Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Lifestyle
A typical day in the Mekong region starts early. Country folk tend to rise before dawn,
woken by the cry of cockerels and keen to get the most out of the day before the sun heats
up. This habit has spilled over into the towns and cities and many urban dwellers rise at the
crack of dawn for a quick jog, a game of badminton or some tai chi moves. Breakfast
comes in many flavours, but Chinese congee (rice soup) and noodle soups are universally
popular.
Food is almost as important as family in this part of the world and that is saying
something. Long lunch breaks are common (and common sense, as they avoid the hottest
part of the day). The working day winds down for some around 5pm and the family will try
to come together for dinner and trade tales about their day. Traditionally, life in the Mekong
region has revolved around family, fields and faith, the rhythm of rural existence continu-
ing for centuries. For the majority of the population still living in the countryside, these
constants have remained unchanged, with several generations sharing the same roof, the
same rice and the same religion.
But in recent decades these rhythms have been jarred by war and ideology, as peasants
were dragged from all they held dear to fight in civil wars, or were herded into cooperat-
ives as communism tried to assert itself as the moral and social beacon in the lives of the
people. But Buddhism is back and for many older Mekong residents the temple or pagoda
remains an important pillar in their lives. Traditionally rural agrarian societies, the race is
on for the move to the cities. Thailand experienced the growing pains first, and now Cam-
bodia, Laos and Vietnam are witnessing a tremendous shift in the balance of population, as
increasing numbers of young people desert the fields in search of those mythical streets
paved with gold or, more commonly, jammed with motorbikes.
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