planes, trains, n tuk tuks….

Luang Prabaang is fascinating.  Its a french settlement  nestled on the banks between the Mekong and the Nam Khan Rivers.  Listed as a UNESCO world heritage city its a diverse mixture of wats, monks, hill tribe held markets, and french bistros and bakeries churning out baguettes and petit fours.  Smells of fried rice and croissant waft down enchanting leafy lanes lined in french colonial architecture.  Stucco lower levels w/ blue / green shutters and verandas and teak clad upper levels w/ outdoor hammock strung hallways.  Night market is put up on the main street nightly w/ single light bulbs hanging from pitched tent canopies.  This place is truly unique.  The word has gotten out though, at least in the city center, where the ratio of travelers to locals is 1:1.

Trying to escape the tourist B n I rented bicycles and headed out of town our second day.  Immediately not even 2km out of town centre and we were immersed in true Lao Village life.  children striping down to their undies to jump into the rice field irrigation run off on the side of the road.  Women in the stereotypical conical hats in picturesque poses.  We snuck up on a few for the perfect camera shot and they were kind if not a little bemused.  Children high fiving us as we rode by on bikes and yelling ”good morning.  what is your name” then hearing them scram ”bye towi” almost out of ear shot.  The children are the only English speakers and even they only know a few phrases.  On a bicycle you feel so close to the street scene and less intimidating to them.  Riding by at a pace that allows interaction.  One Lovely Day.  Even getting scammed by roadside 10yr old vendors for triple priced water was a laugh since they were so chuffed w/ their own gumption they burst out laughing the minute they got the money. (the thing about Laos is everyone is scamming you all the time.  Never except the price told it is usually 3x.  Women w/ babies renting out bikes, ticket salesmen, waiters giving wrong change.  It”s an off putting game, but good hearted, as the minute you call them out on it they quickly negotiate down.  My favorite little trick is the quote you a price in kip and tell you its only 5$, but then on conversion you realize it is actually 25$….guess they figure if you can”t do the math they win.  Not easy math though as 1$=8,538 kip!

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