coming home

relax

coming home

above the clouds

flying over the palm oil plantations

at the LCCT terminal KL

a morph of buddha statues

Kuala Lumpur

the last fantastic Indian meal

my favorite palms

I think the common name is sealing wax palms

wobbly knees

It is a long way down

a mix of traditional and modern

view from the bridge between the towers

Tourist information office, very cool and modern with 20 min free internet

Monorail, transport in KL is very fast and good

That is the Tune Hotel, where we stayed. Very budged but very convenient

Vientiane

Wat Si Saket — Vientiane’s oldest surviving temple

Built in 1818 by Chao Anou, Wat Si Saket on the corner of Lane Xang Avenue and Setthathirat Road (across the street from Haw Pha Kaew) is Vientiane’s oldest surviving temples and next to That Louang and Haw Pha Kaew, one of the city’s most important Buddhist sites.

According to tradition, this was where the Lao lords and nobles came to swear allegiance to the King. When the Siamese sacked Vientiane in 1828, they spared this temple, perhaps because it is built in a style similar to Thai temples

On the interior walls of the cloister are over two thousand small niches, each of which houses a small Buddha image. Over 300 seated and standing Buddhas of varying sizes and materials (terracotta, wood, plaster, silver, gold and bronze) rest on long shelves below the niches, most of them sculpted or cast in the characteristic Lao style.

Last time we were here in 1968, this gate was in the middle of a dusty road

We had a nice long chat with this interesting gentleman

blowing bubbles into the setting sun on the Mekong

a fisherman is reflected in the sunset with his boat

Vang Vieng

Vang Vieng doesn't have much to offer. It owes its popularity to the beautiful surroundings and a party image.

A favorite with travelers - many stay longer than planned. However this town became too famous for them and became a party village. Music and noise last until late night.

The bridge to the other side

sunset magic sunset, after the party life starts for Vang Vieng

Vang Vieng is a small town surrounded by mountains & rivers. The main attractions are caves, Hmong villages, and the natural mountain scenery.

The river is spanned by a number of wooden bridges, which despite their flimsy appearance complement the scenery perfectly.

The landscape is incredibly serene and picturesque; beyond the sparkling river, sheer limestone cliffs rise from a plateau of paddy fields

fast boats

wonderful landscape on the way to Vang Vieng

in Luang prabang

the market at Luang Prabang

Waterfall