Stay another day Laos

Luang Prabang is tonic for the soul. From the moment we got to this quiet UNESCO heritage listed town I knew that it would be wildly different then the vibes I got in Vietnam. The meek and curious nature of the beautiful Lao people means that they don't push at the market, they don't ask you a ridiculous amount of times if you'd like a tuk tuk ride. Instead, these shy friendly people want to show you their culture, to share their passion for "sticky" with you and to giggle cutely at the long nosed "falang" that us white Westerners are. Luang Prabang seems to have more money, they have a glorious number of ancient temples that throb with Buddhist chants at both 4 am and pm. They have a really great set of local talents; weaving silk, creating handicrafts and creating culinary delights reign high here. The World Bank (sometimes of questionable intentions) here seems to have picked up on these special talents and has put together an intriguing sustainable tourism campaign to market such local beauties to tourists. The town is surrounded by water, the Mekong River to the west and the Nam Kahn to the East which means that local guesthouses have set up some beautiful riverside patios dishing out local delights.

And then you easily forget the seemingly clean wealth of Luang Prabang when you trek out into the Khmu and H'mong hill tribe villages as Krista and I did. We stayed in one such village where everyone shares a communal water tap, and where 50 bodies gather around the bamboo home that has a television and an accompanying generator to create electricity to have it one. But somehow, these people seem happy. It's hard to know if they desire to escape the lifestyle they live (one we would immediately see as poverty) or if they know no different and value their traditional way of life. Krista and I have enjoyed Laos alot. The night market is beautiful, the fresh exotic fruit smoothies delich, the kayaking on (insane) rapids in rainstorms was invigorating, and the cuisine is most delightful. But mostly it is the kind people in this place. They have such personality, and such pride.

Unfortunately though, my dear travelling buddie Krista has come down with a case of the common traveller's ailment (even though the food we ate was all so delicious, and the exact same that I ate...) So send her some of your good healthy energy, cause she's bummed about feeling rotten.

Oh Oh and guess what! I have a home to live in come September in Toronto! Peace for the day!