Of the meat home is the longest river in south east asia. The it boast rich by diversity and breathtaking wilderness. The river originates in the 2 beds and plan to induce over 4300 kilometers long. The, the face of the river is ever changing at points, it flows slowly through tropical landscapes and others. It plunges through steep. Gorgeous, meet home is the lifeline of south east asia. Its a transport route and millions of people bringing work and food to many countries. It flows from china threw me on my louse thailand to cambodia and vietnam to the south china sea. Its one of the longest rivers in the wells. The were on a journey through northern allows us to explore the landscapes and experience the laid back laotian way of life. First time in a small village on the meek, on river lives 50 year old sucka. Twice a day, he takes his whole fishing boat out onto the river of a 1200 different species of fish live in the me call, making it one of the most species rich imminent walters on the us. So ive been fishing here for over 20 years now. I moved to the village as a young man to live with my wife. I learned how to fish from the old man in the village. How long fishing is, know my main source of income loss. I also work as a teacher at the Elementary School in the village. Its like an item publishing is what i like to do the most. So i love the river so i can always add a little extra. Yeah. So, but just have to keep took what i really recently soccer has needed. Lots of patients. A big catch is read these days, but hes still in high spirits. Thought well i know its the most efficient and unfortunately this is no time comment because of dams signed mining and climate change. Fish populations have been declining in the me call the for as you can see, where im going to move to. And its been more difficult to catch fish lazy because the river and the weather. Ive changed a lot how you can come by the fish somehow seem to move different even they used to come over here. I dont understand whats happened with that hope i knew how like the how they didnt put well, but now im gonna keep that on the a bit. Sika has another fishing net that he put out this morning. He attached the net to plastic bottles, so it doesnt sink and he can easily find it again. The fishing was that its such a gray feeling when you catch a big fish in the field and my home at the end of the day like highlight, were going out of in the night of the night or anything. And if it doesnt mean the money we own from selling the fish and the market is important to begin to, even if its not much. So to me it was, it was the, theres nothing big in this naturally to, but hes called a few small fish, which will be enough to feed his family tonight. The shop 12345. Theyve all prepared this fish tonight for me and my family will grow with them and even with sticky rice and so on. Hancock. And well have some rice whiskey as well. That goes perfectly with the fish. And they live at like a car. They keep this soccer lives with his wife not far from the river. Like the majority of lotions he lives in the country side. It is self sufficient that the countrys population is under 15 years old. Soccer also has to go into the land by that by his 1st slice, the fate of my plan for them and then put them on skews and verify from the the fish has them left to dry a little in the sun before he fries it in oil its a traditional, inexpensive loud dish, fresh from the me call. The house is located in the heart of southeast asia, a relatively small country about hoff this size upfront compared to its more developed neighbors, thailand and vietnam. Now is more rustic unless touristy. Its a country state in ancient tradition and known for its relaxed vegetative way of life. In the mountains is North Atlanta lines. The tranquil city of lou on prevent many call it the most beautiful city in asia, the new and preventing use the former seat at the royal family. And now a unesco wild heritage sites. The city has a population of about 70000. 00, that historical town is known for its unique tom and architecture. The as the evening falls, the 9th small k to low on providing stuff to lights. And its not any popular with the local the, theres a huge variety of dont offer. Its a piece but the census the for the equivalent to 0. 50, joyce, and its laotian, soups and meets people. Phenomena leaves me most. The most popular thing we sell is dave honey, its seaweed from the me call. Ive been working here for 10 years now in the 2nd generation. My parents also so the puddle. And a storm neva v like palm has also been working at the night market for many years. I sell water buffalo meetings like a pork with gar laker, copper line. Sometimes its eating with sesame. We fried the water buffalo with bamboo and serve it with sticky rice, the meat taste. Sweet consulting. Here. During the pandemic, ben, i pon, had to get creative. That was an easy during the corona virus pandemic. I tried selling online instead. Luckily i was able to sell a lot on facebook during that time, so it worked out quite well. A little further on co not make soups to order from a selection of vegetables, mushrooms, sausage, and toughest. Ive only been selling here for 5 weeks. Well, i also sell online from home to the loan, but i wanted to test the market to see if it would work here to 36 year old kona is now the market every night from 5 to 11 pm. Shes happy so far into fresh soups, selling well, the, the monkey just bouncing late into the night. If you stay up late enough, theres something completely different to see. Come early morning, the the long provide religion to times the read them the for the city at 4 am amongst begin the morning proud concert on the moon, the monks and the temple chomp every day to honor that the, to the buddha. That sean thing is a form of meditation for the mind and body and teachers, the monks to become better people try to get into by the delay and go on there. Why . How many parents wont last summer to try and become monkish . What for maybe many owned them and also months of experience divided among the who civic. Come, how some of the off to the pratt some that and hundreds of other monks walked silently to the old town to the arms, giving cetera many gold tack. Bought an ancient buddhist ritual. As a Buddhist Monk working for money is so they didnt. So the monks receive food donations from devout bodies every morning. For them its an honor