Tha Uthen

October 16, 2024

We were on the bicycles soon after six o’clock but it took some time to get going because we first had to stop off at the Naga Monument for some photos and then find some breakfast.

I'm enjoying the views of the mountains in Laos.

Part of the festival here in Nakhom Phanom is the fleet of illuminated bamboo boats that get released down the river. I think this happens tomorrow night.

The following photos of the boats are ones Leigh lifted off the 'net. They give a feel for what we missed out on.

Then it was fourteen very pleasant kilometers along the riverside until we reached the Third Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge.

St Anne's Cathedral. Eight years ago a mum let us in to have a look around.

The ride to the bridge is all on an excellent cycle way.

This is the only one of the five Friendship Bridges we haven't crossed.

After the bridge we ended up on the 212 for most of the way to Tha Uthen. Our big fear was being able to find accomodation because this town picks up the overflow from Nakhom Phanom duringvthe festival. There seem to be only three options in town, the first of which we visited was full. Fortunately the second had space for tonight but since it was only nine thirty in the morning we had to occupy a few hours before we could check in. So we headed up the river to Wat Phrathat Tha Uthen, one of many stupas imitating Phrathat Phanom and apparently holding some relic if the Buddha.

While sitting in the shade at the wat this dragonfly settled on my leg and sat there quite comfortably for most of the time we were resting.

Lunch took up sone time as well and thankfully by eleven thirty we could check in to escape the heat.

A small thunderstorm tried to develop in the late afternoon producing not much more than a few dusty craters on the roadside. The benefit was some superb light across the river to Laos.

Today's ride: 42 km (26 miles)
Total: 1,074 km (667 miles)

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