Lovely Laos!!

Me giving alms to the monks on their early morning rounds!!

My lovely hotel room at Villa Laodeum!

Okay got here and shared a taxi to the hotel - so lovely - I got the quiet room I requested and it's really lovely if a little overpriced - but Luang Prubang accommodation seems expensive - the plus side being it keeps the backpacker rif raf away!


So loving Luang Prubang - you are not hounded like in Vietnam especially (and Cambodia and Thailand to some extent). There are some kids who harrass you a bit to buy bracelets etc - but no biggie. People are the loveliest here, besides the Thai people (hope they're going okay!) The people are gentle and friendly - it is so nice after Hanoi!


So I've been eating up a storm as usual and drinking the Beer Lao at an alarming rate! (even found they have a dark lager that is to my taste). Interestingly I asked to try the fish baked in banana leaves at a restaurant last night and was told that it wasn't really fish - but pork - I really don't think the kid knew what he was on about as I just saw several menus for other places showing the steamed FISH in banana leaves )which i will try tonight - yummo.


Okay so have been to the Wat with the gorgeous tree - gold and whatnot - W-O-W!  There are many places to eat on the riverfront around here and also lots of Wats to visit. I will go to the waterfalls in the next day or two but unsure about the Pak Ou caves (I'm a bit caved out) - although it is on the slow boat down the Mekong so I probably should! 


Have rebooked my flight to Bangkok considering the flood situation - I will now spend an extra 4 nights here and 2 at the airport hotel in Bangkok - if the Chatuchak markets are operating I'll find a means to get there, but at least the hotel will do a free shuttle to and from the airport for my flight home - can't believe a week to go now, so I  will enjoy Luang Prubang and have a little downtime over the next few days. Yesterday I hired a lovely little bike for 20 000 Kip (around $2.50) and toured around a bit - such fun, will hire it again in a few days for a bit more exploration.

Here is a lovely Luang Prubang waterfront shot

So I had lunch on the riverfront on my first day - so lovely - and with the superstrong Beer Lao, the rest of the day passed nicely (okay well some of it napping!)

Me advertising (and skolling!) Beer Lao! on the waterfront - there are one million of these little restaurants - so cool!

But leaving the highlight of the trip til last - my lovely hotel guy (Siphone - kop jai lee lay!!) arranged to get me some sticky rice and 'candy' to give to the monks when they came on their alms rounds at 6am the morning after I arrived. Here's some shots of me and the nice Hong Kongian woman all suited up and giving to the monks. Their baskets are really big and there is a ton of rice in there, some had 2 minute noodles given, and I know they were pretty happy about getting the wafers Siphone arranged for us to give them (one young monk in fact skipped straight past me when he realised I only had rice left - not happy Jan!).  WOW - what an amazing experience and a total highlight on this trip!! I'm so happy about that experience - I honestly feel so blessed to be able to have done it!

We look like train wrecks at 5.50 am but WOW what a special experience! The Hong Kong lady and I really enjoyed this special experience!

So visited some lovely temples - the main one being at the top of Mount Phou Si - so I went up at sunset like everyone else in LP - but I could have missed it really - anyway good to do! My favourite however was the Wat Xieng, with the utterly gorgeous mosaics and paintings on the temple buildings:

Me at the lovely Wat Xieng and my little offering that I bartered down to 5000 Kip!

Okay this has taken around hours of jerking around with this computer, but this will do for now.  Off for another shake (may do mango this arvo) for less than $1!  Will think about going to the museum dancing show tonight or the Lao culture and dinner experience. Also going to the waterfalls in the next few days!  Off now for mango and relaxation.


Oh got the best facial the other day - check this - (cost 60 000KIP which is around $8!)

The masseuse could not stop laughing hence the shot!