Luang Prabang with one hand tied-

Well, I have arrived...and this is such a different scene than in Siem Reap!

Yes the place is crawling with tourists. Yes there are the usual plethora of shops selling local wares. Yes there is the night market and yes there are a squillion cafes offering western [mostly French] fare and a smattering of Lao food too.  There is beautiful scenery to look at all around.

Here is what isn't here:
People harassing you to "buy, Madame, buy"
Tons of smog to fill the sky and cover the sun and stars
Streets choked with Tuk Tuk's, motor bikes and cars.

Luang Prabang is a very pleasant place with:
Wide streets with beautiful French inspired buildings.
A Wat [temple/pagoda] on most every corner
Two rivers that meet at the apex of the town.
A laundress who gives me a hug when she hands me my bag of laundry and holds her gorgeous little boy up to me for another type of hug
Lots of chickens roaming the streets
Extremely friendly laid back people.

I can't provide pictures in this post because for some reason I am unable to connect on the supposed Free WiFi in my hotel [which is on one of the Rivers- the Nam Kham] and so far have only used my computer in a cafe [forgot my card reader for the snaps] and now I am in an Internet room on the main street in town- Sisavangvong. [again without the card reader]

Here's what I've been up to so far....[snaps to follow]:

1. A visit to the Night Market- which seems about 10 kilometres long full of the most amazing array of goods
2. A walk around the perimeter of the town-which borders on two rivers- Mekong and the Nam Kham
3. Up at 6 AM this morning and gave out food to the Monks- this happened by accident- I was walking up the street and a woman sold me a basket of bananas and told me to sit down on a mat on the footpath and wait for the monks. A French Laotian man coached me on what to do- though I spoke little French and he spoke not much English, we  managed it. And of course as soon as the first lot of Monks came walking through I got it and bought more food. It was a wonderful thing to do and it happens every morning. I wish I had a kitchen to make fresh rice to hand out.
4. A visit to Big Brother Mouse - thanks again to Kev and Glen for telling me about this place- where young people come to practice their English with us English speaking volunteers. They have a great literacy program  going. I spoke to a nice, smart young man who was studying English at University and is about to take a final examination, so we looked at his homework and spoke for 3 hours! It was fun. I am definitely going back there.
5. A walk across this amazing bamboo bridge which is built only for the dry season- it was surprisingly strong but looked so perilous. It was amusing to watch the other people have as much fear -or more- than I did walking across when I came back.

I am planning more- like a walk up Phousi Hill at sunset, a trip to the Pak Ou Caves [Google it!] and a waterfall or two, but I seem to have the flu [again- 3rd time in as many months] and though it is not [knock wood] as serious as it has been, my energy is not high and I tired easily-not to mention the coughing and continual nose blowing. I have been visiting the local Pharmacie and the pharmacist has been advising me, so hopefully between the two of us all will be well.

[Can't wait to connect to WiFi at the hotel- the guys next to me are trawling the Internet for Lao boys to meet- and they are really seedy- reading the entries outloud to each other]

Til then......
Sa Bai Dee