Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Bears...Oh My!

Another day we went to the Kuang Si national park and waterfalls, which contain a Moon Bear recovery program and reserve...















Luang Prabang Night Market

It's several blocks of one long street in the old town, all set up after 5PM. Mostly local crafts and food. We visited several times.
In the food court/alley



Choose your smoothie

$2.25



So sad to see so many children so corralled...

More sadness...270 million US bombs dropped on Laos...





Beyond the market





Luang Prabang: Confluence

One day we did the walk in the old town to the confluence of the Mekong and the Nam Kahn, and back.
Yeah, Pathet Lao, although not in your face so much

The Nam Kahn, where they are building levies

French colonial

Nam Kahn and neat bamboo bridge


The blue paint doesn't go, I think

Village across the river

More colonial

Building another levy, the old-fashioned way; many women among the workers

What gabions are made of; the old-fashioned way

Maybe why they're building the levy



In a beautiful park at the confluence

The confluence and another bamboo bridge


Luang Prabang Scenes, 1

We were in Luang Prabang February 10-15, five nights at the My Lao Home hotels complex, an old town setting of French colonial homes now converted to rooms and villas, restaurant, coffee shop, crafts shoppe, and more. It was a block's walk to the Mekong, a block in a different direction to the night market, and just on the the edge of the little peninsula formed by the confluence of the Na Kahn and Mekong rivers. We were interested mostly in the colonial architecture and such, but also wanted to rest up for the madhouse of Hanoi and a month in Vietnam. (Little did we know...). After a first night in a small room, we upgraded to something more spacious for a five night stay. One day we lazed. One day we lazed and visited the Vietnam consulate to get our visae. One day we did the peninsular circumnavigation. One day we went out to the Kuang Si waterfalls and bear preserve. Every night we visited the night market and ate out in the old quarter, including a genuine French colonial meal.
MyLaoHome; ours was the Orchid House


















Restaurant where we had breakfast daily


















Interior of Orchid House; since our interest here was in the colonial architecture,
and since the MyLaoHome complex was among the UNESCO-protected
properties, I'll indulge in a few photos





















Lounge; heavy teak

Orchids indeed, everywhere















































































The foliage everywhere was impressive


















Outside our room


















Our upgraded room


Don't know how we'll ever get used to less than king-sized again

Huge bathtub; only problem was there was only enough hot water for about 3"


























































Nice touch; on Valentine's Day every room was given a rose























Just that far from the Mekong