a stop to check out some jars

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After several days of debating if we should suffer through another long bus ride or fly to Vietnam, we opted for the bus which stopped at Phonsavan-the starting point for the Plain of Jars. The flight would've been a 1 1/2 hour ride versus what turned out to be 2 days of 13 hour bus rides through windy roades and small villiages. The cost was the deciding factor. Bussing it was cheaper-and certainly more of an adventure.
After our long ride to Phonsavon we planned on leaving for Vietnam the next morning. Upon arrival at the closed bus station we discovered that the bus only goes 3 times per week and we end in Vinh, Vietnam, a traveller stopover/hell from what we heard. At that we decided to spend a day exploring the famed Plain of Jars. Naturally the search for a guest house turned a bit ugly as tuk-tuk drivers fought over the fresh meat. Once we decided on a place, the driver urged us to go on his tour. He actually came into our room and was trying to buy us at a time when all we wanted was to chill out after the long ride. After shooing him away we met up with several other travellers and made arrangements to set out in the morning.
The Plain of Jars consists of at least 8 sights, 3 of which we visited on our tour. The jars actually are quite impressive, although walking around looking at jars all day may sound boring. Each of the 3 sights we saw had distinct sizes and structure. They are huge! Alex was able to stand in one and only his head was showing. We had to beware of the spiders though. At first glance the black section on many of the jars looked like a type of lichen but at a closer stance-and Alex shoving it with a stick hundreds of large spiders spread out all over a jar. Several tourists took photos and I backed off hoping Alex wasn't planning on hurling any onto me. We wondered if these are the type of spiders that the locals eat. No, it is not just an urban myth, SE Asian people to eat all sorts of insects including spiders. We are brave and try many things but so far-to our knowledge we haven't eaten any insects besides the occassional ant in our soup.
There are several theories about how the jars came to be, but the most common is that they were used as storage devices and also as buriel plots. Alex and I think giants made them.

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Comments

[raminta]

bleck! spiders
sounds very fun indeed.except the spiders. HEEY YOUU GUUYS!! I miss you.