Rexaling Lao Spa Style

It is 97F (36C) in Champassak and I am hot and sweaty. I just biked for 2 hours along the Mekong River and I need to be pampered. I was riding down the road and noticed an organic spa. Hello! That has my name written all over it!

I was hoping for a traditional Lao sauna and a massage. But, the Champassak Spa did not offer the sauna. I studied the menu carefully. I decided to go with a tourist special. It included an hour facial, body scrub, hair treatment and scalp massage and an 1.5 hour oil massage. I asked if they had availability.  The woman smiled and said "Yes ma'am. We can begin immediately, if you wish." Yippeee! 

I was shown to a bathroom where I was instructed to take a warm shower and put on the phasin (Lao sarong) and sandals. I placed my clothes and backpack in a locker. Then, the woman took me to a small room where she scrubbed my feet. In Lao, the feet are considered very dirty. They should never be used to point, touch or placed on a seat. As you enter a home, business or temple you are asked to leave your shoes outside. At the spa, they wanted to make sure my feet were very clean before the services began. I was then given pair of clean sandals and a lemongrass herbal tea. It was delicious. I sipped on my tea as a soft breeze blew into the hut. I could smell the plumeria flowers from outside. Ahhhh! I was relaxing and could feel my body releasing any tension.

Next, I was taken to a small bungalow with a table and ceiling fan. I laid down and the therapist began with my facial and continued with the hair treatment, scalp massage and then the body scrub. She was very professional and spoke very good English. The scalp massage and facial were fantastic. I love having someone massage my face and scalp. It feels so good and very indulgent. After these services, I was escorted to a wooden veranda overlooking the river. I was given a tray with teas and fresh fruit while I relaxed and waited for my massage.

Finally, I was escorted to the hut beside the river for my oil massage. The massage bed overlooked the Mekong River. I was so close to the river, I felt like I could reach out and touch it. The massage was very professional, therapeutic and utterly relaxing.  It got my blood pumping into every muscle though, leaving me relaxed, yet more invigorated, like every good massage should. The Champassak Spa is really something different, as the sounds of the river and the garden are as central to the experience as the massage itself. Once you have been rubbed and massaged from your feet right up to your head, hot tea is served on the open veranda looking out over the river. I sat and enjoyed the calm. When I changed back into my clothes, I realized I had spent 5 hours being pampered for the bargain price of $45 (USD).

Life in Champassak is laidback. This is the kind of leisure activity that is slowly being replaced by cheap tourist spas with none of the charm. Champassak Spa is a French sustainable development project. It creates jobs for the local people to allow them to stay in Champassak rather than migrating into the cities. The staff are given lessons in massage, wellness, English and a few will be trained in management to provide sustainable business for the locals. The Lao hospitality is wonderful and provided a relaxing experience.  I highly recommend the Champassak Spa and would enjoy returning for another afternoon of pampering.

Don Daeng Bike Adventure

I was off to explore the small island of Don Daeng on my last day in Champassak. The hotel arranged a boat to take me and pick me back up 5 hours later. I was assured "easy to get bicycle on island." I should have asked more questions. But, I didn't. A short boat ride and I arrived on the beach of Don Daeng. My boat captain left me at the shore and said I had to bring him a Beerlao when he picked me up. Ok!

I walked up the beach to the hotel. As I approached the resort, I was greeted by waterbuffalo happily grazing the grounds. I went to the office to enquire about a bicycle rental.  The manager explained he could only give bicycles out to guests, since he had a limited number of bikes. He was very apologetic and told me good luck finding a bike in the village. Oh well. I would walk the island if I couldn't find a bicycle. I thanked him for his help and headed towards the village. It was a beautiful little island and the people were friendly. As I passed their homes they yelled out greetings "sabaaidee!"

  

I was humbled at how excited the people were to see a foreigner. This must be what movie stars feel like! They were friendly and excited to greet me. I walked a kilometer and found a place to rent a bike. Finally! I think it was the only place on the island. I was off to explore the island. It was so quiet and beautiful. I only saw one guesthouse/resort and family restaurants along the side of the road. The island is primarily a farming island with cattle and rice fields. As I biked down the main road, the children would run out to look and wave. This island was more laid back and quieter than Don Khone. I didn't think that was possible.

