Laos – Page 2 – mmm-yoso

Luang Prabang: Somchan Restaurant and more……

January 8, 2009 mmm-yoso Lao Restaurants, Laos, Luang Prabang, Travel

One morning, walking out of our hotel to watch the "River of Orange", squinting in the early morning darkness, we noticed what looked like an impromptu food stand had been set-up right next to the Chang Inn overnight and was going strong. Not paying it much mind, we had our usual walk through the morning Fresh Market, and our coffee and noodle soup breakfast at "Same-Same". Upon our return we were surprised to see that canopy had been raised on the other side of the street. And soon enough, there was some major partying going on.

Apparently, the so-called "food stand" was actually folks preparing food for the party. They had started the evening before. It was indeed a festive event, with a live band, singing, food, dancing, and I'm sure that the "laolao" (the local moonshine) was flowing freely.

During the course of the day, we would check the progress of the party everytime we returned to our room. It was fun watching the usually quiet and very low-keyed folks having a good time. We sat on the steps watching the party slowly build in momentum, hit a peak, then fade away into the evening. The folks at the hotel told me it was a big birthday bash. We watched the woman who made the food, stagger her way back and forth across the street, providing food for everyone. You really couldn't help but smile….and the local pooches loved the "slow dance."

Later in the afternoon, even the Monks stopped and stared at this extravaganza on their way back to the Wat:

This enterprising mutt, worked his way between the tables picking up scraps. It must've have been a bit salty, because he walked off looking for some water……

The party wound down at about 9pm, and clean-up went on through the next day. It was nice seeing this side of local life…… as I like to say, "we are all more alike, than different."

Somchanh Restaurant:

Somchanh is a restaurant we came across while walking along the Mekong. It is located pretty much at the end of the Luang Prabang Peninsula, where the road parallel to the Mekong slowly turns away from the river. The dining area of the restaurant, like many of the riverside restaurants, jutts out over the shore. This being pretty much the end of the road, means some very nice views. Especially of the sunset.

Even though this little restaurant, with the kitchen located in a shack covered with tarp, looked a bit makeshift, it became the Missus's favorite restaurant. We eventually visited three times during our stay in Luang Prabang. We even braved the rain, and walked the 1 kilometer for lunch. When the thunder clouds finally burst, the staff moved quickly(something uncommon in Luang Prabang), and set-up tarps over us.

As with many eateries in Laos, there's the ever present wash basin. Since your hands are the most important eating implement, it makes perfect sense.

Though this was the Missus's favorite eating establishment in Luang Prabang does not mean that everything was good. Being a small, family run restaurant, dependant not on the "Sysco" delivery, but instead on what is available for any given day, meant some interesting, and sometimes quirky dishes. Like the time we were served "brown" sticky rice, which we had never seen before. It tasted a bit more nutty, and had more chew to it.

We also learned quickly that Somchanh did better at vegetable dishes. The Fish Patpet for example (35,000 Kip – $4/US), was not particularly good, especially the mushy fish.

Unfortunately, a few of the dishes will go undocumented. As you can see, it gets really dark, and the white tablecloths reflect the flash. But have no fear; there is one main reason the Missus loved Somchanh:

It was the Salat Nyam (Luang Prabang Salad – 15,000 Kip, $1.80/US). This was by far Her favorite version of this dish. She even had me try and duplicate it, after returning home. And though the egg yolk based dressing can be copied, and you can find really good tomatoes, and sometimes cucumbers. There is one item that can not be found here in the States:

It's the tender, slightly sweet, and mildly bitter Luang Prabang Watercress. Everytime the Missus sees a photo of this salad She wants to jump on a plane and head back to Luang Prabang.

This salad sometimes took a while to be delivered to our table. And we quickly figured out why, the eggs topping the salad are boiled to order. And during our visits, they were always perfect.

There was one slightly humorous exchange that took place during one of our visits. As you see on the menu, there is "Luang Prabang Watercress Salad, right above "Lao Salad". We asked what the difference was. The answer, "oh, same-same". The spelling in Lao looks different, and it is listed seperately….but I guess they are the same thing?

Another item we enjoyed was the Cucumber Salad (10,000 Kip – $1.20):

This pungent, yet refreshing salad was the shredded-seeded cucumber version of Papaya Salad, and in a way we enjoyed this even more.

The best version or "Aulam" (Orlam) we had from Somchan, was the Vegetable Aulam (20,000 Kip – $2.50):

Rich, but perhaps not as thick as I would like; this version had long beans and cloud ear fungus. The Missus never developed an appreciation for the tree bark looking, bitter-numbing-puckery Sa-Khan (piper ribesioides), but I started enjoying it.

The vegetable Patpet (Curry), was also the best of the 3 different versions we sampled (15,000 Kip).

That we found the cheapest dishes on the menu at Somchanh to be our favorites is slightly ironic. What was also interesting is that the large bottle of Beer Lao is 10,000 Kip, about $1.20. The same price as in the little mini-marts.

And did I mentioned the sunsets?

Luang Prabang: The Morning Fresh Market

December 22, 2008 mmm-yoso Laos, Luang Prabang, Markets & Grocers, Travel

The Fresh Produce Market in Luang Prabang gets going pretty early in the morning. I've been told 5am or so. I really wasn't too excited about visiting the market since it was located on a side street right past the Palace Museum, and just steps from tourist central. Man, was I totally wrong! The Fresh Market proved to be the most fascinating market I've ever visited. The following photos were taken during the course of our stay in Luang Prabang, as we passed through the market on the way to "Same-Same" every morning. It got even more interesting after I started recognizing some of the more exotic items after taking a cooking class. So off we go…..

At first glance, this market looks just like any other outdoor market in Southeast Asia.

There's a ton of fresh produce:

The covered meat and poultry section….

Where I snapped one of my favorite photos….

And all the usual suspects.

Everything you'd need, and also a ton of prepared food as well.

And so we strolled along. Just your typical SEA market, ho-de-do (Lunag Prabang has a way of putting you into a calm, relaxed state)….until we turned the corner.

And ummm, isn't that chopped and portioned python? And what about all those honeycombs?

And were those silkworms? And what the heck is in that blue bucket? Is that someone's pet, or "what's for dinner?"

Later on we'd (well, I) found that fried silkworms and bee larvae are delicious!

There's a lot of various dried critters, many of which are used to flavor various Or Lam (stews).

And there were many forest animals, some cleaned and prepped, and some, like that snake on the left, very alive.

And those little bodies in the center were the same as the little dude in the blue bucket. I was told they called these "forest rats". And no, we never saw any Laotian Rock Rats. But this was a veritable edible zoo.

There is a premium on "live"…….

I also saw a good number of turkeys, something I didn't expect.

This woman sold live poultry, which were kept in baskets. Inquire about one of her chickens, she'd quickly pull one out of the basket in a smooth motion for inspection.

Purchase something, and it is dispatched and cleaned in a quick and efficient manner.

