Vietianne, 30-03-2008. I took the local bus nr.14 to Big Buddha Park together with a female anorexia patient from England. The locals call this park Xieng Khuan which apperently means "Sprit City" and its grounds are covered with bizarre concrete statue of about any Asian God I know of, apart off course Allah - no representations of Allah are allowed and Allah belongs more to the Arab world anyway. Plenty of statues of Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu, Lord Ganesh, the Buddha himself and I even saw Lord arjuna in stone concrete as well as many other deities. A large pumkin-shaped concrete building of three levels - the levels represent hell, earth and heaven and are conected by a winding staircase. The inside is dank and cool after the hot sun outside and statues, again in stone ... read more

Vang Vieng, 28-03-2008.I decided for a fruitshake with two big black Lao coffee for breakfast this morning. I couldn't have a big hearty breakfast after the weedshake I consumed yesterday at a bar while tubing down the Nam Song river. Once I got myself together I hired a bike and cycled out to Phayang, a small village 15 km. north of Vang Vieng. Only 15 km. but by the time I got to Phayang I was exhausted, thirsty and soaked in sweat. That weedshake took more out of me than I had expected. The village temple offered me shade from the burning sun, a cool spot to sit down, a water container to provide my thirsty throat the necesary fluid, two small kittens and soon enough two young monks to keep me company. On the way ... read more

Vang Vieng, 26-03-2008. I enjoy the view over the river while having breakfast. Only mere meters away a herd of stray buffalos comes out of the reed beds to have an early morning drink at the river. The beautifull karst terrain is covered in mist no doubt due to the heavy rain that woke me up this morning. The white South-African born Scottish dopehead, hyperactive last night when we had dinner together with the Finnish ladies, is very tranquil and shanty-shanty this morning. From his bulging eyeballs I guess - correctly - he has been smoking pot already at this early hour. I leave him alone so he can smoke more of his treasured Lao grass and rent a bike to cycle out Tham Phu Kham - "Blue Lagoon" for those of you who don't understand ... read more

Vang Vieng, 25-03-2008. I opted for a room at the other side of the river instead of staying in the village itself. My present room has a balcony where I can sit at night, burn a candle, drink cold Beer Lao and listen to the sounds of the Lao country night. Even now late afternoon sitting in the family's restaurant, I can see the cattle returning from their grazing grounds, listen to the restuarant's sound system playing Thai music while a bunch of local males is getting themselves mau - drunk - on Thai moonshine - rice whisky of the extreme cheap kind called Khao Lao in Thai. A few fishermen in the knee deep water of the river throwing their nets around in the vaque hope of catching a few tiny fish while Peking ducks ... read more

Luang Prabang, 23-03-2008. I start my climb up to the 100 m. high hill where Wat Phu Si is located, by first visting Wat Pa Huak. The murals and mosaic facades inside Wat Pa Huak are impressive and colorfull but I'm desperate to get to the top, see Wat Phu Si so I give them less attention than they deserve. Even though I'm dressed in long jeans and a shirt with long sleeves - the locals don't really appreciate us farangs inside their Buddha temples dressed in shorts and singlets - , there's hardly any persperation on my body when I get to the top. Walking around the wat I can slowly feel the influence of Lord Buddha overcoming my farang mind. Even after more then 20 years of coming to Southeast Asia the deeper meanings ... read more