Chiang Mai Airport Off to Udon Thani on Nok Air. 55 minutes flight across Thailand.
Nok Air We Fly Smiles
Red Lotus lake We arrive by 8:30am after 6am breakfast. The flowers close by mid morning so you need to be early.
Red Lotus Lake The fleet waits for the day's customers. 60 boats.
Red Lotus Lake The crew take to the water. Pippa with the boatman, Tim and Benz.
Red Lotus Lake Pink lilies everywhere.
Red Lotus Lake Wedding Photographs
Red Lotus Lake Most of the flowers are pink lilies
Red Lotus Lake There are some Lotus flowers in the lake.
Red Lotus Lake Other green water plants form a large carpet.
Red Lotus Lake Monks live on the island but it is not recognised as a Wat.
Red Lotus Lake
Red Lotus Lake Monk dwelling (Kuta). On stilts as the island can flood when the lake level is high in the wet season.
Red Lotus Lake Gum Trees grow on the permanent island.
Kumphawapi 100s of Monkeys live at Kumphawapi
Weaving Village Recycled tyres make excellent planters. Used widely to grow herbs and flowers.
Weaving Village We are shown how Mut Mee fabric is woven and Pippa buys a 2m length for a spread on our bed.
Ban Chiang National Museum UNESCO Heritage Site
Ban Chiang National Museum Excavations date back 7000+ years
Ban Chiang National Museum One of the (30+) excavation sites is preserved
Wat Po Si Nai Site of the preserved excavation pit.
Potters Potters demonstrate how the Ban Chiang pots were made without a wheel.
Potters I've always wondered how to stack vases
Nong Khai Mut Mee Guesthouse *****
Mut Mee Guesthouse Our room is upstairs with the veranda
Hong Khai The Friendship bridge from Thailand to Laos
Nong Khai Wat Po Chai
Nong Khai Murals in Wat Po Chai
Hong Khai Wat Po Chai
Sala Kaew Ku Shrine Statue is eating the Moon
Nong Khai Sala Kaew Ku Shrine
Tha Bo Market Lemon Grass is 10 baht (40c) for a whole bunch in Thailand markets
Tha Bo Market Guava, Tamarind (right at back), Nashi Pears +++
Tha Bo Market Baskets
Topiary Park The elephant needs a trim
Topiary Park Muay Thai boxers (note Gum Trees)
Topiary Park Dinosaur - elephants behind
Spring Rolls drying Hand made (Is there another way). Sold to Bangkok
Ventienne (Laos) Laos is across the Mekong.
Mekong fisherman
Wat Hin Maak Peng Beautiful Wat by the Mekong
Wat Hin Maak Peng Peaceful gardens
Wat Hin Maak Peng Take off your shoes
Wat Hin Maak Peng Garden orchids
Wat Hin Maak Peng
Wat Hin Maak Peng The bell is a bomb from the Vietnam war
View over Mekong Sangkhom village below
Wat Pha Tak Suea On top of the mountain
Sangkhom Our dwelling for the night
Sangkhom View from rear of our Kuta
Sangkhom View over Mekong
Sangkhom Fishing the Mekong
Isan Tour Pippa with guide Benz. The plant is used for weaving mats.
Phu Phrabat Historical Park Eroded sandstone rocks, sometimes with embellishments
Phu Phrabat Historical Park Someone has to support it.
Phu Phrabat Historical Park These were shelters for people
Phu Phrabat Historical Park Rock Art.
Phu Phrabat Historical Park Rock Art
Phu Phrabat Historical Park On the trail
Phu Phrabat Historical Park 400m asl. Was below sea level at one time.
Phu Phrabat Historical Park Amazing what nature leaves behind
Phu Phrabat Historical Park I think the rock on the left is severed from the suspended rock.
Phu Phrabat Historical Park A gecko and eggs is in the crack.
Phu Phrabat Historical Park Bravely standing underneath
Phu Phrabat Historical Park Buddhist carvings
Gai Yang This roadside restaurant had exactly what we wanted for lunch
Gai Yang for lunch Freshly grilled with Som Tum (Papaya salad)
Lunch More than we could eat!
Wat Pho Chai Si
Wat Pho Chai Si The baskets are for fishing (on the left) and steaming sticky rice (right)
Wat Pho Chai Si Strange statues behing the temple
Wat Pho Chai Si Buddhist Hell! One of MANY such on display.
Wat Pho Chai Si Another bomb from the Vietnam war. Very tuneful.
Making Palm Sugar The farm owner climbed the sugar palm and collected juice to demonstrate his skill climbing the 11m bamboo ladder to collect juice.
Sugar Palms Female (with bamboo ladders) and Males. Only the females produce sugar syrup.
Palm Sugar Locals invariably were very pleased to share their skills with us.