The variety is staggering!

Water Buffalo Skin is very popular for dishes like Jeow Bong…..

And no matter how many times we visited, we always noticed something new and different. Like the weird human looking "fruit" the sign said was "Karipom". I haven't been able to find anything on this, so if you have some info I'd love to hear from you!

And there were those items we learned to identify after eating and learning to cook some of the dishes. Like the river moss that they make into Khai Pene:

On the lower left are "Lao Olives", on the right, Sa-Khan, the branches used to flavor Or Lam:

This is called Cha-om….and if you think it looks familiar, you'd be right. It's acacia.

On the right is Wick Wai – Rattan, also used to flavor stews:

Many of the folks in the market are very friendly….even to clueless tourists like us. The (relative) cleanliness was also apparent.

Many of the vendors live in the forests, mountains, and along the rivers surrounding Luang Prabang. Much of what you see is what was gathered for market. Sometimes it's just a few items….a bird, or maybe a few mushrooms……

Whether you want them unplucked, or ready for cooking, you'll find it here.

And of course, that all important staple, Padek, is represented in full ripeness.

I started looking forward to our walks through the market every morning. You'd never knew what you'd see. And in spite of the camcorder carrying tourists, this is a vibrant "people's" market.

At the end of the market is the grill area…….. where all manner of sausages and "meat on a stick" are grilled up.

Grilled pork belly is very popular……

Ever had the feeling that someones dinner was staring you down????

So if you're ever in Luang Prabang, don't forget to check out the Fresh Produce Market….. you'll never know what you'll find!

Luang Prabang: The “River of Orange”, and breakfast at “Same-Same”

December 14, 2008 mmm-yoso Lao Restaurants, Laos, Luang Prabang, Travel

Every morning, there flows a river of orange through the streets of Luang Prabang:

From where we stand, it's a quiet river, a solemn river. Instead of the rush of water, there is just the sound of bare feet shuffling against against asphalt…

and the swishing of robes….

For the uninitiated there is the distinct feeling that something special, and perhaps sacred is taking place. Even the dogs stop their search for food and tuk-tuk chasing to stop and watch:

Sometimes called the "Saffron Circuit", it is the collecting of "alms" by the Monks that occurs every morning. At just before 6am every morning, the Monks from the Wats around Luang Prabang start lining up. And at a prescribed drum signal start a well beaten path around the city of Luang Prabang collecting sticky rice, fruit, and other sustenance for the day. This occurs every day…. rain or shine.

Upon check in to the Chang Inn, the young fellow working at the front desk asked us if we'd like to give alms the following morning. Having just an inkling, of what needed to be done, we said yes. And woke at 5am. Walking to the front desk we were prepped for alms giving. Right on street in front of the hotel everything was nicely made ready for us.

It was a nice touch that we, being totally ignorant of the how and what's of alms giving, really appreciated.

And so it came to pass…. kneeling on my creaky knees, we gave sticky rice and bananas to the young Monks…. some of them looking no older than 8 years old. They would walk by, discreetly open the container by their side, and we'd place some sticky rice or a banana in it.

For some reason, I felt a deep stirring, and was touched in a strange way that I wish I had the eloquence to convey.

After the rice and bananas were gone (we were told that at this time there were over 300 Monks in the Wats surrounding Luang Prabang), we retreated across the street.

Even though we found this to be beautiful and exotic, we tried to keep a respectful distance. During our stay in Luang Prabang, we woke every morning at least by 530 am, and stood outside to watch this. Watching this ancient tradition became our own little ritual.

We had another little ritual in Luang Prabang…. breakfast here:

Located at the end of the "Fresh Market", on the street which heads to the Mekong, is this little stand. The sign is in Lao, except for the phrase "Lao Coffee". We had been wanting to try some Lao Coffee, so we stopped here on our first morning in Luang Prabang.

The Woman running this stall, never moved quickly, but at an exact measured pace. And always exactly the same steps were followed each time.

The coffee was made following some exact steps; glasses were rinsed out with hot water from the boiling water pot. An exact amount of what looked like very highly condensed coffee was placed in the bottom of the cup, followed by condensed milk and a sprinkling of what looked like raw sugar. The cup was topped off with hot H2O, and served in the traditional manner, with a chaser of mild hot tea.

The coffee was wonderful, rich, smooth, yet strong, with chocolate overtones. Much better than any cup of Vietnamese or Thai coffee I've ever had.

While savoring our coffee, the Missus and I decided to try some of the noodle soup, which everyone else seemed to be getting.

You chose the type of noodles you wanted, and what kind of meat, and again the Woman worked at a careful cadence, with exact steps that were followed for every customer on every visit. The soup can be adjusted in taste with fish sauce, chili sauce, limes, various herbs, etc, etc…..

This was a great bowl of soup. Even though it looked clear, the mild essence of pork came through. And though I'm pretty sure that the infamous 3-letter flavor enhancer was used in the broth, it was savory without being too salty. The noodles were fresh, and obviously bought from one of the many noodle vendors in the Fresh Market. It had a nice stretch, and a good al dente chew. The pork was an afterthought……tough and chewy….but man this was great broth and noodles.

And the Missus enjoyed munching on some green beans while waiting:

So why do we call this place "same-same"? The Woman running the place doesn't speak much English. When we arrived on our second morning, She greeted us with a small, pleased smile, and simply said; "same-same?" And so, every morning, we'd walk pass the main streets and the Fresh Market, up to the stall, smile and greet the Woman, and place our order; "same-same". Same order, same price (2 coffees + 1 bowl noodle soup – 20,000 Kip, approx $2.50/US), same great coffee, same comforting soup. Same-same……..

One last word(s) about the Saffron Circuit:

The area we stayed in was a short distance from most of the Guest Houses, and Lunag Prabang's main drag. We were situated right next to Sensoikharam, and several other Wats. This made the viewing of the morning alms collecting a peaceful and relaxing experience.

On our fourth morning in Luang Prabang, we noticed a bunch of buses parked alongside the road. With ever more mini-buses driving and parking along the street.

We noticed loads of Thai tourists disembarking, and had also realized that our little Hotel was booked solid with Thais. Many of whom lined the streets giving alms.

But for each person giving alms, there were two friends or relatives taking photos…..whether a photo opportunity, or to prove they gave alms, I'm not sure. But these folks were getting right up close and personal with the Monks.

We followed the procession down into Luang Prabang and couldn't believe the feeding frenzy.

Having checked my cynicism at Luang Prabang Airport I found this a bit disillusioning. These are still young men, and they are following a time honored tradition, so we tried to approach things with respect and discretion. It is a special moment for us tourists, something that I may never have the chance to see ever again. But this was a bit much, and very tough for us to see……….

Upon return, I watched Anthony Bourdain's episode on Laos, and paid special attention to the last portion where he mentions the mixed feelings about doing a travel show, and the damage to a culture that it can do….. I've come to really appreciate his viewpoints, he seems to get it. Striking that balance is important………..

