3000 Holes National Park

Do you like holes? Because if you like holes as much as I like holes, you are really going to enjoy this post about thousands of holes. On Saturday P'Nuan took me, Kwan, and Karn (our 2 college-aged student teachers) to "Sam Pan Bok," or 3000 Holes National Park ("Sam" means three, "Pan" means thousand, and "Bok" is Laotian for hole). It was a two and a half hour drive from Ubon proper, but well worth it. Ubon is known to have some BEAUTIFUL National Parks (3 big ones: Pha Taem, Kaeng Tana, and Sam Pan Bok) but they are all literally on the border of Laos, and you really need to have a car to get there. IT WAS BEAUTIFUL. Like no other national park I have ever seen. There were just so many holes. All different kinds of holes! Big holes. Little holes. Fat holes. Skinny holes. Wet holes. Dry holes. So so many holes! The beautiful Me Kong River lies against these rocks that have (thousands) of holes in them, and many are indeed filled with little pools of water. The water between the rocks is the most beautiful shade of brown I have ever seen...like chocolate milk! There is also a small island you can take a boat to that is famous for its "chocolate covered" rocks. These rocks really do look like delicious chocolate from a Krackel bar, or those chocolate-sprinkle toppings that come on top of some yogurts in the states. If you can't tell, I am really hungry for chocolate. Unbelievably, because it was a somewhat rainy, overcast day, there was barely anyone there except for us! We had lunch overlooking the river and rocks, and then rented a long tailed boat and hired two brother-and-sister child "tour guides" (aka they pointed out the different shaped rocks to us). Officially, Sam Pan Bok is not a National Park yet, but it will be listed as one later this year :)

One sidenote: On the drive from Ubon proper to Sam Pan Bok, we saw a woman run into the middle of the road and a man was chasing her, grabbing her, and trying to beat her up (!!!) P'Nuan and the other girls screamed and we slowed down...but then kept driving!!! I told them that I think that we should go back and make sure that everything's okay. P'Nuan's response, "No! They are lovers!"

The day was simply magical, and it was so kind that P'Nuan treated the three of us- took an entire Saturday off, paid for gas, lunch, our boat, everything! Very generous. However, I'd woken up Saturday morning with the most PAINFUL sore throat ever, and I had a fever. I knew something was wrong. We stopped at the pharmacy on the way there. I have Tonsillitis! Luckily, I am on antibiotics now and feeling "3000" times better. I am so glad that I was able to see this beautiful, hidden part of the country. I saw some holes that I will never forget.

These pictures speak for themselves.

Me & Kwan

(Behind us: Laos)

Me, P'Nuan, and Kwan

This is a very famous sign that reads, "Welcome to Ubon Ratchathani."

Below are listed the three national parks. However, the road past this

sign might as well have been called 3000 holes. I have never driven on 

worse pot holes for such a stretch of time. I felt like I was back in Cambodia.

Pretty as a postcard!

We pulled our car up...and it was just THERE.

Literally, where the road ends.

P'Nuan- ever glamorous, Kwan, and Karn.

P'Nuan, Kwan, and me

The best view in the house. I'd be a little bit worried 

it might collapse though.

P'Nuan and me, waiting for lunch.

Rooster and Dog

These two were UNBELIEVABLE. They fought 

over everything that fell on the ground. That rooster 

is going to go far in life...MAN!

The dog's got an eye on you, Rooster!

But alas, they live in harmony.

P'Nuan and I in front of a Thai sign.

Sam Pan Bok!

Now for the good stuff...

Heading down to our long tailed boat

Me with some boats!

Our two children tour guides were so cute.

They'd clearly done this a million times.

Life jackets?!?! Is this Thailand?!

Karn and me

Our tour guides

Ever wonder where the Super Bowl shirts that accidentally

have the word "Supper" on them end up?

For some reason I LOVE this shot. 

We approached a small island where novice monks were

swimming and relaxing. Their orange robes against the dull

background really was stunning.

Chocolate river. This really is as close to the 

"Willy Wonka" chocolate river as you can get!

Cool view

Our first sighting: A rock shaped like a dog's head!

(It really does actually)

Our helpers pulling the boat in

P'Nuan being cute.

The first hole of many holes.

Close up of a hole. The pool of water that sits in them

is fresh and clean and you can stick your hands and feet in!

But there's just so many holes!

Hole with no water.

Me with some holes.

Kwan, P'Nuan, me (aka Giant) and Karn

(A few holes in the background)

Beautiful holes.

Our guide got a little bored and I snapped this 

candid picture of him playing with a hole.

Me with the "Mickey Mouse" hole!

Novice monks swimming together in a giant hole! 

I found it so interesting that they didn't know how to 

swim, so they're all wearing life jackets. It's like they're

still in their robes! Trippy.

Me standing IN a hole!

When the girls showed up the novices left :(

Come on we're only staring  looking!

P'Nuan always takes the small hole. Humphh.

I have this hole all to myself bitches.

Two holes, actually.

What should I put in my other hole?

P'Nuan and I make a heart in front of two heart-shaped holes.

How very Asian.

I like this hole because there is some grass growing in it.

LIFE!

Chocolate river!!!

The gang.

Do you see me? I look like an ant!

But how am I going to get down there so that I can 

get my dream photo?

Dream photo.

Love this so much :)

"I'm on top of the word!"

Not your everyday view.

I mean, have you ever seen so many holes?

Me sitting on a peninsula.

Back to the boat...time for some chocolate rocks!

Goodbye holes!

Karn looks so glamorous boarding our boat!

Serenity.

Chocolate rocks!

Don't they really look like those crackly chocolate yogurt toppings?

Me and P'Nuan sitting on a chocolate rock throne.

However, the only throne I would accept if I were 

really a queen would be made of gold and diamonds.

Barren. If this were the "Hunger Games," I don't

know where I would hide.

P'Nuan doing what she does best.

Being cute as a button.