-- From Tha Khaek to Pakse
The road tracklog
From Tha Kheak to Pakse
From 15/12 to19/12/2008
The 15/12 I visited That Ing Hang at approximately 11 kilometres northwards Savannakhet. The Buddha would have rested on the site in old times! The stupa, That, dates back from the 16th century and contains a relic of the Buddha.
That Ing Hang
Savannakhet
15/12/2008
The Savannakhet city created by the French was an important trade and administration centre in the south Laos. Provincial Information Office has of booklets and a city map for walking for approximately two hours to explore colonial architecture. Some buildings were restored, some others are in dilapidated state.
I bivouacked on a carpark between a park and a stadium.
French house
Savannakhet
15/12/2008
Villa 1920
Savannakhet
15/12/2008
Hôtel Mékong, 1950
Savannakhet
15/12/2008
Villa 1926
Savannakhet
15/12/2008
House "Art Déco"
Savannakhet
15/12/2008
The 16/12 I left Savannakhet by the road 9B to join road 13 at Lak 35 where I forked to go visit the monastery Wat Jan Tak Sa Po then Turtle Lake. From Keng Kok the road became a good-quality laterite track. Sites are clearly signed.
Laterite track
to Ban Taleo Mai
16/12/2008
In Ban Nong Lan Chanh the monastery Wat Jan Tak His Po has a 200-year old house, Hor Tai Pidok, which gathers approximately 4000 books written on palm leafs in Burmese, Pali, Khmer and ancient Lao. I asked the Abbot of the monastery the authorization to see the books; he reached my request well readily.
Wat Jan Tak Sa Po
Ban Nong Lan Chanh
16/12/2008
The Abbot
Wat Jan Tak Sa Po
16/12/2008
Hor Tai Pidok
Wat Jan Tak Sa Po
16/12/2008
Cabinets
Wat Jan Tak Sa Po
16/12/2008
Books
Wat Jan Tak Sa Po
16/12/2008
After having lunch I visited a dwelling invited by its occupants.
Inside house
Ban Nong Lan Chanh
16/12/2008
Then I moved to Ban Don Daeng to observe the sacred turtles in the eponym lake. I bivouacked at the edge of the lake.
Turtle Lake
Ban Don Daeng
16/12/2008
Turtle Lake
16/12/2008
Turtle Lake
16/12/2008
The 17/12 was a morning primarily on laterite tracks to visit two minor sights in Central Laos. I took some pictures on the move, players of bowls game, “petang” in Laotian, and landscapes.
La "Petang"
en route
17/12/2008
Paysage
en route
17/12/2008
First of all after a score of kilometres on dirt track it was the worthy and venerated Stupa of Thad Phon, dating back from 236, located in the enclosure of Wat Jediphalam in the village of Ban Phonthad. It would have been visited by the Buddha after having rested in Wat Ing Hang.
Thad Phon Stupa
Ban Phornthad
17/12/2008
Wat Jediphalam
17/12/2008
After a short return on national 13, I forked again on a laterite track to see at about fifteen kilometres Heuan Hin, "Stone House", at the edge of Mekong River. The building of Khmer style was built between 557 and 700 at the time of the Angkor Empire. Its function is unknown.
The spot being welcoming I established my bivouac there.
Heuan Hin Stone house
Ban Dongdokmai
17/12/2008
Heuan Hin Stone House
17/12/2008
Around 8 p.m. Four to five guys of which two had antique weapons in shoulder-belt knocked on the door of my truck. At their gibberish I understood that I was to put my truck in front of a house at 50 meters away for my safety. The owner welcomed me with three words of English and a French word, Merci!
The morning of the 18/12 by leaving Ban Dongdokmai I discovered, behind a house on ground, the signposts which would have indeed been useful to me the day before.
Poteaux indicateurs
Ban Dongdokmai
18/12/2008
On the way towards Ban Saphai I tried to take impressions of hazes in the early morning over the surrounding countryside.
Impression du matin
en route
18/12/2008
The detour to Ban Saphai was justified by the visit of a small island, Don Kho where women spun and wove silk to make sarongs for men, phàa salong.
Not wishing to enter Pakse at the end of the day, I bivouacked along the road before the national road 13.
Travail de la soie
Don Kho
18/12/2008
Travail de la soie
Don Kho
18/12/2008
Travail de la soie
Don Kho
18/12/2008
19/12 I drove fifteen kilometres to Pakse, alas the French bridge was not allowed for truck, I did a detour to enter the city. I paid a visit to Provincial Tourism Office where I was cordially welcomed by a perfectly English speaking team. I took a full harvest of booklets. Then I visited the only two sights of the city, a house of the Chinese Society of Pakse and Wat Luang.
Le pont français
Pakse
19/12/2008
Le pont japonais
Pakse
19/12/2008
A old house
Pakse
19/12/2008
Wat Luang
Pakse
19/12/2008
In the afternoon I prepared a publication of a new page of my website. Then I set up the bivouac along Mekong River. The next week I strolled on the Bolaven Plateau then back to Pakse.
