From Jungle to Culture

---

After roughing it in the jungle, Dana and I headed to a French Colonial village in order to get some good food and wine. We ate a bakery next to our place for almost every meal for the 5 days we were there. It’s called Joma and serves fantastic cappuccinos, bagels, lasagna, muffins, scones, brownies, cookies, and even Nanaimo bars!!

Mmmmm, I’m salivating as I write this. We met a Canadian-Mexican couple here and spent our days with them. We went to a nearby waterfall/bear conservation project one day (why aren’t all waterfalls combined with bears - they go so well together!). They had just hide food in the bear’s jungle gym when we arrived so they were all roaming, digging, playing, and eating the prizes they found. One little baby bear lied on his back rolling a ball around with his 4 paws for ages, so cute! The waterfall was stunning and even had a rope swing.

Luang Probang is not only famous for its great food, but also so it’s numerous temples and for the alms ceremony where the locals give food to the monks every morning at sunrise. Dana and I rented bikes one day to tour through the temples and afterwards peddled out of the city to a random little village were we went and sat by the river and Dana helped an old man repair his canoe. We got caught in a rainstorm and had to wait for an hour in one family’s house. It was at times like that when I wish I spoke Lao. We road over a bridge made of sticks that was so twisted it felt like a roller coaster! I miss the sketchiness of Laos.

---