village life

Lao people are shy and reserved- take a drive two hours out of laid back little Luang Prabang and this is still true. Life in the dusty villages is very quiet and the people are obviously have very limited means- Laos is one of the poorest nations on earth. However, unlike other parts of Asia, they do not ask you for money and they live with quiet dignity in spite of the lack of basic resources like electricity, sanitation and running water. I did not see any beggars. They seem to be enterprising and many women at home embroider by hand- pieces of fabric to sell which the women wear as sarongs. They sell for relatively low prices considering the many hours of work that go into making them. Rural villages don't have schools - young children were playing happily together outside in the dusty outdoor areas.

The other Side

Booking a tour or cycling trip are some of the more popular things to do in Luang Prabang. I intended to see some of the villages, however I thought it might be interesting to explore by foot first. I was told that there were a few weaving workshops nearby. A bamboo foot bridge was the shortcut to a narrow dirt road which followed the river. I walked for about an hour - passing a woodcarver working on furniture outside a house on the way.

Wondering if I was ever going to get there as it was getting very hot and dusty, I finally saw the first of several workshops housing the weavers and their wares. Of course everyone wants you to go to their shop, and it is difficult to tactfully leave without buying! I settled on two runners from the last shop along the road, where a gorgeous rooster patrolled - one silk and one cotton woven in the traditional Lao style.

Luang Prabang

 Luang Prabang has a French colonial influence with a big dose of Buddhism. Plenty of young Laos men in saffron robes inhabit the village of wats (temples) for their tour of monk duty before going back to regular life, lending the place an air of purity. Being in the far north of the country, it is best to fly in as the roads are bad- from Hanoi, it was only 1 1/2 hrs flight. Luang Prabang is not big, just a couple of main streets lined with tour shops and relatively pricey restaurants. It comes alive with atmosphere at night when coloured lanterns light up the street and the huge night markets start selling food and local crafts.
Early mornings are serene when monks walk in single file down the road beside the Mekong river collecting food in bowls from the residents. Local restaurants high up on the banks of the Mekong offer an idyllic place to spend the cool of the morning drinking coffee, watching the river life of barges, boats and fishermen, reading and slowing right down, before the heat really sets in.

East Coast Blues Festival

Caught some great music at the Easter blues festival at Byron this week. Always a great lineup- something old, something new and always something to surprise when you least expect it. Bob Dylan was the headline act as befits a legend, along with some favourites- Michael Franti, Xavier Rudd- missed the great Elvis Costello who I heard was fabulous- loved the weirdly named  'A French Butler called Smith' complete with dreads and fuschia top hat! Wish I had seen Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks from Canada- another new one to me, she has a beautiful voice on their song 'Midnight in Harlem'. Gurrumul was there, a legendary Aboriginal singer receiving major interest overseas (he performs a spinetingling rendition of 'Every Breath you Take' with Sting.)  Australian indigenous talent is slow in getting the interest it deserves- just witness the amazing Torres Strait Islander dancer Albert David on the Street Warriors clip below.
Back in downtown West End I was watching a busker outside Coles supermarket 'from the communities up north' and asked him to come up to the centre where I work to share his natural infectious love of music. He got immediately involved and has got everyone singing for 'Uncle Bobs Talent Show'.

Street Warriors with amazing dancer

west end

On a scale of multiculturalism, Brisbane would rate 3/10, as opposed to say Sydney or Melbourne- whitebread. The two most diverse areas in Brisbane are Sunnybank- predominantly Asian, and inner city West End where a variety of cultures and Vietnamese, Chinese, Indian, Greek, and Italian restaurants all feature. This is where I work and I love to walk down Vulture Street past the colorful inhabitants and Greek grandpas to get my coffee every morning. West End owes a lot of it's eclecticism to a tribe of cool and groovy types, feral ecowarriors, Aboriginal people, the homeless and an assorted group of dispossessed souls known for having lively conversations with themselves.
Lately this group is on the decline due to rising rents and the rapid gentrification of the area and luxury unit development on the rivers edge, where until recently they used to gather. These are the people I have got to know and worked with over the last year, and the character of West End will change with their leaving. There is still however the fabulous Green Flea markets on the riverside every Saturday morning, a must go for a taste of the original West End.

brisbane- after the rain

Rosalie Village

Don't think I am going to work today. I drove down to the bottom of the hill this morning and had to turn back due to major flooding. It's a surreal day- sunny after seven days of straight rain, with flood warnings as the Brisbane River is rising to a high water level at 11am today and another when the tide rises early  tomorrow morning. Brisbane CBD is built around the river, and lots of houses in suburbs around or near the river banks will be inundated. It seems reminiscent of a warzone with sirens going and helicopters overhead. Furniture on backs of utes and vans goes past on the roads. Strangely, back home everyone is mowing their lawn..

Later that afternoon- click the pic to check the guys in the kayak and a bathtub!

byron bay

Byron Street, Bangalow

Barebones gallery

The image most people have of Byron Bay is a beachy/ hippie/ tourist town/backpacker haven. When someone says Byron, what they mean is any part of a large area of northern New South Wales- encompassing small towns, hinterland, farmland and coastline. The reality is that Byron is more a state of mind. The diverse, exotic community of people living here contributes to Byron's reputation for being a utopia of sorts. What attracts alternative minded people from all over the world to make the shire their home is the laid back vibe and close knit creative community giving the area a distinct bohemian feel. Many well known artists and musicians call this place home. Some play often at local venues - mantra songstress Deva Premal is one who performs locally as well as internationally, even at the request of the Dalai Lama.
 When I come down from Brisbane to stay with friends at beachside Suffolk Park- one of the best things is falling asleep to the sound of waves and waking to an early morning walk on the beach with the assortment of dogs, surfers and anyone else up early. I went recently for a performance by my friends Paul and Monique with several other local musos held at a lovely old church hall in Ewingsdale. A slideshow background was provided by artist Sean O'Shea -check out his videos for a peek at 'Yasgurs Farm' -Innocence. One of my favourite places to visit is the tiny town of Bangalow- full of funky shops and Barebones Art Space gallery. I couldn't resist buying a painting of dogs by local artist Birgit Henstorf. Another fave thing to do here is to catch the great market on the 4th Sunday of each month. Don't forget the legendary Byron Blues Festival at Easter- what a line up this year - BB King, Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello etc..... got my ticket!

Gayatri Mantra - Deva Premal