Time Lapse

I'd say that I finally got around to putting together a video featuring all the time lapse we shot on the trip, but that isn't really true for two reasons. 1. I have been working on it for months now and 2. It is only maybe a third of the footage we shot. I may do a part 2 at some point. But for now, I hope you enjoy this.

Don Khone, Laos

Bree watching the Mekong sunset from a hammock. Bucket list # something: check!

City of Lost Children.

Water Buffalo, unamused.

Suspension bridge to a waterfall.

Giant fish traps at the falls.

Rice paddies, arid in the dry season. Typical stilted house in the distance.

Delightful dinner conversation.

Khonephapheng waterfall.

An abandoned resort on the Mekong.

Girls on their way to school.

Medical clinic on Don Khone.

Somphamit falls, on the western side of the island.

Matt retouching photos.

When we started planning this trip I said I wanted to spend a few weeks, or maybe a few months, in a hut on the Mekong. Preferably in Laos. I'm pretty happy we found it, even if it is only for a few nights. After another flight (again, we feel guilty for cheating, but it's 24hrs by bus or 1hr by air!) we took a mini bus then a long tail boat to the Island of Don Det. We already had an inkling that the place was not for us, but the walk through town past bars blaring last year's top forty and Westerners in bikini tops confirmed it. Luckily, few travelers we talk to have met many Americans, so we don't get blamed for the bad behavior. The funny thing is, everyone has another country to blame for traveler embarrassments. The French said it's the Germans, the Germans blame the Brits, everyone complains about Israelis, us Americans are commended for just having left our country. But everyone loves Canadians (except us, sorry, we've met some bad ones) and Aussies.

Anyway, we continued across the island to the old French railway bridge to the more sedate island of Don Khone. We are starting to realize that when the guidebook talks about attracting an "over 30 crowd" they are sometimes referring to us. Ugh.

Our four days were spent walking around the island through the small Lao villages and visiting the many waterfalls that necessitated the French railway (they wanted steamers and warships on the upper Mekong). We didn't see the elusive Irawaddy dolphins, or the somewhat mythical giant Mekong catfish, but we didn't really chase them down either.

We were charmed by the village children who, by two years old, can give unprompted high fives, and wield kitchen knives. By six they are fishing and selling their wares on the street, and by ten they are ferrying other children around on scooters with makeshift sidecars. There are actually a few well attended schools on the island, the kids just seem to keep busy.

We do feel that we have been dialing down the intensity level from Bangkok, back down to Andaman islands level. This is another place we could have been comfortable staying a while longer. There's even a reasonably well appointed clinic that always seems to be vacant. I'm sure they wouldn't mind me sitting around handing out bandaids? At the rate travelers and tourists seem to injure themselves in SE Asia I could stay busy!

- Bree

Luang Prabang, Laos

Our first sunset on the Mekong. 

The bamboo bridge across the river, which is probably closed or washed out in rainy season. 

Fried river weed, like seaweed only better.

Lao fondue / barbecue / hotpot. 

The stakes are high at Laotian restaurants.

The old royal palace, now a museum.

The bamboo bridge by day. 

A Mekong cat.

Young monks going for a swim in the hot afternoon. 

An asiatic black bear, also taking in a dip in the hot afternoon.

Matt's just one of the bears (this picture's for Isaac).

Kuang Si Waterfall.

The limestone pools descending from the waterfall. 

Taking a swim in the hot afternoon. 

Leaving Luang Prabang. 

We cheated a little bit and flew from Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang, Laos. The decision was either several buses that would take two days, or a 45 minute flight that only cost a little over $100 each. 

The whole center of the town of Luang Prabang is a UNESCO World Heritage site (our 21st). It was the capital city of the Luang Prabang (or Chiang Thong) kingdom, and is situated at the confluence of the mighty Mekong and Nam Khan rivers.  

On our first night we did a loop around the city and ended up at a restaurant across a bamboo foot bridge on the Nam Khan river. We ordered the Lao appetizer plate and 'Lao fondue' to share. It essentially mixes elements of Chinese Hot Pot and barbecue. By the end, and after several Beerlao, we were both full and glad we had a decent walk home to work off the meal a little. 

The following couple of days were spent walking around the town of Luang Prabang, enjoying the architecture, the local restaurants, the handicraft night market and the laid back vibe. And more Beerlao.

We took a trip out to the Kuang Si waterfalls. Just at the entrance to the waterfalls there is the Bear Rescue Center run by Free The Bears association. They've rescued 31 bears in Laos to date (and many others throughout SE Asia). Traditional medicine still uses bear bile and gall bladder. So poaching/capturing the bears is still a problem. The sun and moon bears (or Asiatic Black Bear) are super cool. We sat and watched them for nearly an hour as they wandered around, played in the water and slept in funny positions. 

The falls were really awesome. I did some fun time lapse and we took a swim in one of the aqua-marine pools of water. Which in the 90+ degree weather was quick refreshing.

- Matt