I biked to the end of the island when I decided it was time to head back towards the boat dock. I was hot and I knew I could relax and have lunch before going back to Champassak. As I biked back, I suddenly got a flat tire. Uh-oh! I was 8 km from the village! It was hot and I had drank my bottle of water. I got off my bike and started walking back to town. The locals would stop me, look at my tire and shake their heads. One young boy walked me to a man's home where I could get my tire fixed. I was so thankful! The man took me into his house and pulled out a chair for me. Then his wife and daughter came and brought me a bottle of water. I thanked them and took a big swig. Immediately, I knew I had made a mistake. The water was salty and gritty tasting. I couldn't spit it out. That would be rude.  I realized it was not bottle water. When they brought out a bucket and poured it into another bottle, my suspicions were verified. They brought me a plate of fruit and filled my glass with more water. They smiled and the woman pointed to my eyes and her blue socks. Then she pointed at my hair. I smiled and she ran her fingers through it. They were so sweet. What could I do? I smiled and thanked them. The daughter left and came back with a bag of ice and a 7-up. I thanked her but tried to explain I don't drink soda. They would not take no as an answer and so, I had some 7-up. The woman then grabbed my hand and took me to her garden. It was beautiful. She had flowers and fruit trees. She cut flowers and made me a bouquet. Then she took me to where she was drying mangos and gave me a whole bag of dried fruit. I thanked her again. When we returned to the front porch there were 4 people waiting to meet me. The smiled and giggled at/with me. I laughed as people walked by their home and stared. I was definitely the attraction! When he finished repairing my tire, we talked a while and then I tried to pay him for his work. He kept refusing. I could not let them do this for free. I felt bad. I finally got him to take some money when I gave it to his daughter for her education. I smiled as I left this generous family. They were so kind and hospitable to a stranger. I truly love the Lao people for this trait.

I jumped back on my bike and looked at my watch. I had 40 minutes to meet the boat. I pedaled quickly towards the village. I was a kilometer from returning my bike when I got a flat on the front tire! Oh no! I walked quickly and returned my bike. I apologized to the family for the flat tire and they said no problem. I thanked them when they offered me a ride to the boat. I was back in time and had a cold Beerlao for myself and the captain. Whew! It was a fun adventure even though things went wrong. I felt safe and was never worried. My only worry is will I get sick from the Mekong River water? Only time will tell! I am keeping my fingers crossed that I have a strong system and no GI trouble.

Chilling in Champassak, Laos

I left Don Khone in the morning. I had arranged a bus north to Champassak. I had met several tourists that talked of the quiet charms and I decided I would venture to the village. I realized quickly, I was the only passenger going to Champassak. Wow! It is off the beaten path! The bus ride was interesting...they always are! I noticed the bus driver kept pulling into gas stations but was not able to purchase anything. Finally, he stopped at a roadside stand where he got a large plastic container, a hose and a fence post. What was happening?

I sat on the bus watching to see what was going to happen next. The men walked under my window. The positioned the fence pole next to the bus and placed the plastic container with gasoline on top of the pole. Then, while smoking a cigarette, one placed the hose in the container while his buddy sucked on the other end of the hose. They were filling the bus with gasoline. I looked at the guy next to me. He was as white as a sheet and started gathering his stuff to get off the bus. He kept saying "boom!" I had to get a photo. Really?!?! Yeah, I probably would go up in flames!

Luckily, there were no problems and we were headed north again. The remainder of the journey was uneventful. I was left at a corner in the village of Ban Muang and the man pointed to a woman selling water. I told her I wanted to go to Champassak and she asked for 25,000 kip. Then she pointed to the boat landing at the end of the road. A boat had just left the dock and she yelled for him to come back. He did! He pulled up and I got into the boat with 2 guys from Poland. They had just arrived in Laos and were not use to traveling. I gave them tips as we crossed the Mekong River towards Champassak. I listened to their concerns and explained that in Asia, some things don't make sense to westerners. They never will and you are better off accepting it and going with the flow than complaining about it. One of the guys laughed and told his buddy to breathe and enjoy the experience. When we arrived at the boat landing, we walked up the hill and met a tuk-tuk driver. He offered to give me a ride to my hotel. The Polish guys asked if I wanted to share a tuk-tuk to Wat Phu. Sure, just let me leave my bag in my hotel. We negotiated our price and the driver told the guys they could leave their bags at his guesthouse.