This obviously well to do "businessman" was especially aggressive…….

It made us concerned about the future of this tradition. What's going to happen in 10 or 15 years? Our tourist dollars are important, but I'd hate to see a culture forever altered. And will rue the day that some facsimile of this becomes a tourist show. And even more….. I wondered what the dedicated true believers thought of us? And even worse, what terrible things were we(the Missus & I) doing to this culture. Did we do things the right way???

Luang Prabang: We arrive, “Wats going on”, and dinner at View Kheam Khong

December 10, 2008 mmm-yoso Lao Restaurants, Laos, Luang Prabang, Travel

As we arrived at Luang Prabang Airport and walked to the transportation stand, things just felt right. We were dropped off on Ban Wat Nong, and went looking for accommodation. Our first choice was full, but just as with Vientiane, we lucked out, and chose The Chang Inn. Quite expensive by Luang Prabang standards, but it was located away from the real touristy part of Luang Prabang. Which proved to be a blessing as I'll describe a bit later.

If you thought Vientiane was laid back, just arriving in Luang Prabang dropped my blood pressure and pulse rate several notches. We were indeed charmed by this UNESCO World Heritage site. But even more captivated by the people, who, though a bit quiet at first, are warm and friendly.

Make no mistake about it; parts of Luang Prabang, especially Sisavong from Luang Prabang Primary School to Kitsalat are very touristy. But even during the busiest hours, except for a short period in the morning, and the afternoon rush, things are relatively quiet.

Even the evenings exhude a quiet charm. And though we didn't spend much…. or in fact, hardly any time on the main tourist drag, we walked past it several times a day.

There are only 4 main streets going East to West in Central Luang Prabang, so you'll be familiar with the town in no time. There was one Australian couple who caught the same van to the airport in Vientiane, whom we kept seeing. And we saw one young lady from Singapore, named Audrey, who came up to me, because she thought she knew me, everyday. In other destinations, when we started seeing the same folks more than twice it was time to leave. In Luang Prabang, we joked that no day would be complete until we saw them!

Luang Prabang is the "City of Wats", with over 30 temples! Don't worry, I won't bore you with all of our Wat photos. Here are just a few:

Wat Xiengthong:

Called the "Golden Tree Monastary" this beautiful Wat is located on the tip of the Luang Prabang Peninsula.

Built in 1560, the Monastary was under royal patronage until the monarchy was terminated in 1975. The North Gate has an direct entry from the Mekong River.

For us the most interesting of the 20 or so structures in the Wat were the tapestry of the "Tree of Life" and the Tripitaka Library(built in 1828), with it's beautiful mosiacs of local traditions.

If you check out only 1 Wat in Luang Prabang, this should be the one.

Mount Phousi:

Smack dab in the middle of town, and right across the street from the National Museum are the steps up Mount Phousi (also called Phu Si):

At the top of the mountain, you'll get a total 360 degree view of peninsula-like Luang Prabang, with The Khan River, Vatmou-Enna (the main street from the airport)

And a distant view of Wat Phol Phao (aka Santi Chedi – The Peace Pagoda).

And the beautiful Mekong and the distant mountains on the other.

And of course at the summit of Phousi is ….. you guessed it; a Wat:

Check out the "little guy" taking a rest near the Buddha in the lower right hand corner. Rising out of the summit is That Chomsi:

Which can be seen from all over Luang Prabang.

We left via the winding stairs, opposite of the way we came:

Pastanother shrine (not really a Wat), and large collection of Buddhas:

And even Buddha's Footprint….a photo oppotunity not to be missed!

Since we had such a wonderful dinner on the banks of the Mekong in Vientiane, we thought we'd do it again here in Luang Prabang. There are many restaurants lining the cliffs alongside the Mekong. Every Guesthouse has a restaurant! View Kheam Khong was one recommended by Lonely Planet, so we thought we'd give it a try. Being famished, we ordered a ton of food; and many dishes that I'd been waiting to try.

We started with the Khai Pene served with the traditional accompanyment of Jeow Bong:

This was love at first bite! Khai Pene is made from river moss that is dried and pressed with sesame seeds, garlic, tomatos, and the like. It is fried before serving. Jeow Bong is Luang Prabang's signature chili dip, garlicky-salty-mildly sweet-spicy, laced with Water Buffalo Skin for texture. The Khai Pene tastes like high-octane fried kelp with the bitterness toned down, or nori with flavor cranked up times 10. I'd end up getting this dish whenever I could. Great with a Beer Lao.

Here's the Missus's love at first bite; the Luang Prabang Watercress Salad:

The Missus loved the tender and leafy, shoot-like watercress in Luang Prabang, which was less bitter than any watercress I'd ever had. If I could only tell you how many times the Missus had this dish in Luang Prabang. I've already covered the dressing, which is egg yolk based. This was the second best version of this dish we had in Luang Prabang.

Fish Laap (Fish Larb):

The fish was kind of mushy, but not muddy in flavor. A bland version of Laap.

The Lonely Planet recommended the Fried Green Chili with Duck:

Which was nothing more than a mediocre stir-fry. And the duck was tougher than the water buffalo skin in the Jeow Bong!

I'd been looking forward to having the classic Laung Prabang version of Or Lam, a very distinctive "stew". So we ordered the Or Lam Pa (fish stew):

Again the Missus had problems with the "bitter" flavors that pervade certain Lao dishes. The fish was mushy and without flavor. There were lots of hard pieces of lemongrass stem, and of course there was the Sa-Khan, pieces of stem from the Piper ribesioides tree…..more like branches. The Sa-Khan when eaten….you actually knaw on the stem/branch (minus bark), gives you a tingling sensation, not unlike Sichuan Peppercorns. I was to help make a version of this when I took a cooking class, which tasted much better than this.

Half the fun was just having a Beer Lao (or two), marveling that we were actually in Luang Prabang. Sitting in this empty restaurant, watching the Mekong quietly flowing by, I was embraced by a feeling of tranquility. Author Natacha Du Pont de Bie mentioned a legend that said the site for Luang Prabang was chosen because it was "so remarkably beautiful". All I know is here I was having dinner (again) on the banks of the Mekong, watching some folks fishing….

And I don't ever recall feeling so relaxed during a vacation………

Vientiane: Petang, Wat Si Muang, Bounmala Restaurant, and we’re headed for Luang Prabang

December 6, 2008 mmm-yoso Lao Restaurants, Laos, Travel, Vientiane

The Missus has a way of trying to maximize our "experiences" when it comes to vacations, and this last afternoon and evening in Vientiane was no exception. The day had started with a visit to Khou Din Market, at noon we had lunch at Nang Kham Bang Restaurant, and now, after an all too short nap, we hit the road again. There was a restaurant I was interested in, and being about 3-4 kilometers away, getting a tuk-tuk seemed like a good idea. The Missus had other plans, though! There was (yet another) Wat She wanted to visit, and it just so happened to be on the way.... by foot.

