Laos -Thus Far

We are in Vang Vieng, Laos, our 5th day in our second country. We hitched a two day ride on the slow boat from Chiang Khong Thailand and landed in Luang Prabang 32 hours later. What a spectacular and relaxing was to travel down the river that has been the heart and soul of commerce and livelihood of the people within this region for all of time. We were expecting a more ruckus journey, but the people on the boat were all reasonably well behaved and quiet. Somehow 120 people on a boat w/ seats for 44 really didnt even seem that crammed. During the second day we ammused ourselved by sittin on the edge of the rail and dangling our feet in the water.

Luang Prabang was a nice change of pace compared to Thailand. It was a French outpost years ago so the cobblestone streets, baggette vendors and cutsey streets were all notable holdovers. The city is extrememly clean and well organized with the nicest night market and most accommadations people we've met thus far. However, we found that the city (and moving forward what we've seen of Laos thus far) was geared toward tourist and bringing in the money of the foreigners. All of the Tuk Tuk drivers, or at least 90percent of them catered to tourists, promoting trips to the Kangsi Waterfall and the amazing buddist caves lining the Mekong.

Nevertheless, there were tourist destinations for good reason and if I were charged w/ promotions tourism, I'd make sure to milk these destinations for all they are worth. Basically, the most spectacular waterfall we've seen.

Our day journey to the waterfall added a fellow traveler to the bunch: George from the country of Georgia. When asked how he was doing, he replied, "tired." One could tell, as he's been travelling the world as a vagrant for 16 months. Whoa.

As we posted up in Luang Prabang, Val started to get some pretty nasty bug bits surfacing. The count thus far is 6, and 2-3 times daily we have to relieve them of copious amounts of puss fluid akine to wood glue. I have one and it hurts. I can only imagine 6. We've been trying different remedies on the different bites and thus far, the one that has responded best has been the one w/ garlic applied under a bandaid. Val's idea. Success!

More about our bodies. We are both in the waning stages of some sort of minor sickness. We vomited vehemently last night within 5 minutes of each other. Our friend Lior from Isreal remarked: How Romantic.

Coupling that less than accomodationg stomachs and we're really fit to be tied right now. Hence, why we are relaxing write emails instead of drinking our faces off riding innertubes down the rivver from bar to bar w/ the bro tourists from Australia and the meathead tribal tattoo fratters from Southern CA.

But, I digress. Some final thoughts on Luang Prabang. It was such a juxtaposition for us. One of the most beautiful and relaxing cities we've ever visited, but with such a major identity crisis. From what we gathered, there is no remaining Laotion culture w/in the city. The city has succumbed to the wrathe of the tourist dollar, euro, Kroner, etc. The notes on menus and the tuk tuk drivers talk about the Laotion culture of sharing and community and togetherness and respect for time to reflect and relax, but the are throngs of bars and cafes that have totally compromised this whole ideology. There is even a bowling alley promotions buckets of Booze to 500AM in the morning for the Falangs (westerners) In the end, as our friend King from Korea says, "whatever....fuck!" With a little perspective and within letting all of the commerce get to us, we were really able to have a good crack in the city, relax, go running, biking and drank some amazing coffee 4 times a day.

Last note, its as if Oreo's just landed in Laos. Every stall is promotions everytime of Fruit shake imaginable AND Oreo shakes. Everyone here is drinking Oreo shakes and walking around town w/ Oreos in their grubby hands. The funny thing is that have of the vendors continue to spell on their signs Oreo with an "I", as in ORIO, even though they can clearly spell check by looking ast the package in front of them.