Thursday, 22 October 2020

Hemantha Kalam - 86 'Caves of Khammouane'

This blog now forms part of a book titled "Lesser Trodden Laos" available as e-book and also in print form at https://www.amazon.in/dp/B09FGJDXKZ/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Lesser+Trodden+Laos&qid=1630747625&s=digital-text&sr=1-1 

 

Thank you so kindly for your patronage!

 

Until again, sok dee (Good bye)!

 

Krutagjnatalu (Telugu), Nanri (Tamil), Dhanyavaadagalu (Kannada), Nanni (Malayalam), Dhanyavaad (Hindi), Dhanyosmi (Sanskrit), Thanks (English), Dhonyavaad (Bangla), Dhanyabad (Oriya), Gracias (Spanish), Grazie (Italian), Danke Schon (Deutsche), Merci (French), Obrigado (Portuguese), Shukraan (Arabic), Shukriya (Urdu), Bohoma Sthuthiyi (Sinhalese) Aw-koon (Khmer), Kawp Jai Lhai Lhai (Laotian), Kob Kun Krab (Thai), Dankie (Afrikaans), Asante (Kiswahili), Maraming Salamat sa Lahat (Pinoy-Tagalog-Filipino), Tack (Swedish), Fa'afetai (Samoan), Terima Kasih (Bahasa Indonesian & Malay), Tenkyu (Tok Pisin of Papua New Guinea), Malo (Tonga) and Vinaka (Fiji).

 

Hemantha Kumar Pamarthy

Chennai, India

  

9 comments:

  1. I am so happy that you could see so much of Laos, dear Hemanth! Loved all pics of the caves and the sensational sunset too. Once again, amazed with your memory. Enjoyed that bit when street dogs were hounding you and when they started accepting you, it was time for you to leave that place 😊 Just wondering if the boat race took place recently .. without any impact of corona !

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    1. Thank you dear Maya!

      That's Karma. As of 2011 I haven't even heard of the country but within eight years from then, I could see so much. God's grace, indeed!

      It is also a lovely country with good people around.

      It does look like a severely scaled down version of the boat races took place in 2020 also between 1st and 3rd October.

      Thank you so much for your time and kind words!

      Best wishes and warm regards
      Hemantha Kumar Pamarthy

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  2. Wow! That’s a great blog on the caves of Khammouane, Hemanth. It certainly beckons the reader to visit the place sometime! The stalactites and stalagmites have created interesting patterns and they have been beautifully captured by your camera! The Buddha in the cave is majestic. Wish you had gone for the boat rides in the caves.The Mekong river following you or you following the river is an interesting point. The sunset bidding you farewell seems very poignant. Thanks for writing about the wonderful visit!

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    1. Thank you dear Savithri.

      Yes, Laos is a lovely country and is worth visiting. Only it could be challenging for the Indian Vegetarians.

      There are still more caves in the province but then this world is so wide that one life time may not be sufficient to see everything even for the richest of the rich.

      I am grateful to God for his grace that I have been given this opportunity to see so much of this wonderful world. What a wonderful world it is!

      Thank you again for your kind words and time.

      Best wishes and warm regards
      Hemantha Kumar Pamarthy

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  3. Thank you so much for your time and thoughts dear Ms. / Mr. Manimohan.

    Much appreciated and much obliged.

    Best wishes
    Hemantha Kumar Pamarthy 👍

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  4. I have been to Thakhek so many times but have not seen half as much as you did.

    Pity you did not get to visit the Kong Lor caves. They are truly stunning.

    Percy

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    1. Thank you dear Mr. Percy for your kind thoughts!

      Yes, I had been lucky.
      About Kong Lor, my colleagues were not willing to go as somehow the dates/days were not convenient for them. So I had to give it a go by.

      I am optimistic that I shall make it sometime.

      My love affair with the country has only taken a pause and once the COVID restrictions go it will continue! :-)

      Best wishes and warm regards
      Hemantha Kumar Pamarthy

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