TripLekLek, the world as seen by a thai girl

admin June 26th, 2007

Savannakhet seams to me totally different from north places (Vientiane, Vang Vien or Lung Prabang) that I have visited before.
Some houses here look old but classic and some look modern and by the style show the nationality of the people owners (chinese, vietnamese or lao).

The city in the daytime is very quiet and people look so relaxed, maybe because it’s very hot.
In the evening time, many people come outside the houses and open the shops, such as noodle shop or baguette shop or soy bean milk shop.
Some restaurant open with a colourful of light but not as many as in Vientiane, Vang Vien or Luang Prabang.
One girl told me here there are only 3 places for young people to hang out.
Some people open a restaurant in the house and do home cooking.
I recommend to try to order deep fried spring roll in “Mama’s Kitchen”.
The house is a bit deep and difficult to find so please ask around, but it’s very close to the main road.

The evening it’s completely different with the day time..

The young ladies here wear a fashion dress as like short trousers, different from the north, where you still see often that the young ladies will wear a traditional skirt and a not too much modern style.
Some young girls disturb me and Luca when we walk pass, joking by singing a song loudly and looking at us.
Some young boy looking at us quickly, but often.

This is a different thing again that I can feel from the new generation here.
Not much greeting like “Sabay Dee”, I didn’t hear it as often as in Vang Vien or Lung Prabang.
I just hear it from old people or little boy and girls. It happens, but not everywhere we walking pass.

But when you buy food or go to the shop they always greeting “Sabai Dee (Hello)” and “Kop Jai (Thank You)” to you.
I don’t mean they are not polite, but I just feel something is missing compared to the north of Laos.

There may be a reason, maybe they are shy, but I hope this is not because they simply have forgotten it.

When it’s nearly 11 pm it’s like a rule here many shops close, but many young boy and girls go around with the motorbike, some is small groups and some in big groups.
They are not going back home yet and start to make noise by driving fast for competition and enjoyment.
It surprises me again because I never saw this in Vang Vien, Vientiane or Luang Prabang.

Tonight it’s quiet here in Savannakhet, it’s very different with my first night on yesterday.
I am a bit surprised because is less noisy from the motorbikes.
I have seen something like this in Bangkok when I went to work in the hotel on 4.30 am:
The streets were full with young boys driving the motorbike and the young girls behind doing speeding competition.

Today I had chance to talk with the owner of the guest house.
She explained to me about the traditional skirt, that they will wear it only when they go to the temple, school and go to work. This is like a rule.
I not see many now because the school is closed.

After she explained this to me, I was thinking and she made me realize how strong the modern life and ideas are coming to Savannakhet, with the new faster way by the bridge.

I don’t mean neighbouring countries made people change but the visitorse who come with different aims, different languages and a variety of nationality and with completely different cultures and views.
It’s like a sickness. If you know how to protect yourself it’s safe but if you don’t know how, it can make you weak.
I hope only one thing: that “money” will not be more powerful than the smile and the friendly heart that some people here giving it to me.

Sawasdee Kha

Lek

• My Travels , Laos