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Published: April 28th 2007
east of Luang Prabang
river view to the east from Phu Si Luang Prabang is a charming little French colonial town surrounded by rivers. Not much else to say except that I was jumped by an amourous novice monk (who was, fortunately, half my size) after sunset on Phu Si and spent a lovely afternoon at the refreshing Tat Kuang Si waterfall a little ways south of town.
The tiny, quirky town of Nong Khiaw was my next stop after Luang Prabang.
The ride from Nong Khiaw to Luang Namtha was a bit ambitious. The road was windy, steep and slow but good from Nong Khiaw to Udom Xai. The ride after lunch in Udom Xai was another story. Similarly windy and steep but now with sections of pavement simply broken off into hard, rough patches of rocks and old pavement or dirt the rest of the way to Luang Namtha. I travelled around 100 km in about 4 hours!
Also included are pics of some of the many hill tribe villages found along the way.
You can see where the hills have been burned clear. The partially charred trees are then cut and rolled off the hills and labouriously stacked in the piles you can see at
Luang Prabang sunset view
river view to the west from Phu Si the side of the road. Later, mostly women will come along and collect huge bundles of wood and carry them away on their backs.
Apparently, it is common practice for the hill tribes to clear land by fire, collect the useful wood for cooking fires etc. and then plant with crops. They move on to new sites every few years. This is why the air around parts of Burma, Northern Thailand and Laos is full of smoke for a month or so every spring. The Thai government doesn't care for the practice and tries to work with the hill tribes to come up with alternatives.
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Anna
non-member comment
jumped??
What do you mean, jumped by an amourous monk? Were you attacked? Was it just the usual hit on? Was it with him that you visited the waterfalls? A few more details please....A comment like that needs further explanation!!!