One of the things I like about where I live is that while we're only a few minutes by car from The Mall, Lotus and downtown Korat, I can ride my bicycle a kilometer north and be in deepest, darkest rural Isaan. This area is not likely to be developed very soon as it straddles Lam Takhong, a tributary of the Mun River. In this area Lam Takhong's basin is quite wide and swampy. Great for growing rice but that's about it.

For the last few months I've been concentrating on the garden at the new house so haven't been on any long bicycle rides. We've had some rain lately so I figured I'd take a day off from watering and hit the road.






This is the pond at Wat La Lom Po which is four or five kilometers north of where we live.


The monks at this wat are not very friendly and always seem to be anxious for me to leave. But, yesterday, no one was around so I snapped these photos of their pond.


Just a few flowers in this lotus pond.


Although this charcoal pit probably isn't on the Green Peace Approved list I love the smell of the charcoal cooking as I drive by.


You can see how wet it is in this area.