Wednesday, February 19, 2020

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























Monday, February 17, 2020

Two Days On The Mekong River, 2

Continuing our voyage down the Mekong River in Laos...
Back on the water, a fenced-in garden on the shore

More shore activity

One of two tributaries I saw in the course of our 100+ mile voyage; dry season

Panning for gold

More interesting mountains appear

Tour boats and another village


High water mark: easily 7 meters

Under construction: high speed train from China to Bangkok and beyond

More mountains


Docking now at the Pak Ou caves

Still wondering where she fits in Buddhism


Actually it wasn't much of a cave that Vicki missed (too many painful steps)

Back on the river; I interpreted the red flags as a no-no; but, no, our captain
steered right between them and passed without a ruffle




























































And now we are in "Whiskey Village"; obviously it has a real name, but this is
what's it's known as in the tourist trade; here are the stills in which they're making
rice whiskey, Mekong Moonshine

Aged for 12 years in these oak barrels...

Filtered, not once, but three times

For 50 bhat of course I had to have one; 100 proof grain alcohol; Lao Lao, it's
called

In the wat adjoining the market; we are so watted-out

Typical wat inscription tree: wisdom quotes

Our boat, now laden with whiskey, about to shove off

On final approach to Luang Prabang


As the river widens, fish farms appear

And finally we arrive at the "port" of Luang Prabang...and more adventure