Monday, Julia and I got up at 5:45am (without a rooster!) to see the procession of the Monks through town on their way to the temples. People put food in these baskets/pots that they wear around their person like a shoulder bag. It was really interesting to watch, although we were pestered a bit by women trying to sell us food so we could give it to the monks. After, we went back to bed for a little bit and got up around 8. We went to have breakfast at the same place we ate the night before only becuase we wanted to order "a coconut" from the menu -- we had noticed it the night before and thought it hilarious. We ordered other breakfast as well, and got our coconut, on a plate. When we had drank out of it, they cut it in half so we could eat it. We couldn't help but think of the "lovely bunch of coconuts" song... since it was bigger than our heads.
After, we walked to a Wat at the end of the peninsula to look around, and then walked to another one in another part of town. After you've been in one Wat, it seems like you've been in them all, and nothing compares to the Grand Palace or Wat Pho in Bangkok.
We went back to our guesthouse to meet up with Jeff, an American that we had met on the boat, and seen the night before. We were going to go to the Waterfall 32km from Luang Prabang. We found Jared & John (the Canadians) and the 2 Dutch boys (Jack & Joroen) and took a tuk tuk to the falls. We had read about the turquoise waters and amazing falls, but nothing prepared us for how beautiful it actually is!! there are many smaller waterfalls and swimming areas in... turquoise waters and you work your way up to the MASSIVE (well... in height) falls at the top. We then hiked halfway up the falls to look over the edge. No railings, and the only warning sign read "what's out slippery" -- there were a few signs other places reading "do not swimming area" as well. To get to the place to view over the edge you have to walk on rock that stairs have been carved into, that water from higher up spills down over creating even more waterfalls. From there we went back down to one of the lower pools to go swimming. It started pouring rain, but we still went in, becuase it's all water and we were going to get wet anyway. We jumped off the small waterfall there, which is only about 10-12 feet high.
When we finally got back to town we showered and then went to check email and went to climb up the mini mountain in town to watch the sun set, and have a view over Luang Prabang, a lot of people from the boat had the same idea and we ended up all sitting around at the top and talking. We didn't really see a sunset because there were too many clouds, but it was still a great view. Luang Prabang is BEAUTIFUL and it's been our favorite place thus far.
We went down to the extensive night market to get cheap food and look around. The Lao people don't hassle you to buy anything and all of their crafts are laid out neatly and it doesn't look crazy and jumbled like in Thailand.
After we went to Hive Bar to meet up with people, sat around there until 11:30 when the bar closes (there's a curfew in Luang Prabang). At that time, some of us went to the only place still open -- a bowling alley a bit out of town. There were about 12 of us that went and we had a great time and stayed there until about 2.
During all of this, Julia and I were talking with some of the English boys we met on the boat (and the van ride to Chiang Khong). Two of them, Gary and Mark decided that they would come with us to go tubing in Vang Vieng the next day. We were picked up the next morning at 6am for our 7am bus. They were able to buy tickets at the station and get on our bus. We were in for an adventure.
