nam ngum (ນ້ຳງືມ) lake/reservoir, vientiane

Nam Ngum Reservoir is the largest water impoundment in Laos; it was created in 1971 by the construction of a dam 75m in height across the Nam Ngum River, about three km upstream from its confluence with the Nam Lik. The reservoir was conceived primarily for the production of hydro-electric power and flood control. It is fed by five rivers, the Nam Ngum, Nam Sane, Nam Ke, Nam Pat and Nam Xi, and many smaller streams rising in the surrounding hills. It overflows into the Nam Ngum River which joins the Mekong River about 60 km to the southeast. The impoundment created numerous small islands in five major island groups varying in size from about 75 ha to 500 ha. The timber was not removed from the basin before the closure of the dam and so the entire water surface is dotted with emergent dead trees. (Source: ARCBC)






The lake is situated about 80km to the North of Vientiane. The beautiful scenery over the Nam Ngum river and its green valley is enhanced by the presence of a vast, spectacular lake. This is a man-made reservoir of an hydroelectric power dam, generating most of the electricity sold to Thailand. The forests with a big variety of woods is still there on the thousands of islands dotting the lake. It is a rewarding experience to cruise around by motor-boat or spend the day or the week-end at the many bungalows or on the "floating restaurant boat" to enjoy the picturesque scenes of water, island, forests and charming fishing-villages. (Source: NTALao)

as night nears by the blue mosque

as night nears by the blue mosque
i hear what seems
like chanting to my ears
or singing
or praying
that only the heavens could
understandingly hear

as night nears
i see myself
invited to converge
with the chanting
and singing
and praying

to the heavens above the blue mosque
i find myself raised
and bathed in red.

ifugao

when the dogs eat you alive

i was told
no matter how much you believe in the nobility of what you do
never put your whole heart, your whole soul
lest you get burned
and end that the passion and energy you invested
get sucked
and lost
in one big black hole

i never wanted to believe
until it saw me through

(and told another time
when the world does not wish to invest in its member
but seeks to entertain another
it's better to get away
before your passion and energy you invested
end up sucked
and lost
in one big black hole)

that is
when the dogs you work for try to eat you alive

from rubbles to a giant spider

part of the house has been in rubbles for almost a week.





from the rubbles, out came a giant spider that surfed through the room and silently disappeared.





now back to the work i am finishing.

from pakse to vientiane: saravane/khammouane roads

from the first point i made my first step, the dust swamped the humid air.


















i was told, take the short road to comfort,








but life said, long roads may take men and women nowhere and anywhere,






lost and beaten, tired and weighed, long roads take you to me






and the comfort of knowing you have me.

i lost sleep

i lost sleep five times today
and three times last night.
i could have but i did not
and she has traveled almost
three or five hours away.

i rushed to catch her at twelve
but caught myself doing something else.
i tried again at one and came two
and by four but, she slipped past me
not thrice or four but five times more.

i lost sleep just now a sixth time
since i am still a-----writing,
hopeful, in the last three or four
or even five words more ~
before
sleep
tries
running







again.

locusts and hoppers

lotus

e-tu

one has to die to see the way the fog clears.
























but once in a while we have to live again to realize the fog has cleared.