1bigblackblog

PAKSE


after two hours sleep and a trip by boat, foot, big and
small truck, and foot again i enjoy one of two reasons
to find myself in pakse

a large ceramic bowl of pho moo at makkys noodle shop

the pho is made in the old style with handmade rice
noodles, finely chopped green onion, bamboo shoot
and ginger. irregular cuts and textures of moo sit on
the noodles and small golden globules of grease glisten

you deeply inhale and hold the aroma for a moment

then with both hands bring the bowl to your lips
and sip slowly the best pho moo southwest of lao bao

renourished i continue by foot to the second and final
reason to be in pakse. the long new bridge over the
mighty mekong river. it is a gift from the people of
japan and a better beautiful day of pleasure cannot be
had than walking across it

after a short ride on motorcycle and a long one in a truck
i reach vangtao. i change kip to baht exit the country
and enter the next. there is a small line at immigration
the single official is pleasant and grandfatherly. he looks
at my documents looks at me and looks again at my papers

my last name begins with an " o ". the official says my
first name then " obama " and smiles