A clean bike

A cheap, only 10,000kip, approx $AUD 2.00 for a clean bike -Why would I do it myself.
It was very dusty after yesterday's ride and had significant accumulated dirt, so I called into the car/scooter wash place near school.  Ten minutes later it was gleaming, it had the high pressure hose, the air hose, hand soaping, then air drying and finally a polish.  That was $2.00 well spent!!

On the Moon

Cretaceous Sandstones of the Champa Formation in the Khorat Basin is the geological label for what cyclist called a lunar landscape. This was the highest point of our morning training ride, somewhere 30km beyond Vientiane.  Not sure what the place is called.

Naga Spotting

This afternoon I enjoyed a sunset beer Laos at my favorite riverside watering hole.  Along with others at the bar we spotted a naga (river serpent ) in the river.  Well it wriggled and moved and bobbed up and down in the current.  However the local fisherman went to investigate, in response to the rukus above on the riverbank, and found a plastic bottle attached to a wire.  The naga must have just left!

Australia and Laos 1952-2017

Sign in front of the Australian Embassy on Australia Day.  It it marks 65 years of diplomatic relations between Laos and Australia

Happy Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year, Vietnamese New Year (Tet) and Korean New Year have been celebrated at school this week.  We had a visit from Vietnamese lions (a smaller version of Chinese dragons) one morning.  The Early Years students were in Chinese costume and were excited to see the lions, chasing them, screaming and patting the bling on the costumes.  Great fun for all.

Luang Prabang - A friendly monk

Another photo from my trip to Luang Prabang last December.  Monks collecting alms are a common sight in the streets early in the morning.  This monk stayed behind and was chatting and smiling with this older lady as she packed up her mat and offering bowl.

Luang Prabang - Mount Phousi

Mount Phousi is the sacred hill in Luang Prabang, in between the two rivers, there is a temple on top and a monastery of one side of the hill, with grottos in nearby rocks with statues such as this gorgeous creature.  Is she pulling her hair or what??

Luang Prabang- Riverside Restaurant

I will be in Luang Prabang this weekend, meeting friends from home, which will be great.  This photo was taken during my visit last December and shows a  kitchen overhanging the river bank of the Nam Ou shows typical kitchen implements for Laos restaurants. Hope they don't drop anything as they are doing the dishes as it's a long way down.

Strings, strings and strings cont.

This stall was selling accouterments for worshipers visiting Wat Ammon.  I was particularly taken by the bow tie type things hanging over the table.

Strings, strings and strings cont

Stalls selling balls or twine, candles, coloured strings, white clothing and scarfs were outside the temple and along the nearby street on Saturday and Saturday night.

Strings, Strings and Strings cont

In the evening the people gathered in the grounds of Wat Ammon and tied the strings to themselves and thus to the monks and the Buddha.  There were candles, and alms bowls which they hit at intervals with sticks twirled with twine.  I think the ceremony was to mark the arrival of a new Buddha statue at the temple.

Strings, Strings and Strings

White strings were tied and strung in grids throughout the grounds of nearby Wat Ammon on Saturday.  White is for purity and the strings link everyone to the monks and the Buddha. 

Back to Work

I have been back to work for a week. These Chinese workers with their red hard hats were coming back to work too. There were at least 20 of them on my flight from Bangkok to Vientiane last Sunday.