to night. It increases that chance of a better reincarnation. Traditionally old monks was baffled in the summer when it sometimes reaches over 40 degrees celsius during the day are allowed to wear sandals. America we come here every day to give them some food except one were so good now. Um, what a man the countrys traditional spirituality is becoming increasingly entwined with tourism and the ritual of the monks has at times become a tourist spectacle every one born. So sophie, with a month gone recently, weve had some problems with the tourists because they dont behave respectfully in the to its sometimes get to know why die. Play, take lots of photos and thats the last with the flash one month, which really disturbs the home ceremony. What type of deal whats one of the donations they received during the arms giving include rice skews pumpkin soup sausages. Lamb steamed violets and stained fish in been on any months, remain silent. Even during breakfast, a particular challenge for the children, the boys can join the monastery at the age of 10. Many families from the region enter that children into the monastery, so they can run from the months on the phone and couldnt come aboard for a gun success. For me, you got some children wants in education, but the families come to fault. The School Feeling comes on here at the time when we teach subjects like english and math. This is a great opportunity for young people to learn. But those older people who have no family will feel lonely. Come to us to find peace more clear and i see with 15, but the by the time i teach as a little by while for young monks go off to school. Some that takes care of public relations. Digitize ation even has a place at the buddhist monastery these days. The monk regularly live streams is brands and meditations on his facebook page. If some people dont come here with the saw, the pick you, oh it is interesting. I want to participate this and i want to be to happy life and, and then he can come this look the picture. So we have to use multiple by 4. Thats why theres no cell phone band in the temple of flu lang prevents the. There are more than 7000000 people in mouse who belong to lots of different ethnic groups. The government divides, the inhabitants into 3 regional groups. The highlands allow sions who lives in the mountains to help people, to move on the mountain slopes. And the lowlands allow sions to make up the knowledge is sham of the population. Almost 2 thirds of all nations live from agriculture. Many from rice conservation to staple food in lotion quickly. But thats still the only reason. Fama den tank grows rice. The 23 year old also gives rice workshops for taurus to prepare the ground for rice conservation. 10 must take off the muddy soil and hes helped by susan the wants of buffalo rice panos. Theyve been doing this for hundreds of years. Ready ready some pharma who stained some place very 5 a. They have no money to buy the machine thing or track the day they used to own buffalo because normally one family to be found very little for the family to eat. So they dont need the machine, the price is one of the worlds most important food crumbs and tories so keen to learn about a den welcomes gases from all over the world. Today from new zealand, single poll from germany, and the see the from last. How this last crop. So we want to plan the seat today. Anyone you ready . Normally i was born in the assembly of the family. So when i was young, i followed my parents to to feel this. And then we just learned by looking or see how to do scan started working on the psalm at age 14. We also went to school here, but completed his High School Diploma in the city. Now hes back on the farm, growing rice and showing taurus surround aerobic. If you terminated, they see the root, very long roads. When de we denied and it bit it grow very easily. Yeah, you can see for additional rice conservation involves a lot of manual labor. When the rice ponds, so one month old that move to the fields where they have more space to ro, attempt to present weeds, centuries help to redone them, the the only 3 finger. So if you put the whole hand, itd be close. So you have to put only 3 finger, stick it to the amount that is. Yeah. Just make sure you arises standing nicely. To grow, right . The traditional way. You have to put your back into it. The this from here they quit lucky this the, and the waterfall. They can go rise all year around. But normally for a local farmer, they do only 2 times a year, each the sickle loose and as you hold it is it takes 4 to 5 months for the rice pounds. The rankin harvesting the stage is also hard work. The tiny rice cranes all hayton at the top of the stokes and need to be removed from the panels. Traditional farmers thrash their rice by hand. They look different and turn this up. They dont put it forward the binds, grab it around, its not easy as the tourists quickly find out the, you know, week for a family of 4 or 5 people about 20 to 30 kilograms. If you want to cook stick or right, thats one bag of rice per week. The allow sions use it to make that sticky right. Before you called it, you will have to sell your rice into water 1st. So you have to soak, you just have a rice, you put it to the normal water, clean and threatened to what out put new water in and leave the rise there for one day or one night. So that is maximum, but minimum is 2 hours. The grains of sticky rice glue together and separate again when they come into contact with a song a tough job for, for a bow live right. Uh the. Ready the, the me calling with a storms 800 kilometers of the border between thailand and laos and theyre all visible differences between the 2 sides. While on the ty site, there are lots of mountain buildings. On the laotian side, there is small traditional villages surrounded by nature. There are also a few tories by sailing on the me call. The one is the captain of a small crew ship. The 72 year old is off and on the river for many weeks. But all the people dont like calling this my life. Ive been working on the me calling since i was 17 years old. Really . I mean, and i was just a bridge where i work hung up, then i have for jan rice, so i dont have to leave the bridge during the journey close to like on the bed and ive been and this is my buddhist train. The guards, me, im blessed as me with good fortune when i travel i dont hold on one of them. And this is where i sleep for of a sleep here, equal to captains, a mechanic, i have to make a trunks engineer. I mean, they just sometimes on board . No, no, the tech sounds like the energies doing a cargo, but with the transported goods. Are you . My father showed me every rock and every wrap it to watch. I mean, thats why im an expert to data like top down, give me put you juan still has to take tons with another captain. There are parts of the river. He doesnt know that well that go, how would it be here . They would learn the route from right from back to the mtm for my father, and i bought the alaska. If you want to seal here, youd have to study the route for 5 to 10 years. So you can try, but it takes time. Sometimes the id is dont time today for the taurus to both the me count some for this go on must kathy moore, his ship on the on page Charles Klein also now this difficult maneuver from his father. The chef. The noise is responsible for the catering of the 28. 