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Published: January 15th 2006
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Asian Bears
Orphaned as cubs, these bears are about the size of Tuck. Even resemble him with the white markings on the chest. With this entry I will be caught up. We flew Bangkok Air to Luang Prabang in Laos. Again, the stewardess' we smartly dressed and full of smiles. We flew quite low so I was able to see the scenery below. Waves of green mountains and the mighty Mekong River snaking through the jungle-cloaked valleys.
We had to pay an extra dollar to get into the country as it was a weekend and this covered the overtime for the custom agents. Quick and efficient none-the-less.
We were met by our guide for the next few days and taken to our lodgings at the Le Calao Inn on the banks of the Mekomg. Lunch was ready for us as he was anxious to be on the road for the 1.5 hour drive to the waterfalls. It was to be found at the end of a dirt road weaving up and down the mountains. We passed through many small villages giving us an idea of Laos culture. The village by the waterfalls was by far the most prosperous what with the tourist income.
Unlike the other parts of Asia, we were not surrounded by begging children and people hawking souvenirs. The
Flying in to Luang Prabang
No wonder the hill peoples are so isolated. falls themselves were quite spectacular and the mist thrown off bu the tumbling water was refreshing. It was a ten minute walk to get there and we passed several blue-hued pools that many young folk were using as swimming holes. Also at the site were a cage of bears that were rescued as cubs from poachers. They are about Tuck's size with hite markings on the chest, but not as cute. In another enclosure was an Asian tiger, saved from similar circumstances.
We returned to Luang Prabang along the same road, admiring the bright green rice plants in their terraced fields and avoiding the water buffalo strolling down the middle of the road. Our guide then took us for a short stroll around town to show us where the safe restaurants were to be found, the night market, shops and internet cafes. he then left us to our own devices and promised to meet us tomorrow morning for our trip up river to see some caves, silk weaving villages and wiskey brewing town.
After a shower we went out to check out the shops and night market to get an idea of how much things costs. The local
Swimming Hole
Only a couple of hours in the country and I am HOT. Wish I had my trunks.. currency, the kip goes for a rate of 25,000 kip to $1US, which makes for a wad of cash! The Thai baht is also in common use and US dollars are appreciated by the merchants. In fact, most articles for sale other than everyday necessities are priced in Yankee funds.
We say some beautiful weavings with intricate patterns and hand crafted silver jewelry. Some of the weavings were selling for over a thousand dollars. The weavings in the night market are much cheaper but the quality was inferior. On average, things are about 80 percent cheaper than at home.
We tried out one of the recommended restaurants, The Three Elephants. A plate of steamed veggies, 2 litres of beerlao and a truely wonderful fih dish costs us all of $10US, tip included.
This dish consisted of fresh river fish, lemongrass and ginger steamed in a bananna leaf. it is somewhat similar to a dish I prepare but the fresh lemongrass makes a big difference. I know I haven't got the consistancy right and I wish I had the time to take part in the 1 day workshop on Loa cooking that the restaurant offers. Oh well, next
Trumpet Flowers
Sure is humid at the falls. time we come here. LOL.
I walked Claudette back to our lodging and came
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