I am sitting in an internet cafe in Luang Prabang, Laos, surrounded by several young Buddhist monks with shaved heads wearing traditional orange robes and typing away on keyboards. It is kind of a surreal experience. It would make an amusing photo, but I don't want to be disrespectful. You will just have to use your imaginations!
I have just recovered from a Laotian version of Montezuma's Revenge.... actually it was more like food poisoning...
I guess we have been lucky to have staved it off for so long. I am feeling much better today, but we have upgraded our accommodation from a $6 a night dark room with fan to a light, airy air-conditioned room with cable TV as a result of my illness. Stephen has been wonderful running around town buying up water and medicine and worrying about me....he is relieved that I am feeling better.
Luang Prabang is a charming town, especially at night. There is one long main street lined with two-story French colonial buildings with ornate shutters and wooden balconies. There are no glaring street lamps. Instead the street is lit up at night with soft, twinkling fairy lights. Each night the Hmong people from remote hillside villages, come into town to set up a night market underneath brightly colored red canopies. They sell beautiful paintings, wood carvings, paper lanterns and silk table liners and pillow case covers. There are several cute cafes and restaurants along the main street, but since my funny tummy I have been far more selective about what I am eating.
We are on a peninsula surrounded by two rivers, the mighty Mekong is on one side and I can't recall the name of the river on the other. I will have to look it up! ....There are also plenty of beautiful temples richly decorated in gold. We have seen some lovely interiors featuring mosaics made from Japanese glass.
I have just recovered from a Laotian version of Montezuma's Revenge.... actually it was more like food poisoning...
I guess we have been lucky to have staved it off for so long. I am feeling much better today, but we have upgraded our accommodation from a $6 a night dark room with fan to a light, airy air-conditioned room with cable TV as a result of my illness. Stephen has been wonderful running around town buying up water and medicine and worrying about me....he is relieved that I am feeling better.
Luang Prabang is a charming town, especially at night. There is one long main street lined with two-story French colonial buildings with ornate shutters and wooden balconies. There are no glaring street lamps. Instead the street is lit up at night with soft, twinkling fairy lights. Each night the Hmong people from remote hillside villages, come into town to set up a night market underneath brightly colored red canopies. They sell beautiful paintings, wood carvings, paper lanterns and silk table liners and pillow case covers. There are several cute cafes and restaurants along the main street, but since my funny tummy I have been far more selective about what I am eating.
We are on a peninsula surrounded by two rivers, the mighty Mekong is on one side and I can't recall the name of the river on the other. I will have to look it up! ....There are also plenty of beautiful temples richly decorated in gold. We have seen some lovely interiors featuring mosaics made from Japanese glass.
Side note - Do you like Stephen's new look? I think he looks a bit like a serial killer myself...
