebrated in provinces throughout the country on February 1 with the participation of local leaders, revolutionary veterans, heroic mothers and others." (VOV News)

Although Ho Chi Minh firmly expressed the wish to be cremated after his death, his body lies preserved in the mausoleum. Today we joined the line to pay our respects to this great leader.

Hồ led the Viet Minh independence movement from 1941 onward, establishing the communist-governed Democratic Republic of Vietnam in 1945 and defeating the French Union in 1954 at Dien Bien Phu. He lost political power inside North Vietnam in the late 1950s, but remained as the highly visible figurehead president until his death in 1969. Six years after his death, when the communists were successful in conquering South Vietnam, several North Vietnamese tanks in Saigon displayed a poster with the following quote, "You are always marching with us, Uncle Hồ".

In Vietnam today, he is regarded by the Communist government with almost god-like status in a nationwide personality cult, even though the government has abandoned most of his economic policies since the mid-1980s. He is still referred to as "Uncle Hồ" or just "Uncle" (Bac) in Vietnam.

"The Vietnamese people deeply love independence, freedom and peace. But in the face of United States aggression they have risen up, united as one man."

Chao Bac!

So enough already; tomorrow we must move on. The weather is going to get much hotter for us as we fly down to spend six days on the banks of the mighty Mekong. It will be a time away from big city living; a time of temples, monks, languid river boats and waterfalls. And, of course, another new country. Keep watching for our new phone number in Laos, and keep following to hear all about our time in the magical town of Luang Prabang.

The Temple of Literature

Well, it's time for one of the most important sights in Hanoi!

Hanoi is a city of rich contrasts. Today we set off on foot, right across town all the way back to the Myanmar embassy to see if they had issued our visas. This was by no means a certainty, as most people have to pre-book package tours just to get into the country. But we’re intrepid travellers, and like to go it alone. So some weeks ago we booked our flights in and out of Yangon (that’s Rangoon to anybody but the evil remnants of the Ne Win government.) Two days ago we had a telephone message at our hostel saying that we had to call the embassy. What on earth could be the problem? Well, we know that the Myanmar government is scrupulous in checking up on people’s backgrounds, perhaps to make sure that we’re not journalists. But perhaps they didn’t want us snooping around their country without some official minders in tow? Jon called them back on our cell, and their was a massive language barrier. It transpired that they required more details of our proposed programme within the country; Simon spent a few hours this morning putting together an official-looking document detailing our every move. Hopefully this would suffice, but one never knows with these types of regime.

We turned up nervous and very early for our appointment. What was about to happen? The receptionist looked at our newly published itinerary for under two seconds, read aloud the title to the office girls, gave us back the receipts and handed over our passports. There inside was the Myanmar visa: game on!

Meanwhile, we had also built in some cultural activities: a visit to the Temple of Literature. Here we found ancient buildings, traditional music, statues, bells and drums. What a welcome oasis in the frenetic city. Jon couldn’t resist a few booms on this massive drum, but I’m not sure whether the authorities saw it as a particularly good idea…



Tomorrow brings something altogether more creepy. Can you guess what it might be? Think Lenin, think Chairman Mao. Who (or Ho) might we be going to visit?

Ninh Binh Province

What a great mission statement for this wonderful country! Maybe it just goes to show that a Marxist revolution is the way forward for us all? But as we explore this wonderful country and delve deeper, it gradually becomes more and more inconceivable that just forty years ago, American bombs rained down upon the ground where we stand, on the houses and townships we visit, and on the noble, elegant and proud people that we encounter. And why? Merely because the West feared the spread of communism? Or perhaps because of a deep-seated Xenophobia from the Uncle Sam who labelled the children of Uncle Ho with a word so hateful that I dare not even type it here.

We are slowly building our fluency in Vietnamese. Today Jon managed to converse merrily to ferry-boat rowers as they passed, whilst Simon got through ordering both supper and a large consigment of French-style confectionery without resorting to English. The local women love it when we make this type of effort! The letter ‘h’ at the end of words is a tricky one: think of Ho Chi Minh. It’s almost a ‘g’ but placed in the throat as you would in the middle and at the end of the word ‘singing’. So today we went to Ninh Binh. Can you say that quickly, each word short and sharp, ending in a gentle ‘g’? To make it slightly more complex, they put glottal stops everywhere. It’s jerky, that’s for sure.

So breakfast was on the hoof as we made the journey 180 Km south towards breathtaking scenery. We had Ca Phe Den: each cup of coffee has its own little filter, so you pour in the hot water and out comes the black, unctuous gunk. Then a steaming bowl of Pho Ga. (Pronunciation update: remember back in London we said that Pho should be pronounced ‘fair’? Well that’s not quite accurate. In local Hanoi dialect you must say ‘far’, with a long aaaah sound. Ok?) This Pho is a chicken soup, with lots of chicken meat floating on the top, plenty of rice noodles, lots of greenery (spring onions and herbs) all brough together with a sweet, intense chicken stock. If this wasn’t enough, we always add a fiery chilli sauce just to get things going. We also ordered the innocuous bread and eggs. But this was wonderful: pieces of sweet baguette, creamy butter and not one, but two wok-fried eggs.

We were suitably sustained for our day. And what a day this turned out to be! First a visit to the ancient citadel and temple of Hoa Lu. Did you realise this used to be the capital of the Dragon Kingdom until it was moved to Hanoi? The temple had an air of serenity and an aura of sanctity. Then a stimulating bike-ride, along rice paddies and through magical, sleepy villages until we reached Tam Coc. These villages took us on a step back through time, with their white-washed houses, fragrant cooking fires, dogs and chickens roaming freely.