After a short stop, we were off to explore Wat Phu. This is an ancient Khmer religious complex that dates back to pre-Angkor Wat (5th century). It was small compared to the Angkor ruins in Cambodia but the similarities in the architecture were striking to me. The site had similar carvings as I had seen in Angkor; dancing women, warriors and carved doorways. The three of us explored the sight.

Afterwards, we headed back to Champassak. My Polish travel mates decided they were going to hitchhike to Pakse. I laughed and told them good luck. I offered them my floor if they were not able to find a ride. They laughed and said they may be back. They must have used their charms to get a ride. I did not see them again. I spent some time walking the small village before dinner. The village is small but 30 years ago was a seat of royalty. That grandeur has long since departed. The village has a main road with colonial-era homes mixed with Lao wooden homes. This town reminded me of a rundown version of Luang Prabang but with the potential to be charming. I liked the quiet streets and locals that were excited to see the few tourists in the village. I ran into the French couple I had met in Don Khone at my hotel. They had liked the village and returned to spend 2 more days exploring. They gave me several tips and insisted that I need to rent a bike and explore the area and also take a boat to Don Daeng Island to explore. Since we had similar travel styles, I took their advice and decided I would stay a couple of days. As I walked back to my room, I laughed as a herd of cows were passing down the narrow main road. There were no street lights or lanterns. It was dark and quiet. The only sound I heard were the cowbells as the cattle wandered through town. I smiled and knew was going to enjoy this village. 

Gone to the Beach - Don Khone

After a few days of "city living,"  I decided it was time to get off the beaten path and head to southern Lao. I talked to several tourists trying to decide if I would make the journey to central Laos to experience a 7km cave. I know I should not take other travelers opinions but I did. I had seen my share of caves in Laos and was ready for some island life. So, I bought my ticket to Pakse. I left Vientiane on the 8:00 PM sleeping bus. I was excited to see this bus ....you never know what experience was ahead! It was an 11 hour journey to Paske. I had not made any hotel arrangements. I wanted to see if I was going to be able to handle another 3-4 few hours down to the islands or if I wanted to rest for a day before continuing south. I boarded the bus and found my bed. Yay! It was a flat bed with a pillow and blanket! Granted, I was going to be sharing this space with a stranger. Who cares....it was a flat bed! I look for the positive with overnight travel! I got comfortable and waited to meet my bunk mate. As long as they don't smell, I am fine! I got lucky and had a Russian guy that was really nice. The couple in the bed next to us were a Lao (woman)/Swiss (guy) couple with a lot of advise for Lao travel to the islands.  They were headed to 4000 Islands to buy riverfront property for $2000 USD (100 m x 50 m). He had been traveling for 18 months by bicycle and actually spent 6 months as a kayak guide in the islands. It was interesting listening to his suggestions and stories about Laos and China business that is ongoing in the country. My bunkmate was actually traveling on business and was looking for Lao exports to Russia. We all sat and shared travel stories, experiences and talked politics as the Russian shared his food. He came prepared with croissants, cheese, crackers, fruit, cookies and milk! A great picnic. The conversation and company was fun. Another example of what I love about traveling! The conversations and experiences don't happen at home. I smiled as I got comfortable and told my bunkmate he could hit, kick or push me over if I try to snuggle or steal his blanket or pillow. He assured me that he had no problem putting me in my place. I put on my headphones and fell asleep. I awoke at 5:30 AM to the sound of honking. I sat up and noticed it was a herd of water buffalo crossing the road. This continued for the next hour as all the farm animals seemed to be wandering across the highway. Definitely more laid back than Vientiane...no water buffalo crossing the streets!

Since I had slept well, I decided to continue on to Si Phan Done (4000 Islands).  As I said my goodbyes to my sleeping buddies, I found a bus that was headed towards the islands in an hour. I bought a ticket, loaded my bag and waited. My Lonely Planet guide book described 4000 Islands as the land where the "pendulum swings more slowly and life is more laid back, a world disconnected with the mainland." I was excited to see how life in Laos could get any more laid back and I was ready to explore some islands. These islands are on a 50 km stretch of the Mekong River in southern  Laos. You can see Cambodia from one island. During the rainy season, this stretch of the Mekong River reaches 14 km wide, the widest stretch before arriving in the South China Sea. However, during the dry months, the river recedes and leaves behind hundreds of islands and sandbars. I decided to head here since it is suppose to offer a glimpse of traditional river life in Laos villages. I chose to go to Don Khone.

