I wouldn't describe myself as an early bird, by any means.
But, after we got up before sunrise to offer our alms to the monks we went to the morning market.
There was an array of items for sale.
It is a popular retreat for locals and tourists.
The Kuang Si Falls has 3 tiers leading to a 50-meter drop into shallow pools, before flowing downstream.
It is a quiet oasis (although, it would be quieter if there weren't so many tourists.)
Surrounded by lush tropical jungle, the pools have cascades of up to 5 meters high.
We took the trails and walked from the village up to the top of Kuang Si Falls.
Situated in the north of Laos it is surrounded by mountains and on the sacred confluence of the Nam Khan River and the Mekong River.
Translated directly it is the "city of the Golden Buddha Phra Bang".
It has a French colonial past, which is evident in the town’s architecture and culture.
It is a religious centre with 33 gilded wats (temples).
It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its exceptional preservation of cultural, religious, and architectural heritage.
They say "rice is life". They eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner,
Our tour itinerary told us we would be rice farmers for a morning.
It seemed like a great idea at the time, until I realized I would be barefoot and knee-deep in mud.
You have no idea how much I do not like to be dirty and how much I do not like to have dirty hands and feet.
But there are times when "no choice" is a "good choice".
I now have an appreciation for the incredible amount of work that goes into a simple bowl of rice.
It’s a silent and sacred ceremony – one that is steeped in tradition.
Every morning the monks wake up at 3.30am and head to the temple house to pray for an hour .
They then walk into town with their alms bowls to collect rations for the day.
The monks collect alms as a way to keep their vows, while the locals give alms in order to gain merit for the afterlife – it is considered the first step on the road to Nirvana.
During the Vietnam War parts of the Ho Chi Ming Trail (running from North Vietnam to South Vietnam) passed through Laos.
As a result, parts of Laos were severely bombed
Unfortunately, not all of the bombs exploded, leaving behind unexploded weapons (UXO's)
There are forested mountains, upland plateaus and lowland plains,.
Transportation by road is not the fastest as the roads are not always the best.
Patience is required.
Here are some scenes as we drove from Vientiane north to Vang Vieng and onward to Luang Prabang.
We started in Vientiane, the largest city of Laos.
Vientiane became the capital of Laos around the mid-16th century.
It is located on the banks of the Mekong River, which creates a border with Thailand.
Vientiane has a recorded history that dates back to around 1,000 AD. It was originally settled because of the fertile land in the area.
Laos is a landlocked country and relies heavily on its rivers for transportation.
Vientiane's river port location provides transportation and makes Vientiane the major economic centre of Laos.
For centuries the Thai, Lao, Khmer and Burmese fought over the fertile hills of the Golden Triangle.
Then, in the mid-20th century, the Golden Triangle became the global capital of opium production and the international opium trade.
