Greetings from Laos

Saa Bai Dee (hello) from Laos!  At 6:30 am today we left our little alley hotel in Hanoi and took a taxi to the airport.  It was an hour long ride in busy and seemingly chaotic (but actually well orchestrated) traffic.  Jesse estimated that we could hear an average of one honk per second (some times there were three or four cars honking at the same time).  It's just their way of letting people know where they are in the traffic.  We were ready to depart cold, gray, smoggy, crowded Hanoi.

After a one hour flight to Luang Prabang, Laos we entered a new world.  The temperature rose 10-15 degrees. Tropical sun replaced smog and overcast skies.  Instead of a steady background of honks there was silence.  During the 10-minute ride to our guest house not a single vehicle honked.  Instead of flat land we are surrounded by steep, lush hills.

I believe Luang Prabang is the country's second largest town.  It sits on a peninsula with the Mekong River and Nam Kham Rivers on either side.  Classic old French architecture.  UNESCO declared the town a World Heritage site so it's buildings are preserved.  Lots of Buddhist temples (known as Wats) and dozens of monks walking the streets in orange robes.  Many monks carry umbrellas against the sun.  Some of the novices were Jesse's age.

After a nice lunch overlooking the river and colorful local boats Belle and Jesse departed on a 4-hour motorbike adventure that included Jesse playing soccer with some 20 kids in a local stadium.  I rented a mountain bike and did a little local orienteering, wandering some 10 miles of local streets.  As with Vietnam, I saw lots of streetside cooking, sleepy dogs, stalls, and parked motorbikes.  People offer to sell you things but they are much more mellow about and simply smile if you say no.  Everyone must take off shoes or sandals wherever entering any building including a hotel.

More adventures to come.  I'll upload some photos shortly.  Time to go find some dinner, and visit the famous night market.

Duncan