Laos 2,Luang Namtha and Nong Kiaw

Laung Namtha is a good stopover on the way to Nong Kiaw, a great town on a river.... Here is anold temple seen during a day bike ride... There are someiterestig details in the fading paint, and many gruesome scenes of torture like in Nan...

There were many school kids heading home

This bridge was too scary for me to bike across but she had no problem ona motorcycle... A small window into how we can adapt to any situation...

From Luang Namtha I was on a local bus to Nong Kiaw and we stopped onthe side of the road for a pee and some food.  It is interesting to see what was for lunch!  When I went to take the picture this guy moved! He was still alive.... and so plump and yummy!

The bus station was on one side of this bridge and the guesthouses on the other... Right away I felt great being here!

Here is the view from the bridge...

Walking in the town the childrenwere all camera happy!

Here is a school just out for lunch

Looking at the river all I wanted to do was to canoe!  And so it came to pass...  Another guy had the same idea and we hired 3 boats between the 7 of us and tried outluck on the river...  A canoe made out of strips of 2 by 8s and other radom and not so random peices of wood does not handle like the boats I am used to...  Also going upstream on an unfamiliar river is not easy.  but it is lots of fun!  I started in the back and unbeknownst to me my friend in the front was getting quite upset with our constant spinning around and inability to go in a straight line!  I felt like I was doing a pretty good job.  Of course once we switched places it became obvious that even the inventor of the canoe, sir John A.Paddle McUpriver would have been hardpressed to go in a straight line.

After several 200 meter jauntsof walking theboat upthe faster partso the current, and several quite lovely paddles on slower water we stopped at anideal beach for lunch and rest.

That night was the second nigth of Channukahand we made a Channukiah and some Latkes (thanks to Yonatan) and had a little celebration

 There is a town up river called Muang Ngoi, it is only accessible by boat and the ideal spot to continue to...  The town Iwas leavig had no phone ATM or internet (although there were signs for wireless buti never saw it in use) and theplace we headed to didnt even have motorize vehicles!  Here is the boat!

And the view!