Leaving Laos

Thursday 20/12/2012 and Friday 21/12/2012 - VIENTIANE & BANGKOK.

Vientiane to Bangkok Journey - Thursday 20/12/2012

Laos' national library (Vientiane).

  

Departure dinner in Vientiane, with candle and... checklist.

Night train from Vientiane (Laos) to Bangkok (Thailand):

a 14h journey in 2nd class sleeper cars, airconditioned to polar temperatures

Vientiane station, 3rd class cars only.

Laos has a total of 5km of railways, and only one single station.  

Sleeper car in night configuration.

 Sleeper car in day configuration.

Bangkok - Friday 21/12/2012

Bangkok Train station.

Bangkok, shopping paradise, not my cup of tea!

I already regret Laos and the human-size capital Vientiane.

While the temperature is 32 degrees Centigrade...

Nothing better than an ice cold beer!

Bridge over the river Kwai - Saturday 22/12/2012

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bridge_on_the_River_Kwai

Dutch and British War cimetary.

  

(Click here to consult the home page)

Vang Vieng

Tuesday 18/12/2012 - VANG VIENG.

Vang Vieng had a bad reputation of unconscious partying

 and drug abuse (some 20 of these 'tourists' died here last year).

Mountain biking tour and Tham Phu Kham caving - Tuesday 18/12.

Toll bridge protected by bombs.

5000Kip (~0.50€) for a bicycle.

Monks on the road.

Cows and river on the road too.

Entering a peaceful place.

Free bridge (the only one)

Fish; sold on a little market place, alive.

Frogs, sold on the little market place, alive.

A 3rd time 5000Kip (~0.50€) of toll to pay...

...toll for this bridge.

Having my tire repaired.  50m later the other tire explosed

(yes, indeed, it was a Chinese build bike).

Approaching the famous Blue Lagoon.

The partying site, with hundreds of kilowatts and decibels of music. 

Exploring the gigantic Tham Phu Kham cave, reached after a steep 200m climb.

After one hour, I still didn't reach the end of the cave

The first cavity of the cave contains a bronze reclining Buddha statue, about 2m long.

The Buddha statue enlightened through a narrow beam of sunlight.

The beam comes from the narrow cave entry, at exactly 3:00PM, when I left the cave.

Rock climbing - Wednesday 19/12.

6a level rock-climbing with a slight overhang...

not that bad after two years !

(Click here to consult the home page)

Luang Prabang

Saturday 15/12/2012 - LUANG PRABANG.

The grand opening of a new bridge.

Little celebration for the first 'falang' (stranger) crossing the bamboo bridge.

They have to rebuild the bridge each year after rainy season.

Found a Belgian restaurant in town.

Strange combination...

Laos and communist party flag on top of the Phu Si hill.

The main street of Luang prabang, with the Wat Ho Pha Bang temple.

They are preparing the stalls for the nice night market.

In the bakery restaurant.

A snowman in Laos?

Nice dinner (in good company): fish cooked in banana leaves.

Tat Kuang Si - Sunday 16/12.

30km out of town: a beautiful waterfall and opal-blue lakes.

The jungle park also hosts a bear enclosure with bears,

confiscated from poachers.

Where is Michel?

Climbing to the top.

At the top.

Opal blue lakes downstream of the waterfall.

Along the road: Hmong tribe celebrating their New Year.



 Monk's morning procession and Pak Ou caves - Monday 17/12

The monks' alms procession, daily at dawn: hundreds of monks begging for food

(picture taken from the internet).

Along the Mekong river: a guy brushing his teeth.

Along the Mekong river:

gold diggers, observed by a tourist with guide.

Approaching the carst formations.

Approaching the cave.

Entrance of the upper cave, 5000Kip for the package:

flashlite rental and good luck.

.

Stairs leading from the upper cave to the lower cave

  

The lower cave is rather an overhang.

The cave is full of Buddha statues.

Leaving the lower cave.

A nice cup of Lao coffee.

 Leaving by comfortable minivan for Vang Vieng (6.5h journey).

(Click here to consult the home page)