Day Seventeen - Old Bamboo Bridge

Another Maggie Post

Day 17 was a lazy day - we wandered about and chilled out, for tomorrow we are flying out of LP and back to the Bangkok Maelstrom. Walking down to the Nam Khan river, John took this great photo of the celebrated old bamboo bridge with the Luang Prabang Range of mountains in the background.

The bamboo bridge is built across the river once a year by one family, who charge a few pence for every crossing.  In the wet season, the bridge is washed away and the crossing is made by boat.  When the waters go down, they build the bridge again.

John was keen to try it out, so I selflessly agreed not to cross in order to photograph his great adventure.

Children selling trinkets are a common sight in Luang Prabang and with my usual flair, I managed to get involved with 4 little girls, oldest one about eight, whose knowledge of English and exchange rates quickly got us into a discussion about the value of Laotian Kips, Thai Bahts, US Dollars, and UK Pounds.  Of course I knew what I was doing, and only paid about 10 times too much for four little doll keyrings that I didn't want.

Towards evening, looking for a restaurant for dinner, we came upon a little kitten, too small be on its own, but no sign of its mother.  We walked up the hill and bought some fried chicken which we took back and which kitty ate with great gusto.  It was hard to leave the little thing on its own, but the logistics of doing anything else were too great.  As we left, another couple came along and picked it up.  We can only hope ...