Of cars, coolie hats and French dinners

Vientiane is the home of some of the most obscure car names I have seen. Amid the Hyundais, the Toyotas and the Mitsubishis are the eurekas (That's what I'm calling most of the brand names I've never heard of before as my Lao reading is even more dismal than my Lao speaking, unfortunately. The curlicues are gorgeous, but confounding. I will keep trying.) and the Kalaos. Kalaos, especially, are popular. They come mostly in Ford Ranger compact pick-up style. Po says they are broken down in Thailand or Korea and shipped to Laos where they are reassembled to avoid heavy taxation.

I was walking to the office to check the state of the intermittent internet when I realized it was really hot and sunny. This is not unusual, but after a week of rain and cooler temperatures as devastating Typhoon Ketsana plowed through on its way to oblivion, 31 degrees centigrade caught me without my umbrella for shade. Bingo. I found a coolie hat in one of the shops I was passing. "Ha pan kip," she said, and seventy-five cents sounded reasonable to me. She asked if I wanted a tie on my hat. I couldn't prove this verbally, but her sign language was, luckily, as excellent as her Lao and I smiled as I tucked the tie under my chin and was on my way, head and neck now protected from the penetrating rays.

A week ago I needed to talk with Po and said I'd treat him to a meal in exchange for a consultation. He could even drive. (He drives like my Dad, so those of you who knew and loved my Dad know my putting myself in his car was an act of faith.) We ended up in central Vientiane, where the foreigners live and hang out and I nervously checked my kip supply as he dropped me at a French restaurant and looked for a place to park. I needn't have worried. After a lovely meal of pasta pesto with basil sauce and nuts for each of us, I was out 60,000k ($7 US). I was going to leave the change from the bill as a tip. Po explained that was far too much and asked, "What do you have?" I said, "I have everything," meaning I had a smattering of Lao kip in every denomination (about $20 worth). He looked at me oddly, then got my meaning and told me what was appropriate. It was only later I realized the scope of my statement and just how true it was.

Note: I have not been able to access yahoo for awhile, so if you've mailed me or if I owe you a note, please know how much I appreciate you. I'm hoping it's just a matter of good things coming to those who wait. Your comments, written and not, are manna to my soul.