Photos from Laos 8

Lots of buffolo here. They pretty docile, dispite the horns. But what do you do when several stand in the path and refuse to move? I just sat on the bike and waited for someone else come along and move them.
Trying to find the second waterfall, I came to this bridge, and was not brave enough to ride across it. I had to backtrack. About three hours later, I approached it from the other side, still trying to find the waterfall!

Nice bridge. Not scary at all.

Peaceful scene after the fury of the waterfalls.

Sunset on the banks of the Mekong.
A kitten, sleeping on my journal, as I wait for the boat. Today I leave Laos after 29 days.

Photos from Laos 7

"Si Phan Don (Four Thousand Islands), where the Mekong fans out forming an intricate network of channels, rocks, sandbars and islets 14km wide, is one of nature's marvels" according to the Lonely Planet. It is nice. I spent a day biking on two of the islands, visiting the two waterfalls, which are really two massive rapids.
One of the waterfalls. This is really just a small part of it. One photo can not capture the size of it.
Another view of the waterfall.
A warning to people who want to swim there.
This area might be safe to swim, but I wasn't going to risk it.

Photos from Laos 6

Patuxai, in Vientiane. Allegedly, it was built with cement donated by the US to build an airport, so it is referred to as the vertical runway.
Looking down from Patuxai.
Monks cutting grass.
Women selling food to passengers in the sawgnthaew.
A sawgnthaew is a pickup truck with two benches in the back and a cover. This one probably has about 15 persons packed in it. The bamboo basket-like containers are packed with live pigs. Luckily, they let me sit in the front seat.

Photos from Laos 5

A very narrow single lane bridge on the way to Phathao village (near Vang Vien) and the caves in the mountains.
Me, all sweaty faced, in the cave. This was my first time exloring a cave, and I was all alone. Absolutely no one else. If I had gotten lost...
Exploring a very cramped area of the cave.
Mountain biking from cave to cave, sometimes getting stuck in the mud. I had to wash the bike in the river before returning it.
Another nice view of the area.

Photos from Laos 4

Another view of the waterfall. That's another nursing student, who was eager to practice his English.
The view while standing in the waterfall, at the very edge. I was a bit scared as I did this. It wasn't until afterward, that I saw the danger sign warning people not to do this!
The swimming area. The water was so inviting, but I didn't have enough time to swim. I had spent my time hiking up the very slippery hill to the top of the waterfall, while wearing flip flops.
Passenger busses in SE Asia transport much more than people. Today, they're carrying about 5 truckloads of eggs on the roof.
Women selling pineapples on the roadside.

Photos from Laos 3

A nursing student in Luang Prabang. I got to see one of their dormitories. It was a small one room concrete building. The floor used to be concrete, but is now mostly dirt. There were no windows. Several small beds were lined side by side along the back wall. The beds had no mattress, just a mat, a pillow and a mosquito net. They were all very friendly, even if most of them spoke no English.
The memorial to Henri Mouhot (his body is no longer there). This is the French guy who "discovered" Ankor Wat. He died here at this location in the jungles of Laos from malaria. I started to get worried, as there were mosquitos flying around me.
Other tourists on an elephant. After my second elephant ride, I still don't like it.
Tat Kuang Si, a really beautiful waterfall.
I just love the English here!

Photos from Laos 2

One of the many Budha images on Phu Si (pronounced poosee), a hill in Luang Prabang.
A view from Phu Si.
An imprint of the Buddha's foot or "foof". I don't think the Buddha was ever in Laos, but he left lots of footprints!
Head of a large reclining Buddha.
Temple.

Photos from Laos 1

This is the boat (the small one, not the big one) I would take for the 2-day journey down the Mekong River, from Huay Xai (at the Thai border) to Luang Prabang. It was not quite the trip I had envisioned, as the boat was packed full with westerners. I had the choice of moping about this or enjoying it for what it was. We played cards for much of the trip.
Houses on the hills along the Mekong.
Children playing on the banks of the Mekong.
View of the Mekong and surrounding area from Pak Beng. At the invitation of some local guys who were bathing in the river, I went in for a quick dip, being careful to keep my head out of the water. The Mekong is one of those rivers that is the water source and the toilet.
Girl with a big fish. She came down to the waters edge when the boat pulled up. I thought she wanted to sell it, but then she kept it in the water, so we couldn't see it. Then she took the fish back up when the boat left.