Holiday Snaps - Day 13 - Luang Nam Tha

Holiday Snaps - Day 12. Luang Namtha

 

Holiday Snaps - Day 11. Muang Sing and back to Luang Nam Tha

Up near the Chinese Border there are some fascinating people and things and some gorgeous faces

Holiday snaps: Day 10. Luang Nam Tha to Muang Sing

A day of glorious scenery, wind in my face, feelings of freedom and exhilaration and then it rained and ruined everything (almost)

Holiday Snaps - Day 9. From a Karen Village to a Monk's hermitage and back to Laos

Holiday Snaps - Day 8 - revisiting Mae Sai

Old memories and new experiences - returning after 16 years.

Having first arrived in Mae Sai for a 2 year assignment 18 years ago I was expecting that in 2014 so much would have changed. I was right. Lots had. But it is still beautiful, still exciting and still confusing.

 

Holiday snaps - Day 7. To Chaing Rai

I bussed to Chiang Rai. It took half as long as I remembered. I was met at the bus station and so ensued three days of familiar beloved people coming back into my world.

 

 

 

Holiday Snaps - Day 6. Chiang Mai

Holiday Snaps - Day 5. Chiang Mai

Holiday snaps - Day 3. 4000 Islands and Irrawaddy Dolphins!

Holiday snaps - Day 2. Don Det

Don Det - Hammock Day

Northern Exposure - Sam Neua

Way Up North

A weekend up north, when you live in Vientiane, is never a decision taken lightly. There are mountains, clouds, storms, small planes, minibuses and overnight sleeper buses - all of which can mean lateness, uncomfortableness, slowness, danger and possibly even death.

Still, it sounded like a good idea.

The mountains of the north

The Caves of Revolution

Communists in Caves - a simplified view of a revolution.

In the 1960s and 70s, the Lao revolution was coordinated by passionate, idealistic men and women living in caves in Northern Laos. They lived and worked and planned and dreamed in them for around 9 years. They were bombed, shot at, hated, demonised, vilified. They survived. They won. Their children now run the Laos Government.

Megaliths and Mystery

Standing for possibly thousands of years, the upright slabs of stone at Hin Tang, in Hua Phan Province, Northern Laos, are eerily silent about where they came from.

Laos with Guns

There are a lot of guns in Laos.  Each time I see one I can't help but hum...


"we will run free... with the buffalo... or diiiiie......Laos with guns...."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5s5qGg01nE

Scooting the Loop - Thakek

An Adventure on Two Wheels

In November  '13 I had a conversation with a friend about doing the "Thakek Loop". A few friends had done it and it looked like fun. Four days on motorbikes scooting around the Laos countryside. What's not to love? We started planning.

A Very Laos Christmas

My Christmas in Vientiane was not too dissimilar to what I might experience at home. There was food, wine, talking crap about religion, politics and hairstyles. There was even carol singing!

There was food and wine and then a lot of lying around feeling full

Jars and Bombs

The Plain of Jars,

Xieng Khouang, Lao PDR

Are these carved rocks iron-age funerary urns? Perhaps. Some people say they are tubs for distilling Lao rice whiskey and some believe they were created by an ancient race of giants who roamed the plains before the Laos arrived. They have been targets for USA bombardiers offloading excess bombs in the 60s - 70s. They have confused and intrigued many people for many years. Me included.

Stone jars

Zooropa

Lao Zoo aka 'Vientiane Zoo', 'Baan Kuen Zoo' or just 'The Zoo' (there is only one public zoo in Laos).

Seemed like a great idea at the time - catch the bus to Vientiane zoo for a few hours on Sunday.

Lunchtime touring of the outer 'burbs

This post is basically to show a few photos of the outer 'burbs of Vientiane. First, let me explain...

I have wheels. I'm still enjoying the novelty. The bike is a bit, er, retro (as one person suggested). But it goes and goes and I enjoy the wind on my face and the opportunity to get out and about and see what's going on off the main roads.

the red rattler

Lunchtimes at work are often long and lazy. Several comrades have a regular system of taking naps at their desks. I've done that once or twice but lately have found something better to do with my time. I go motorbikin'!

If there's nothing else going on (shared lunches, lunch at the bosses restaurant, funeral or shopping to be done) I eat at my desk and then adjust my skirts and climb aboard the red rattler. Off to explore the outer 'burbs and the urban-rural interface of northern Vientiane.

So here's some photos of things that took my eye on one of these rides.

I watched a guy cut this tree down

This is the guy cutting down the aforementioned tree

 

Bummer of a place to be if you can't eat bread

Le Eiffel Tower - a la Laos Telecom

Of course. Penguins. Why not?

 A reminder

 

outer burbs slowly growing and paving

panorama - best viewed when clicked and enlarged

 

Vientiane under construction

 

Guard outside Department of Defence compound

 

 

I think New Zealanders own this company

Independence was won through war - and don't you forget it

A lake

the Lake House (without Keanu)

Rain threatening to ruin my lunch break (it didn't, though)