A Loss

Kurt Mattern

27. Dezember 1929 - 7. April 2016

We lost the head of our family, my father-in-law, peacefully, but sooner than we had expected.
He grew up in Langenau, Silesia, nowadays Poland. His character was influenced by the loss of his home and everything material after WWII, by flight and expulsion. Through hard work and diligent studies he became an engineer and found success and happiness with his family and his six grandchildren, in whose welfare he took vivid interest, recording details and family gatherings on picture and DVD, giving career and other advice and himself leading an exemplary life with his wife in a happy marriage of nearly sixty years, with modesty and dignity. He is sorely missed by all his family. 

The Caves of Pak Ou on the Mekong, Laos

The Mekong provides the livelihood for very many families in Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. An interesting essay in the "Economist" (Febr. 13, 2016 http://www.economist.com/news/essays/21689225-can-one-world-s-great-waterways-survive-its-development) highlights the problems of this river whose spring is across the border in the Chinese mountains north of Laos. 

From Luang Prabang it is a short boat ride upstream to the caves of Pak Ou on the steep banks of the Mekong river. Pak Ou has been a worshipping site for centuries. 

The caves consist of two accessible rooms, one hidden up on the mountainside and one visible from the boat. Both are decorated with a multitude of Buddha statues. 

lower cave

                  

  The upper cave is very dark but well worth the climb.

On the way to the caves, tourist boats routinely stop at a place called "whiskey village". Here, locals create their own rather gruesome concoctions involving dried scorpions and small cobras supposed to help predominantly the male half of the human race ... no one wanted to try . 

Luang Prabang - the Golden Wats

At the foot of Mount Phousi lies the National Museum in the former Royal Palace where the Laotian Royal family lived until 1975.

Three-headed elephants and the cobra symbols , same as in neighboring Cambodia, in Angkor Wat.

the royal gas station, out of order since 1975

Luang Prabang has many temples called Wats. Most are elaborately decorated with gold leaf, mosaics and carvings and house Buddha statues.  The large and beautiful Wat Mai is next to the National Museum. 

Wat Mai is centrally located and can be entered from the Night Market Road in the evening to watch and listen to the monks chanting. It is decorated with hundreds of Buddha statues.  

a beloved head monk in gold

There were 20 Wats on our map. Slowly wandering through the streets of the town, one comes across many more small temples in hidden corners. The town occupies a small area, easily negotiably on foot, probably no more than a square kilometer. 

Buddha can be female.

                                               Under the golden ashoka tree 

a depiction of hell ...

the Tree of Life

A couple in formal wedding dress paid their homage at a temple.

Luang Prabang is famous for its alms giving ceremony. Early in the morning at 5.30 a.m. the monks leave the monasteries to go out and collect alms. They walk through the streets silently - watched and photographed by hordes of tourists like myself - and collect their breakfast and lunch in large bowls. Locals, but also many tourists, sit on the sidewalks with little bits of sticky rice and other stuff, that they place in the proffered bowls. It is a strange custom - imagine you have to eat bits of cold sticky rice that dozens of hands have touched. I have seen Chinese tourists putting small parcels still wrapped in plastic with instant noodle soup into the bowls... 

Plant of the Month : Cornus mas

Cornus mas (cornel cherry or dogwood tree, unrelated to the common cherry tree) is a small tree which flowers starting in February all through March for several long weeks. It is the first yellow colour to light up our garden, a fine pale yellow, before the forsythias start to unfold their bright yellows. 

 the spiky flowers

Here Cornus mas flowers behind Camellia Dr Burnside  which shows big buds already and will come into flower next month. Above,  last year's red hips of the Rambling Rector spread; it will flower in June. In autumn the "Kornelkirsche" will display small red cherry-like fruits. Fruits are edible but sour and mostly used cooked for preserves.