Laos. Luang Prabang.

We got another songtheaw to our hotel and drove through the "city" but is more like a town. We were staying in Luang Prabang for three nights and it was my turn to have the room to myself. This time I loved having it alone for the three days! On the first night we headed into town for  a drink and then a visit to our tour leaders favourite restaurant. The bar was really cool and on the river front. We sat on the floor outside on triangle cushions and mats and looked out over the river. We couldn't stay for long as we had a reservation for Laos fondue! To get to the restaurant we had to walk over a very wobbly bamboo bridge across the river on the dark which was slightly terrifying! But bit was totally worth it was the food at the restaurant was amazing! Laos fondue is a bit of a mixture of Korean BBQ and Chinese hotpot. The tiny ladies came over with buckets of hot coles and places them in a hole in the table and put a metal thing on top. They hen brought the noodles and veggies and eggs and tofu or meat and some stock. Stock went in a most around the area where the meat was to be cooked and was used to cook the noodles and veggies. It was amazing!!! And then some amazing tempura aubergines came along too. Unbelievably good!!

All the bars have to close on Laos at 11:30 so not the latest of nights were had here!

On our second day we got a songtheaw to the Laos ethnology museum which explained about about the ethnic groups in Laos. I was really interested in the tradition dress and saw the portable hand looms on which they were made. We then took for a really long journey along so rubbish roads to Kuang Sii waterfalls. I'd been to a lot of waterfalls on this trip so I wasn't massively ecstatic, but we were too we could swim which would be amazing in this heat!! We got to the waterfalls and they were unbelievable! The water was so turquoise and the pools were so picturesque it looked made with someone adding due into the water! I'd only ever seen glacial waters that colour and I don't think there are any around here!

In the afternoon we had free time so I took a walk around the town with a girl from the group. We looped around the town by the rivers. We stopped at a pretty swish bar and had an amazing lime and mint slushie with great views!

In the evening we had a dinner at a local family's house. We sat on the floor and before we could eat we were blessed my some elders on the family and had three cotton bracelets tied onto each wrist. Not sure what this meant but all I could think was no not more! Having one on for three days was bad enough, but now six! We then are an amazing meal. The local salad was the best, so tasty. Apparently has egg yoke and sugar in the dressing which sounds bad, but was so tasty!

We didn't outstay our welcome and left soon after eating. We then went to the night market. Yay!  It was immense! It just went on and on! All seeking the same stuff but it was all stuff I wanted! It was full of scarves and fabrics and clothes and lots of Laos skirts. I bought some trousers and a carry bag for a big bottle of water. But I wanted to go back for more but it was closing. 

On our final day we took a trip to see elephants! We drove out in another open air van which looked like it should be used to drive around Disney land. So we got super dirty driving there with all the dirty cars but it was worth it was went we arrived it was a beautiful place and the elephants were amazing!

They had 8 adult female and one baby girl elephant. As we got there they were saddling them up and then we went over and fed them. They were eating sugar cane and coconut something. It was amazing being so close!

We then rode them! We went in twos and seat on the seat on their back. We had a walk down to the river down a very steep track which the elephants handled with no bother at all. They completely have a mind of there own and down walk when they don't want to. We travelled such a short distance but it was very slow going!

We had the baby with us and as we neared the river she took a short cut down a bit of soft embankment and took a tumble down it. The elephant behind it trumpeted and charged after it as if it wanted to stamp on her! The guide had to give the baby a whack to get her moving. The couple on the charging elephant looked pretty scared as they slid down the hill too, o great then our elephant charged and did the same! We had a walk along the river then made our way back up to the hill. 

It was then time for washing. Not completely sure why we were doing it, but just to spend more time with the elephants, not because they actually needs a wash! We walked down to the washing area of the river and then we could ride them on their necks into the river. It was rather ungainly getting on the necks, as we clambered up their faces!

We went into the river and I was aiming to stay as dry as possible as I didn't have a change of clothes, the the guide had a different idea! He poured water on the elephants head which ran down right into my crotch, then on the elephants back to get my bum soaked too. He then tried to get my top wet too. The pervert!! I was desperate not to get completely in and was squealing as the elephant almost sat down in the water!

We left intime to get lunch in a great cfe which served more French than Laos food. I had a great quiche and some homemade ice cream. A great change from the usual!

In the evening we went up Mount Phousi to watch the sun set as it was supposed to be a great place to watch it from. It was a hike up all the steps but the panoramic views over the city was great. The sunset was amazing, as expected as it is just so hazy all the time, it just kind is disappeared, but looked good before over the mountains. 

We had another evening at the market as we are all shopaholics and then tried to find somewhere for dinner after. I bought a Laos skirt, a scarf and a beer Laos t shirt. It was not an easy prospect in a country where everything closes at 11:30pm and it's already 10 to find somewhere still serving food, but we found somewhere. As we were about to leave the heavens absolutely opened and a huge thunderstorm came in. It has been lightening for days now and it finally rained. We rain for a songtheaw, paid over the odds but got home dry. The storm was amazing! Had to go out and look at it for a while :) Luang Prabang had been great and it was nice to spend a few days somewhere and feel like you really knew your way round a place, slightly! I'll never forget the Laos fondue!!!