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Day 12 - Monday, Nov 3, 2003
Luang Prabang - Vientiane
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| Up 7:00, packed, leisurely breakfast at Scandinavian Bakery, then Claire, Dan and Dodo paid 10,000 kip each and stashed their shoes and bags to go in the Royal Palace (which had been closed on Sunday). Palace built 1904-09. Peered at the famed Pha Bang Buddha (gold, standing, long delicate ear lobes) through barred windows; wandered the rest of the mansion and looked at relics, swords, embroidery in cases. Howdah of King Anouvong for riding elephants during battle. Gifts from India (ivory carvings, etc.), Japan (vases), France (books), U.S. (tacky model of lunar lander; bits of Moon rock with plaque from Richard Nixon)... also an early phonograph with a Bach record on it. |
| At the Royal Palace, as Dan and Dodo were putting our boots back on, an elderly tour group was looking up at Phou Si hill and saying "Cable car? Can we take the bus? I'm so sick of steps!" and decided to go shopping before the 11:40 AM flight (same as us) instead of climbing the hill. They reminded us of Dale's groups and we were glad to be on Claire's "Crap Tour of Asia" instead. Even though we're sure they learned more at the palace. Oh, well, can't have it both ways! |
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| Then a quick peek at the wat by the palace and the Bamboo Forest wat beside our hotel (nice young novice let us in; Claire asked him the significance of one Buddha's hand position and he said "I don't know.") |
| Pictures Dodo didn't take: a kitten asleep on a whiskbroom; the poor sad monkey chained up outside a L.P. restaurant; a monk in Vang Vieng smoking a cigarette as he walked through town. |
More Bamboo Forest Wat Pictures
| Tuk-tuk to airport (10,000 kip each), airport tax 5,000. BBC on TV in airport departure lounge - garbled broadcast about NH gay bishop. Pretty smooth flight on an 80+ seater (not the tiny plane Dodo took a picture of on the runway) - went almost directly over Phou Si Hill, nice fleeting view before we went above the clouds. |
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| Vientiane again: $5 taxi to Lao Paris Hotel, and switching to lower rooms (fewer stairs for Ruth) meant Dan and Dodo wound up with a huge room that had a fridge, TV, and remote-controlled A/C unit. Nice huge bed, like we had all over Lao, but hard pillows. After an afternoon of gin and tonics and Beerlao at Khop Chai Deu and lunch; then wandering midtown to find Claire's size-small Che Guevara t-shirt (army surplus shop; Silver Bagles) and then showers and "Just for Fun" vegetarian/health restaurant for dinner and back to KCD. 3 G&T's for Dodo, many Long Islands for Dan and Claire. Then Claire joined Dan and Dodo in their room for a nightcap of scotch. |