The bus arrived in Ban Nakasang after 3.5 hours and I signed up for a boat across the Mekong River.  I was thankful for my backpack as I walked about 500 m to the boat ramp, across the beach, over a large cement drain and to a small boat. I laugh every time I see people with the rolling suitcases...doesn't work on this type of travel! We boarded and were off on the quick trip to the islands. When I arrived in Don Khone, I walked to a couple guesthouses to check on availability and prices. I decided to splurge for the Sala Phae floating houses since I got a great discount. It is a great little bungalow floating on the Mekong. I had decided to stay for 3 days and was going to enjoy the views!

It had been a long trip and I was ready for some food. I got a quick bite and took a walk around the small village. It is quiet and relaxing. Small dirt roads run along the island. It is described a genuine Lao river town with family ran guesthouses, bike rentals and small restaurants. As I walked along the path, I was charmed by the small village life. The locals know what happened in Vang Vieng and do not want the same to happen to their island life. 

It started to rain and I took that as a reason to go back, shower and read about the island. I grabbed a drink from the fridge and went out on the porch to enjoy my view. The rain stopped and the sun came out just in time for an amazing sunset. Ahhhh...I was going to enjoy island life.

The next morning, I decided to go to Li Phi waterfall. I know about the Lao afternoon sun and decided to leave early. It was an easy 4 km walk to the falls. I headed down the main street. I stopped to watch a gibbon next to my hotel. He was a pet and spent his days outside in the cage and lived in the house at night. His name was Lao for Escargot and he screamed like an ambulance siren. It cracked me up! (I posted a video of him on my Facebook page for Continental Hopscotch)

There are no street lights but many animals crossing the road. I stopped as piglets ran across the road in front of me an a small herd of cows walked towards me. Just out for their morning exercise and breakfast! The road to the waterfall passed rice fields and Lao homes. I laughed as there was no fee to the waterfall but a fee for all bridges in the area. Ok. I walk through the park and I am surrounded by trees and herds of cows. I was a little concerned I had gotten lost but I could hear the waterfalls. I eventually found them....WOW! There were several (7-9) all coming together in one gorge. It was beautiful and this was the dry season. There were fisherman out on the rocks making there way to put out nets by the falls. CRAZY! I talked to one and he told me "Safe. Fishing since I was 5." Safety is different in the USA than in Laos! Afterwards, I walked to the natural Lao swimming pool at the bottom of the falls. It was hot and I really wanted a swim. I was the only person except for the Lao workmen building a bar. I decided against swimming when I looked up and 10 men had stopped what they were doing to watch me. I got a little uncomfortable and decided to wade in with my clothes on. I went knee deep.  It was warm and had a pretty good current. I was done and headed back to the village.

I returned to my bungalow for an afternoon swim and reading on the porch. As the sun started to set, I noticed the locals headed to the river for their evening swim/bath. The children played in the water. they were delighted to have a Styrofoam cooler that they used as a boat. Meanwhile, the woman washed their hair. It was a fun scene to sit back and quietly watch as the sun set over the river. Another beautiful sunset at the end of a relaxing day.

The next day, I awoke at 5:30 AM and decided to get a little exercise before breakfast. I went walking east to another waterfall, across the suspension bridge and back up the old railway path. I got back to the guesthouse in time for a shower and breakfast. Then, I rented a bike to explore Don Det island. It is connected to Don Khone by a French bridge built to connect the railway.

Don Det was a nice bike ride and the southern road was the most beautiful. The remainder of the island is a backpacker haven, nice but not as beautiful. It has a lot of inexpensive accommodations and restaurants and caters to the backpacker crowds. I was happy at my age that I stayed on Don Khone! I enjoyed a great lunch on the island and then road back to my bungalow. It was the middle of the afternoon and time to relax by the river and enjoy my last day on Don Khone. I went for a swim in the Mekong and enjoyed a beer as the sunset on Don Khone. Another beautiful day in paradise.

