Luang Phabang (Laos)

In Chiang Rai, I visited the most amazing Temple (Wat Rong Khun). White for purity, this unique temple was created and decorated by a very famous Thai artist : Chalermchai Kositpipat, like he said : " a thing every human being should see in his lifetime".
Many museums, most important his own, with paintings, sculptures and pictures. (very funny one of George W. Bush on a rocket called "bye bye")

Left the next day for Chang Khong at the border and the next morning for Laos! We took a slow boat, and we were supposed to stop at Pan Beng for the night, but instead we couldn't go further cause the Mekong was so dried out. So they made us walk a bit, and what a surprise when we saw a real beach camp on the river's cost! Music, beer, food, party time!!! All the small villages joined us. We played with the children, I shared some polish vodka with the women and offered some cig to smoke. It was a really nice evening, I had a bless with Christelle, Gilles, Julie, Sylvain, a couple from Quebec and the two guys from Austria. We slept on the beach. Woke us up at 7 and after 11 hours on a boat again (not so comfortable but amazing landscapes, mountains, forest, fishermen, women bathing at sunset, children playing football on the beach, a temple hidden in a cave...) we finally arrived in Luang Phabang!

This city is (of course!) full of tourist, (what a very uncommon and unpleasant surprise to see Wojtek here!) but still really peaceful and nice. Many Temples and people are really quite, soft, it's really amazing so much softness and peacefulness. So, I'm basically walking around the city and the villages around. It's so warm, I can barely move.
I should get my visa to Vietnam tomorrow, and then I'll get to North-East of Lao (less tourist there and much cheaper apparently and finally go to Dien Bien Phu).

A suivre...

Pai/ Ban Thaton/ Chiang Rai

I finally managed to get out of Pai, this city won't let you leave so easely.
Took a bus at 8.30 to Mae Mai Lai, then one to Thatang. After a final songtoys (songthaew) I arrived in Thaton around 4 pm!. What a wonderful city!!! I was amazed by the 9 levels steps in the mountain to get to an incredible modern temple. I've never seen such Buddhas, in cave's, whith animals wooden sculpture. Took many many pictures... you'll see!
The temple itself is brand new, with a truely amazing facade, in between Gaudi and Orientalism touch. Almost a museum with books, porcelain, jewellery, pictures, paintings ...
I went down the mountains on an open truck full of young monks who offered me a ride :)

I took today the boat at 12.30 for Chiang Rai, 5 hours on the konk river! It was awesome! Two short stops in small villages (one on the road had pretty giant plantation of weed mmm...)

Now... drinking Whisky with Modrek... Having a bless! :)

Chiang Mai / Pai

Last night in Chiang Mai was pretty cool, we went out with some people from Julie's. I met a lot of interesting people, had a bless with guys from Czechy!!! God I love Eastern Europe!

In the morning I checked out and went to the bus station to take a minibus to Pai, where I've found a pretty nice place to stay near the river. It's a bit expensive (6€ per night) but really worth it.
Pai is really relaxing, it's like an invasion of the late 60's in here. Peace and love.

I went today to the Temple on the hill, Mae Yen, so relaxing as well, with a nice view of the valley.

J'en ai marre des bestioles! Et surtout des chiens érrants!!!! Il y en a partout, ils ressemblent à rien, ils sont dégueu, malades, vilains, et ils me font peur! Pourtant ils sont loin d'être actifs mais les chiens, j'ai peur! Il paraît que c'est encore pire au Laos... Oui, et les gros trucs qui volent où qui rampent j'aime pas non plus :)

Mountain's trekking

On Tuesday, I rented a moto'bike and of course had a great incredible accident, almost cut my arm and feet and everything!!! ;) Thank god I just got scratching on my hands and thats'all!!! You'll see the pictures I look like a boxer! :)
Nothing serious so after that I went to the waterfalls, just near the national park and walked during 4 hours, up and down the mountain, it was awesome. I met this small old japanese guy and we walked together not understanding each other more than: "I'm from Japan, staying in Chiang Mai."
Then I somehow managed to come back to Julie's alive, they charged me 400 baht for the bike but I had to get my passeport back, and I actually ruined the thing pretty badly ;)

So after a awful night of pain (burning hell) we went in the morning for a trek in the mountain, and after a long day of jungle walking (which I 'd rather call a almost tropical forest) we stopped in a village tribe (catholics from Birma) and had the best meal ever, just amazing and simply unbelievable the food they made for the four of us!

