We are currently in our room...having a late night snack of rice with molasses. Mmmmmmm....tastes a little like caramel popcorn.
Today was HOT when it was sunny and nicely cooler while it rained.
We got baguette with chicken&salad for breakfast and tried a fruit smoothie with dragonfruit, pineapple, watermelon, and banana (plus half price chocolate cakes from the bakery). Yum! Ate on the deck at our guesthouse and met Chris and Simon from Austria for good chat.
Wandered off along the riverside after that - with Roni stopping almost constantly to take photos of new flowers! Got to Wat Xieng Thong and went in...some amazing decorative drawings, carvings and mirror mosaics of naga and peacock plus the obligatory cute kittens lying around and mewing plaintively. A massive three naga coach-like thing was a definite highlight!
Back down Sisavang Vong Road to Wat Saen where the two special longboats reside - used for the annual boat race festival. We collected the laptop and visited a wee cafe near the Mekong for lunch (baguette again!) to charge it up. Ended up having a mini English lesson with the manager's little brother. He's 18yo and trying to improve his English, was fun and challenging for all involved. The rain came down with a vengeance while we were there - glad to be under cover!
Home again after this to label photos from the last two days - an EPIC task! Then a wee rest (and shower number three for the day - to cool off!) before heading to the night market to try local kai and see the many colourful wares for sale. Met up with a few from our border crossing group who took the bus instead of speedboat and swapped tales of mechanical mishaps and squishy rides!
A good day overall - early night tonight as we hope to get up early and maybe watch the sun rise from Phou Si (L.P's sacred hill).
