Take a Ride on the Mekong

Today we are taking a boat ride on the Mekong and I need to be prepared.  I made a list...

1. Give Food and Drink to Spirit

I have created a spirit place in the hotel room, in hopes of attracting a protective spirit that travels with me.

Hope the spirit eats flowers--I ate everything else from the room frig...

A spirit house is a shrine to the protective spirit of a place. They are found in Burma, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. Most houses and businesses have a spirit house placed in an auspicious spot, most often in a corner of the property. Offering of food and drink are made to the spirit daily. Some places have indoor shrines, too.

Actual spirit house

2. Check map in case the boat gets lost

Where are we?

The Mekong River (lao: ແມ່ນ້ຳຂອງ) means "the mother of water". This 2,703 mile-long river starts in China and travels through Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. It always flows brown in this area near Luang Prabang I am told. 

3. Get back my copy of "Casablanca", I might go to Morocco

Jeez, they've had it for a week!

You lost it?

4. Check out size and luxury of boat

I call shotgun in the blue one!

Our boat (river cruiser #126) had comfortable airline seats (really), tables, happy room (bathroom) bar and open-air ventilation. The owner's wife cooked us a delicious, tasty Lao lunch which we ate on board. Doesn't get any better than that!

This looks promising

5. Don't fall into Mekong while boarding boat

Looks easy. No jumping!

6. Take 1000 pictures

There are two elephants walking around this camp. Use magnifying glasses.

Beautiful young girl carrying something to the gold mining area

Panning for gold on the Mekong. These two women are sharing a private laugh after we  yelled "Sabaidee" (hello) to them. Maybe wrong language... maybe we are comical...

Contented calf in the center

Mechanized gold mining

Making sand castles

7. Enjoy the beauty and the breezes

Mission accomplished. We stopped at Pak Ou Cave. I will try to post some photos from there.