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April 04, 2004Pak Ou Caves
This morning I visited the Pak Ou Caves, which are "the thing to see" around Luang Prabang. I thought it was definately not worth the effort. I couldn't find anyone to share the tuktuk ride with so it cost me $8, which is pretty hefty when you're living on $20 a day. I decided to go anyway. After a 45 minute ride out to the village of Ban Pak Ou, I took a longtail boat over to the other side of the Mekong. There are two caves, an upper and a lower. THe lower one had more buddhas in it and gave the appearance of a small buddha army because most of the images are about chess piece size. The upper cave was basically just a few buddhas and a load of bat shit. I was annoyed about the upper cave because you have to haul yourself up the side of the mountain to get there. Grrr.... I came back into town and had a bit of lunch. I had to zigzag all around the little alleyways because there are gangs of little kids out with buckets of water waiting to douse people for Bun Pi Mai, or Lao New Year. Everywhere I go, it seems to be that country's new year. Anyway, so I had to double back a few times and finally I intimidated a small girl into not throwing water by scowling at her. I don't need my nice new camera ruined by a young Lao kid thinking they're being funny! I thought I was safe until I walked into the internet cafe. A little boy ran up to me and squirted me with a water gun. When his mother yelled at him and gave him a slap on the head, he went outside and attempted to pee in his gun. His father ran over and stopped him. Tomorrow I am off to Phonsavan, in the middle of nowhere so I may not be able to check email for a while. I am going there to see the Plain of Jars. It will take 8 hours in a public chicken bus to get there. Pray for me! Comments
Hi Claudi I remembered that guides name in Phosavan. It came back to me last night. His name is Mr. Manupet of just plain "Mr. Pet" and you can track him down thru the Sanga Restuarant. If he is there still, he gives excellent tours of the Plain of Jars. Have fun Rob Posted by: Rob on April 4, 2004 01:02 AMGood luck m'dear! At the least, this bus ride should be "training" for the Kunming bus ride. Can't wait to see these tapestries too. Hell, I'm impressed enough at your restraint! Posted by: Ant on April 4, 2004 01:57 AMI am not impressed by your restraint.. two-three tapestries in ONE city... at that rate, you'll be carrying hundreds back to the states!!! :) The caves weren't impressive huh- might that be because they are just caves? How did you find out about these caves? Sounds like a tourist trap! Scaring little kids too...nice.. hey claudia. 'Together' starts with father and son at their small village, before they proceed to Beijing for the son's violin audition. Most of the film is set in Beijing actually, and the village's name is neve rmentioned. But it appeared so pictoresc, so beautiful. So I remember that you and Ant are heading to China, right? Maybe you want to try to find out where's the village and pay it a visit. Heya lets - we're going to be mostly in Yunnan and Sichuan provinces; where's that village located? Posted by: Ant on April 6, 2004 05:44 PMthat's the problem, ant, they don't say it! I know it's a village in the eastern rural area of China, that a river runs through the village, I know they took a boat through this village to get the train to Beijing. |
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