I know I’m a few weeks behind in updating this blog, bear with me while I get there. I will continue to post about mu return trip from Khe Sanh but for now I’ll update you on the lockdown in Vietnam.
In short, the lock down is over (has been for three weeks at the time of writing this). I don’t know why but I felt a profound sense of happiness seeing things return back to normal. People rushed back out onto the streets eager to return to their routines. The coffee shops reopened, the street food sellers returned to their posts and the kids gleefully played outside. During the day the students, wearing their school uniforms, rode their bikes back to school and my barber reopened and I got a much needed haircut. It felt good to walk around and not see deserted streets anymore.
Another thing that reopened was the beach. Some Canadian friends who I was in the military with were also in Da Nang during this pandemic and were also happy that the lock down ended. They took their kids to the beach and invited me out. I hopped on my motorcycle and happily scooted over.
Cold Beer and the Sun.
We went in the morning so the beach was relatively quiet. The crowds come out in the afternoon.
Quick nap, listening to the roar of the wavesI never thought I’d live in city that had palm trees and a beach.
After living in cold Canada and the North Eastern United States my whole life I never thought I’d end up in a city with a beach and palm trees. I always associated palm trees with tropical vacations and far away cities. Yet, here I am. Just a nine minute motorcycle ride from the beach. Strange how life works.
What! Now herding livestock. Well there goes my plans. I better tell my herd of livestock that our beach trip is cancelled.
That will be all for today folks. Next post I’ll write of visiting the battle site of Khe Sanh.
This post will start off, in media res, which means “in the middle of things”. My last post was about the visit to the little village in the highlands of Laos. This post will start with me leaving the village and my evening in Khe Sanh.
“The whole country of Laos is considered remote and I was visiting a semi-remote village I really felt like an explorer and adventurer doing this. I look forward to when I can return to this village again” is what I thought as I rode my motorcycle away. The kids lined the streets to give me a formal farewell.
On the way back I stopped by a pagoda that had a lovely view of the surrounding countryside. The young monks carried on in their duties, smiling at me as I walked about, not minding the strange foreign panda exploring their little pagoda. As usual, I felt an immense sense of calm and peace as I entered the pagoda. It helped reduce the sadness I felt from leaving the quaint little village.
The meditation area, which three statues of The Buddha front and center.Young monks attending to their duties.I tried to give meditation a try too. I think I’m doing it wrong.A view of the village and countryside.
After leaving the pagoda I returned to the border and got my passport stamped and my tourist visa extended for three months, and I returned to Khe Sanh.
After parking my bike at the hotel I decided to visit the martyrs cemetery. At this cemetery there are over 2,500 soldiers buried here. They were killed during the 7 month siege of the American base here. It was one of the bloodiest battles of the Vietnam War. The place was almost entirely empty and very quiet. I was sure to stay quiet as well, to show respect to the dead.
The tower, placed on the highest hill in the immediate area served as a tribute to the fallen.
Walking to the top of the hill I could see the town and the surrounding area. I could see why even the most powerful militaries in the world struggle to control the area. The numerous forests are covered in dense forest, perfect for secretly transporting men and supplies.
A view of the countryside and town.
I continued to explore the cemetery and found the graves.
Thousands of graves, neatly arranged each with a small bouquet of flowers. While I am no fan of communism I d respect these men for their courage and patriotism. I hope they rest in peace.I tried to snap a photo as the flags fluttered in the wind.
Upon departing the cemetery I wandered around the back streets of the town. A few local kids waved at me and shouted “Hello” as wandered. I responded back with “xin chao” which made the kids laugh. As I explored I found a few hills which gave for some nice landscape shots.
Between the two slanting hills you can see a small rice paddy. Photo taken in the cemetery
After getting some dinner I decided to return to my hotel room.
I finished the night by doing some relaxing embroidery. I’ll show you the completed project later.
Tomorrow I shall visit the old American base where the battle took place and then begin my long journey home.
The night before I had arrived in the town of Khe Sanh. The streets were packed that evening with the night market crowds and I had to weave my motorcycle through the crowd carefully before I finally found my hotel.
Getting the visa-on-arrival into Laos was a pretty straightforward process. I paid the fee in american dollars get the stamp on my visa. I was pulled over shortly before crossing the border by a Vietnamese border guard who wanted to admire my motorcycle after checking my passport I was finally able to enter Laos.
The plan was to turn around almost immediately and return to Vietnam but I felt an inexplicable urge to keep going, omens perhaps, and I was drawn into the simple but beautiful landscape of Laos. As I kept on riding, I kept thinking, “Ok I should turn around now” and then I would just keep on riding. Again, I would think “Ok maybe now I should turn around” and again I would keep riding. I felt drawn to explore this more remote side of an already remote country.
Eventually I came across a small ethnic minority village, the people were either van kieu or ka po, and it was a very poor village with little to no electricity and no running water. I was struck by the poverty of this little village and I could see a big difference between the quality of life in Vietnam and in Laos. I was quick to discover, however, that the people were not miserable.
I parked my motorcycle, took of my helmet, and began to wander around the village taking pictures. I saw the small little stilt houses that the villagers lived in.
There was no running water but there was a satellite dish.No satellite dish on this one. The locals were looking at me with confusion.
Eventually, word went around town of a strange new visitor and the children came running. The adults eyed me with confusion but the children were adorably friendly.
These two children followed me from one side of the village all the way to the other.
All the village children gathered by the side of the road and screamed “hello” in English and enthusiastically. Apparently I was the most exciting thing to happen to this village in a long time.
These children were preparing a special type of grass, common in this part of Laos to be exported to Vietnam to be made into brooms. After the children waved I gave them the “rock on” symbol and they started mimicking me. I accidentally taught them strange western hand symbols.
The next westerner to roll through is going to be so confused when the kids start giving him the “rock on” sign.
As soon as I got closer the girls got a little camera shy. Friendly children of remote Laos.
The adult were not as friendly but when I smiled and waved at them they became much more friendly. Eventually the time came and I decided it was time to return to Khe Sanh in Vietnam. Many of the children followed me back to my motorcycle and we waved each other good bye as I rode by.
I was smiling the entire ride back to my hotel. This was a genuine experience, this was real Laos. This was real South East Asia. I have never cared for famous sites like Big Ben or the Eiffel tower, I have always preferred to experience the authentic versions of the countries I visit and in that village I experienced the real and simply beautiful side of Laos. I was also kind of sad to be leaving.
I sure hope I left a good impression on this village, because the village left a good impression on me.
Hunter the Traveling Panda 