Laos 2

The gardens at Mali Namphu my favourite small hotel in Vientiane. The smiling faces of the boys on reception were a particularly welcome sight today as we hadn't reached our beds at Mutmee until 4.00am and were out of them by 8.00am to cross the Friendship Bridge into Laos

Nampuh (Fountain) Square, a short walk from Mali Namphu, is ringed with restaurants, bars, shops etc. and boasting a Scandinavian and a Joma Bakery, all we really needed for a lovely few days R&R

Haw Pha Kaew

Patuxi

Victory Gate, aka the vertical runway, superficially similar to the Arc De Triomphe but made from cement provided by the US to build a new runway

Luang Prabang

"What is this life if, full of care - We have no time to stand and stare" William Wordsworth

The long bus ride wasn't too bad as we had broken our journey in Vang Vieng but the heavy rain had us taking the bus to Luang Prabang next morning, this time there were no armed guards riding along

After a couple of false starts we settled into the Sayo Guesthouse which we liked very much

Lovely laid back Laos had really bewitched us and we had an amazing time, keeping "busy doing nothing, trying to find lots of things not to do" And we didn't do them day after day. Divine after the hectic weeks we had spent on the road

Wat Xieng Thong - Temple of The Golden City

Days start early in Luang Prang , we rose several times before 6.00am to catch the monks as they left the Wat in the dark of pre dawn. There were few tourists at the gate and there we could observe and respect the living Buddhist tradition of Tak Bat without The distraction of tour groups making offerings. You can walk into the monastery and donate privately at any time

Women sit on their heels to give alms of rice, fruit or money, men stand

Making an offering after Tak Bac

Delivering the offerings to the kitchen

Relaxing beside mosaic encrusted Red Chapel

The incredibly beautiful Luang Prabang style Sim

Buddha images in the Royal Funerary Carriage House