Luang Prabang

It took us three days to get here..5 hour bus ride from Chiang Mai to Thailand/Laos Border, weird boat across a stream that took 30 seconds, over night in the strangest 'town' I have ever come across and then two days on a slow boat down the Mekong River to Laung Prabang. (The boat meant 8 hours per day on a wooden bench and no stretching room.. my bum is more than a little sore). Scenery was fantastic though and we met some great people. The 2nd night we had a bonfire on the beach..small town with no electricity after 10pm.

Today was perhaps one of the strangest days of my life. We started out renting bikes (best way to see the city..peddle bikes! not motor which are illegal for foreigners???!!!).. anyway, biked around and saw some temples and so on and then decided to have a swim in a river to cool off since it was so hot. We have two new Dutch friends, Dan and Tim, that we have latched on to since the boat ride.. Canada vs. Holland in a seaweed match (we lost..).. we were also swimming with monks who didn't partake in the seaweed match until Denise and I got out.. then it was all hands on deck. Boys wipping seaweed at each other in a muddy river. Quite entertaining :)

So as we were leaving to head back into town we heard music and thought there must be a festival going on and decided to check it out. We were sort of on the outskirts of town at this point but ended up walking into some guys backyard (there was a band and huge stereo setup and tons of people dancing and drinking). The owner was quick to welcome us, it was his new son (River) birth party.. so as you would we spent the next two hours singing and dancing (really, I have never busted moves like we were..it was so funny). We drank, we ate, we danced and we were suddenly the center of the party. They went so far as to announce our names and make each of us come up and dance (like..fast dancing..arms shaking, booty wagging) with a member of the family. I DO have some of this on video and will figure out how to upload it for your viewing pleasure eventually. At the end we were invited into the house to meet River, and they performed a ceremony where each family member tied a white string on our left and right arm (I must have 10 on each and look somewhat like I attempted to commit suicide by slitting my wrists). Each person gave us a blessing as they tied it and we have to leave them on for three days for the blessings to come true. In turn we each tied strings on Rivers left and right arm and then we gave money to the family as a gift. Amazing...words unfortunately can't describe what we just did.

Luang Prabang. Yup, I am so in love with this city. We all are.. didn't really plan on staying here more than a night but we are staying at a beautiful and clean guest house ($3 each per night!!) run by a very nice Lao family (they invited us for spring rolls and beer with them last night before we had dinner in the market!) and the city itself is incredible. I can't really say enough about this place, I can see us staying a week atleast...

On our way out for dinner we wandered into a fair at the temple at the end of the road we are staying on. No tourists.. only locals. All of the kids were playing games and having a ball.. it was fun to see. And the monks were everywhere watching..I think they put it on to raise money. Completely surreal.

Tomorrow morning we are getting up at 5:30am to give offering to the monks as they do a morning walk through the town.

This really is the life :) I officially have zero complaints.