Sunday 26 November 2017

Country Style........Staying at the family home overnight leaves me with an easy morning at least, although I’m awake at 6am as is the way here in a rural community leaving me with just 6 hours sleep. The tour break enables us to reorganise things and get some washing done and after failing to get my PC connected last night I manage to get it tethered and complete my uploads. Around mid morning, being a rest day, relatives arrive and we get a tour round the farm or I should say smallholding for breeding cattle: And that should do it for today although it looks like we won’t be staying here a second night but moving up to Chiang Khan.

Thai Dam Village........Google Map At around 3pm we're ready to depart but it’s not straight into town but off along a road to the right of the 201 heading north. Without an explanation I work out where we’re heading, a site about 12 kilometres away, signposted Thai Dam Village. This excursion causes me to reopen my tour blog although when we arrive at the site, it’s not a real village but a cluster of authentic houses and souvenir shops catering for tourists but the important thing is, it keeps the traditions of the Thai Dam alive.
Without too much research I should briefly mention that the Thai Dam is one of Thailand’s ethnic groups that have created a number of communities in various locations. I first came across the name at Ban Chiang in Udon Thani then during a trip to Suphanburi a couple of years ago. Originally they were from Southern China but had settled in Laos and the western regions of Vietnam near Den Bien Phu. However their history is checkered with persecution and displacement as they refused to integrate due to their traditions and customs, something I found out when I visited, not realising there is communal segregation of men and women. After I buy something to take home we seem to be heading to Chiang Khan where accommodation has already been booked but again Katoon has other ideas explaining there is another location on the way.

Phu Tok........Google Map Phu Tok has been mentioned to me a number of times in the last day or two. In fact it’s another mountain, which is visible from the residence. It appears that Katoon was brought up within its shadow. I wonder what we’re doing this late in the day, arriving at a car park near its base. I should have realised it’s another mountain trip, this time in a pickup. As it’s less than half an hour before dark there’s only one explanation. We’re off to enjoy a sunset.
Rising steeply up a concrete road we’re on the mountain top in about 10 minutes but it’s virtually deserted. We’re just in time to witness the sun disappearing over the western hills. However the sunrises are far more popular. In any event there is a view worth seeing at any time of day as looking across to the north, the distant hills are in Laos segregated from Thailand by the mighty Mekong River. Finally we reach Chiang Khan via the back door and check in at Ban Glai Kong......more.

Chiang Khan........Google Map Chiang Khan is the most popular tourist town we have so far checked in. Located on the southern bank of the Mekong River it is particularly busy at weekends and public holidays when the hotels are usually full. I’m sure if we hadn’t called ahead Ban Glai Kong would have been full too. Arriving after dark we waste no time in going out for dinner but Chaing Khan is the sort of place that lures you in. The walking street full of food vendors, bars, boutiques and souvenir shops stretches the length of the town along the river bank. It’s a must do to wander around after dark wherever you come from. As I’ve booked a second night here, breaking a run of single night stopovers, I’d rather delay any shopping and get back to the room to complete my blog. There’s not too much to do but it’s gone 9pm before I arrive. With an all-day trip planned for tomorrow I don’t really want another late night.