Vientiane..A Sleepy Dragon

I continued my journey south to Vientiane, the capital of Laos. It was a short bus ride. Yipee!
Tourists had given me a variety of descriptions of Vientiane. Some described it as a sleepy city, others said it is a communist capital with nothing to see. Me, I found it to be a peaceful city. No high-rises, just a collection of villages where people tend to their own daily activities, no traffic congestion. There is no rush for modernization. I love this! One expat I talked with described it perfectly "Vientiane is a dragon awakening from his dream." The city is moving on its own pace, slow and steady. I wandered along the Mekong River on my first day in Vientiane. There is a great park and exercise path along the banks of the Mekong. I was excited when I noticed the park has installed exercise equipment that is free to use! Yes, free for the public! You know I will be back in the morning to try this stuff out! (It wasn't very good, no weights which is what I am missing.) And of course bring my own equipment, resistance bands. I love the looks on the locals faces as these see me with all these exercise bands! They point and walk up and try them out. One man wanted to try everything. My lack of Lao and his lack of English made for a funny morning. He got really confused when I used the squares on the ground as a exercise ladder. My fancy footwork confused him and I laughed. A retired physicist from the USA joined me to check out my bag of goodies also. It is a great conversation topic.

Three aerobics classes were ongoing in the park. I sat down to watch. Suddenly, a couple people and a cameraman come over and drag me out to the class. I joined in and got a little sweaty. It was fun and I laughed as they filmed my moves. I rocked it! Not really! They all gave me a thumbs up and asked my name and home country. I replied and asked where they were from. Seoul, Korea! I smiled and hoped I did not just do a news story about fat Americans!

I wandered back to my hotel and got lost. I didn't think I needed a map. Guess I was wrong. I ended up lost. I wandered and decided to follow some Chinese tourists...they were headed somewhere. I was excited when I arrived at the That Dam (Black Stupa). This was within a couple of blocks of my guesthouse.

Locals believe this mythological structure was once inhabited by a seven-headed dragon (now dormant) that protected the city from the threat of the Siamese. Another tale says gold once graced the surface  and was taken when the Siamese army ransacked Vientiane in 1828. It is a quiet sight with no visitors. I shot some photos and then started to walk down a street only to be told by a guard that I was not allowed to walk down the block. I asked why and the guard said no and pointed. I looked at his chest and realized it was the US Embassy. I wondered if this was due to the increased threats to the USA from North Korea, the recent bombing in Boston or if it was always patrolled with guards. I was surprised because I remember Lonely Planet had a biking tour that said I could go down this street. Guess not now! I bowed my head and said "Saibadee" and waved goodbye.

Vientiane has a few must see locations and I decided to relax and enjoy the city. I was going to stay over the weekend because that is when you really get a feeling for the city. Since I was staying a little longer and was close to the American Embassy, I decided to use this opportunity to get some extra pages added to my passport. The 5 pages I had was not going to be sufficient for the next 10 months of travel. I went online and made an appointment for 8 am, completed my paperwork. I was ready to visit more sites in the morning.

I started with a stop at the Presidential Palace. There was not much to see. Tourists are not allowed on the grounds and the President does not reside at this residence. As I turned around I saw the Patuxai Monument. I walked Avenue Lang Xang to get a better view.  Some will compare it to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Maybe from a distance. It was built in remembrance of those that fought for Lao independence from Siam, Japan and the French. And it was built with money given to Laos by the USA for an airport landing strip. For this reason, it is nicknamed the vertical runway. 



I also visited a few of the famous temples.  Each was different but they had their similarities. Wat Si Saket was the oldest surviving temple with a cloister surrounding the temple with over 2000 Buddha statues. Haw Pha  Kaew  was once a royal temple and is now national museum of religious art. Wat Si Muang is a temple that is most frequently used by the lay people. This one was interesting because it was home to a copy of the Emerald Buddha. The townspeople come to this temple to make a wish or request to Buddha. There is a small metal version of the Emerald Buddha that sits on a pillow. The person lifts it off the pillow three times as they mentally ask a question/request. If their request is granted, they return to the temple and make an offering of coconuts, bananas, flowers, incense and candles. I witnessed several offerings. I really wanted a photo but I felt it would be disrespectful in a temple.

