{"id":1500,"date":"2013-10-13T16:20:22","date_gmt":"2013-10-13T20:20:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/prstevens.stonehippo.com\/blog\/?page_id=1500"},"modified":"2014-10-25T11:52:02","modified_gmt":"2014-10-25T15:52:02","slug":"southeast-asia-with-peter-2013-page-02","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/prstevens.stonehippo.com\/blog\/southeast-asia-with-peter-2013-page-02\/","title":{"rendered":"Southeast Asia with Peter – Page 02"},"content":{"rendered":"

Southeast Asia with Peter – Day 4<\/strong><\/h1>\n

We started \u00a0Day 4 at the Pantip Suites Hotel, \u00a0still sore from last night’s\u00a0beating.<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

.<\/strong>\"IMG_4111\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"IMG_4110\"<\/a>After a nice \u00a0breakfast we said “good bye” to the Generalissimo at the door and headed to the airport. \u00a0That’s Will Andrews from CA. \u00a0He was single and chummed around with us \u00a0lot. He was a good natured guy! He taught me how to use “Facetime” on the iPhone and how to use the “Siri” voice recognition feature, also on the iPhone. \u00a0I conversed with my wife and daughter several times during the trip\u00a0<\/strong>using Facetime. \u00a0 It was real handy: Talking and seeing in\u00a0real time!! \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"IMG_4117\"<\/a>\"IMG_4121\"<\/a>We flew from Bangkok to Luang Prabang, Laos on a small Cambodian Airlines “prop job” It was a nice smooth flight with views of the countryside. \u00a0It was a short 1 and 3\/4 hour flight to a modern airport and terminal.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"IMG_4122\"<\/a>\"IMG_4123\"<\/a>\"IMG_4124\"<\/a><\/p>\n

After clearing Imigrations we were bussed to the “Grand”\u00a0hotel and resort. It is situated on the grounds of the Xiengkeo Palace which belonged to the famous nationalist hero of Luang Prabang,\u00a0Prince Phetsarath.\u00a0\u00a0He chose this site for its tranquility, its stunning views of the mighty Mekong River, and the breathtaking landscape of mountains surrounding Luang Prabang<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

My room was clean and tidy and the view of the lily pond and the lawns from my private veranda and our breakfast veranda on the riverwere outstanding. It was a serene place, indeed.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"IMG_4120\"<\/a>Another of Ole’s sketches. Luang Prabang is at the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Kahn rivers. It was the center of the Lao Kingdom from the 14th \u00a0to 16th century when the capital was moved to Vientiane and it became one of the 3 Lao Kingdoms (Vientiane, Luang Prabang, and Champasak).<\/strong><\/p>\n

Luang Prabang is now designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. \u00a0This designation requires the town to restrict development and preserve historical sites. \u00a0By doing this, the town has enjoyed the “prosperity” of numerous foreign visitors and their currencies.<\/strong>\"IMG_4129\"<\/a>This is Dao, our Laotian country guide. He was quite knowledgeable in Laotian history and culture. \u00a0He also told us lots of stories about his family life.<\/strong>\u00a0\"IMG_4135\"<\/a><\/strong>Here’s Pete and I blocking the view of the Wat Xieng Thong temple. It is the subject of Ole’s sketch (above). \u00a0The temple was built in 1560. It has low sweeping roofs and is decorated with glass tile mosaics. The little white building on the left is a place where worshipers can leave offerings. \u00a0The little pointy buildings in the far right are “Stupas” which are funeral memorials.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"IMG_4136\"<\/a>In a separate building is this 40 foot long funeral chariot last used in 1959 for the funeral of King Sisavangvong (say that 3 times fast?). \u00a0It is decorated with guilded “Nagas”.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Buddhist Naga generally has the form of a large cobra-like snake, usually with a single head but sometimes with as many as nine. At least some of the Nagas are capable of using magic powers to transform themselves into a human semblance.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nagas are believed to live in the L<\/a>aotian stretch of the Mekong river or estuaries. Lao mythology maintains that the Nagas are the protectors of Vientiane\u00a0and by extension, the Lao state. The Naga is incorporated extensively into Lao iconography, and features prominently in Lao culture throughout the length of the country, not only in Vientiane.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"IMG_4138\"<\/a><\/p>\n

