How do you feel....

... when you watch this video.

'There are two mistakes one can make along the road to truth…not going all the way, and not starting.’    
~  Buddha

Some water colours

Flower seller in Can Tho, South Vietnam

   Prayer writer in Hanoi, North Vietnam 

                                Angkor Wat

 Fishers in Ha Long Bay

Pastel of Kerrie's snap at Dr Sketchy's

Thailand - Udanthani

We drove for 8 hours from Chiang Mai to Udanthani, about 500 km - 4 people, snug in a new Honda Jazz, with luggage.
 

... dodging the elephants.

At Mahasarakham University the Dean of Law was very interested in working with BABSEA to set up a legal clinic.

Bruce and Don went on to give another presentation at nearby Rajabhat University. Wendy and I flew to Bangkok.

Thailand - Chiang Mai - Flower Festival

I borrowed Wendy's bike and rode around the city. It is very different to my last visit in 1984, but I remember this 13th century city wall and moat that protected Chiang Mai from the Monguls.

I was very lucky to co-incide with the Chiang Mai Flower Festival, the one day of the year. 3000 exotic orchids on display.

.... and food

for every taste...

except mine.

Nagas riding amazing 3 headed elephants! Made only of fresh flowers

... and a real Flower Queen.

Thailand - Chiang Mai - BABSEA CLE

In Chiang Mai I was hosted by Bruce and Wendy of  BABSEA CLE.  They train local and Western law students in Human Rights and Access to Justice issues.

Bridges Across Borders South East Asia - Clinical Legal Education -HQ. Recently they said good-bye to a bunch of interns from QUT.

BABSEA CLE’s role is to assist, support and to further strengthen CLE programs throughout Southeast Asia – one of the clinics is at the Chiang Mai University.

Laos - Vientiane

King Anouvong reigned from1805 to 1828. Famous for trying to liberate Laos from the Siamese Barbarians. He failed and the Thai ransacked Vientiane, took the king to Bangkok where they tortured him to death publically in a metal cage. 
This new statue is seen as a political statement against the Thai who still see this king as a minor historical rebel who opposed their civilising programs.

 I hired a bike to tour Vientiane and found Wat Sisaket. Built by King Anou around 1810, it was the only Wat to survive the Thai's sacking of the city in 1828.

Lining the portico are thousands of Buddha images.

Many were destroyed in the American War and looters who break off the head in a search for relics.

Beautifully golden, Prathaluang Pagoda, just outside Vientiane. The original stupa contained a rib  ('bussom bone') of the Buddha. Dating from 3rd century, it was rebuilt by King Xaisethathirath in 16th century. 
Note King Anou sitting forever on guard against the Barbarian Siamese.

More visuals from Ha Long Bay ... by request

Ha Long Bay, in Winter

About 6 hours bus East of Hanoi is the mystical Ha Long Bay.

 Climbing up to a limestone cave on one of the islands, I looked back.

My room on the 'Elizabeth Sails'.

Phallic? Or is it just me...

Squid fisher.

Ngoc Son (Jade Mountain) Temple

                   

On an island in the beautiful Hoan Kiem Lake in

central Hanoi, this temple is dedicated to Tran Hung Dao.

Wildlife on chilly Hanoi Lake.

Tran was a 13th C. war hero who lead the Vietnamese in defeating  Mongul Emporer Kubla Khan's invading army of 300,000.  He wrote some treatises on warfare that may well have helped tiny Vietnam later defeat the US.

The lake also is home to these giant water tortoises.

... to Hanoi, with Optimism

'Sleeper' bus from Hue to Hanoi, 16 hours - well it was an experience.
The Vietnamese are the most optimistic in the world (of 53 nations surveyed by the BVA Gallup poll recently)  and it is no surprise to me. It might be related to Doi Moi, and 35 years of peace after nearly 100 years of warfare, against the Barbarian Siamese (Thai), French colonialist and the US (with others).
Optimism might account for fixing 10,000 power lines to one post (but that is common in Asia), fitting 4 people or more on one motor bike (dito), not having (needing?) household heating in this cold north, and that V. jumped 16 places in the world prosperity index in one year to 2010 (77 to 61, Australia is 4th behind Norway, Denmark and Finland).

Speaking of motor bikes, in Hanoi there are 4.5 million people

 and 3.4 million motor bikes. They speak of Bike River at rush hour.

Another reason for optimism is Tet - Chinese / Vietnamese New Year -  everyone gives gifts and no-one works. My association of Tet is violent, going back to 31 January 1968, the Tet Offensive which marked the turning of the 

war against the US (with others). But now, people are happy, and give orange trees to loved ones:

often home delivered.