Laos > Traveling through the mountains

The weather is nice. We have breakfast in the hotel courtyard. After breakfast, we drive south along the Mekong River. Today we are heading to Lak Xao, which will be a long travel day. After about an hour and a half, we make a short stop at Wat Phabat Phonsane. This temple complex has a large pointed stupa, and in the sim (temple) there is an imprint of the Buddha’s foot.

Laos - A monk shaves on the steps of Wat Phabat Phonsane

The footprint is about the size of a bathtub. We continue to Paksan for a short coffee break. After that, we follow Highway 13 along the Mekong River. In Paksedan, we stop for lunch. While our dishes are being prepared, we have time to walk along the main street. Paksedan mainly serves a regional function, and many traders have small stalls here. The pink eggs especially stand out. According to our guide, the eggs are colored at the factory. The color indicates that the eggs are already cooked and salted. After Paksedan, we continue along the Mekong for a short while. Then the road curves, and we turn into the mountains. Soon we start climbing, and high mountain ranges of the Karst region appear on both sides. Tall limestone rocks rise dramatically above the trees. The bus winds its way uphill, with occasional inclines of nine percent. At the highest point, Phou Pha Mane, we get out and enjoy the beautiful panorama over the mountain ranges. It is a bit hazy, making the more distant mountains appear increasingly faint. From this point, we walk about twenty minutes downhill along the road. Along the way, we see the beautiful nature, construction workers working on the road, and children playing by the roadside. The bus meets us again, and we continue to Lak Xao (or Laksao).

Laos - The village of Lak Xao

Lak Xao is located just before the border with Vietnam, at a crossroads of two main roads. The town itself is small and mainly serves tourists as an overnight stop on the way to Vietnam. In the evening, we eat at the restaurant “The Only One.” As the name suggests, there is only one restaurant in town. While we eat, the band rehearses for the evening party. Specially for Peter, who has his birthday today, they play an enthusiastic version of “Happy Birthday.” The hotel room is simply furnished. The bathroom is very small, comparable to my toilet at home. It is practical, however, that you can sit on the toilet while showering, and at least there is hot water. After politely asking the Vietnamese neighbors to turn down their television, we go to sleep.