Languid, lazy, Lao

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It took us three days to get from Sapa in Vietnam to Luang Prabang in Lao. First we took a bus to Dien Bien Phu where we spent a night. Then we took another bus loaded with sacks of rice, potatoes, locals and 8 of us foreigners (on top of all the sacks) to the border where we sat for 7 hours. There was a dispute over the amount of tarriffs due for all the goods being transferred and who was going to pay for them. We passed the time playing cards, napping and looking at all the cool bugs crawling about. Our little troop of foreigners bonded well and we hung out together for the next several days.

Finally in Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, we checked into a hotel for 4 nights. At first look the town is nice, not WOW, but nice. After a day though the place starts to melt into you. It's not so much what IS there but what ISN't. There is very little street traffic and no honking horns. You can walk down sidewalks unobstructed by motorbikes, potted plants, construction debris, or dead dogs. Vendors are incredibly laid back. At the night market women selling goods only say, "Sabaidee!" which means hello. Sabaidee literally translates as "feel good." Isn't that a wonderful way to greet people?!

The town is on a peninsula surrounded by the Mekong and another tributary. You can walk a path overlooking the river and meander around a temple or two. It's really nice to be in a peaceful Budhist country again with monks walking about in bright orange robes. It's the kind of place you want to be lazy and sit by the river with a beer and watch the smattering of life go by unhurried. Oh, and you can get a great Lao massage for $5. It's not nearly as contortionist as a Thai massage but with plenty of pressure point work.

Next we travelled south to Vang Vieng where a peaceful river is backed by looming mountains. You can rent an inner tube and take a tuk tuk ride several kilometers up river for a nice float down. There are several bars on the riverbanks blaring music. Kids throw ropes out to you in your tube and reel you into the bars. You get a free shot of lao-lao, rice whiskey, with each beer. Many bars have platforms you climb up and then swing out over the river and splash down. It's great fun but probably a bit stupid to do after a few beers. I pulled a muscle on the last swing and made a rather undignified drop into the river. Jeez, maybe I'm getting too old for this. Nah!!!

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Photos

Demon bug
Looks like he could shoot lasers out his eyes.

Birdie release
Near the temples women sell little birds in these tiny bamboo cages. You release them but I suspect that they have trained the birds to fly back to them later. Oh well, I just let this one out for a little exercise like a short term gym fee.

Xieng Thong temple in Luang Prabang
Lao's temples are similar to Thailand's but they have the extra gold thingees sticking up on the middle of the roof top. Same, same but different.

Asiatic bear
A black fur coat seems like a major inconvenience here.

Lisa's turn
Great fun!

Hanging next to the river in Vang Vieng, literally
Beer Lao was my favorite beer that we've had on this trip.

Comments

[Kelly Walker]

Brings back memories..
You may or may not remember me. Justin and I met you guys in the Philippines, diving. I loved your blog on Laos. Sounds like you guys are having an excellent time! Where's next on the list? I'm back in Korea teaching now. It's a drag, esp since my week-long vacation was canceled due to a sudden change in schedule. Oh well, I have a big break coming up in a few months' time, so if I can hold on that long... :) Play hard, you guys, and have a wonderful time!