Saturday March 2 Mekong Cruise and Pakse

We roll out of bed in the morning and head to breakfast as the boat starts its day’s journey up the Mekong. 

As we start the journey, we see a large tree on the shore providing shade for some buildings.

Tree along the Mekong

Our first excursion of the morning requires a tuk-tuk ride to the Vat Phou temple ruins. Our boat is named for this landmark. There are two large tuk-tuks for our tour boat of 23 passengers.  We make the mistake of getting in the second one.  Our driver feels the need to stay close to the lead tuk-tuk.  This is the dry season, and the road is dirt.  We wish we were in the lead.

The Vat Phou temple was started in the 5^th century.  From the 5^th to 10^th centuries, this was a Hindu temple.  Khmer influences are there from the 10^th to 12^th centuries, before Angkor was established in Cambodia.  In the 15^th century, this temple was converted to a Buddhist one.

Each year during the full moon in February, the temple attracts Buddhist worshipers from afar.  Our visit is shortly after the full moon.

In the lower area, we see two structures.  One is said to have been used by women, with the other reserved for men.  

Women's Temple

 

Also in the lower area is a carving of a snake with multiple heads.  This is called a naga.

 Naga

To get to the top, there are seven flights of stairs, each with eleven steps.  The steps, like in Angkor, are narrow and high.  We get our exercise. 

 Ken getting his exercise

On the way, we pause to watch a large lizard (about one foot long) lazily make his way to cover.

Lizard, seeking shelter

There is also a cat napping in the area.  We didn’t carbon date the cat, but it does appear to be from the 21^st century.



Lazy Temple Cat

 

The ruins in the upper part date to about the 11^th century, with additions made later.   

 

Ken and I at upper temple

 

We get a good view of the lower temple after our climb.
 

 View of lower temple

 

Another view of lower temple

 

The three Hindu gods Shiva (the destroyer), Vishnu (the protector), and Brahma (the creator) are all represented at the upper temple. 

 

Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma

 

Brahma astride three-headed elephant

 

In addition to the upper temple, we view some other ruins.  There is a large carving of an elephant head.  It is meant to be a three-headed elephant, but only one is completed. 



Incomplete three-headed elephant

 

Another item is the Crocodile Rock, which some people believe was used for sacrifices.  After doing the Crocodile Rock and the Elton John tune gets out of our heads, we start back down.

 Crocodile Rock

We manage to get in the lead tuk-tuk back to the river.  Of course, this time the second tuk-tuk doesn’t feel the need to tailgate, so those passengers arrive at river’s edge without a deep layer of dust.

We board a long boat here to take us back to Pakse.  Our luggage from the Vat Phou is placed in the front of the longboat. The boat has wicker chairs, with enough for all 23 of us.  Ken and I sit in the two front chairs, but realize they have no arm rests, so we move further back.  This turns out to be a good move.



Along the Mekong from our long boat

 

More water buffalo and egrets

 

The boat has a pump, but the French speaking guide is still in the back bailing out the excess water.  This is another vessel that is not up to Coast Guard standards.  Even though this is the dry season, clouds begin to form and we see lightning in the distance.

The wind picks up, and rain starts pouring down.  The guide instructs us all to put on our life jackets.  With the rain pouring down, we all obey.  Ken and I dig out our passports and money belts from his backpack and secure them around our waists.

We move our chairs closer to the center of the boat, and roll down the canvas covering on the side where the rain is coming in.  We are prepared to abandon ship if the order comes.

A gust of wind carries off the tarp covering the front of the boat where we first sat.  The passengers in the first few rows don’t need to take a shower, as they get one from the storm.  The pole used for pushing off the shore, stashed on top of the boat, goes flying like a spear into the Mekong.

The boat finally pulls to shore to wait out the storm.  The boatman attempts to commandeer a replacement pole from a tent-like structure on shore.  He is unable to get this pole.  After the storm passes, we head back up river.  Passengers a few rows ahead of us discover the boat roof is not water tight.  They get a shower.

 Me prepared to abandon ship

Somehow, we make it back to Pakse alive.  Our luggage is a bit wet, but the contents are dry, for the most part. 

At the hotel, we ask the desk clerk for dinner suggestions.  One of the recommendations is the Mekong Restaurant along the river.  Ken orders a chicken dish, and I order a beef dish.  Ken’s food arrives promptly.  Mine doesn’t.

I ask the server about my order and am told what sounds like, ‘Beef is cold.’  About a half hour later, another inquiry returns the same response.  Finally, the dish arrives, and the beef is not cold.  It is also not edible.  It is filled with gristle, so we don’t end up eating much of it. 

The next day, for no particular reason, our guide tells us we should not order beef, as it is unlikely to be from a cow.  I wish he had told us that before.

Since it is now dark after our dinner, we decide to take a tuk-tuk back to the hotel.  There are none outside the restaurant so we start to walk.  We flag down a tuk-tuk, and try to settle on a price in dollars, as we have none of the local currency (kip).  This is the only place that doesn’t take dollars.  Our negotiations are unsuccessful. 

Walking a little further, we flag down another tuk-tuk, and finally convince the driver to accept three dollars for the ride.  If we had kip, it probably would have cost half as much.  We make it back to the hotel in one piece.