ISOBEL DIAMOND Wrote “Uncommon Threads,”
“While staying in Manila, I discovered a hub of contemporary designers and emerging fashion brands who, inspired by the textile roots of their country, were creating modern designs that showcased the arts of hand weaving and embroidery,” says London-based Diamond, who has a special interest in textile history. Having traveled extensively around the Philippines, she was already aware of the diversity and intricacy of the fabrics worn by the indigenous groups who live across the archipelago. “It was fantastic to see this heritage being put to good use by creative members of Manila’s fashion scene, and even more gratifying to be able to write about them.”
to the virtues of polygamy. (I take the latter as a joke, though one of our hosts insists he has a dozen wives.)
Back on the boat for dinner, we agree that chef Waran, who spent his formative years cooking aboard Disney cruise ships in the Caribbean, has outdone himself. The spread includes chicken larb on rice crackers, beef khao soi (egg noodles in a rich coconut curry), and scallops flavored with an aromatic tom
saeb stock. “I’m a khao soi aficionado, and this is a good ’un,” Jason confirms. We dine to a mellow playlist dubbed “Lang’s Lament”—Neil Young, John Prine, Brad Mehldau—then enjoy a round of nightcaps to an Afrobeat soundtrack. I can’t say for sure that this is the first time anyone’s heard Fela Kuti in these parts, but it’s a good bet.
As we approach Luang Prabang,
the Mekong widens and the landscape flattens. There’s more traffic on the water now too, from cargo vessels and ferries to the water taxis that disgorge tourists and pilgrims at the base of a sheer, grotto-pocked limestone cliff at the Mekong’s confluence with the River Ou. This is the famous Pak Ou Caves, where steep steps lead up to caverns filled with hundreds of Buddha statues and relics.
Two hours later, we say goodbye to the crew at Luang Prabang. A waiting car—the first I’ve seen in awhile—deposits us at the Avani+, a lovely 53-room property designed by the same architect who outfitted the Gypsy. After a late lunch at the hotel’s roadside bistro, Jason, a frequent visitor to Luang Prabang, leads me on a walk around the former Laotian royal capital. We saunter past gilded temples and French-colonial villas, quaint traditional homes and low-key cafés, eventually climbing the 300 steps to the top of Mount Phousi, the town’s centerpiece hill. From here, the views extend in all directions. But it’s the Mekong that commands attention as it flows languidly past Luang Prabang and on through the Laotian hinterland. The Gypsy is down there somewhere, no doubt prepping for its return trip to Chiang Saen. With a twinge of envy, I wonder who the next lucky passengers will be.