This is the interior of the Wat Xieng Thong temple. The Buddha is sitting there surrounded by golden offerings. \u00a0I don’t know what stops people from swiping a souvenir. Apparently, that’s not done in temples here. \u00a0On the right is Janet Swartz from Iowa. \u00a0A better picture is ahead. \u00a0She had a good sense of humor and answered to “Dammit Janet” occasionally.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n\n

\"IMG_4139\"<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

\"IMG_4141\"<\/a>These two pictures go together. \u00a0The top one is a special Buddha that is washed with an overhead shower fed from the gold pipe above it. \u00a0The bottom picture shows the elephant head drain pipe on the outside of the temple. \u00a0The faithful would collect the wash water and use it as “holy water”\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"IMG_4143\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"IMG_4144\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Here’s Dao explaining the colorful stories depicted in beautiful tiny glass mosaics on the back wall of the temple. <\/strong><\/p>\n

The top picture tells the story of a poor peasant who falls in love with a princess. \u00a0His love is doomed until he performed some special feat and became acceptable. \u00a0The bottom picture shows a hunter who trapped a deer. \u00a0The trap was cut by a turtle and the deer ran off. \u00a0The hunter was lured away from the turtle by birds who later flew off. The hunter was foiled and the animals lived happily ever after (or until they got caught again).<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"IMG_4150\"<\/a> \"IMG_4148\"<\/a>I enjoyed photographing \u00a0the different means of transportation on the trip.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"IMG_4146\"<\/a> \"IMG_4156\"<\/a>\u00a0I also enjoyed photographing critters.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"IMG_4157\"<\/a> \"IMG_4159\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"IMG_4163\"<\/a><\/p>\n

After visiting the temple, we all walked along the\u00a0Nam Kahn river looking at the street sights: A Laotian Tuk Tuk, a cycle rickshaw, a “lion” dog, a couple of chickens, a bamboo bridge over the river, a typical street scene, and finally a communist flag. \u00a0This was a reminder that Laos PDR \u00a0(Peoples Democratic Repubic) is controlled by the Communists (but you never feel their presence). Some folks say that Laos PDR means “Laotion People Don’t Rush”.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"IMG_4161\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"IMG_4165\"<\/a>We were “downtown” in time to see the night market being set up. \u00a0Every night people come from the surrounding area to sell stuff: Fabrics, foods, trinkets, handicrafts, clothing, etc. \u00a0After a day working on the farms and households, they continue their labors at the night markets (all over SE Asia) in hopes of earning a few extra “dollars”. There’s always a big crowd, but I saw very little being sold. I guess it’s a social occasion for many<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"IMG_4164\"<\/a>Peter did buy this small bottle of rice whiskey. \u00a0As you can see it contains a small pickled cobra. \u00a0He thought his son Ryan and his buddies might enjoy daring each other to drink some. \u00a0I guess some people do buy things at the night market.<\/strong>\u00a0\"IMG_4172\"<\/a> \"IMG_4176\"<\/a> \"IMG_4174\"<\/a>We returned to the hotel, got cleaned up, put on a warm jacket and headed back to town for dinner at the Pakhouymeexai restaurant and then back to the hotel and bed. \u00a0So ended \u00a0Day 4.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The folks in these photos are: Top: Will Andrews and Ole. \u00a0Middle: Debbie Hudson from Oregon. And, bottom: Gloria Jesaitis from NY and Carol Green from Hawaii. \u00a0Gloria just got through exclaming “Oh, My God!”.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Go to Page 03<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Southeast Asia with Peter – Day 4 We started \u00a0Day 4 at the Pantip Suites Hotel, \u00a0still sore from last night’s\u00a0beating. . After a nice \u00a0breakfast we said “good bye” to the Generalissimo at the door and headed to the … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1500","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/prstevens.stonehippo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1500","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/prstevens.stonehippo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/prstevens.stonehippo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prstevens.stonehippo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prstevens.stonehippo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1500"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/prstevens.stonehippo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1500\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2402,"href":"https:\/\/prstevens.stonehippo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1500\/revisions\/2402"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/prstevens.stonehippo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1500"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}