By the way, on the trip I was with Juliette and Maxime, french couple I already mentioned, Frederik, a swedish guy, and our lovely guide : Dino the king!

Today we walked through small villages , hum...des rizières, (comment on dit rizière en anglais???) wonderful mountains, we had lunch break near a waterfall where we had a swim in fresh water and well... I call it paradise.

Pictures will do the rest...

Chiang Mai

Will try to write at least a litle bit in english for my international fella!

Yesterday I arrived in Chiang Mai (800 km north of BKK) which is a wonderful city. Now I know how the traditionnal architecture looks like: woods house. (Ces maisons en bois sur pilotis sont d'une incroyable beauté et simplicité. Pourtant les plus récentes sont immenses, en partie en béton et vraiment très belles.) Most of the oldest temples are in this region. I've visited like a hundred of them, incredible. Such a peaceful atmosphere, the last one I've visited had crystal and marble's buddha!
Yesterday was the last day of the flower festival, with a huge market. (Des chars incroyables, avec toutes sortes d'animaux faits de fleurs: dragons, biches, et bouddha biensûr. Miss flower 2010 est française!) I met this french couple in Julie's guest house, fabulous place when I'm staying for 2 euros per night (my own room), and we're going on wednesday for a so-called eco-treck together which sounds really good! Hours and hours walking in the mountains through small villages. Just enough time left for me to find a nice pretty looking boy to join us! :) Well, the more we are the cheapest.

Life is so cheap, yesterday I ate sushi twice for a total of 1.80 euros! Amazing food, a little too spicy sometimes but the street food is awesome.

People are really nice here, children are asking me to take pictures with them ten times a day and training their english. It's funny. I feel great, I'm here for two months and I'm already scared it will be too short! Times flies as they say.

Je suis vraiment heureuse d'avoir pris l'initiative de venir ici, de faire ce voyage seule, c'est une telle opportunité de se découvrir soi-même et de dépasser ses limites. Le fait de pouvoir compter que sur moi-même me responsabilise et me renforce. Je sens que ce voyage va m'être intensément bénéfique.

Il est temps d'aller se relaxer par un petit massage Thai à 2 euros! ....

Bangkok

Quatre jours à Bangkok, c'est peu mais bien suffisant! Ville moche, sans allure architecturale, sans centre ville, sans cohésion. Quelques monuments magnifiques, quelques quartiers (Koh San et Chinatown surtout) agréables et l'on peut partir d'ici sans regret.
Donc Bangkok pour moi c'est avant tout ' l'Overstay', endroit magique tenu par Mister Yuval, où se rencontrent des 'tout jeunes' et des plus vieux du monde entier.
J'y ai fait la rencontre agréable d'un couple de polonais, de Peter the Aussie guy, Daniel l'allemand, Lennart un autre allemand, les deux sont des légendes, Elisa la finlandaise, Marianne frenchy évidement, et beaucoup beaucoup de français et d'italien qui ont tous l'air de fuir leur pays, on se demande pourquoi! ... sans commentaires.
Je me prépare pour Chiang Mai, avec un grand plaisir.

J1: Arrivée à Bangkok mardi 2 février 2010, ça m'a bien pris 3h pour arriver à l'Overstay.
J'ai choisi l'option dortoir, pour 25 Bat la nuit (environ 20 cent). Soirée tranquille, couchée tôt.

J2: Tour de la ville avec Peter, des temples, le Buddha couché long de quelques 30 mètres, incroyable, etc etc. On a mangé dans un petit marché. Je me suis achetée des fringues et j'ai balancé les miennes! Le soir, un coup de fil pour me proposer de jouer dans une pub thaïlandaise, puis après quelques heures d'attente et à cause d'un van cassé, le tournage est tombé à l'eau. Dommage, ça aurait été drôle.
J3: Petite visite de la ville en solo bien sympathique, après un agréable accident de parcours au TAT (agence touristique officielle) où le mec m'a gentiment dit de prendre la porte. C'est comme ça BKK, quand tu veux rien acheter on t'envoie chier!
J4: Chill out dans la bonne auberge puis le soir petit tour dans Chinatown avec Peter, Lennart et Daniel. Puis en rentrant une bonne soirée domestique, beaucoup de danse, et une courte nuit reposante dans le hamac (j'aime vraiment dormir là dedans).