Forest lore

Before our whirlwind trip through Bangkok (actually the same day), we had trekked through a much slower world in Laos.

Our trek took us through a forest full of hidden treats and then a village to reach an ancient stupa where the Buddha himself is supposed to have rested. (Well, it is a long way from India....)

Thanks to the excellent ecotourism office in Savannakhet, we had both an enthusiastic English-speaking guide and a local guide whose charm and storytelling ability meant he barely needed translation.

Together, they showed us a few of the many secrets the locals know about Dong Na Tan, a forest that is protected from logging but that villagers can use.


Fire demo: dip a stick into this tree's clear and very flammable oil


Bamboo stakes for climbing up (up, up, up) to get honey; unfortunately only available in spring


Thirsty in the forest? You just have to know which liana to hack down and drink from


Sampling the other sugar cane

For the most part, our guides were trustworthy. At one point, though, they told us to bite into a vine that was very, very un-sweet. And oh how they laughed. Apparently it helps to treat or prevent malaria, so there is some redeeming value to that terrible bitter thing. How anyone ever figured that out, I cannot understand.

But when they brought out lunch, all was forgiven. It was an extraordinary spread. With plenty for the vegetarians.


From pickled greens to bamboo with chili and spice, to rice noodles to sticky rice... and more


An assortment of tomato, eggplant, and starfruit for spring rolls


This spring roll had pork rind; the veggie ones were even more appetizing


Note Marty's eyes, closed in glee

After lunch, our local guide told us the story of how the nearby lake got its name -- I seem not to remember it very well, probably because all my body's attention was focused on digestion. It involved a rich Thai man, a beautiful Lao woman, a sacred turtle that got killed and eaten, and finally, the sinking of the lake.

We thanked our guide for the story and then heaved ourselves up and continued hiking around the lake to reach Ban Tat village.


Work, wallow, the distinctions can get a little fuzzy in the mud of the rice field


Ban Tat's goodwill ambassadors


Making torches from the aforementioned tree oil


The finished product

Our last stop was a very old and sacred Buddhist stupa. People come from all over to worship here, and several Thai people were there burning incense as we circled the stupa.


Tat Ing Hang stupa

Tat Ing Hang has some rather strange carvings at its base, including what is perhaps an especially fierce three-headed naga (sea serpent) protecting a Buddha.


Rowr

On our ride back, bumping along in the back of a sawngthieu (a truck with benches in the back, standard Southeast Asian transportation), we gazed out at the rice fields and the setting sun.



It was a good last glimpse of Laos.