Andrew signed off his last post mentioning an offering to the local monks in Luang Prabang. While the 4:30 a.m. alarm was tough, we’re glad we did it. We met most of the “sticky rice family” in the hotel lobby and walked to a nearby temple. Chit arranged for us to join the daily morning ritual where monks walk down one of the main streets, receiving food from attendees. The monks use this food for themselves and to feed others. Chit explained that this practice supports the community in three ways: benefiting small businesses from which we bought sticky rice and cakes, providing sustenance to the monks, and aiding others in the community through the monks’ generosity. It’s a way for a single donation to benefit multiple groups. In the photos, you’ll see Andrew and me wearing sarongs, a common practice when in the presence of monks or at temples. The ceremony lasted about 15 minutes. Afterwards, half the group went to the morning market, but Andrew and I chose to head back to the hotel for more sleep.

After another 3-4 hours of rest, we woke up, showered, and got a much-needed shave (it had been 1.5 weeks since we left). We went to Joma, a local cafe open all day with great food. We both chose the “Parisian” – a croissant breakfast sandwich with a side of dragon fruit. It was delicious! Then, we shared a “mango crumb,” which would have been slightly better heated but was still tasty.

The day before, we learned about a local temple, Wot Chom Si, atop a hill called Phousi Mountain (pronounced “pu-ssy”…insert gay jokes here). It translates to “sacred mountain.” The 328-step climb to the top seemed like a good morning workout. Daniel, one of our new Irish friends, joined us. Along the way, we saw numerous Buddhas and monks transporting items. Reaching the top felt like an accomplishment, and we enjoyed a gentle breeze. We had COMPLETELY sweated through our clothes (well, Andrew and I did – we’re not sure what those Irish boys do, but Daniel didn’t show one drop of sweat!). At the top, vendors sold goods, including birds in small bamboo cages, which tourists could pay to set free. We were warned by our CEO about this practice, which is discouraged as it perpetuates a cycle contrary to Buddhist principles.

After taking some lovely photos, we descended the mountain and treated ourselves to refreshing Aperol Spritzes (okay, 3 for each of us!). Others from our group joined us at the bar. Later, Andrew and I showered then went for a well-deserved foot massage. Andrew and I paid 100,000 Laotian Kip (~$4.50 USD) for a 60-minute massage, which was incredibly relaxing! After picking up our laundry, we had dinner at Manda de Laos, where one reviewer suggested a Michelin star would be appropriate, if/when they come to Laos. It was the best meal of our trip so far. We shared BBQ chicken for an appetizer, Andrew had the Lao burger, and I had an amazing duck dish. Our meal, including drinks and a bottle of wine, cost about $104, which would have been triple the price in the U.S. We had a wonderful evening and then went to bed.

The next morning, we ran back to Joma to get iced lattes and breakfast sandwiches to go. We got ready and packed for our 7 hour bus drive to the Vang Vieng district for our home stay, with several stops along the way for the bathroom, stretch breaks, coffee, and lunch. It was a beautiful drive through the mountains with absolutely stunning views. The lunch spot was promised to have a spectacular view…if the weather cooperated. As it turns out, once we arrived, we were inside a cloud. This was pretty neat in and of itself, but it didn’t allow for us to see the view. On the way, we had to stop for road construction for a while as they were fixing something that blocked the entire roadway.

We arrived at the village of Naduang around 5:00 p.m., met the village chief, and received our homestay assignments. Andrew and I shared a room in home stay #2 with Sim, an English teacher, and her children, Bim and Kim. We toured the village, ending at the school where we learned about their educational practices. Before leaving Luang Prabang, we had pitched in about $2.50 each to buy school supplies for children whose parents couldn’t afford them. Meeting some of these children was a rewarding experience.

G Adventures organizes these homestays to support the community. The village has 10 participating homes, with 5 used on each visit. The village of 172 families, with over 900 residents, benefits from our payments for housing, meals, and school supplies. In the evening, village women taught us local Laotian dances while we wore sarongs. It was fun, but the group was tired and warm after dancing. We all headed back to our homes for the night.

Tomorrow, we check into our hotel in Vang Vieng, and then depart for “adrenaline” day. Andrew will cover this in his next post.

Signing off for the evening, talk soon.

Jeff

P.S.—The cellular in this village appears to be relatively weak, so apologies in advance if all the photos don’t load correctly. Tomorrow, when we have a stronger signal, we’ll correct anything not working properly.