River Song

We Went to Wang Wieng for the Weekend.

(OK, so without the Laos accent it's called Vang Vieng. But that didn't sound as good. I love a little alliteration!)

This post is partially to show off what a cool time I had recently, but also to show how spectacular the scenery is a little way up north.

And some might be wondering whether to add it to your Laos itinerary. I vote yes.

 

Yes!

 

If you've heard of this place recently it is probably because of some sad and nasty experiences had by some fun-loving back-packers when filled with grog and other stuff and doing dumb things in fast running rivers.

It was the scenery that called my name. And the river, Nam Song. (River Song). I've been here before but so long ago I've forgotten everything except the limestone karst panorama. There wasn't much to do here back then. Certainly no water sports and over-indulging. Not that I remember anyway!

River Song and her jagged panorama

 

It still attracts backpackers. Young and gorgeous; grubby and underdressed; funded by parents and carrying iPads and secret little stashes in the bottom of their packs. (I suspect).

But there weren't many people of any age around. The place was pretty quiet, We'd expected a fair bit of doof doof  and a dose of 'falang cringe' but the doof was minimal and the bogans were rare.

A few falang

 

With signs like this around can you blame us for tensing in anticipation of 24 hour party people?

 

Fat Monkeys. "Free beer... Laughing gas...Come in and get drunk". I feel so old.

Although slightly older than the targeted demographic, we went tubing.

Loaded up and ready to toob

"And don't the kids love it!"

 

It's not exactly an 'extreme sport'. We floated calmly down the river, gazing in awe at the mountains above. We stopped for a drink and a snack enroute. Kids threw ropes attached to water bottles over our heads. We caught the ropes, they towed us in. We scrambled bare-footed up the bank to the bar. Life in the third world can be so difficult.

We also went "caving". This basically meant sweating our way up a zillion steps then through a great cave that looked like a whale's belly.

I know how Jonah must have felt. Not enough to make me repent, though.

Walking across the bridge to the cave

Looking back across the flat side of the river
 

We stopped at a little temple thing with a statue of Kuan Ying (Buddha in female form), incense and lots of ants.

Kuan Ying

Incense crawling with insects

Gingerish

Another little temple thing

Hanging around. Sweating a lot.

Green beans over River Song

 

We stayed in bungalows right on the river's edge. The rain overnight meant there wasn't much space between the low wall beside us and the swirling brown stuff.

 

That was my room behind the balcony.

The room reminded me of a scene in a movie that I've forgotten the name of.

I got up early Sunday morning fearing that the gorgeous mountain mistiness would fade quickly.  It didn't - it hung around for hours. It was still worth getting up early though.

 Here's a few of my Sunday morning breakfast-time photos...

Misty and moody views

Some bungalows on the other side - and their taxi

 

Collecting little fish for making larp

 

 

And I did enjoin the view, even though I didn't take a baot.

(is it unfair to take the piss of poor spelling in a country like this?)

And if that's not enough misty, moody mountains for you, read on... I have thoughtfully stashed the rest of my pics behind the "read more" thing below. If you've had quite enough and want to quietly leave now, you are excused. But for connoisseurs of karsts and clouds...

 

And a little movie to top it all off:  Click there ->  A video I took at Vang Vieng