We started off, down the now well-worn (by us) riverfront street of Fa Ngoum, passing the back of the Presidential Palace and Mahosot Hospital. A few blocks down, in the courtyard of one of the Wats we spied a young man tossing a metal ball in the air:

He was playing a popular game called "Petang" in Laos. Otherwise known as Pétanque, a remnant from the days of French Colonialism.

The Young Man, was very nice, and much to our surprise spoke excellent English. He explained the game to us; the objective is to get your boule (metal ball) as close to the cochonnet (wooden ball) as possible. He even had the Missus give it a try, showing Her a few of the techniques, as well.

It is harder than it looks!

We really enjoyed talking to this young man, and during the course of our conversation, we found out much about him. For the sake of the post, let's call him Mr"A". Mr A, is currently a student, in the final stages of attaining a very high level degree. Coming from a very poor family in Savannaket Province, he has no means by which to support his education. Because he was very involved in the community back in his hometown, he was referred to this Wat. And now is one of 4 non-Monks who live on the grounds of the Wat.

We were slowly coming to realize how important these Wats were to the fabric of the community. We enjoyed chatting with MrA, and decided to invite him along for dinner. He accepted, and asked us if we would wait a few minutes, he returned a short time later, clothes changed, and nicely groomed for dinner. He looked much better than I did!

We asked MrA if he would grant us a favor…. we wanted to visit Wat Si Muang before settling in for dinner. MrA was more than happy to walk with us to Wat Si Muang, and was even happier to teach us a bit about the history and various ceremonies regarding Buddhism inLaos. Wat Si Muang was a busy, and bustling place, even at this time of the day. Being home of the Guardian Spirit of Vientiane, Si Muang is one of the more important Wats in Vientiane.

The home of the Guardian, the City Pillar is wrapped in sacred cloth.

Within the Sim, MrA took us to make offerings, and receive blessings, and also took us to the rather odd looking artifact to the right. During the Siamese-Lao War of 1828, Wat Si Muang was razed. The stone figure sitting on the pillow is of a Seated Buddha which survived, albeit a bit melted, the inferno. It is believed that this Buddha has the power to grant wishes. In order to do this, from a kneeling position, you must raise the Buddha up over your head three times while making your wish. I could tell by how hard the Missus was shaking while trying to raise the artifact, that one of the wishes crossing Her mind was, "I wish this thing were lighter". In my mind, I was wishing and hoping that the Missus didn't drop the Buddha, thereby destroying a sacred relic… how many years of bad luck would that be??? To my relief, the Missus completed ~~Her seated clean and jerk~~ raising the Buddha the required number of times, took one of the slips from the wooden box, and had the Monk recite Her "fortune". What it is, She's not telling…. I think it's something between Her and Buddha!

Leaving Si Muang, MrA, never having heard of our destination Bounmala Restaurant, flagged down a tuk-tuk, and asked directions. He was told it is far away, and costs 40,000 Kip (about $4.50/US). So we piled in, and drove about 2 blocks, and was let off! MrA was flummoxed…..he had been taken for a ride, so to speak. I couldn't stop laughing! For some reason, the fact that the tuk-tuk driver would take advantage of a local made me feel better. It's not only tourists that get scammed……

But at least we had arrived at our destination, Bounmala Restaurant.

This looked more like a pub than a restaurant, with mini-watercooler beer dispensers on the tables of several groups of locals having a good time, along with a few "Beer Girls" to help the House sell liquid refreshment. And I'd have been a bit hesitant about eating here if not for the wonderful scents surrounding the whole area!

Now here's where I need to apologize…… night falls like a big dark curtain in SEA. And the following will be some of the worst photos I took all trip. I can understand if you want to leave, and perhaps return another day. I had thoughts of not doing this post. But this was by far the best meal we had in Vientiane.

We started with the Papaya Salad (Tam Mak Hung):

Best papaya salad we had during the whole trip. The spiciness was countered with a balanced refreshing citrus kick. The addition of the perfect amount of Padek (Lao fermented fish sauce) gave this dish an added savory component, making it a bit richer. Wonderful stuff for 10,000 Kip (just over $1/US).

Bamboo Shoot Soup:

A very thick, dark, and almost potage like soup, full of various herbs. The soup had a pronounced bitterness to it; it was our first significant encounter with the bitter flavors that the Lao seem to enjoy, and lace many of their dishes with. Not my favorite dish in the world, but I'm glad I tried it.

That embarrassing photo to the right is of Ping Pet (Grilled Duck), one of the best items we had during our trip. Grilled to perfection, the duck meat was more on the chewy side, but oh the flavors!A chili garlic sauce was provided, but really wasn't needed for this dish. MrA kept apologizing for the tuk-tuk incident, and now the cost of the grilled duck – 40,000 Kip (approx $4.50/US). But we explained to MrA that we're on holiday, and this for us is a wonderful treat. Plus, the conversation was priceless!

The last dish, and really bad photo, is of the fantastic fish larb. All of the wonderful flavors of a classic larb, combined with moist and tender pieces of briefly cooked fish. Man this was good!

Our conversations ranged far and wide. From questions that we were asked constantly during the trip; "ok, you are Americans…. but what are you REALLY?" To queries about our work, and everyday life. Forgetting that even though the 'D' in Laos PDR stands for Democratic, it is still a Communist Country, the Missus asked about corruption and government fraud. MrA gracefully answered; "oh, I cannot say…." After an evening of unforgettable food and discussion, we walked MrA back to the Wat, and made our way (by foot) back to the hotel, for a night of blissful, food induced sleep.

We awoke the next morning, raring to go, we would be heading for Luang Prabang. We decided to take one final stroll around Vientiane….

And stopped by the Scandinavian Bakery for a quick breakfast.

This was the most tourists we recalled seeing in Vientiane.

Soon after returning to the hotel, we packed. Having just 7 kilos of stuff a piece meant pretty quick packing. Wattay International Airport is tiny. After going through the first security check and through the ticket counter, you wait sitting on plastic seats in the run down, "naturally air-conditioned" main lobby. You don't want to be going to the restroom here; take my word for it!

It is best to wait until being called through to the second security check point, and to the departure gate area.

There is only 1 gate at this airport and the area is air conditioned. The Missus even found the best Soy Milk She's had in years in the one shop in the gate area. The restrooms here are clean and well maintained. But that doesn't mean you won't find anything interesting…..

The Missus snapped this photo in the ladies room:

For some reason She found it particularly funny!

When your flight is called, you walk out onto the tarmac. We were flying Lao Airlines. Even though we heard folks expressing a bit of concern about Lao Airlines, we felt perfectly safe….

After all, we had Monks sitting in the front seats. And we had been blessed by a Monk in Wat Si Muang…. I didn't remove mine until I got home!

