December 7th We are spending a couple of days in the capital of Laos. Vientiane’s name stems from an incorrect French transliteration of “Wiang Jan”, meaning “City of Sandalwood. In 1563, King Setthathirat, the last great king of Lane Xang, moved his capital from Luang Prabang (which suffered from constant attacks by the Burmese) to Vientiane,…Continue Reading “Vientiane, Laos”
December 5th, Some last thoughts about Luang Prabang…we enjoyed this town which has charm, historic attractions, activities and some very good eateries….we did not try any of the upscale establishments which I am sure would have been great experiences. The closest we came was two fer Lao Cocktails on the deck of our hotel. Many…Continue Reading “Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng…..and onwards to Vientiane”
December 3rd We wake up quite excited, as today is when we are going on an excursion to meet up with some elephants at the Mandalao Elephant Sanctuary. We are told to wear clothes that we won’t mind getting wet and muddy and the outfitter provides optional footwear (rubber shoes/knee-high boots) for guests that are designed specifically…Continue Reading “Luang Prabang……MandaLao > into the wild”
December 1st to 3rd A bit of a longish post….the internet has not been stellar so it has been a bit of a struggle. We are staying at My Dream Resort which is situated across the Nam Phan River from the older area of Luang Prabang…..A nice hotel with super helpful staff and an excellent…Continue Reading “Luang Prabang……..an echo of French colonialism”
November 30th, A chilly morning after a good night’s sleep, quick but quite good breakfast at our hotel during which a group of monks make their way up the hill stopping at each house/business where the owners kneel on the street and hand out rice and other foodstuffs. This is called alms giving and is …Continue Reading “Pakbeng to Luang Prabang ….with visits to Pak Ou Caves & the Lao Lao Village”
November 29th We are up early anticipating a big day, a quick breakfast and at 07:30 depart via tuk tuk for the Chiang Khong Thailand Immigration Office….. …20 minutes later and 150 THB (6 CAD), we are there. Our guide is there with a welcome sign in hand and directed us through the Thai exit formalities…Continue Reading “Chiang Khong, Thailand to Pakbeng, Laos…the River Adventure begins”