It was getting hot and I looked at my map. I decided to walk out to COPE (Cooperative Orthotic & Prosthetic Enterprise) Center.  I knew they showed documentaries about the bombies and I needed a break from the afternoon heat. I arrived and toured the center and then watched the award winning documentary Bomb Harvest (http://www.bombharvest.com/). The movie was great as it followed the lives of MAG (Mine Advisory Group) trainees as they learn to remove and detonate the UXO. The site also has a center where wheelchairs and artificial limbs are made, a gym for disabled individuals and rehabilitation center. I was saddened as I passed several people entering with a missing limb. I even tried to stand and walk with a prosthetic leg. Those of you that know me realize that probably did not go well. It was so hard! Thank goodness I have all my limbs!

I returned to my hotel to cool off before dinner, the 99F weather was killing me! I have embraced the Latin siesta during this heat. Naps are great! Just like the good old days when I wanted to go home after lunch, now I can! Ha, ha, ha!

I planned to rent a bike to explore the villages of Vientiane. Then I saw the hotel bikes and decided to walk. One of the other guests told me it is better to walk because you can go in the shade. On a bike, you are just stuck in the hot sun. So, I walked to Pha That Luang which is the most important national monument in Laos. It is a symbol of Buddhism and Lao sovereignty.

As I was wandering the grounds, I met a young man, Cuong, from Vietnam. We started talking. He was traveling Asia by motorbike! I told him he was my hero! We shared stories from the road. We bonded quickly over our joy of travel. He told me where he was going, Xieng Khuan (Buddha Park). I was also so we eventually decided to go together. He would drive his motorbike and I would navigate.

Cuong and I had a few adventures getting to Xieng Khuan. After a stop by the Loas police and questions where we were headed, roads with large potholes, random cow encounters and a few wrong turns and we arrived at the Buddha Park. We had fun posing witht he statues and laughing at our adventures. We had no fear as we enter the mouth and into the depths of hell, earth and finally heaven. We climbed to the top and arrived in Heaven! Woo hoo! It was a fun adventure with my new friend. We said goodbye at the end of the day and parted ways.  

I am leaving Vientiane tonight on a sleeping bus. Oh yeah, that means I need to take some sleeping pills so I get a good rest and there will be some interesting stories. Travel days are always the funny days.  I may get a Lao sauna and massage if time allows. I will update all of you when I get to Paske. Peace and Love to you all! 

Viva Vang Vieng and the Banana Pancake!

Goodbye Luang Prabang! I left the French colonial city of Luang Prabang with a bit of sadness. I had spent 3 weeks in this town and fallen in love. It felt like home which is strange for someone that is on a round the world trip! I was asked by many of the students what I loved about Luang Prabang. I smiled and told them I loved the warmth of the Lao people, the French colonial architecture, the temples and the beautiful scenery. The restaurants were delicious and had a nice variety of options. And of course there was the morning market with the best fruit shakes and vegetable sandwich you could buy for $3.50. I loved walking home from the English classes past the beautiful lanterns on the streets. I will miss you Luang Prabang but I will return one day.

I had reservations on the 9 am bus to Vang Vieng. I arrived at the bus station and immediately noticed all the passengers were falang (Westerners). Uh-oh. Maybe I made a mistake. I was uncertain if I would like this town and finally decided to stop only because it would be a nice break on the trip to Vientiane. I know, not like me to be reluctant about visiting a fishing/farming village nestled between limestone karsts on a beautiful river. Why was I reluctant? Vang Vieng has a bad reputation for backpackers behaving badly. When Lao opened it's doors to tourists in the 1990's, the little village of Vang Vieng was forever changed. Someone decided the Nam Song River was a perfect location to start floating on inner tubes and it was all history. The town exploded with backpackers. Bars were opened along the river banks, enticing customers with throbbing party music and free shots of the Lao-Lao whisky. Rope swings, giant water slides and zip lines sprang up beside the bars, inviting the backpackers to take their chances with the rocky riverbed in unsupervised acts of drunken youth. The tourists went wild and indulged in alcohol, drugs and partying. Not my scene. I am too old for that scene and I hate when westerners leave their countries to act like idiots abroad. But, as I talked with tourists and did some research I found it may not be so bad. In August 2012, the Laos authorities cracked down on the partying due to 27 tourist deaths and multiple injuries last year. The bars were dismantled and shut down. As I talked to people that had been to Vang Vieng, everyone said it was nice and quiet. So, I booked a ticket to Vang Vieng and planned to stay a few nights.