And Luang Prabang lay ahead of us……..

Our posts on Vientiane:

A walking tour and PVO.

The Lao Orchid Hotel and dinner on the bank of the Mekong.

Morning in Vientiane nd Khou Din Market.

Nang Kham Bang Restaurant.

Vientiane: Nang Kham Bang Restaurant

December 2, 2008 mmm-yoso Lao Restaurants, Laos, Travel, Vientiane

The Missus was craving some Larb for lunch. This sounded like a mission for our own guardian angel in Vientiane, Ai from the Lao Orchid Hotel. Just as with previous queries, Ai grabbed a few of her cronies in a semi-huddle, made a couple of calls, and came up with the result; Nang Kham Bang Restaurant, which just happened to be 2 blocks away. After walking right past it twice, we stopped, and actually read a sign for a change……. you just know I wasn't going to ask for directions…..

The interior is kind of odd. It is divided in half by glass; one part of the restaurant is air-conditioned, the other half is not.

The menu, itself was a conglomeration of interesting dishes like stuffed frog legs. The clientele, was all Lao. We learned how to identify a "real" Lao (as in places where Lao folks actually eat), by this:

Why the sink? Well, if you think about it, the required item for meals is:

Sticky rice. And the most important eating instrument is….well…your hand. So washing your hands right outside of the doorway makes complete sense.

The first thing to arrive was a plate of greens, veggies, and herbs:

We were to find that it was typical to find a plate of green beans, and other items provided to accompany your meal. The most interesting item on the plate were these little eggplants.

We started with some Stir Fried Morning Glory:

This was not as good, as the version we had eaten the previous night. These were rather tough, and strangely, on the bland side.

Next up, Beef Laap(Laap Sin):

This had a nice balance of sour and spicy flavors, with a mild nuttiness brought on by the roasted rice powder. Not much in the way of beefy flavor, and as we found throughout our travels in SEA, the beef was on the chewy side.

We also ordered the Papaya Salad (Tam Mak Hung):

Nice and balanced sweet and sour flavors, I have a feeling they went easy on us in the spicy department. Crisp and refreshing, this was probably in the top three with regards to Papaya Salads on this trip.

Of course, it wouldn't be a meal without some comic relief from the mmm-bozo! When the veggies arrived, the Young Man serving us pointed at some chilies, and warned us by saying "ka-boom", and miming a mushroom cloud rising from what would be his now shattered cranium with his hands. No need for the ol' skull-and-crossbones sign here, we understood….

You know of course, we paid no heed to the young man's warning. The Missus and I both sampled a pepper. "KA-BOOM" is an understatement. Lucky for me, having had some experience with chilies, I didn't let my lips get involved, so you wouldn't find me lying face down in a pool of cerebral spinal fluid, nor would I be picking pieces of cranium and grey matter out of my papaya salad, but this stuff was pretty potent. The Missus turned several colours, red, sweaty grey, then pale white, as She told me She could feel the pepper burning a trail down Her esophagus, and into Her stomach. God only knew what tomorrow was going to bring. I think we've had our share of spicy food…but man this was hot!!!

Later when asked about this place, Ai told me that the local folks with "money"…. i.e. who can afford to, eat here. It did turn out to be a nice refreshing meal for under $10/US. And knowing not what the Missus had planned for later that day (after my little midafternoon nap, of course), I'd probably end up needing some "refreshing"……

Nang Kham Bang Restaurant

Khoun Boulum St.

Vientiane, Lao PDR

Laos – Morning in Vientiane and Khou Din Market

November 24, 2008 mmm-yoso Laos, Travel, Vientiane

After a restful night of BiaLao induced sleep, we both awoke, refreshed. Walking out to the small balcony, we viewed the serene, early morning Mekong, rolling along.

The view was tranquil, but the air was acrid…..

We were soon to find out why:

The infrastructure in Vientiane is not quite up to Western standards, and though I saw what could very loosely called "garbage collection" we also witnessed a lot of trash being burned. Not so bad if it were only leaves, but plastics, and other items were being torched as well. Much of it happens early in the morning, creating a distinctive stench.

The streets of Vientiane seemed still at this early hour. To say that Vientiane is sleepy is an understatement.

Even the very busy Setthathirath Road is quiet at 630am.

We walked to the very highly recommended JoMa Bakery and Cafe.

Very popular with European tourists and Ex-pats. JoMa is clean and bright, and though the various offerings did not look particularly inspiring to us, I had my Coke Light, and the Missus a Latte, while we sat and contemplated the day.

It was a nice quiet place at this time of the morning.

We strolled back slowly to our hotel……we were now operating at "Vientiane speed". A wonderfully laid-back pace…..

Just like Nong Khai, we had a Wat next door; in this case right across the street. Walking through the Wat on the way back, the Missus ran into an inquisitive Monk….. which resulted in a nice diversion. Well, maybe not for the Monk, who was suddenly subjected to a number of questions.

Arriving back at the hotel, we noticed Ai was working yet again. Among the subjects we chatted about was how was the lack of fresh fruits and such at Talat Sao. Ai laughed, and told us that the "Fresh Market" was on the block in back of Talat Sao, next to the bus station. So after a quick shower, guess where we were headed?

We decided to take the route up Chou Anou, than down some side streets and Samsenthai. This area is Vientiane's unofficial Chinatown.

We passed this Peking Duck Restaurant, and the Missus slipped in to check it out. Complete 3 course Peking Duck Dinner just 100,000 Kip (about $12/US)!

Kind of made us wish there were more people with us.

We saw these young men making Mantou.

And walked pass the huge Lao National Culture Hall.

Right across from the Lao National Museum. I wish we had a bit more time, but never had a chance to visit. Next time perhaps.

Further down the avenue, the Vietnamese shops appeared, including a few Banh Mi (Vietnamese Sandwich) shops.

Crossing still not so busy Lane Xang, we soon found ourselves in the back of Talat Sao.

Past the bus station, and the line-up of tuk-tuks.

And into Khou Din Market. Just photos…..

After the Missus picked up some Dragonfruit, we headed back the way we came. Back on Chou Anou, we noticed what looked to be a former movie theatre.

Was now a busy and packed noodle stand.

The street was starting to come to life, and we noticed that this young man had a special passenger!

Cracked us up…..but where's the pooch's helmet?

As we approached the hotel, and the always busy "ping" (grill) stall.

We noticed the bike riding pooch in the fenced off empty lot next door!

And realized we had seen the same dog the day before! I guess this is Vientiane's version of doggy daycare?

About this time, the drum at Inpeng Temple around the corner was going off.

It was lunch time!

To be continued……

Laos: Vientiane – Laos Orchid Hotel and Dinner on the Shores of the Mekong

November 20, 2008 mmm-yoso Lao Restaurants, Laos, Memorable Meals, Travel, Vientiane

Our little haven during our all too short stay in Vientiane was the Lao Orchid Hotel. Located a half block from the Mekong, the Lao Orchid is situated on the quiet side of Chou Anou street. As I mentioned earlier, we walked in and got a suite, which was quite large and comfortable. There was just so much, "space", something we had been without for a few days.

