Slow boating and LaosAug 3, 2009
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Spirit House at Wat U Mong, people had left some handrolled cigarettes...
Slowboats
View down the Mekong
After another day in Chiang Mai, Pat, Dan and I took a bus to a border town with Laos. The ride was cool, the Thai girl sitting next to me introduced me to a bunch of food I prolly would have never tried if it hadn't been given to me... cool stuff. The next morning we got onto the slow boat and began our two day adventure on the Mekong. The views were spectacular from the boat with huts built right into the hills. The boat was quite an experience, meeting people exchanging stories and making travel friends.
Our first night in Laos the drug pushing immediately began at the guest house from the family running the operation. Brother and sister were both offering a plethora of drugs... this continued everywhere we walked and at the restaurant we chose as well. All that aside, the people in Laos are great, extremely friendly and laid back, and less sleezy than the touristy areas of Thailand. The country is also less developed and somehow seems more authentic for that reason, I dunno.
Luang Prabang was amazing. It's essentially a little french town except the french people are swapped for Lao people. Pat, Dan and I went to the Kuang Si Water Fall which was definitely the most beautiful I've ever seen. Their were mini waterfalls on the way up to dive off of and rope swings and all that jazz. Also, there are fish there that nibble on the dead skin on your feet, kinda like a pedicure. In town, I also went to the Royal Palace ballet and saw a traditional Lao performance, unfortunately I don't remember the name, but the music and costumes were terrific.
Another bus brought us to Vang Vieng where backpackers likes to go to get some partying out of their systems. There is a water tubing river course with bars, rope swings, zip lines, slides, mudpits... often leading to disaster but I was careful and had a great time. Today I did a bike ride with Dan (Pat has moved on towards Cambodia since his trip ends soon). We headed to a cave and blue lagoon. It was all fun fun. En route to the cave, local kids were giving me high fives while being incredibly cute.
Don't know where I'll be going next, stay tuned!!!
