The Mighty Mekong

After another sensible start time today our car transported us a matter of minutes to the riverside. Our intinerary described the trip as a half day "Boat Trip to the Pak Ou Caves" with not much more information than that. Stephen had asked the previous evening but all Ken proffered was that it was a long tail boat. So, we packed sun tan lotion and mosquito repellent, a couple of bottles of water and tried to imagine what was in store.

Approaching the waters edge where our carriage awaited.

This is what we imagined would be our transportation up-river.

It soon became clear that longtail boats are used for tour groups and that several were loading ready for the off. More surprising however was that ours was to be just that ... Ours! A canopied motorised cruiser all to ourselves for a 2 hour trip upstream. Unbelievable. 

All to ourselves! 

Happy bunny!

Back to the more interesting views, sadly difficult to capture in the haze of the sun over the water but needless to say it was a breathtaking cruise upriver to our destination.

Following the curves of the river and the ever changing mountainous backdrop we passed individual dwellings, small patches of evidently cultivated land, the odd small herd of water buffalo and the occasional strangely manufactured stone 'tower' sticking up from the rocks. Ever curious, HRH asked what they were.

Water buffalo - trust me.

This stone tower is used as a depth marker for bigger boats which can only use the river after the rainy season.

After an hour and a half's relaxing cruise it was time to disembark to explore a riverside village where they make rice whisky. I declined a tot although joined HRH in sampling the less potent rice wine, leaving him then to try the strong stuff. The process and the home-made stills they use (knocked up from a couple of old oil barrels) have to be seen to be believed. So too do the finished products! 

Each bottle contains a venomous creature of one sort or another, mostly scorpion or snake. These are introduced to the bottles whilst still alive so that, once the whisky is added, the creature gives out its venom when it dies (drowns presumably) thus giving the finished product additional medicinal value. 

King Cobra, "only for the older male generation". We are still not clear if this is the Lao equivalent of Viagra or whether you'd have to be already past your best to want to risk it!

There was a very funny moment around the next corner. Sadly we were told no photographs were allowed but that it was ok to look closely at some large jars of the same whisky. I couldn't work out what HRH was doing when he started to remove his shoes. Looking quizzically at him I was about to say something when he asked me why I was frowning. "What are you doing?", says I. "Didn't you hear?", he replied, "Ken said bare feet". "No he didn't", I chuckled, "He said bear feet!" For that was what was in the jar of whisky - all huge and hairy! And I can tell you now that I'd have to be pretty poorly to take any of that as a cure, however magical the properties are meant to be. Moving on ...

The same village was full of stalls selling homespun cloth and silks - all beautiful, all tempting - and a dear old monk guarding his shrine.

Back on our boat it was a short distance further upstream to our destination. 

The Pak Ou Caves were first believed to have been used for religious purposes when the Lao people worshipped Phi, the God of Nature. I don't know how they know this nor when it was, just that this is what we're were told. Nowadays every Lao New Year the locals make a pilgrimage to the caves to add a Buddha statue. There are already over 4000. 

My happy little Buddha.

Sadly the photographs of the caves didn't turn out well but you get the idea. A shorter down-stream journey back and the morning relaxing on the boat had been great fun. 

Back to our boat via the wobbly rushes-and-bamboo jetty. 

PS En route back Khen produced some photographs of him when he was a monk, and on his wedding day, to complete yesterday's charming life story and was happy for me to snap them as a memory. How kind.