Laos and Sabah

Cossie · Mar 29, 2018

More of the hotel,

Cossie · Mar 30, 2018

As I said a cooking class was included, first some photos from last year, I was unable to participate due to having a cast on my left arm. One of the others also managed to cut themselves, so they were out as well! First was an early morning visit to the market to buy some bits and pieces, like any market there was a lot on sale that I thought "that couldn't possibly taste nice!", but a lot of the the world have to eat what they can get. No photos of the frogs, insects, unkown meat , I just can' do it.

The menu from last year,

Paul the Chef was great, he must tired of having to deal with people like us, there was one Australian lady that lives in Darwin, so she already had a good grip on food from the tropics, the use of banana leaves and so on.

Needless to say it all tasted great! There was a lot of food, but we were assured that nothing was wasted.

Cossie · Mar 30, 2018

This year I didn't go to the market, guess I'm a bit of a sook, there were only us and a couple from Newcastle. The menu this year had changed and was on a usb disc which we kept, last year we were given a little recipe book.
I can post details of what we cooked later, if anyone wants to know. Again there was a lot of food! We were also assured that there was no wastage, I hope so.

Cossie · Mar 30, 2018

The set meal at the 3 Nagas is also a highlight. Just love the food here, or have I already said that?

The establishment across the road is part of the same complex, as is the old Citroen.

It may be a weed, but sure does taste good.

RooFlyer · Mar 30, 2018

Cossie said:
is the Plain of Jars, somewhere I've wanted to visit since I first read about the place.

Me too! ...but we couldn't fit it in. Thanks for the pics.

Great memories of Luang Prabang - the Lao+French combination seems to work really well.

Cossie · Mar 30, 2018

RooFlyer said:
Me too! ...but we couldn't fit it in. Thanks for the pics.

Great memories of Luang Prabang - the Lao+French combination seems to work really well.

It's not an easy country to get around! I don't want to spend 10-12 hours in a minibus with 10 other people anymore. It is changing quickly, new roads are veing built, so I'm thinking in a couple of years it will be very feasible for us to rent a car. You can do it by motorbike/scooter, but I'm over that as well!

Cossie · Mar 31, 2018

Pak Ou Caves, went there last year, bit underwhelmed, but the boat ride up there was nice, first some general river scenes.

Cossie · Mar 31, 2018

It's a very pleasant way to travel, not the same for the locals, I guess. Lot's of hard work for some.

Not really sure if the helmet is going to save you if one of the speed boats has an oopsy......

Cossie · Mar 31, 2018

The caves, I'm glad I went, probably didn't do it the right way as we paid for a boat for the 2 of us, and we were returned to LP in a car, not by boat. Other tours include a lunch stop and a visit to a couple of small villages. So ask what you are getting if you are considering visiting.

Cossie · Mar 31, 2018

I know nothing about this place, so it's certainly not a recommendation, but it does look inviting!

The UXO place is just around the corner from the Sofitel, well worth a look, also a couple of street scenes, how do they keep track of all those cables?

Cossie · Apr 1, 2018

Next say we were off to the Waterfall at Kuang Si, but first a stop at the buffalo dairy that I had read about in an inflight magazine. Two couples wanted a change, they had run a guest house in LP for 2 years and after not being able to find any cheese, even though there were many buffalo around, they started their own dairy.
Now you can visit, see the buff and the other animals and learn how they are changing the locals attitudes to dairy products and educating some into the black arts of mozzarella making as well as animal husbandry.

I have mentioned them previously on this forum, but what they are doing for the locals really adds another dimension to a mid life crisis. Wish I could do something like this! It hasn't been an easy project, bureaucracy anywhere if difficult, but here I would imagine it would pose a few more difficulties.

Hopefully they can make it work, I'm trying to think of ways to help them.

Laos Buffalo Dairy, Home

Cossie · Apr 1, 2018

The icecream is very tasty as well, if you go with a 'driver' and do a visit, the driver gets a free icecream as well!

Cossie · Apr 1, 2018

On to the waterfalls, it was busy, we also passed a 'shooting range' that was doing a roaring trade as well, if that's your thing.

Just after you pay your entry into the waterfall park there is the Tat Kuang Si Bear Rescue Centre, which doesn't get anything from the entry fee, but they have many things for sale, but the t-shirts aren't big enough for a big fatty like me.

Cossie · Apr 1, 2018

As it was the end of the dry season, the water level was low and there were a lot of people.

These poor old things were walking round and round the pond, guess that's better than being in a cage where you can't move producing bile for the so called chinese medicine market.

craven morehead · Apr 2, 2018

Really enjoying reading this trip report , many thanks

Cossie · Apr 2, 2018

Thank you commenting!

More from LP, again a mix of last year and this, it was a similar time of the year and things haven't changed that much.

Former Royal Palace, you can't take photos inside, nice to wander about outside. Royal Palace, Luang Prabang - Wikipedia

First two are Haw Pha Bang temple.

Cossie · Apr 2, 2018

Mount Phou Si, from last year, quite a steep climb up and an effort, particularily if you are unfit..... There are a couple of temples here. It's a very popular spot to watch the sun go down, but apparently there have been issues lately with what's considered unsuitable behavior by tourists from a certain country, don't know how they will change that though.

Cossie · Apr 2, 2018

There are people selling captured birds at the bottom of the hill on the Mekong side, for me, it's another conundrum, pay and free a bird, feel good about it until you know more will be caught and so on...........
Erika says I over think things............................... I'll need to have more time to contemplate that and get back to you....

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