After doing the "Guest house thing" for the last 3 nights, the Missus was really craving some Western amenities (wow, television!!)….I guess we are just "soft Americans" after all! We were really impressed at how clean this place was….totally spotless, and possibly the cleanest floors (to this point) I've ever seen in a hotel. In fact, in keeping with the standard, we saw the housekeeping staff, and even the front desk folks walking barefoot. And we had no qualms about doing the same at all…..

Our view from the balcony wasn't outstanding, though we could make out the Mekong:

What really stood out here was the service …..especially from one young lady named "Ai". Ai spoke good English, and was very eager to be of help, a common trait among many of the Lao people we met. Ai went beyond the call for us, and displayed a great sense of humor. She found much amusement in my interest in Lao Food. A typical scenario would be an inquiry about, say "Naem", Ai would call the staff into an impromptu "huddle" and a short discussion would take place. After which, a concensus would be reached. In this case, "Inter-City makes the best Naem". Hmmm, Inter-City was the restaurant for a hotel next door….I wasn't too keen on hotel food. Funny thing was, Inter-City was recommended later on by several other folks in Vientiane (by "A", and the Young Lady at Lao Airways). This recommendation would prove to be ironic a bit later on. Ai's most outstanding favor, was a touching act of kindness; the Missus hadn't heard from Her parents since we left for our trip. On all of our vacations, the Missus's parents would always stay in close email contact; but this time our emails went unanswered…..the Missus began to worry. We tried making several international calls, but always ran into problems with connectivity. Ai, seeing how worried we were, told us to wait for just one minute……she than pulled out her own personal cellphone, and made the call for us, which got through. It is because of Ai that I quickly learned my second word in Lao (the first being Sa-bai-dee), kopchai (Thank you). And than to add to it, kopchai-lai-lai (thank you very much)…..which I used constantly in Laos.

Deciding to pass on Inter-City, we walked on over to the banks of the Mekong, which are lined with food stalls of all shapes and sizes.

Some of the stalls have elaborate platforms build stretching out over the Mekong, with proper dining tables and chairs. All of them specialize in mainly one thing; what they call "Ping", grilled items, mainly "Ping Pa"(grilled fish) and "Ping Kai"(grilled chicken).

After one quick pass down the Mekong, we settled on the first stall we had seen. It was a pretty modestly equipped stall, you could just say it was a big table. But the woman running the stand had the warmest smile, and though she didn't speak hardly any English, we appreciated one thing:

Everything served here was fresh, there would be no reheated, pregrilled fish served to us. All her fish were live and kickin'. There were only a few fish in the bucket, perhaps five, probably just enough for one evening's worth of service. The Missus had Her eye on one of the larger specimens, and the Woman let Her pick out whichever one She wanted.

We also got 2 huge live prawns that were thrown on the charcoal grill for us.

We ordered a few other items from the young person of slightly indeterminate gender who spoke fairly good English. When it came to the Naem, we were sadly told that they don't make Naem. That was fine with us, the fish looked great, and we'd be happy with whatever we got.

We walked down the hill from the now busy cooking area.

And had the seat on the cushion set upon a platform overlooking the Mekong. We were charmed by the setting…….

The eating area looked quite modest compared to some of the more elaborate stands and dining areas, but for us, it just "felt right". Like we were in Laos, having dinner on the banks of the Mekong.

This is also where I had my first taste of Beerlao, which was named by Time Magazine as Asia's best beer. And thus began my love affair with Beerlao, and apparently I'm not the only one . The beer is crisp and clean, with a mild sweet finish. According to the Beer Lao website , the hops and yeast are imported from Germany, and jasmine rice is used in the process(that explains it!). I must've had this every night except one while in Laos, and was desperately looking for it (to no avail) in Thailand. Even the Missus, who hates beer, loved this. There is nothing quite like sipping some Beerlao (called the Dom Perignon of Asian beers by the Bangkok Post) while watching the Mekong rolling by.

Meanwhile, our food started arriving. First up, was the Stir Fried Morning Glory:

This was the best stir fried vegetable we ate during the whole trip. Perfectly "wokk'd", crisp, with a nice crunch, great fish sauce flavor, and a nice garlic and chili kick. Excellent!

Of course some sticky rice:

And then a very big surprise:

It was the Naem!!! Where did this come from? I've been known to rave, along with Ed from Yuma, about the Naem Khao Thawt from Asia Cafe, but this was in a whole 'nother league! It was very good, a symphony of various crunchy textures, the crisp rice, the peanuts, pork skin, and the scallions. Nice heat from the essense of the chilies, along with the sweet saltiness of the sausage. The item that really got our attention was the addition of coconut milk, which gave this a nice sweet richness, and when wrapped with herbs in cabbage…this was beyond excellent.

The Missus, who was totally blown away by this, quickly ran up the banks to the stall and asked to see how they made this wonderful dish. "Oh no, we no make Naem….it's from Iiin-ter-Citeee!" Was the reply, along with lots of giggles. Now how's that for service? The folks at the stall had not wanted to disappoint us, so they ran on over to Inter-City, and got us some Naem! So in the end, we got our dish…and it was from Inter-City to boot!

Next up were the grilled prawns:

As we have often found, bigger is not necessarily better. These were tough, and had very little flavor. I opened one, and gave the Missus a taste, "eh…." While I was finishing mine up, a young boy walked over and tried to sell us some kind of trinket. The Missus, inspired by the moment (and uninspired by the prawns), offered it to the boy, who instantly, without hesitation, grabbed it, and made a beeline down the shoreline.

The last to arrive was our fish. It was gutted, stuffed with lemongrass and other herbs, crusted with salt and grilled. Served with a tangy-sweet-spicy sauce, it was somewhat of an anti-climax after the Naem. I really enjoyed the skin, mmmm-fish bacon! The meat was on the dense side, and though moist, really lacked any flavor. It was good, but not great. I did finish every inch of skin from that fish, though……

Along with 3 large Beerlaos, the meal cost us approximately $14 US. And that includes the Naem from Inter-City. Fourteen bucks for a meal we consider priceless…..fourteen bucks for such thoughtful and considerate service, and this view, sunset from the shores of the Mekong:

Priceless indeed…….

Perhaps it was the Beerlao at work, but it was at that very moment that I fell under the spell of Laos. And while the stress melted away, and my blood pressure dropped to levels not seen in decades…… I decided, we'd stay another day in Vientiane.

Laos: Vientiane- Across the Friendship Bridge, a Death March around Vientiane, and all this for a Banh Mi?

November 18, 2008 mmm-yoso Laos, Travel, Vientiane

Caution: Long post ahead, with minimal food!

