forgot to publish this back when:: Tak still is pretty even though it is small and not wealthy

somehow after writing this post I forgot to publish it.  So here it is ..  I did want to keep it " for the record"

also an update — we are not in Vietnam as expected— travel delays.  

expect to be there early next week — we are back with Charles,  Linda and Kate  and as one would expect having a wonderful time with 

so back a few weeks to the last day in Tak which was actually mid March 

Despite the fact that the current dynasty's origins trace back to this province, this is not, nor apparently never has been, a wealthy province, hence town.  Though still small, it is several times larger than when we lived there. One thing they have done right in the intervening years is turn the focus of the town towards the river.  They have even built this colorful entrance gate over the road entering the "river front drive beside the town".  There is a water-fall sign that I am pointing too.  W-e-l-c-o-m-e  I think it says or seems to say anyway.  

This is the new bridge that is just up from the town at the new entrance to the waterfront. And, as is obvious, it is dry season.

We rode bikes along the river and of course stopped for photos and the coming sunset.

Someone had built weirs in an effort to catch fish I think, look down stream a bit there is a second larger one too.

 Laura and I are in the foreground of the next two photos.  It was an incredibly beautiful evening.

There were a number of children and adults playing in the water.  In a few places it appeared as if there were deep spots with rapid current, but most of the river area was quite shallow.  It was all pretty.

After sunset we went to the market just past the new "entrance to the town" on the river front. There are multiple food choices. And after dinner ta- da -  look at those mangos. Every day here we have to eat those — some rule or something.

mangoes, sticky rice, coconut milk, — love the plate too.

Seriously we eat this at least once every day.  It is like crack cocaine to me. When I get around it I sometimes hurt myself.  Some days two meals, some meals two plates.  At $1.40 or so a plate I am going broke too. In Tak it was especially good too.

Again it was wonderful having Laura with us as we traveled back to Tak. She is such a good traveling companion as those who have traveled with her know so well.  She helped make the trip so much more fun and meaningful, taking good pictures, asking good questions, and putting up with us too.  She did not even snore.