It was time for lunch. This area of Ninh Binh has many goats, and sure enough, goat was on the menu. This took the form of skewers, sweetened with spices. Very tasty when dipped in chilli oil and soy sauce. There were more Nem to enjoy, plenty of rice, platters of stir-fried goodies such as cabbage, beef, onions: you name it!
The highlight of the day came after lunch: a two-hour rowing boat ride through some of the world’s most staggering limestone scenery. Think Halong Bay, but along a river beside the rice paddies. Think Guilin; think ‘James Bond Island’ (that stack in Thailand which features in ‘The Man with the Golden Gun’ which, incidentally, we’re not going to visit, as Tam Coc trumps them all!)

This boat ride was awesome. Rather than describing it, let us show you some of the pictures instead. This is rural Vietnam at its all-time best!

Halong Bay

Four hours on a bus there, four hours on a bus back. But it was totally worth it! Our passion for Northern Vietnam spiralled as the bus pulled up nearby the harbour in Halong Bay. Looking out far into the distance was like observing the best masterpiece that a painter could create. The water was relatively calm with mellow ripples and the occasional subtle wave. An array of karst limestone formations appeared to be floating as each one boasted its own glory.



It was evident that none of these formations would be anywhere near as magnificent without the others, as together they create a winding labyrinth in which the extremely curious could easily become lost, never to return. Fortunately for us, our captain knew where he was going!

Setting sail on the wooden two-storey junk was no mistake. As we retreated from civilisation, we had some tasty grub that consisted of fish that had been lightly fried with ginger, rice, traditional tofu, nem (spring rolls), a helping of vegetables and some octopus! After wolfing that down, whilst using only chopsticks must I add (we are experts now), we headed upstairs to the exposed deck to absorb the overcast, and slightly peculiar atmosphere. It was just like being in Treasure Island or Pirates Of The Caribbean! Especially with the ravenous eagles and their large, and in fact, intimidating wingspan, which appeared even larger as they swooped down close to us. These magnificent birds of prey weren’t swooping to greet us unfortunately, but as they also have stomachs to fill, they were making a dive for some of the vulnerable marine life to catch some dinner!

We proceeded into the depths of the maze, where a small, floating fishing village emerged. Our captain pointed out where the people were living and he even showed us the floating school, which was little more than a small shack itself. In fact, it’s not dishonest to say that most of the people’s houses there were larger than that school. It was just magical to think of the families there that have no need to go onto the main shore ever. Many of them just grow up and live there happily, surviving on their catches and trading with other locals for produce and other necessities. We hopped off ship to say hello briefly, before jumping into a canoe for some of our own exploration!


“What’s that? ... Is it a tunnel?”, we wondered as we paddled as fast as we could towards it. As we neared the opening we gazed at the majestic stalactites that were pointing down menacingly. To continue was the only option and through the dark, shallow arch we went (being watchful of our heads).
On the other side lay a silent valley of tranquillity where only eagles nested in the walls formed by the tree-covered limestone. Nobody was around! It was only us in the centre of the towering limestone enclosure that had formed a complete circle over many years. The only way out now was back through the tunnel we came. We never got tired of canoeing in and out of tunnels throughout Halong Bay.
When the time came to get back on board the boat, it was indeed disappointing that the canoeing time was over even though the fun wasn’t. The boat sailed around a large limestone peak and entered a small, secret bay within where there’s a large cave that nobody would know existed!
Up the side of the limestone mountain we climbed, through the forest, eager to find the entrance. It was almost like were visiting Hades in the underworld as we exchanged daylight for dark, winding catacombs. The cave became brighter as we ventured deeper into it because artificial lighting had been installed every so often so that us travellers can see our way around! There was an awesome moment inside the cave where the electric lights disappeared for a moment to allow the sun to emit its radiant beams through an elliptical crevasse that slanted in the cliff side. Magical!

After exiting the cave, but before starting our journey back to the main shore, it was popcorn time! We came across a lady on her stall of delicious goodies and a small tub of sweet popcorn caught our eyes. Who says you have to be in the cinema to eat popcorn?!
Sailing back to shore was relaxing as we just sprawled out over the top wooden deck of the ship, watching the karst limestone peaks drift away into the distance.

Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre

The thousand year-old tradition of water puppetry grew up in the rice paddies as the people would amuse themselves and each other whilst working in the fields. Now it is a sophisticated art form, demanding many skilled puppeteers and drawing much appreciation from the audience. There’s plenty of comedy, but little narrative: rather than relating an extended story, each short scene is a tiny, self-contained drama. The music, commentary and singing bring the whole thing to life!

The show started with the orchestra. Woosh! What animated, thrilling music, with its swift moving pulse and pentatonic patterns. Very different from the Khmer musicians we had heard both in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh: these guys were both consummate professionals and virtuosos. Do you remember the Indian dances we saw at a performance last year in New Delhi? The whole show that time was driven by an elderly man on the drums. So it is here, too. And this guy punctuates everything with his battery of percussion. The most memorable puppet scenes were the Dragon Dance (with four dragons dancing on the surface of the water); Fishing (just how did they get the fish puppet to jump onto the fisherman’s line?); the Phoenix Dance (here the two phoenixes engage in a stylish courtship leading to a large egg!); Harvest Festival (in which a graduate returns in a procession to his village); the Legend of the Restored Sword (King Le Loi triumphs over the Ming invaders and gives back the magic sword to a giant turtle living in Hoan Kiem Lake.)

As we left the theatre, thrilled and captivated by the wonderful performance (they travel all over the world giving shows!) we gazed over Hoan Kiem lake to see if the giant turtles were still there: nobody has seen one for four years…