Day 25 - Another tedious day! - Trial by fire: new bike, first tour, first time in Asia

November 19, 2024

Day 25 - Another tedious day!

We were both out before dawn to watch Monks collecting alms and tourists behaving badly. I hid myself away on a corner enjoying Monks wandering by often with temple dogs.

The dogs are smart: get out early with the Monks and collect your own alms.

I love uniforms. One mistake that Winston and I have made is to forego a cycling uniform.

Once the Monks had endured their harassment by the tourists, I (Winston) found the morning market...

She's grilling coconut rice in cones of banana leaf. And the rice was purple!

The fish section wasn't fried either...

These fish were so fresh their mouths were still moving.

This is a unique fish. I was told that it was caught in the Mekong.

Beautiful tools, but they won't let us on the train with them.

We eventually caught up on the Mekong, where the car ferry plied between banks.

On the way I grabbed a roll from this fine vendor.

And we regrouped for a Lao coffee but gave the fried dough a miss.

As I sat above the river a disabled woman came by selling bananas. I gave her the appropriate money and she gestured in a way that I did not understand. I presumed that she wanted more. Some time later she returned with a handful of change that I didn't need.

We parted again and Winston went to look for a boat ride.

Aye took me up river a few km. He has family in California and speaks English well.

He said that the water level was lower this season than any in his memory.

But every year in dry season people put houses below high-water level and plant gardens.

I had a different day. Yesterday, I had my camera when I didn't need it and left it behind when I wanted it. So today I repeated the walk up and over Phousi Hill with my camera. It didn't help to have a clear day with light bouncing everywhere. Also, I can't easily get photos from there to the blog. So, I don't have much to show.

This bird caught my ear with its song. It sings to a conspecific in a nearby cage. All very sad.

Every so often on my wanders I made a photo on my phone. I love the art and architecture of Buddhist temples so this features heavily.

I was attracted to the roof of the National Museum.

I adjourned for a late lunch - very good Tom Yum, and then wandered the grounds of the Wat that's closest to our abode - Wat Hosian Voravihane.

I caught up with Winston who had his own temple photo and one of an interesting tree.

Maknamtaopung tree that's apparently good for health.

Winston had met another cyclist - Steven. We got together for a beer on the Mekong and then a meal at the night market - a most enjoyable couple of hours.

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Graham SmithI’m a bit worried about your bikes.

Are they languishing in a bike lock-up somewhere, or did you leave them on the train?
Or are they now being used by locals as freight bikes on the Ho Chi Minh Trail?
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1 day ago

Ian WallisTo Graham SmithGraham, probably all of the above. I suspect that Thorn were probably behind the Iron Horse, used on the HCM. Ian
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1 day ago