Comments on Nong Khai Photos January 19, 2016

I spent the better part of two days in this small city on the banks of the Mekong River. It is in North East Thailand, just across the river from Vientiane, Laos. For someone that likes to walk, this rather quiet place is the answer.  I spent quite some time on the walkway along the river, and in the Indo-Asian market nearby.
The first photo is of a nice open air restaurant  at the edge of the walkway, and with a commanding view of the river and Laos to the north.
The next photo is of one of the many floating restaurants on the river. As you can see, the facility is anchored, and rises and lowers with the water levels.
A section of the walkway. The two days that I was here, we had overcast conditions, and about 30 degrees, so the photos do not indicate the true beauty of the place.
These huge dragon like beasts are said to bring good luck to anyone visiting them. As a result, they are very popular, and were being refurbished at the time of my visit,  December 22. They were to be finished by New Years....I am not sure which one...January 1, or January 25 which is Buddhist New Year, or, February 8, which is Lunar, or Chinese New Year.
The next three photos are also along the walkway, with a view of the Mekong, a temple beside the walk, and some of the artwork that is patterned into the walkway....a truly relaxing place to be.
This photo is of inside the Indo-Chinese or Indo Asian market....I heard both names used. I just held my camera high and shot a picture ahead. The place was packed with people. It is about a half kilometer square....all under roof.
These red plants are everywhere in Asia. They seem to bloom in December each year.
My hotel in Nong Khai, and finally some orchids. One finds orchids all over Asia, and so many different colors. I am told that Orchids are not a stand alone plant of their own being. They grow from fertile spots on other plants and trees where some roots can take hold...any place their seeds can find, as they drift in the wind. You can buy Orchids in plant holders, but that is not how they are in the wild.
 I will have a lot more Orchids when I show you later where I spent Christmas day in Thailand.

I wish to correct a mistake in a previous posting. Where I am posing with a graduating student at Khon Kaen, the young man's name is Issara Phap Srirakham, known as Ae, not Ai .
I thought I had lost that note.
So these photos are the last I will post from this area of Thailand. This is the home of Rose, whom I mentioned earlier, and where her family reside. Her youngest son was to have a birthday on January 8, and he greatly desired to receive a bike for the event. I am sure that he was not disappointed.
 It is unfortunate that these peaceful areas in rural Thailand which provide us tourists with great wonder and awe, have so little to offer the local people for income; They must go down to the big cities to eke out a living, often, as in the case of Rose, leaving their children with grandparents for many  months at a time. The odd phone call home being the only communication. This is where the so called "Social Media", is so valuable as the family can send instant photos back and forth. That is a good thing.