Tuesday 30 May 2017

Laos Tham Piu Missile Cave Nr Phonsavan




If you base yourself in Phonsavan there are many cultural and historical sites with easy daily riding distance, one of these sites is Tham Piu Cave which is a memorial site of the 374 civilians who lost their lives after an American missile attacks killed all the the occupants of the cave who had been sheltering the from the bombing on the 24th of November 1968.

More here http://legaciesofwar.org/study-trip/laos-trip/tham-pui-cave/

On my way back from Sam Neau i called to visit as they prepared for the anniversary ceremonies, here are some pictures from the site, as you notice from the narrative in the small museum there is little love for what the Americans did.

The cave is located at N19.67364 E103.56833 and can be accessed via route 1C from the newly graded south road or the east.











The cave entrance, it is said to go back almost one mile.





View from the cave over the PDJ.




Small Stupa's created by visitors.



Pictures from the small museum, some of which are pretty graphic ( sorry about the poor quality of the pictures the late afternoon sun was streaming in the room).







This guy is pretty famous after claiming to have shot down a US aircraft with just one shot.













The bombed Wat at Khuam


















If you're interested in aspects of the secret war this is a must visit place.

Monday 29 May 2017

Laos The Tham Phu Hospital Cave Nr Phonsavan

20.11.15

Tham Pua cave

Another area which is easy day loop ride from Phonsavan is the Tham Pha Hospital caves, the site is located N19.50103 E102.87241 only 50km or so from town. You will need a headlamp to explore although the staff on site will loan you one if you forget.

Once used by the Pathet Laos as a medical field hospital and was heavily bombed.

The site is divided in two cave complexes, the first housing a large Buddha.




If you crawl behind the Buddha you will many murals on the rocks.









Some pretty impressive rock formations inside the first cave.





As you descend into the cave an old hospital gurney on display.





If you look carefully you will see many medical vials around the edges of the floor.








Old army shoe.



Lot's of small Buddha's hidden away in crevices, most with heads removed.





To reach the other cave you have to double back and walk around the mountain to the opening, this cave must have been storage for medical equipment of some kind.



Once inside the floor is littered with hundreds of vaccination bottles, its hard to walk without standing on them.
















Various food cans littered about, not sure if these are from the war period or just litter.






An enjoyable couple of hours poking around the caves, i was lucky i was the only person visiting.

Not far away on the way back is a lovely old Wat and stupa located at N19.51427 E102.90299 well worth a look at.













Dragon boat in storage.



I noticed this suspension bridge on the way back worth exploring next time.







War scrap parked inside an army camp on the edge of town.








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One year now since our friend Auke passed away suddenly, I promised Sieste (Aukes son) that we on Ride Asia would do our best to honour thi...