 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pak Beng really is a samll 'town'. You can walk from one end to the other in.. 10 minutes maybe. Just like Houay Xai, it had one main road for the most part and most travellers move on after a night's stay. The French tour group in our boat were going... trekking to see elephants or something. So that meant we would have the boat all to ourselves the next day! There really isn't much here... mostly guesthouses and restaurants and small shops all catered to tourists.  We were recommended a nice little guest-house that overlooked the Mekong. Lovely and rustic and just a little ..  Old school ceiling fans and mosquito nets! Reminds so much of NS for some reason. Apparently, there isn't any air-conditioning in any of the hotels here. On our second night, there was a HUGE thunderstorm, complete with howling winds! Once again, we woke up at about 1045pm thinking it was morning and had that wonderful 'we've got hours more to sleep' feeling. I sense a trend here lol. But the best part? After a huge thunderclap, all the electricity went kaput! The entire town was enveloped in an eerie darkness.  We had to rely on our own phones and my puny LED torch for light - later we discovered that there wasn't electricity anywhere in Pak Beng from 10pm - 6 am. And there were torchlights by our bedside! D'OH! It got a bit warm throughout the night, but it soon became cold and a tad chilly. Finally, the cocks started crowing (at about 5am) and we started to wake up. It all feels so...right? So natural as you woke up when the sun started coming out as well.  This one was just outside our door!  Gosh, I could cook better eggs. And the soy sauce was free! The egg on the left was supposed to be 'scrambled'. LOL, sweetie you need to add MILK. Seriously, it's not that difficult! LOL But the coffee was good and strong. But then, one didn't come to Laos to eat the free breakfasts! 
We had some time before the 730am boat departure, so we wandered around for a bit. By this time, the mass transit folks had already long departed.  TIL that there are male and female papaya trees.  This poor little fella had a bad limp in his left hind leg. I just wanted to rescue him right there and then. :(  Please don't go...  His brother was busy biting on a stick of sugarcane? Their mum gave me a bit of a scare.. I was so busy taking photos that I didn't notice here right infront of me! She gave me this 'whatever' look when I jumped. If I had more time, perhaps I would have stopped here too and explored a bit of the surrounding area. But it was onward to Luang Prabang!   Tags: flickr, laos, pak beng, photography
I am at : Pak Beng, Oudomxay Province, Laos
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Apparently, the Mekong is filled to the brim with gold, especially during the dry season, where much of the banks are exposed. All along the river, families (mostly women and children) toiled away...panning for gold..our long boat decided to..stop by...they spend their whole day by the river, working, eating, bathing..         This is another (don't not recommended) option. It's fast but terribly dangerous and we heard of stories of accidents, deaths and broken bones! Tags: flickr, laos, photography
I am at : Mekong River, Pak Beng
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 So we finally settled down in Houay Xai, sitting by the Mekong having dinner and washing it down with some local Beer Lao. It had been a whole day of travelling - Flights from SIN to BKK then onward to Chiang Rai. Then a tuk tuk and 2 hour bus ride later to the Thai border town of Chiang Kong. THEN, it was a short five minute ferry across the Mekong river to our current position on the Lao border. This was perhaps the most tedious way to enter a country that I've ever attempted. Perhaps more to follow? Of course, one could always fly direct to Luang Prabang (but that would be costly) or Vientiane and make your way up - but we thought this way, we could take the cruise down the Mekong - something one shouldn't miss. But behind the tedious nature of it all, it was an experience - from the high Zen moment I had on the bus to Chiang Kong, the feeling of behind a world way from Singapore totally lifted my spirits, to the grand frustration of border crossing (oddly enough on the Thai side!). I was warmly welcomed at the Lao border by a surprisingly cheerful female officer - all smiles and Welcome to Laos. At Chiang Kong, the guy made me wait forever because he couldn't figure how to work the computer. Honestly I thought he wasn't going to let me leave Thailand for some reason or other. To be fair, I was warmly greeted at Bangkok. Oh well.  Chiang Kong (Thai Border)  Lao border (I couldnt take a picture for obvious reasons). But the tiny customs area was a bit messy and confusing. Singaporeans and other ASEAN travellers don't need the USD$35 visa application - you just need to fill in a simple arrival and departure form. But it was still a scene though - Americans and Europeans were crowding around the VISA windows - luggage, backpacks and what not everywhere. It was hot, stuffy and we were tired. But we cleared it in a snap. Then we had to turn and go backwards to change our money. LOL in hindsight we should have changed money first - but you get a reasonable and perhaps a little better rate for the local Kip (pron. Geep) here.   We checked into the first hotel up the slope from Immigration. A bit pricey for Houay Say at USD$18 a night for a double but heck, did we mention being tired from a whole day of travel? It was basic but alright - airconditioning, hot water, breakfast and a view! And the new linens...ohh...high thread count no doubt!   Apart from some trekking to villages and the Gibbon Experience, there really isn't much to do at Houay Xai (pron. Hock Say). Most travellers (like us) just stay the night and catch a long boat down the Mekong the next day. We understand that there's another friendship bridge in the works (we passed it down the Mekong) so I wonder how this will affect both towns on both sides of the border in the future.         Laap (very herby, minty but meaty salad) 
Kinda like Hor Fun but with extra Sweet Soy Sauce  Tags: flickr, laos, photography
I am at : Houay Xai, Laos
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 One of the Giants of Classical Music and the Classic era. Father of both the Symphony AND the String Quartet no less. Another one impossible to summarise in one entry... Symphony 104 (London) Symphony 94 (Surprise) Symphony 45 (Farewell) String Quartet in C (Emperor) Piano Sonata in Eb Piano Trio in G (Gypsy Rondo) Trumpet Concerto Cello Concerto in C Tags: today in music
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif?v=92){kind=small}
disjecta's journal
Previous
tired
