I forgot to mention there is a vehicle that is part motor cycle part covered cart. It is called a Jumbo, Tuk-Tuk, and Skylab among other things.  The drivers adorn them with beads, lights, bright paint, Buddhist ornamentation, and other intriguing stuff.  A Buck will get you a long ways in one of these strange taxis. 

The ferry across the Mekong from Savannahket, Laos to Mukdahan, Thailand had 75 people and I counted 9 life vests - old life guard habit.  The narcotic sniffing dog on the Thai side looked sleepy, old, and sick of his job.  Heide walked through without being noticed which is time efficient, but I sent her back for her passport stamps because she would have quite a hassle on the way back out of the country with out them. In Thailand we Americans need no visa as we Americans and the Thais are good buds.

This rural part of Thailand is a notch up from Vietnamese society.  They actually have cars and they do drive on the opposite side of the road.  There is no English on signage here as if they do put it up the shops must pay a fine. In other words this area is very Thai centric. 

I found the American guy Ralph in his Ban Cafe.  He had not moved much since last year.  He says he does not miss the rat-race of L.A. where he used to live.  He says if he ever sees a lawn mower again it will be too soon, as he points to his bricked patio with potted plants.  Other Westerners come to his cafe.  It seems like there is a lot of European and Australian guys with Asian wives.  That is one connecting explanation for their presence out here in the middle of no where.  Ralph says that 100 years ago this semi-modern city did not exist and what people where here ran around naked.  Mukdahan has around 200,000 people. No one seems to know for sure, or care for that matter.  

There is a great steak joint next to Ralph's cafe.  I had the Sirloin with mashed potatoes and Heide had the Rib-eye with potato salad.  It is one of the few places that serves Western style food.  It is a reprieve after Laos. 

We are staying in the the Bungalows Saensuk for seven dollars a night.  Heide would have liked the bigger hotel down the street for 30 Dollars a night.  Last year the desk girl here was caring for a cat with two broken legs.  I asked but it had died a while ago. 

For breakfast, we found the Pith Bakery by the police station.  It is run by a guy named Naren.  His wife said he talked too much. When he was in Thai Army in 1960 he was stationed in Korea along with the Americans. His cashew cake and eclairs are to die for.  He picked our brains about Vietnam because he too likes to travel there. 

It is so hot and humid in this part of the World (102degrees in the shade) they have set up a large night market. There is every kind of fried food you can think of, as well as every kind of American clothing.  Heide was not too cool on the fried bugs.