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Luang Prabang, Laos



A new day and a new country. After leaving Chiang Mai, we took a short flight to Luang Prabang, Laos. It's a smaller city in the Northern part of Laos and it was recently named a UNESCO world heritage site because of it's charm and character. We didn't have reservations when we arrived but easily found a nice little guesthouse right on the Mekong River for a moderate price of $15/day. We were just happy to have a private bathroom and hot showers, which is not always easy to find. As would be expected, the city is filled with many beautiful temples and numerous monks of all ages wandering around in their orange robes. We tried to get up this morning to observe their morning alms but realized when we went downstairs that we were actually locked in our guesthouse. Maybe next time....
Yesterday, we decided to skip the tours and treks and just walk all over town taking in the sights. We had a very "farang", aka foreigner, breakfast of bagels and coffee and then set out for what felt like miles of walking. It really is the best way to see a city. We then spent a few hours people watching on the main street before getting our night started with shopping at the street market, eating a Laos buffet and another massage for Dave. He couldn't resist the $4 1-hour massage.
And today we hopped on a bus towards Vang Vieng and although it was a long and bumpy 7 hours, the scenery was beautiful. Laos is truly a gorgeous country. Very lush with lots of mountains and rivers with small villages tucked around them. Tomorrow, we will go tubing down the river all day. Should be an adventure! We will post pictures soon....

Comments

Intrepidation said…
The "bangkok sucks" entry is great! Can't wait to see the pics from Laos. What's the Laoation word for "hairy back"?
Wig said…
Merry Christmas Linds and Dave! Thanks for the email, Linds---it's wild to think of you in Laos right now riding elephants & rafting rivers. I love the stories---you two have found a hidden talent and may have travel jobs awaiting you when you return. I hope you sent your blog to some editors!
Miss you---Sue

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