The Blue Lagoon

 

 This is a park outside of Vang Vieng Laos.  Theres a cave that can be explored also.

Some local stuff

 

 

Some other stuff

 A Lao style tuktuk.  This poster is trying to discourage people from becoming involved with opium.  This is view of the fron seat of our mini van heading to Vang Vieng Laos.  Nee had secured the shotgun seat and made this very large Lao fellow sit in the middle.  You can see the side of Nees head.  At the first rest stop I suggested she switch with the poor fellow. She  agreed.

   These women are selling a variety of groceries, including a live duck and chickens.

 

The big competition

 The day after Son Kran, Hua Hin hosts a sand castle (temple) building contest.  The image on the upper right is the entry from Nees' massage shop.  She spent most of the night working on it.  They
were awarded third place with a 2000 baht prize, about $60 U.S.
  I left my camera safely in my room, as the water throwing and paste smearing can be lethal.  Look back to April of last year to see photos of the water festival.

 

Oddz an enz

 Heres a fellow mountain a new electrical line.  Safety first!  Nee unwrapping one of the previously shown tasty meat morsels.  Playing cards on the beach.  A praying mantis clinging to a motorbike mirror.

 

Some foods

These are different grades of rice for sale.  Small meat snacks wrapped in banana leaves.

Signs

 Before the Communist victory,  Laos was a kingdom.Near the Kings palace, that's now a museum, stands the Royal theatre.  You can see the word Royal chopped away and painted over.

 

Laos

  Nee and I made a one week trip to Laos.  She had never lefr Thailand and had not flown in an airplane.  We rode a sleeper train to the border near Vientiane and flew back from Luang Prabang.
  My visa fee was $35 U.S., hers was 40 Thai baht.  That's about $1.30  That's the mighty Mekong looking back to the Thai side of the border.

Laos

 Nee and I made a one week trip to Laos.  She had never been out of Thailand.  Also had never been on an airplane ride.  We took an overnight sleeper train, and crossed the border near Vientiane.  My visa charge was $35 U.S., hers, 40 Thai baht.  That's about  $1.30!  That's the mighty Mekong river.

 

Sunday morning

  Nee and I got back to the parking pick up spot by about 7 A.M.  The crowd had swelled to 200,000 by my estimate.  This big rock was a central
 'holy' spot.  Nee went to put flowers there and we were separated for some time in the mass of humanity.

   I had originally avoided this outing by claiming Superbowl Sunday as an excuse to opt out.  Sothe massage ladies, all 19 of them agreed to make the treck one day earlier so I could come.
  Nee has made the pilgrimage five times.  If I'm in Hua Hin next year, I will run away and hide to avoid the trip.  Five hours drive each way and up all night hiking.  Ain't gonna do it again.