When Whetu asked whether I wanted to go to the local zoo, I shuddered. Asian zoos are notoriously unpleasant with cramped cages and sickly critters. However, I hate to miss out on anything, so I said, “Sure!” With her gardener serving as driver for the day and his cousin tagging along to translate, a group of us packed into his van this morning, and off we went.
The zoo was small, and some sections featured the usual depressing concrete pens, but it was much nicer than I anticipated. Most animals had roomy enclosures with shade and thick vegetation. The jungle setting had no real organization (gibbons were next to bears, etc.), except for an area that had been funded by an Australian organization (or the Aussie government, not sure) and highlighted animals from Down Under, including kangaroos, emus and cassowaries. The latter looked like a cross between a turkey and a velociraptor. Wild.
As we left the zoo, our driver and his cousin, Gail, told us about a “beautiful waterfall” that was only about three kilometers off the main road. We decided to check it out. Unfortunately the “road” was more of a muddy collecton of craters and ruts, so it took us about 30 minutes to reach the “waterfall,” which was really more of a watering hole. Lots of Lao families were picnicking along the banks or playing in the water fully dressed. Nobody wore a swimsuit; kids frolicked in their undies. The water flowed over interesting rock formations with holes deep enough that children could stand in them with water up to their chests. We all agreed it would be a fun way to spend the day … except for the flesh-eating parasites we keep hearing about. Better sort that out first.
Back on the main road, we headed to the floating restaurants. We walked down a rickety gangplank to a collection of thatched-roof dining areas on the Namnim River. A hostess led us to our own boat, where we sat on cushions around a low table and ordered a collection of delicious Lao dishes – fried rice, chicken lap (spicy minced meat), seafood, very spicy noodles, fried chicken, steamed fish, chicken curry, and more. After the food arrived, a guy came aboard, started up the motor and took us for a little cruise. We didn’t go far before he cut the engine and let the boat drift.
We all pushed back from the table, got comfy on the cushions and enjoyed the tranquility and good company. Very nice and less than $10 each!
Very cool pictures. I want to go next time!
So cool! We saw cassowaries at the zoo in New Guinea and they were shocking. Did you hear them make noise? It’s so low that you hear it almost as a vibration… terrifying.
Great pix, Shaz! I love the floating restaurant. We still need to explore here. I hope we find cool places, too.