The American tourist Jackson describes himself as hailing from the city of Bakersfield. Scott Dean, the actor who plays Jackson, was born in Bakersfield - a city north of Los Angeles, USA - and lived there until just before he entered high school.
On the way to a mountain village, Mu creates a heart-shaped souvenir from a fern frond, and gives it to Jackson. This "Fern Heart" gift is commonly presented by Hmong tour guides to tourists at Sa Pa, Vietnam. The heart is plaited from a single fresh or dried frond plucked from wayside ferns. Sometimes, the tour guides would plait fern fronds into the shape of a horse instead.
While sitting on a rice paddy field, Mu plucks a head of small pale purplish flowers from a low shrub, and sticks it behind Jackson's ear, subsequently describing it as "Shit Flower". This plant appears to be Lantana montevidensis - also known by various common names such as Chicken Shit Flower, Purple Lantana, Trailing Lantana, and Wild Verbena.
The plant grows as a low scrambling mound, and produces clusters of small, lilac-white flowers. Although the flowers themselves are scentless, the leaves emit a characteristic foul smell when bruised or crushed.
The plant grows as a low scrambling mound, and produces clusters of small, lilac-white flowers. Although the flowers themselves are scentless, the leaves emit a characteristic foul smell when bruised or crushed.