50th Anniversary Celebration Thailand

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A call into the Amnat Buddha which was built in 1964/5. The first time for some of the party to see it after some fifty years.
November 12th and we were heading north up the 212 to where our primary activity would be enacted. But that was in the future, right now we broke up our journey to Mukdahan with a few stops along the way. Stop number one was at the Big C in Amnat Charoen for refreshments and toilets. Just a few kilometres further north on the edge of the town and we stopped again at Wat Phra Mongkhon Ming Mueang. This Buddha was under construction in the early years 64/65 of Crown.
Our next stop would be on Crown Airfield so that those of us who hadn't been back could see how well our work had stood up to the ravages of time. The picture right shows the runway is fit for use. We then travelled up to Loeng Nok Tha and onto the Post Crown road. We travelled the forty kilometres from start to finish, finish being the Nong Phoc Police Station where the 1968 Opening Ceremony was enacted. We hung around taking pictures and chatting. Noel Jackson explained to the cop on duty who we were and he agreed to have his picture taken with us.
A shot of runway21 and the group pose for a picture beside the plaque at Nong Phoc Police Station.
Wat Pha Nam Yoi and looking east over the Mekong.
We journeyed back along Highway 2136, for that is what the Post Crown Road has become. We saw on the skyline a large Chedi called Wat Pha Nam Yoi. This magnificent structure visited by many Thai people to worship, only came into existence because of the Post Crown Road. I'll talk more about Wat Pha Nam Yoi some other time. We travelled on to Mukdahan and booked into the River City Hotel, and as its frontage faces east it allows the early bird to watch the sun rising (see rollover). Everyone booked in and readied themselves for dinner.
Our first night in Mukdahan was spent dining beside the River Mekong. Our tables had been reserved which meant we had great views of the Friendship Bridge and Savannakhet on the Laos side of the river. Our Thai friends and mentors Aek and Rose kept a close eye on us so we didn't get in any age related trouble. A surprise, the first of many for the travellers, came when Aek produced a custom designed 50th Annversary Celebration mug for each of the group (see rollover). Checkout the slideshow for more images.
The group dine beside the Mekong and toast the trips success with the Anniversary mug.
The days end and the group slt to wind down as they see fit.
 And so the 'official' itinerary for the day came to a conclusion. Some took the coach back to the hotel but others as the rollover picture shows, found more entertainment before retiring. I think the picture left has broad smiles from people who have enjoyed themselves tremendously. Let's not forget this day was the first of a step into the unknown for OCA. We've organised trip's before but not on this scale and we were reliant on our Thai friends delivering for us. They had done so with aplomb and so our confidence grew that what lay ahead would be just as good.

Slideshow

A slideshow of pictures taken during this phase of the trip is shown below in chronological order. Place your cursor into the picture window to freeze the motion, remove it allow the slideshow to restart. Depending on your connection, it may take a while for the pictures to download and the slideshow to start