I am back in Nong Khiaw after a great 3 day 2 night excursion. On Wednesday night we hiked to the top of one of the highest view points in Nong Khiaw. It was a 2 hour hike where we climbed elevation pretty quickly. There were about 20 people in the entire group. The majority of people were either British or Dutch. The tour started at 13:30 and we arrived to the viewpoint around 16:00. At the top I read some of my book and we enjoyed a pretty nice sunset while overlooking the town. At night we made a camp fire and camped in tents. It was one of the most uncomfortable nights of sleep of my life. At first I was cold and then I was hot. I slept on my side for 30 minutes then my hip hurt so bad I had to switch to the other side. I tossed and turned all night. In the morning we awoke to watch the sunrise which was nice, but not amazing. It was advertised you would wake to a "sea of clouds" covering the mountains but it was not the right conditions Thursday morning. After watching the sunrise we hiked downhill to the town. From there, the majority of the group left as they only booked a one night excursion. 8 total people remained to carry on to the next day. It was all Dutch people and one other American. Thursday was a great day where we trekked to a waterfall, went deep into a cave, and went to a remote village, Sopchem, for a homestay. The homestay was absolutely the best part of the trip. The village has a singular dirt road where everyone lives off of. This dirt road is lined with women selling scarves and tote bags. It is known as a "weaving village" due to the many women selling their handmade scarves and goods. Around the campfire at night one of the Dutch guys on the trip proposed we join the locals in drinking which we saw down the street. I immediately said yes because I am all for those types of immersive cultural experiences. Me and two dutch guys walked down the dirt road at night barefoot to ask the locals to join them in drinking BeerLao and Lao Lao whiskey. The locals did not speak a lick of English but we got by through gesticulation. They gladly welcomed us and we laughed and shared some drinks. After about five minutes they made a gesture of wrapping something around our wrist and sent us inside the house. Inside there were about 15 Lao women sitting and eating. Immediately they welcome us and start putting on white cloth strings around our wrists. We had no ideas what was happening but went with the experience. They did not just put one cloth string on my wrist but about 20! My wrists were full. They were saying prayers over us. I guessed this was some kind of Buddhist ritual but had no idea still. I donated some money to the elderly woman by tying 100,000 kip around her wrist. Inside we all laughed and enjoyed. The first thing I immediately noticed was how the old women seemed so energetic, healthy, and alive. In the US I associate elderly people with low energy but these women were smiling and so alive! It was so nice to see them enjoying life. In their small village they just weave all day and enjoy community. They really do seem happier and healthier than the elderly population in the west. Also inside the home there were many kids running about even though it was close to 2200. They were so cute and playful! After we spent a good 30 minutes inside with the women we returned outside to drink with the men. The separation of women and men reminded me of an orthodox jewish gathering. Outside we did a couple shots with the locals and continued to laugh and gesticulate without language. It is amazing to me how much connection can occur with no language whatsoever. On the flip side language is so powerful. After returning to wifi on Friday afternoon I looked up what the white bracelet ceremony was. It was a ceremony called "Baci". This is a traditional Lao ritual to restore spiritual balance and well-being. The ceremony is deeply rooted in animist and Buddhist beliefs and is performed for various occasions like: welcoming travelers, new beginnings, special events. Since it was just recently Chinese new year I think this is what the celebration was for. The white cotton strings symbolize purity, protection, and good fortune. The strings are meant to keep your "Kwan" (soul energy) in place, ensuring harmony and good luck. Animism is the belief that everything in nature has a spirit and must be respected. Although Theravada Buddhism is the main religion in Laos, it blends with animist traditions. It was such a cool experience to really be in the local village and see their traditions in action. The people were so warm, welcoming and lovely. I strive to emulate this hospitality and love of life.
