And we’re back. We haven’t been in a bed in about 45 hours now, and a certain delirium is settling in. But it was an excellent time, capped off with a great day of skiing in Dubai. We have over 2,000 photos. Once we sort through that batch, we’ll try to post the good ones.
Monday, January 6, 2014
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Friday, January 3, 2014
Luang Prabang: farewell and khop chai
It is our last day in Luang Prabang. We are reluctant to say farewell to this quiet and beautiful place.
The last few days have been fascinating. We crossed the Mehkong with five monks and hiked past remote forest monasteries to a quiet clearing where we studied meditation. We visited the Pak Ou caves, caves emerging from sheer cliffs and filled with thousands of Buddha images. We rode an elephant (which was terrifying and, at times, foul-smelling). We learned to cook Laotian food: chicken curry, steamed mushrooms and eggplant, lemongrass chicken, and a steamed rice paper stuffed with various goodness (Nahm Sao). We raided the nightmarket and honed expert bargaining tactics. We participated in the monks' alms procession three times. We learned fascinating new methods for brewing coffee. We visited a street market where folks buy tasty treats like bats, rodents, catfish heads, and massive cockroaches.
Beyond the activities we have just soaked it all in. Megan enjoyed spa time. I read books on cool patios. It has been truly wonderful.
Tomorrow the whirlwind resumes. We fly to Bangkok and reunite with Mark Everett and Lauren who have been in Chang Mai and on a Thai beach. Sunday we return to Dubai where we plan to go skiing and visit the tallest building on the planet. Then home to a certain little guy we miss a hell of a lot.
Once we sort through pictures and video we will be sure to post them. For now we are drinking cocktails on a patio before getting wine on another patio before eating dinner at the best spot on town. Not a bad send off.
The last few days have been fascinating. We crossed the Mehkong with five monks and hiked past remote forest monasteries to a quiet clearing where we studied meditation. We visited the Pak Ou caves, caves emerging from sheer cliffs and filled with thousands of Buddha images. We rode an elephant (which was terrifying and, at times, foul-smelling). We learned to cook Laotian food: chicken curry, steamed mushrooms and eggplant, lemongrass chicken, and a steamed rice paper stuffed with various goodness (Nahm Sao). We raided the nightmarket and honed expert bargaining tactics. We participated in the monks' alms procession three times. We learned fascinating new methods for brewing coffee. We visited a street market where folks buy tasty treats like bats, rodents, catfish heads, and massive cockroaches.
Beyond the activities we have just soaked it all in. Megan enjoyed spa time. I read books on cool patios. It has been truly wonderful.
Tomorrow the whirlwind resumes. We fly to Bangkok and reunite with Mark Everett and Lauren who have been in Chang Mai and on a Thai beach. Sunday we return to Dubai where we plan to go skiing and visit the tallest building on the planet. Then home to a certain little guy we miss a hell of a lot.
Once we sort through pictures and video we will be sure to post them. For now we are drinking cocktails on a patio before getting wine on another patio before eating dinner at the best spot on town. Not a bad send off.
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