Serenity

After the constant honking and bustle of Hanoi, Laos is a refreshing change. I arrived in quiet Luang Prabang on Friday evening after a long travel day. I arrived at the airport at 11am to find out that my 1pm flight had been cancelled due to "mechanical problems" and was put on a 6:30 flight instead. I spent the day in the dark, boring international terminal. Fortunately midway through my stay there I discovered I could pay my way into the business class lounge. That made it a bit more manageable.

After some money conversion issues (I couldn't convert my dong) and the goodwill of fellow travelers I made it safely to a guesthouse. Yesterday was spent wandering the streets and many wats (temples) of the town. In stark contrast to most of the places I visited in Vietnam, the streets are quiet, and very few people bug me to buy anything. There are still the token children trying to sell bracelets and the "jumbo" drivers who want to take me to a waterfall, but it's very manageable.

Luang Prabang is known for its Wats and monks. They're both everywhere. I need to capture a photo of a group of orange-robed monks all sitting around in an internet cafe. It's a great contrast. Last night I saw a Lao ballet and traditional dance performance. The costumes and masks were spectacular. Ran in to Casey (from Sapa) there and some of her new airport friends. We all got dinner together from a street stall veggie buffet. All you can fit on a plate for 50 cents. Tasty tasty!

I'm about to head out for a day of elephant riding and kayaking. Mom tells me that when I was little I rode an elephant at the zoo and was crying the whole time. This time I'm going to work on being a bit more brave!