Sri Lankan Roadside Vegetable Stall from the Tuk Tuk

View over tea plantations and a roadside vegetable stall from a tuk tuk through the  highlands of Sri Lanka.

Sunflowers at the Temple

Love these bright sunflowers at nearby Wat Ammon. Unfortunately recent storms have knocked them about a bit.

The Salas at Champa Land

Champa Land had a series of fish ponds encompassed by these small bamboo salas.  Frangipanis surrounded each of the salas.  Laos families were eating and drinking and enjoying a Saturday outing in the salas and feeding the fish.

Champa Land

Today I went to Champa Land - a frangipani garden.  It was lovely, with over an acre of frangipani trees, lots of lovely colors but muted perfumes.

Saturday Signs - KFC - Laos Style

The fried chicken is actually quite tasty!  Not sure if there are 11 herbs and spices as KFC used to advertise, regardless the service is friendly and quick and they will fill your plastic container with fried chicken to take away - looking at the crazy falang and wondering why she brings her own container and doesn't want  to use their styrofoam!

Kuvieng or Khouvieng, is a major road near school, lined with trees and the restaurant has tables under the shade of the trees - yet to be franchised.

The morning commute

Every morning on my commute there is something that makes you look twice. This morning I followed a scooter loaded with bags of fish.  The scene is typical of the crush of bikes stopped at the the lights any time during the morning rush. The street sweeper on the side of the road and the motorbikes on the edge of the road are normal.

Sri Lankan Roadside Stall Rhubarb

A stormy Afternoon

The wet season has arrived. I made it back to the apartment this afternoon, slightly damp, but just in time to avoid a huge downpour and storm.  Thunder, lightning and wind. The trees out the back were swaying and branches were down in the neighbours yard.

PROM

Saturday Night was Prom Night.  Grade 9,10,11 and 12 students were all present, dressed in their finery.  Here are a few of my Grade 0 students in their Prom frocks!! and stilettos.

Saturday Signs - A healthy temple

Many temples have these smoke-free signs out the front.

A tea towel hat

I liked this lady crossing the road after being to the shop with a tea towel on her head to protect from the heat and sun. Notice the pop up pool in the background.  It has remained in front of the shop since the Pii Mai celebrations in mid April.  Pools popped up everywhere and have stayed up in lots of places.  Now kids swim and play in them, but over Pii Mai they swam, played and threw water at every passer by.

That is a Glass

At our local bar, Cafe Fiore, (aka as Dennis's until Dennis left for an unknown destination), to celebrate colleagues' birthdays. Katja, German mother tongue teacher in the elementary school,shows the "glass" of wine.  I don't think the staff have completed their RSA.  Also notice the slight condensation on the wine glass - that's because all wine, even the red is kept in the refrigerator.

Sri Lankan Roadside Vegetable Stall and Scale.

The Old and the New

Talat Sao, the main market in Vientiane is split into two distinct sections.  The new (well probably 15 yrs old) air conditioned shopping mall has bright lights and stalls with electronics, clothing and jewellry. The original Morning market is a labyrinth of narrow aisles with more clothing - especially cheap T shirts, but also crafts and silk. The older buildings are hidden within the modern structure, but I think they look much better.

The Egg Man

My egg lady is sometimes an egg man.  Always smiling.  I ended up with twenty-six eggs when I thought I was asking for twelve of the 26 eggs.  Lots of omelettes this week.

Harvest Time Laos style

From my cycle along the Mekong  a few Sundays ago.
Two Laos farmers on their motorized carrier (I think its called a dok dok) bringing in the harvest of rice stalks.

Sri Lankan Roadside Vegetable Stall.

The Fishing Village

The village near the Sanctuary Resort where I went for the weekend is called Theaheua.  However, foreigners call it the "Dried Fish Village" as there are many  road side stalls selling dried fish.  It is very wiffy!  Even though it is the dry season, the fishermen were preparing their boats and nets.

A weekend away

After the storm. The past weekend was spent at a "resort" about 3 hours from Vientiane on the Nam Ngum reservoir. It was a girls trip with some work colleagues. Great fun! The water level was very low as it's the dry season, but I still was able to go for a kayak through the islands and coves. Need to go back after the rainy season.

Elephants seeking the shade

I wasn't the only one seeking the shade in Sri Lanka.  This elephant family was happy to spend time under this shady tree.

Saturday Signs - What would a Kangaroo Sell?

Home appliances I think.  I have never been into the "Kangaroo showroom", but as I go past on Dongpalane, one of the major shopping strips, I think can see home appliances etc.  Not sure of the Kangaroo connection, but it might be a chain as I saw a similar shop in Hanoi.

Bikes for Business

Hanoi streets are busy with people, usually women, selling produce and other goods from their bicycles.   Here you could buy nuts, fruit and fresh pineapple.

Cho Hom Wet Market

Fancy a tortoise or would you prefer squid?  Options in the wet market at Cho Hom in Hanoi on Saturday.

As it  is the beginning of the month, this photo fits in with "Let's Eat" the theme for the City Daily Photo community for May.

Cho Hom - The Fabric Market

I love a good market and I found a great one to explore in Hanoi.  Cho Hom market has a traditional wet market at ground level, but upstairs it is a fabric market.   It was colourful and amazing with narrow aisles stacked to the roof with fabric of every imaginable type, texture design and colour.  The silks in particular where divine.

Sunday morning scene - Hanoi

I am in Hanoi this weekend - a cheapish escape from Vientiane for a long weekend.  Monday May 1 is a holiday in Laos.  It is also a holiday in Vietnam - Reunification Day.

I have been chilling and watching  the street life.  This scene was played out below my hotel balcony this morning. The fellow in his pajamas appeared and then haggled with the lady selling hydrangeas an other greenery from her loaded bicycle.