Luang Preband to Bangkok

Our last day in Luang Prabang and we were wondering what to do. We had seen a trip to the Kuang Si waterfalls advertised and were uncertain about this but decided to give it a go. We had a rather charming but cheeky driver who really needed to spend a bit of money on his tuc-tuc as it belched oily smoke for the whole journey.
When we arrived at the Falls we found there were two ways in and we opted for the paved road, leaving the forest trail for our return. Our first impression was of a very well maintained park (a bit of a surprise) with lots of wonderful plants and trees many with identification labels. The falls themselves were magnificent, the water tumbling from at least 200 feet into a pool, in turn channeled over a small weir into further pools. There are steps to the top of the falls and we did start the climb; the first half was OK but it then turned into an almost vertical sandy climb and a bit too much of a challenge for us.
The walk back through the forest was amazing. We thought that the water would flow away into a river but it cascaded down from pool to pool. As we approached the bottom, the pools became safe enough for swimming and small changing rooms were provided which looked a bit like static Victorian bathing machines. Needless to say, the only ones in the water were young backpackers and some hardy elderly Germans! Yours truly did not have our bathers with us so we were spared that experience.

Overall it was a lovely day and a real surprise in its beauty, not to be missed if you visit the area. Luang Prabang and Laos as a whole is definitely not to be missed, I am sure we will come back.It was with considerable regret that we left for Thailand.
The next day we flew to Bangkok, uneventfully I am pleased to say, and landing there is like arrival in a different world. Suddenly we were back in the 21st century. It was only once here that we realised how, for the last few weeks, we had been immersed in an series of undeveloped countries where the motor bike is king rather than the car and where there is a real lack of amenities which we take for granted in the West. Bangkok is a total series of assaults on your senses. It is both beautiful and seedy at the same time. It is affluent and yet teeming with poverty. Organised but also chaotic. Exciting but at the same time you can't wait to leave. I can't quite make up my mind if I like it or not. We have had some amazing experiences here and are staying in the most stylish hotel, with a bed so comfortable it feels it has a magnet attached it is so it is impossible to get out and where the staff are just lovely. Part of me thinks I would be happy just staying in the hotel!
On our first day we had a private guided tour of the city which was sold to us on arrival at the airport. This turned out to be a really good deal, we had a guide and a driver for the day who took us to the spectacular major temple in the City, Wat Phra Khaw. The external decoration is so detailed, mostly porcelain flowers in relief and just hundreds of them in all colours. The Temple complex is vast, with tombs of the first five Kings of Thailand. We saw the Jade Buddha, the gold Buddha (made from solid gold) and the reclining Buddha which was 150 feet long. Listening to all the information and taking in the visual impact of such a large and ornate place was overwhelming at times. I think it is one of those places where you need to make more than one visit to really appreciate all the buildings. We also visited a new Temple complex which has been built to house this enormous standing Buddha, the staue is so large it had to be craned into this enormous temple which has been specifically built for the purpose. The hand painting and decoration was all rather splendid and very ornate, very Thai. In the afternoon we visited the Palace, which is absolutely beautiful. The museum within the Palace, houses much of the royal collection and tells the story and history of Thailand through the King's ancestors and through the jewellery, weaponry and artifacts. By the end of the day we were exhausted and cultured out.
Talking of exhausting but memorable days, yesterday we took a tour to the floating market where women and men sold their wares from canoes and from stalls along the canal. We were rowed along the canals with the opportunity to stop and buy souvenirs, food ,fruit and other titbits. There were parts of it which felt rather tacky but also some parts which were great, particularly the little coconut cakes we purchased from one of the stalls - delicious.
On the way to the floating market we had stopped off to see some elephants who were apparently working elephants, normally involved in log moving but as it was the weekend it was their day off. We enjoyed ourselves feeding bananas to a young one.
After the market we saw a 'show' of snakes. Something which on reflection I would rather have missed. It is not that I have a strong attachment to snakes but some of the things they were doing seemed unkind and at worse cruel, not the best experience.
However, the highlight of the day for me was the visit to the river Kwai. We walked over the bridge with the tune from the film playing continuously in my head and I kept a look out for Alec Guinness but he was nowhere around! It was amazingly atmospheric and rather poignant when you read about the death and suffering the caused to so many by its building.
Finally we then travelled to a Tiger Temple. This is a very old temple which some years ago took in a couple of orphaned Tiger cubs, following the mother being killed by poachers. The monks raised the cubs to adulthood and have subsequently taken in further young cubs. These tigers are all now fully grown and range from very young animals to those aged over 8 years or so; all having been habituated to humans. With the guidance of one of the staff you could walk amongst the tigers, pat them and even tickle their tummy. It was quite an experience. Also in the temple grounds they had other animals all roaming wild. Horses, cattle, buffalo, pigs, camels and deer, all just wandering around. It was all most odd, especially, being told on arrival to beware the other animals as they were dangerous - the only animals we could touch were the tigers!
Since being in Bangkok we have been to some splendid places. Perhaps the most beautiful was today when we went to the largest teak building in the world, the beautiful Vimanmek Mansion in the Dusit Palace, which is one of the old royal palaces. Built about 100 years ago for King Rama V, it is a must if you come here.
But tomorrow we leave and Bangkok itself has left me feeling rather disenchanted with the country. It seems to me that the reputation the city has for sex tourism is well earned and there is something distasteful about many of the men who come here which has had a very negative impact on me. Unfortunately, it makes one view everyone with an element of suspicion and cynicism which rather taints the experience of being here. However, on reflection, I would want to come back to Thailand sometime as there is so much beauty here and I think it is wrong to judge a place by one city.
Tomorrow we are off to the island of Langkawi in Malaysia, apparently a very wonderful place and of Rick Stein fame for food. I am really looking forward to that.