I had been staring at the Thai – Lao Friendship Bridge every chance I had during our stay in Nong Khai. It didn't help that a view of the bridge was in clear view, after just a few steps from our room.

The process of crossing the bridge was quite simple; clear Thailand Immigration and catch the shuttle bus across the three-quarter of a mile bridge (15 Baht):

In a rather interesting "turn" of events; traffic in Thailand drives on the left, while vehicles in Laos drive on the right. Traffic lights on the Laos end of the bridge manage the change. Upon arrival at Laos Immigration, you need to fill in the application for Visa on Arrival. The price is $35 each for US Citizens…there is a sliding scale of prices based on Country of origin. For some reason Canadians pay the highest prices $45, while predictably, citizens of fellow Communist Countries pay the least – Cuba and PR China, $20/US.

You'll need to fill in a destination in Laos on your immigration form; just pick out something from Lonely Planet or another guide. The taxi and tuk-tuk mob once you clear customs is pretty crazed….this was the only time we faced such a "feeding frenzy" in Laos. $10 got us to Vientiane about 40km away. After checking out a Guest House, we kinda decided that we had enough of Guest Houses for now….we ended up at the Lao Orchid Hotel, and got a top floor suite for $65 a night. Super clean, great A/C…and most of all....something we hadn't experienced in a few days….television! The service was also amazingly good, especially a young lady named "Ai". More on Lao Orchid in a future post. In an interesting coincidence, we filled in Lao Orchid as our destination on our immigration form….

After checking in, and a quick shower (yes, it was very humid), the Missus had decided that we "just" had to do the Walking Tour outlined by the Lonely Planet Guide. As I looked over the guide, it said the "tour" was over 6 kilometers! Yikes, shades of the Matra – Taphin death march. And of course, just to one up the folks at Lonely Planet we'd start a few more kilometers out at Pha Tuat Luang. The Missus was obviously channeling Her inner Clark Griswald.

"perhaps you don't want to see the second largest ball of twine on the face of the earth, which is only four short hours away? "

Luckily, the one little tidbit the Missus followed, was to take the trip out via tuk-tuk, which dropped us at the gates of Pha Tuat Luang.

Pha Tuat Luang is considered the most important national monument in Laos. According to legend Ashokan missionaries from India erected a Stupa here in the third century containing a piece of Buddha's breastbone. The history of Pha Tuat Luang is as tumultuous as the history of Laos, and Southeast Asia itself, suffering through several assaults, and finally sacked by the Siamese in the early 19th century.

In fact, when the French arrived in 1867, they found the city totally abandoned. Even good intentions have not always worked out well for Pha Tuat Luang. When first restored by the French, the main entrance was restored facing South, instead of East!

The grounds were fairly busy….with a large group of Chiang Mai University student teachers, the one's in pink are Kindergarden Teachers, in Blue, Elementary School Teachers.

After about 2 kilometers, That Luang Road turns meets the main drag, Tha Lan Xang, at this large monument:

It's Laos' version of the Arc de Triumphe, called the Patuxai. Though the resemblance lessens as you approach…and the motifs on the upper level is unmistakeably Lao. I found a little tidbit of history of the Patuxai to be amusing. In the 1960's, the US purchased, and donated cement that was to be used for building a new airport….but Laos used it to build the Patuxai instead!

The Missus was fascinated, and charmed by the Patuxai:

I, on the other hand, agreed with this, honest to goodness…well, honest sign posted.

Does the Vientiane Tourist Board know about this sign?

Tha Lane Xang, with it's Government and NGO offices is by far the busiest street in Vientiane. Still, check out the traffic:

What makes the situation dangerous, is that what traffic there is goes at a pretty fast clip. And all the cars come in waves. And while walking down Lane Xang we came upon a sudden glut of cars…….it seems like the very large school on the boulevard was out for the day. We needed to cross the street…what to do?

He-he-he….just use the crossing guard! This young lady meant business!

Next stop on the tour…Talat Sao, the huge sprawling market. A seemingly endless maze of stalls, selling everything from textiles to household appliances.

On the second floor was a huge collection of jewelry shops. A simply mind-numbing number of shops and stalls ….

And suddenly we were in a modern, air conditioned mall.

Not quite what we signed up for…..but air conditioning was nice….very nice!

Next stop? That Dam (it's That Dam, not that Dam)…okay, another Stupa. Off on a side street lies the "Black Stupa" that supposedly houses a seven-headed dragon that came alive in 1828 during the Lao – Siamese War and protected the local population. This Stupa, according to legend, was once covered in gold, which was removed by the Siamese during the same War. I guess the dragon was too busy protecting the people? Right now it looks pretty…well unimpressive. One of the more interesting things about this walk was that we passed the American Embassy along the way.

Walking to the end of Lane Xang (yay!) is the Presidential Palace:

Luckily for me, the Presidential Palace is not open to visitors (whew!).

No such luck with Wat Sisaket, the oldest surviving temple in Vientiane.

All kidding aside, the Temple grounds are quite beautiful.

Wat Sisaket is also known to have an inner building holding over 2000 Buddha's. Unfortunately (wink-wink, nod-nod), we found that all these places close during lunch. And my parched throat, and my growling stomach was telling me it was time for a break.

We skipped our next stop, and the Missus led me to a building on the banks of the Mekong called PVO. Why PVO? Well, skipping our next destination, it was the "lunch stop" in the Lonely Planet Guide.

PVO is known for their version of the Vietnamese Sandwich, Banh Mi. I didn't quite know what to think of a Vietnamese Restaurant and Motorcycle Rental. But the ice was, well, ice, the water, was, well, wet, and the Coke Light was saccharide goodness.

The Sandwich, though big enough for the both of us, was not very good.

Instead of being crusty, the baguette was hard, dry, and scaberous. There was an entire scallion thrown in the length of the sandwich. And it was totally saturated in mayo. This was probably the second worst meal on the vacation, and I've never let the Missus forget it….take that Lonely Planet!

Riding the wave of rapid hydration I took a shot at talking the Missus out of finishing the "walking tour". No dice, She was not to be denied. To put it into the words of Mr Griswold:

"I'll tell you something. This is no longer a vacation. It's a quest. It's a quest for fun. I'm gonna have fun and you're gonna have fun."

So we back-tracked to Wat Haw Pha Kaeo. The grounds housed an impressive temple, which was originally built to house the Emerald Buddha. We again ran into the education students from Chiang Mai University. A large collection of Buddahs reside inside the Sim. But for us, the various Buddhas lining the outside of the Sim was more impressive.

The Lao-style Buddha's are posed in various positions, including, Offering Protection (hands are out front, with palms facing front), Contemplating Enlightenment (hands out front, crossed at the wrist), and Calling for Rain (photo to the right).

There was also a huge jar from the Plain of Jars located on temple grounds. I actually enjoyed this! Hey maybe the Vientiane Death March wasn't too bad after all….