00 tourists on board. The 33 year old wants to use the trip a show to go shopping at the market. That sort of thing to me do me sit tight. Ive been working on the ship for 17. Yeah. Someone who im now the head shack of a 3 member Kitchen Table ive had with a lot of i thought on that you have a lot video. Okay. The, the noise off and on the boat for several weeks. He really sees these little doors at the end. But its a sacrifice hes learned to live with. Being a chef with his dream job since he has 10 years old. Being 5, i always likes to cook. I dont think i especially dont, can fish just like i told i dont mind whole today. Li, noise menu features a traditional laotian soup. And for this he needs lots of fresh vegetables, plus some salad and fruit. Everything is fresh and local even the contains on the grill, which leroy enjoys has a mid day snack. The currency here is allow kemp. 10 euros is the equivalent of over 180000 kemp. You can often paying dollars all the time, bob, 10. 00 as well. Rectangle for the height and well take some beam waving to us. Can i get 3 bundles for 10000 . Think im lumina as well, but ill give you 2 for 10000 comes up. Do you still have them in dependent but yeah, i have some back here, especially harvested yesterday. Okay. Then ill take some more thoughtful coolant 10000. 00 to together. Okay, fine. Im glad im able that good. So im gonna go through the sounds of kind of you have to handle with this templates in the house. You always have to haggle, its just part of shopping. Otherwise you will have to pay and you wont get a good price. It goes to close to the little how about the hold up in the else now hes just missing one final very special ingredient, but his su, the class. The, the now i should have everything for tonight so you should be in the accounting. Im quite happy with the price is i have well, yeah, and do i need the mushrooms are quite expensive really to yours for a 100 crimes. Thats quite a lot. So im 600. Its just a short ride on allows taxi back to the ship where he starts preparing the evening meals the law. The kitchen team basically gets on with the Cooking Campaign juan, so its relaxed at the wheel. He knows hes roots inside out. He doesnt need a navigation system, but at some point he may need to use Satellite Technology because the river is changing rapidly. The water levels punctuate more because of the dams in china and thailand, which has a huge impact, villages have to be relocated. There are a few a nutrients and the water and fish a dying theyve run into some difficulties today. The water level is quite low and dangerous. Sand banks are foaming in the river. One has to concentrate again. Well yeah, no, im not scared. I know my sham well, and i knew it would be too high that he there on the last trip blind mocked particularly shadow response with stakes, which now floats in the river like boys. The captain asked so team member to check the depths of the going to just in case one hasnt run a ground on assigned to banking over 50 years and only a few contents on the me come can claim that the eventually that out of danger at the meek home. Some has plenty of water on the hook key. Again the while its calm again and the bridge down in the kitchen. Its full steam ahead. The team is busy cooking. This is the by the most important ingredients. Official, some spices against halt in the cramped county for my c. C. Sometimes it gets up to 40 degrees down there. And when i looked up, my fully put so i have to cook for over 28 people who at home. And now for the last leroy wouldnt trade his jump on the ship with any one on land to my my favorite place to work is on the ship. People. Yeah. And you see sign much great nature, small villages and all the people in the bank see one of the a lot. Yeah. Its very special. I wouldnt want to give it tom. Good. Perfect. Ok, good. Really delicious. About really good laotian food. So id have just have to be careful with the to lease would be that if i for the license i put in 10 or 15 with on from the tourists, maybe 1. 00 and 1. 00. Anyway, theyve given once the food is in south jonathan given to the guests, the shaft can soon coordinator day the evening. My philosophy because i love cooking very much. Its after a day like today, i most have pretty time in the guests enjoyed the soup. Even if it is a bit spicy, its unusual today. Ringback the someone who also knows about good taste is 67 year old, some chum. She makes our own whiskey from rice, but shes feeling worried about the future of our business. The news slave is good for us here in the village. We have everything we need here. The food we eat is a gift from nature. But we have big problems because of the dams that are being built here by the investors that keep buying up our field. And our villagers dont have bills to grow rice, which i also need for my wispy in some childrens village. 5 families alone lived from this town of rice, whiskey governing method. The whisky recipe is a family tradition. Thats very old having some trouble. 1000 like alcohol himself, but there are plenty of people who do lots of locals by and drink the spin rate. Its cheap and doesnt require many ingredients. A name and co sign your dickie rice and use powder. And i need ment, ben. Its mixed well together. So that i came from at the left in the barrels for a week, then some chum taste the liquid and sometimes and so little want to a week later, the mental liquid is boiled. So until the boiling phase is always exciting.