"Authentic Alley"

This "post" has some photos about the food and markets around LP. I have experimented in both. Last night we went into what we call the "authentic alley" where a variety of vendors put out big plates of local specialties for 10,000kip/plate ($1.25) for as much as you can pile on. It is a narrow alley full of locals selling and travelers buying food-- with tables set up for people to eat and share stories about where they're from and where they are going. Jesse decided on fried vegetable egg rolls, rice noodles with a fish sauce mixture and veggie stir fried rice. I chose much the same but added chile and lime with cilantro to spice it up a bit. All of which is plentiful. Duncan added some fresh green veggies as well. As a salad lover and gardener I can honestly say I have never tasted fresher greens and herbs --the salads are amazing. It's as if it's August in Vermont and the Simpson lettuce is at it's prime, cherry tomatoes at their peak and scallions bursting. Our plates were reheated on the matron's wok and then we sat down at a communal table to share our supper with a traveler from Malaysia. There were plenty of chop sticks and napkins, scraps of rice and crumbs from the previous diner and an ice cold Beer Lao to share. The food was tasty, nothing particularly different from what we have been eating, but the atmosphere and presentation were "legendary" as Jesse proclaimed. There are photos here of the Hmung night market as well. I have enjoyed bargaining for 15,000 kip silk scarves, silk table top runners, cotton scarves, carved wooden elephants (they are so cute!) and some jewelry--everything so cheap! Jesse bargained for a custom carved name stamp and a sling shot for 10,000 kip. Duncan isn't a big shopper, but broke down for a 20,000 kip t-shirt last night! Jesse has enjoyed his independence here unlike in Hanoi where his anxiety overtakes him and he'll commonly reach for my hand while navigating the streets there. But in LP there is a very communal feeling of sharing. You might be stumped by one photo here--the frying banana strips. This is my favorite afternoon snack and hard to resist since the little vendor is across from our guesthouse. They are delicious! 3,000 kip will get you a bag filled with these savory, oily, chewy wafers. Tomorrow morning we leave LP and I realize I might never return. There are just so many interesting places to visit in the world and very few occasions to do so. I will say good-bye to my favorite Buddha (pictured here as well) and thank him for his time. He has his own little tool shed sized Wat to stand in and I've enjoyed looking at him everyday across from our porch. Thank you LP. BTM