The Missus continuing with the single minded goal of accomplishing this walking tour in record time, marched off out of temple grounds, and headed left on Sitthathirath Road. We managed to squeeze in a stop at Wat Mixay, before heading back to our hotel on Chou Anou….and a much needed shower (I sure smelled past my due date by this time).

If you're ever in Vientiane, or Luang Prabang for that matter, you should pick up one of the excellent maps provided by Hobo Maps. We found the maps to be priceless. You can follow our walk on this map of Central Vientiane. After a short break, and having replaced the 4 gallons of fluid I lost during our walk, and ignoring the "snap, crackle, and pop" of my joints (apparently my synovial fluid was drained during this walk as well), I was looking forward to this:

The Missus had also moved on….She was already spending time with Her new constant companion, the Lonely Planet Guide, circling places of interest for tomorrows "walk". I could already see our Griswold-ian future:

"Tomorrow you'll probably kill the desk clerk, hold up a McDonalds, and drive us 1000 miles out of the way to see the world's largest pile of mud!"

But of course that's a whole 'nother post!

We’re Back……..

November 1, 2008 mmm-yoso Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Laos, Luang Prabang, Nong Khai, Thailand, Thailand, Travel, Vientiane

Yep, we're back…..the Missus and I have just returned…tired, and yet exhilarated at the same time. So excuse me while I noodle around with our photos for a while. The wonderful noodles to the right was from a stand in Luang Prabang, where we stopped and ate breakfast every morning….along with a wonderful cup of Lao Coffee….after the first morning, we would just have a seat, and the Owner who smile at us, and ask "same-same"? And we'd nod yes….so we ended up calling the place (no English sign) "Same-Same". We did so much, ate so much, that I really am not sure how I'm going to do this yet.

But let me just give you a recap anyway.

We started in Bangkok, just an overnight stay…we had an idea, and just went with the flow. Of course, there's an unending supply of street food in Bangkok.

You really can't go wrong.

We also managed to catch some of the sights.

That afternoon it was off to the border town of Nong Khai. And much to our surprise, we arrived during the Naga Fireball Festival.

No mysterious orbs rising out of the Mekong, but lots of street food. We managed to snag a room in a Guest House overlooking the Mekong River.

We also had some interesting meals in Nong Khai. Have you ever had anything like this from a Hospital Food Court?

Or maybe Kanom Krok in a bus station?

One thing for sure….I'd never had this before.

It was delicious. As was the Kai Yaang (Roasted Chicken), and sticky rice we had.

In spite of all the interesting food and venues…the strangest thing we did in Nong Khai was visit Sala Keo Ku, a somewhat bizarre-nightmarish park of sculptures by mystic Boun Leua Surirat. Sculptures, some towering up to 80 feet tall, are a mixture of various Hindu and Buddhist deities that seem to come from some HR Giger-ish dreamworld.

We also took the "yellow bus" to Tha Bo, a market town…..I'll say this for sure….the "Yellow Bus" sure has a bunch of character! Tha Bo was also interesting since the population is 70-80% Vietnamese.

The next morning we crossed the Friendship Bridge into Laos, and a cab into the capital city of Vientiane. In contrast to crazed Bangkok, Vientiane is a sleepy city of 230,000.

We also met some of the nicest, kindest, and most gracious folks we've ever encountered. Depending on who you talk to, experienced travelers to Laos will tell you that Laos is what Thailand was like 20-30 years ago(or maybe more…depending who you're asking).

Our most memorable meal in Vientiane was from one of the many stalls lining the Mekong River.

There are few things better than having a cold Beer Lao, some freshly grilled seafood, all wrapped up in a sunset on the banks of the Mekong River.

There's more to the story of this dinner, but I'll save that for later. For now you'll just have to admire our salt crusted, lemongrass stuffed fish, that was swimming around a few minutes before.

We had planned on staying overnight, but stayed 2 nights in Vientiane. To save time we ended up flying to Luang Prabang.

Beautiful, scenic, Luang Prabang was by far our most favorite stop on this trip….or perhaps on any trip. If you think Vientiane is laid back, and do Luang Prabang right, your blood pressure is sure to drop several notches……There were times when I thought Luang Prabang was an island floating over the Mekong River….

We intended on 2 nights, and stayed 5….if I didn't need to work…I'd still be there.

Early every morning, the streets of Luang Prabang becomes a river of flowing orange as the Monks come to collect their Alms.

There's something about this time honored tradition that attracted the Missus and I, enough so, that we watched the procession every morning.

Silence….except for the padding of bare feet on the asphalt. The Missus and I felt honored to be able to give alms….

We stayed in a Hotel next to one of the Wats, and away from the main tourist drag, where this procession turns from a respectful, time honored tradition, into a depressing paparazzi moment.

What about the food you may ask? The Missus and I were able to sample many of the Luang Prabang specialties, such as Khai Pene, a dried, then fried river moss from the Mekong:

Like very good Nori, flavored with tomato, shallots, and garlic, and always served with Jaew Bong, a garlicky, mildly spicy, sweet, and savory "dip", studded with buffalo skin, considered a classic Luang Prabang dish.

Heaven on Earth with a cold Beer Lao…..

I had pretty much dismissed the Fresh Market right off the tourist track in Luang Prabang, as being too touristy…until we visited. Man was I wrong. Along with the usual suspects:

Were some quite unusual items……

And I was to find out that the "forest" and "mountain" people come here to sell their wares. And also noticed that the customers were almost all local early in the morning.

Fascinated with the cuisine(and staying in one place for more than a few days for the first time), I took a cooking class from Joy Ngueamboupha, Co-Owner of Tamarind Restaurant in Luang Prabang. Please read Joy's interesting short bio, here. The class and market tour were fantastic, and it did much to fill in the blanks regarding Lao food. There was no gas or electric stoves, we cooked over charcoal…I was surprised that my stuff actually turned out ok(pretty good actually).

We also had the chance to taste some items that are considered pretty exotic by US standards. Boy have I been missing out all these years……forget about french fries, where can I get my hands on more of this?

At the time I scheduled the cooking class, I also attempted to make reservations for the "Adventurous Lao Gourmet" dinner. The nice Young Lady hesitated and asked that I wait until after the cooking course to schedule. After the course was over, I walked back to the restaurant, and tried to schedule the dinner again. The young lady called Joy on his cell….and he gave us the green light……

The degustation menu was an amazing eye-opening experience…..

With items we've never experienced before, like Sa Thao, another classic Luang Prabang dish made with river algae.

And other items which really challenged the Missus and I. You'll just have to stay tuned……

We were sad to leave Luang Prabang behind, but Chiang Mai was calling to us. We enjoyed historic Chiang Mai, and the Sunday Market is not to be missed (though we'll pass on the Night Bazaar):

And along with street food, we enjoyed a few sit down dinners as well.

Time got away from us in the end, and we managed only one last night in Bangkok before returning home…..but the Missus still got in some "parting shots", in the city that smells of food.