Team Laos rides again!

Trip Start Nov 01, 2007
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36
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Trip End Jun 28, 2008


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Where I stayed
Pakam Guesthouse
(Luang Prabang hotels)

Flag of Lao Peoples Dem Rep  ,
Friday, February 8, 2008

Firstly, Mum and Ruth - you would love it in Luang Prabang! Every evening three or four streets are closed to traffic and stalls are set up full of locally made handicrafts. It really is sensory overload to see all the silk scarves, bags, wall hangings, blankets, etc, etc, etc. Still, I was a good little trooper and managed to make it through the market a couple of times to check everything out.

Luang Prabang is a UNESCO listed world heritage town - although with all the guesthouses and restaurants and tour booking shops, you really wouldn't guess it at first. We definitely arrived back in tourist land, a bit to our disappointment. Still, where there are lots of tourists in one place at one time, then possibly you might run into people you know.....which we did. Team Laos Rides Again - we met up with another couple that we spent time with in Tad Lo, and so spent our few days in LPB hanging out with them - eating LOTS of chicken baguettes and street BBQs. There is a food alley that sets up each night full of BBQs, soups, noodle stir frys, and many other crazy not-sure-what-it-is food options....we were in heaven! Had lovely BBQ fish and BBQ chicken one night, and the next BBQ buffalo burgers as well.

Malcolm and the gang headed out one day to Kuang Si waterfall, about 30 kms from town for a bit of chilly swimming. I elected to stay behind and eat chocolate cookies and shop. :o)

But the bestest bestest thing about LPB is the massages at the Red Cross. For 32,000 kip (about $3.50) you get a one hour full body massage. The people who work there have fingers of iron though - so we were a bit sore the next day, but still was so worth it! We'd go back just for that.
 
Overall, it was an okay place to visit, but a bit too touristy for us. And oddly a lot of places smelled of sewage. (sadly, our hotel was one of those places!!)

Next stop - Luang Nam Tha for a spot of trekking we hope.

Love,
K & M
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