Laos - Day 8

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Had breakfast across the street and then over to the travel office to get picked up. We were driven about 2 blocks to the river and told to get on a boat. Slow boated down the Mekong for a while. Stopped at a village where they make textiles and homemade paper made from mulberry tree bark. Stopped at “Whiskey Village”, but didn’t see them making much whiskey and didn’t see much being sold. Back on the boat to Tamting Cave. Climbed a lot of stairs to get to the cave, which was full of old Buddha statues. Kind of cool, but kind of a let down. Back on the boat and high tailed it to LP to catch the minivan for the next leg of the tour. Grabbed some chips and waters and headed off. The van was full, including some stinky French guys. Felicia had to sit next to one of them. Rode about an hour to the park entrance for Kwang Xi waterfall. Shared a plate of noodles and a beer and went in. Nice walk through the forest to the falls. Saw some bears and a tiger who had been rescued from the black market and were being kept in the park. The bears were only cubs when they were rescued because poachers had killed their mother. There were signs posted that the tiger would bite fingers. The falls were pretty cool, lots of people swimming. We didn’t swim because Todd convinced Felicia not to bring swim suits to Laos! We walked up the hill about half way up the falls—nice view. Back to the van, stopped at a Hmong village on the way back. The van driver enlightened us with some sage Buddhist advice, you need to eat or you will die, you need to sleep or you will die, you need to go...or you will die, and you need to make “boom boom” or you will die. Of course, everything in moderation. Showered at had our last dinner in LP at Kamu restaurant, excellent again. Picked up a couple bottles of Beer Lao to unwind on the balcony.

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Comments

[María]

I want to be there...
...everything is so beautiful. I wish that I can be there with you both and enjoying those beautiful places full of history and mystery. I guess that is like having a religious experience - in the best and most broad sense of the world. Keep enjoying and sending pictures. I feel like if I am traveling with you. Take care and be safe. Love, Miss Tropicana