Discovering the Spirit of Laos

Among the many suggestions on how to spend time constructively while you are forced to stay locked indoors, one is to rethink, relive a journey and what made it special.

I visited Laos in 2018, and I would like to bring out the memories as they are, letting them flow like a river, a waterfall. Like the water that has so much marked this experience.

I remember that while reading 'Lonely Planet - Laos' in preparation for departure, what struck me most was a statement about a characteristic of the Laotians, the 'móoan', translated into 'fun'. Theravada Buddhism, practiced by most people in Laos, emphasizes detachment from human passions, and karma - more than devotion, prayer or hard work - determines one's fate in life. Following this principle, Laotian people tend not to worry too much about the future and to feel sorry for those who "think too much". Avoiding any excessive psychological stress remains a cultural norm. Unless an activity contains an element of "móoan", or ‘fun’, it will probably lead to stress.

Once arrived in Laos with my travel companions, Nunzia and Patty, I prepared myself to witness how the concept of 'móoan' was put into practice.

Our first destination is Vientiane, the capital, where the most incongruous spectacle is the Patuxai monument. It is a replica of the Arc de Triomphe with typical Laotian features and commemorates the soldiers who died during the war of independence from France and the previous invaders, Siam and Japan. The peculiarities of this monument are the external decorations, which present both Buddhist religious symbols such as lotus leaves and stupa-shaped towers, and animist statues of kinnari (half-female, half-bird figures) and nāga (snakes with 'superpowers'). It was worth climbing to the top via a narrow staircase to enjoy the view and admire the city from there, the well-kept gardens, the fountains, the tourists posing for a photo.

In Vientiane, in addition to other Buddhist temples (known in Asia as wat) with sloping roofs and golden decorations, we visit Wat Si Saket, the oldest temple, characterized by a large veranda with heavy columns, an ornate and protruding roof, and carved wooden porches. While we examine its ancient and even somewhat decadent structure as we walk in the large courtyard, golden nāga observe us with threatening looks from the corners of the roof, reminding us that, thanks to magical powers, they can take on a human appearance. But we feel protected. The cloister and the central building of the temple, called ‘sim’ in Laotian, have been transformed into a museum that houses thousands of statues of Buddha, the oldest of which date back to the sixteenth century. They showcase various mudras or hand positions. We walk clockwise around the sim, under the silent shadow of the porch. This practice is a form of respect, besides the fact that for the Buddhist religion the circumambulation (from the Latin circumambulatio) of a stupa, temple or sacred place, purifies negative karma and promotes the realization of the path to enlightenment.

We opted to arrive in Luang Prabang by car, traveling from south to north to enjoy the verdant landscape, explore the markets offering various local specialties (including a wide selection of fried insects), and make a day stop at Vang Vieng. For the impressive limestone mountains reflected in the river and rice paddies, this town reminds me of Yangshou, in the Guanxi region of China. But here, unlike Yangshou, tourism is not particularly developed, and walking through the deserted streets the general feeling is of calm and quiet.

Finally, we arrive in Luang Prabang (which a UNESCO World Heritage Site), for us the highlight of the holiday, especially for its being smaller and cosier compared to Bangkok or other Asian metropolises, and for its charm. You can feel something elegant and refined while walking through the pleasant streets and alleys of the city. Perhaps it is because, although the monarchy of Luang Prabang - over the centuries - had to bend to the will of the Siamese, Burmese and Vietnamese and later accept the French protectorate, the city managed to avoid the Japanese invasion and the American bombardments during the Indochinese wars, thus keeping its splendour intact.

And it is in the National Museum (also known as "Haw Kham" or "Golden Hall"), which was once the Royal Palace, where we get a glimpse of that time in history when this small nation was a monarchy. Many are the objects on display, including the elaborate and also odd gifts donated by the foreign statesmen. The gardens, which house various buildings and statues, are manicured. However, we remain open-mouthed in front of the beautiful and golden Haw Pha Bang temple, which we photograph from different angles, attracting the curiosity of a group of local students. With some courage, they ask us to practice English with them while we take part in a survey...and later we take several pictures with them.

Most of the city life takes place in the old part of the town, between the night market, colonial buildings, trendy restaurants and bars, beautiful local craft shops and temples. These are not always immediately visible but are hidden among palm, mango and frangipani trees, inside courtyards where young monks wander smiling, always intrigued by the presence of foreigners. Wat Xieng Tong, ("Golden City" or "Golden Tree Monastery") is the most significant and impressive of the many wats of Luang Prabang, for its rich interior and exterior decoration, and consists of more than twenty buildings. Walking through the chapels and pavilions in the gardens full of flowers, ornamental shrubs and trees, we get to the magnificent sim, of which the outer wall is decorated with a large and beautiful mosaic of the tree of life.

After slow navigation, we arrive at the Pak Ou Caves, which are dug into a steep rocky wall. Once we climb a ladder, we are in the semi-darkness, in front of thousands of Buddha statues of different sizes, shapes, and materials.

They are old, new, intact or chipped, but all offer comfort to the faithful pilgrims. The spirals of smoke rise from small pyramids made of banana leaves that contain incense sticks. They fill the cave, enveloping the yellow necklaces of calendula flowers that decorate the statues. The worshippers prostrate themselves in front of the Buddhas, indifferent to the noisy crackling of the little fishermen's boats gliding on the river. Meanwhile, in a religious silence, we spy this slow unfolding of life happening inside and outside the cave, dazed by the smoke of the incense and the heavy fog awaiting us.

To regenerate ourselves, we take a drive of about an hour from Luang Prabang and have the chance to appreciate a heavenly corner of Laotian nature. Entering a forest path, we arrive at the Kuang Si waterfalls, which fall from the dense jungle on perfectly sculpted limestone steps, ending up in pools of various sizes. The water is very clear, and thanks to its high mineral content, it has a turquoise-milky hue, which shimmers with a golden glow as soon as it is touched by the sunrays.

Despite the presence of tourists, it is not difficult to find a small pool where we can cool off quietly, have a swim, rest on a tree branch and enjoy the rhythmic sound of waterfalls accompanied by the chirping of cicadas before jumping in the water again. Proceeding later along the path, we find ourselves on a wooden walkway from which it is possible to enjoy the most impressive waterfalls, which have a fall of fifty meters. It’s a breath-taking view. It’s inevitable to take some souvenir pictures in this beautiful dream location.

When we return to Luang Prabang, we get back to reality. Water is thrown at us copiously: sprayed by water pistols, thrown in buckets, even from inflatable pools loaded on trucks. We are soaked but happy and rush into the car, proceeding at a walking pace along the riverside populated by the crowd. We pass by children, boys, men, and women of all ages, their faces painted red. They stand alone or in groups wearing the same T-shirts, all happy and smiling because they finally have the opportunity to celebrate Bun Pi Mai, the New Year's Eve in Laos, dancing, singing, playing, dressing up, getting soaked as much as they can.

The Bun Pi Mai marks the passage of the sun from the Pisces zodiac sign to Aries. The spirit of the old year leaves and a new one arrives. The celebrations don't stop with water balloons and buckets of water, as a good luck charm, but also include a parade and celebrations at the temples.

We waited a few days, but finally the "móoan", the spirit of fun and joy, permeates the whole city. It slips over our wet skin washing away the tiredness, the heavy fog, the ashes, the fragrance of incense that penetrated our hair, and everything we wish could leave together with the old year. I think that, given the situation in which the world is, the next Bun Pi Mai will be among the most memorable ones.

Link to the article in Italian, published in ‘Ciao Magazine’ here