I arrived in Vang Vieng and went for a walk. Vang Vieng is completely opposite Luang Prabang. No French colonial architecture here. The village caters to westerners with cheap bungalows, restaurants and cheap alcohol. But the natural beauty was breath-taking. I was happy I had stopped. I walked along the river bed and enjoyed watching the village life. There are tourists here but not like the guide book had described. It was quiet and relaxed. The first thing I noticed was all of the restaurants and bars have 2 things in common. First, all of them have beds with pillows and a low table to eat. Secondly, every restaurant has large flat-screened TV's with either Friends or Family Guy re-runs playing. People sit and stare at the tv and drink. I am not sure why they are doing this in the middle of the day. I was guessing they were drunk or stoned and too lazy to do anything in this gorgeous place. But, I did not see anyone partying and loud. I met an Australian couple on the bus and they were staying at the same hotel. We talked and laughed about travel over dinner and drinks. By the end of the night, they had convinced me to go tubing down the river in the morning.

The river tubing starts at 9 AM so, we decided to head over early in the morning. We loaded into the tuk-tuk with our inner tubes and driven to the drop-off point. It was 9:30 AM and we were the only people on the river. The locals stared at us. Guess they are not use to seeing sober people floating on the river this early in the morning! We jumped on our tubes and let the current take us down the river. We were on the river 15 minutes and saw our first bar. We didn't stop...it was too early and we wanted a relaxing day. The bars were busy transporting Beerlao across the river. As we floated down the river, we saw where the zip lines, slingshot and slide use to be. These kids had to be wasted to think any of it was a smart idea! No wonder why there were so many accidents! It was sad but I was happy the government had shut it down. The river was beautiful and the view is spectacular! We floated the river in 2 1/2 hours and arrived back in Vang Viang for lunch. We saw others leaving to float the river but it was all small groups of people. At lunch, we noticed everyone was well behaved and not too crazy.

After a shower and a nap, I decided to go rent a bike and see the area. I crossed the bamboo bridge and rode along the river. As I headed down the river, I noticed several children and families were playing in the river. One man told me he was happy that the town isn't as crazy as it use to be. The Lao people are very superstitious and many stopped allowing their children to swim and play in the water. He explained to me that because of the deaths they thought it would bring bad luck to their children to play in the river. Since the deaths have stopped, many villagers allowed their children back in the river. I was happy the villagers can enjoy the river as much as the tourists.

As I returned to town I stopped to indulge in the infamous Banana Pancake. Oh my Buddha! I watched as the woman pour the batter into the pan and sliced bananas on top. it was thinner than a crepe. It was cooked to a beautiful crisp color. Then she cut it and put it in a container. But first she drizzled it with Nutella and coconut flakes. Mmmm! I was ready for this little slice of happiness on a hot afternoon. It was delicious!! I went back to the hotel and took a shower and fell asleep after a fun and active day. I enjoyed Vang Vieng and decided to stay another night so I could spend a day exploring the area and caves.

I said my goodbyes to Kim and Wayne and took off on my morning hike to the cave. I walked through town before crossing the bridge to the cave.

 It was an easy hike to the cave and then I explored the cave on my own. I am proud of myself that I did not freak out too much as bats flew at me. You all know how I hate anything that flies at my head! I kept it somewhat together to look like a sane person. Afterwards, I walked back down to the pool outside the cave. The guidebook had said that a fresh water spring feeds into the cave and swimming was allowed. I looked around and nobody was going in. Everyone was just standing there. A Chinese guy and I decided to at least climb down the ladder and stick our feet in. Brrrrr! It was so cold! I could not go in. The water was beautiful and clear and his guide said the water went about 80 meters into the cave.

I left and decided to explore the area. I wondered around the countryside just enjoying the area.

A tuk-tuk repair shop...with no tuk-tuks! Must do a good job!

Another sun is setting over Vang Vieng. The village is alive and well. Tourists still come but are not as crazy and out of control as in the past. The banana pancake was yummy and I enjoyed my stay in this village. I hope tourists continue to come to this village. Enjoy the activities and the beautiful environment. Long live Vang Vieng and the Banana pancake!