Tuesday Temple Scenes

Window detail and rich gold painting on the wall of Wat Sensoukharam in Luang Prabang.

Originally built in 1718, it was believed to have been built from 100,000 stones from the Mekong, giving the temple it's name, roughly translating to Temple of 100,000 Treasures.

Monday Monks and Lanterns

A young monk on a wall lighting a row of lanterns for the Boun Awk Phansa lantern festival in Luang Prabang earlier in October.

Green Silk

 The colours of the hanks of silk in bags  at Talat Sao are vibrant and enticing.  I pass by, then stop and think, what could I do with those colours???

Pipes and trenches n Luang Namtha

This week we are out of school on SALSA. No dancing, but plenty of digging as our task is to install pipes and a tank for a school in a remote area of northern Laos.

Mekong Panorama

Panorama of the Mekong, looking over to Thailand, in downtown Vientiane. On the left you can see Don Chan Palace hotel, the tallest building in town.

Tuesday Temple Scenes

 A very neat and tidy wood stack at a Temple in Luang Prabang.

Monday Monks and Lanterns

Concentration and focus as this young monk lights a lantern in a temple in Luang Prabang.

The Lights of Thailand

The lights of Thailand reflected in the Mekong from Vientiane tonight.

Buddhist Books

Books on Buddhism.  If you can read Laos and want to learn about Buddha, then the book stall at Talat Sao is the place to go.

I think I ate Bambi

This restaurant is near school and I go pass it often.  There is always an animal in the drum oven, usually a pig, and the picture above shows a roasting pig.
I decided to stop last night and asked for some meat. I pointed and said "moo" which although the sound a cow makes is the word for pork in Laos.  The lady shook her head and said something.
This morning I asked my students what the word was and they said deer.  EEEEKKK I think I ate Bambi!

In the Jungle

The dense jungle on the banks of the Nam Ou river.

Mungilli Claypans IX

Finally the clay in the claypan.

Yes it really did look like chocolate and when I prised a chunk loose it's profile  was like caramel chocolate slice.

Tuesday Temple Scenes

Robes, bell, drumstick with painted drum in front of a large decorated temple drum.

Monday Monks and Lanterns

A monk up a ladder, hanging a star shaped lantern at  a temple in Luang Prabang for the Boun Awk Phansa festival to mark the end of Buddhist Lent.

Supplies for a Good Buddhist

A good Buddhist can stock up on all necessary supplies, candles, wrist strings, flags, plates etc at many of the colourful and intriguing Buddhist supply shops in Talat Sao market.

Selfies

Is there no end to the selfie culture??????  It is everywhere, even in temples- or am I just old fashioned?

Floating down the River

Last week I had a lovely break on the Nam Ou River at Nong Khiaw.  I spent a day on longtail boat going upstream through the jungle.  It was amazing.

Mungilli Claypans VIII

Dusky light intensifying the red desert sand.

Tuesday Temple Scenes

I took way too many photos while in Luang Prabang, especially when I was walking and exploring and wandering through temples; so I will share a few over the next weeks.

Young monks seem to spend a large part of their day sweeping and tidying the temple grounds.Hence I liked this collection of brooms and dustpans.

Post Parade Nagas

The skeletons of the paper Naga lantern/boats downstream from Luang Prabang  on the Mekong, the day after the parade. The colours were still bright, but the paper was torn and shredded.

Nagas on Parade

Last night was the Light Festival parade in Luang Prabang. The nagas made of paper and glue were amazing. This three headed naga was one of the most striking.

Fabric, Fabric, Fabric at Talat Sao

There are several aisles of fabric stalls at Talat Sao market.  The patterns and weaving on the lengths of fabrics are unique to Lao.

I have visited this stall a few times.  Of course you can't just chat with the lady and her cute son and not buy something!!!

See It Like It Buy It!!

More Luang Prabang lanterns

A photo of a monk taking a photo of other monks, at a temple in Luang Prabang tonight. Lovely lanterns, a magical and mystical place with modern touches - phones and strings of led lights.

Lanterns, temples, Luang Prabang

No, despite yesterday's blog image,  I am not still on the Gunbarrell Highway in the middle of Western Australia, but I am on holiday (again!). This week is our October break. I am in Luang Prabang for a few days. I had a wonderful evening strolling through temples, chatting with some monks and enjoying the beauty of the lanterns for the festival.

Mungilli Claypans VII