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Published: February 9th 2015
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I’m in Luang Prabang.
The trip here was not as bad as I thought it would be. The train from Ottawa to Dorval was almost on time. There was a HUGE flight of stairs from the train platform down, and then back up again, but a Via employee took pity on me (grey hair is sometimes useful) and carted my two bags down and back up the many stairs. Yes, I had two pieces of luggage to check, plus a carry on. I brought so much stuff out for folks here that a second bag was necessary. Air France charged $75.00 for the second bag.
The flight from Montreal to Paris was almost empty, so I had three seats to myself. Of course, the flight left at 4:45 p.m., so I was not really tired until a couple of hours before we landed.
The Paris airport is HUGE. Terminal 2 has several sections to it (A through F), and each section is way, way bigger than the whole of the Ottawa airport. When we landed, we had to board a bus to be transported to the Terminal. It seemed like we were at some remote landing strip, removed from the rest of the airport..we had to go through three or four traffic lights before we got to the Terminal.
Not much to say about the flight from Paris to Hanoi, expect it was long, long, long. Did catch up on my movie watching..think I watched four, between the two flights. Crossing the date line is always weird...a whole day disappears..left Wednesday afternoon and arrived Friday morning...what??
Driver was there to meet me at the airport in Hanoi. By the way, the Hanoi airport has been completely re-done in a year. When we landed last year, it was a total and complete dump. This year, the terminal is spanking new and clean. Hotel was fine, and I had another breakfast before heading up to my room, cleaning up and collapsing. I set the alarm for 4 p.m, and made myself get up and take a walk around the lake, then a dinner at a French bistro we found last year, then to bed. Think that was the first dinner I had in a few days...all the other meals were breakfast.
On Saturday morning, it was back to the airport and onto Luang Prabang. I was still tired, so tired that I managed to get scammed by the check-in guy for extra weight on my luggage...long story, but I am $30 poorer, and he is $30 richer.
Thong, Yeng and Houmphanh were all at the airport to meet me. It was wonderful to see everyone, and it felt so very right to be back here.
We came to the house, dropped off my bags and headed out for a lunch by the Mekong. Thong and Yeng had to go to work, and I was really tired, so had a quiet afternoon, with a walk around town and then unpacking and starting to get to know the house.
On Sunday, I went to the spa at Amantaka, which is the very fancy hotel where Thong works. If you frequent the spa, you can use the pool for as long as you like, and I thought a day of loafing and reading by the pool was in order.
The spa was out of this world...absolutely gorgeous. Before the massage, I had the chance to use a steam room, a sauna and a hot tub...all private, just for me. Also had a lovely robe, huge towels, a change room, a shower room and a sitting area, with a lounger, just in case I needed to rest. It was crazy luxurious, and fancy. I am not all that easliy impressed (you can roll your eyes now...), and I was totally blown away by the whole thing, and a bit uncomfortable, frankly. It was over the top, in every possible way.
The pool was also very fancy, with amazingly comfy lounge chairs with thick pads...your bum did not get numb, at all. This is a luxury more places should adopt.
Last night, Thong and Yeng came over, and I gave them the clothes and other things that I brought out. Then, we had a walk through the night market to the buffet area. There are a number of stalls along a dingy side street that serve an all you can eat buffet for the equivalent of $2.00. Neither Thong nor Yeng were comfortable eating there…that tells you all you need to know. All the tables were, however, full of toursits munching away. Pas moi, merci. If my Lao friends won’t eat there, I feel comfy saying no thanks.
Thong said it was the first time in a year he had been to the night market…I asked if the last time was also with me, and he said yes. So, the night market is absolutely just for tourists. We had a lovely dinner at a new restaurant along the Nam Khan. A wonderful chance to get caught up and talk about all manner of things.
The wedding is on the 22, and it is going to be huge. They have invited more than 300 people, and apparently more people show up than are issued invitations. Still not sure what happens, exactly, but I’m looking forward to it.
Went for a walk/jog this morning, and my wonderful LBP is changing quickly. There is way more traffic, and thus way more polllution. The air is no longer the crisp, clean air that I first found here. Everyone seems to be burning something, leaves, little piles of wood, or they are cooking over a small charcoal brazier. Fouls the air something fierce.
Many of the little stores have been replaced by massage establishments, many offering the foot massages with the fish that nibble at your toes. Not sure how often they change the water, so will probably pass on this activity. I have no idea how so many spas can stay in business. My first trip, people lived in the houses, then the houses became stores and now the stores are massage places.
Plastic bags are the horror of the third world..the riverbanks are dotted with pink, blue, green and white blobs of plastic…quite horrible. There are now signs up, asking people not to use too many plastic bags.
I’m still getting to know the house. The light switches are in odd places, and there three potties and two showers, and only one real bedroom. Which is fine, just a bit odd. The area is relatively quiet during the day, and very quiet at night, and the bed is comfy, so all is well. There is, however, a rooster who wakes up very early, has a three minute caw-fest and then goes back to sleep for an hour or so.
The monk walk also passes right in front of my house, and this morning they seemed to stop right outside my window to chant…it woke me up, for sure…
Here is a photo of the entrance to my house.
Lots more to tell, but this is already too long, so will end here.
Love hearing from you, when you can write.
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Alice
non-member comment
Happy travels!
Hi Aunt Deb, Sounds like your trip is off to a great start! I look forward to reading more about it and seeing more pictures. Alice