Phoenix from the Flames

The one major thing I had wanted to do when I got into town was hop straight in a Tuk Tuk and head to Wat Sok Pa Luang which was a forest temple where they served tea, had herbal sauna’s and you got massages to the sounds of monks chanting in the grounds. It had sounded like my ideal scenario. Once I arrived the place was really as beautiful as I had imagined. The down side came as soon as I asked directions for the massage and was greeted with smirks and shakes of the head. Turns out that the building in which they performed their miracle healing had burned down several months before hand. Burned Down! I didn’t believe them at first and went on the hunt for it, I was convinced I’d gotten the wrong end of the stick until I came face to face with the mound of scorched wood. I was devastated – not only had my ideal place burned to the ground but the Tuk Tuk driver hadn’t felt the need to mention it to me, he just smiled and took my money. What else would he have done? I was so angry that I walked the 3kms back to town on principal. However, as I was going for a massage I hadn’t put on any sun-cream. In fact which I had overlooked in my anger so after a 40 minute stomp I was thoroughly burned. I was livid – on many levels. So to calm myself down I went for a massage at the first place I spotted – which was below average unfortunately and as it was a Traditional Laos massage the used talcum powder instead of oil and you can imagine how that felt on top of sunburn. I then prompted went back to my guesthouse for a nap and found that my bed was predominantly made up of springs rather than cushion – I needed to restart the day so I persisted and eventually went to sleep.

When I arose I felt slightly better and less harassed. I had a shower, doused myself in after-sun and hit the streets. I first went to check out the food market, on route there I saw a mass of men standing and being quite rowdy on a corner. I have to say it put the fear of god into me. But I decided not to let fear dictate where I went so I trudged on and was greeted but a very familiar sight. They were all playing boules! I forgot how French this place really was. Plus they were getting really into it. I stayed to watch for a while but it seemed to be a male only sport so I left them to it. When I found the market it was shamefully small so I abandoned the idea headed for the river to see if there were any food stalls there. But what I found was so much more!!!

Not only was there a night market selling food and clothes but also a mass exercise class happening right on the river front. Mainly women but all in orange t-shirts stepping and kicking in time to the throated noises coming from the instructor and they were good too. There must have been about 200 of them in total grooving to Asian Dance music while shoppers meandered around them. Very surreal. 

I dined in sight of them to truly take it all in and then headed home to book the bus for the next morning. On my way back I saw a couple of rich looking locals in Halloween outfits all rushing ghoulishly in the same direction. I then realised that it was in fact Hallows Eve in England but so strange to see it being celebrated over here. ‘Must just be for the tourists?’ But it wasn’t, I turned the corner in a more modern section of the town to find a whole open air bar full of locals all in costume. There was a stage at one side and a very professional MC seemed to be calling people with especially good costumes out of the crowds and onto the stage to everyone’s delight and amusement. I watched for a few minutes trying to figure out what was going on but it was no good. So I continued home and quickly to bed.

Goodnight

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