Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Nirvana - not the band, the frame of mind
After an enjoyable day yesterday, woke up again at 5AM for the taxi to the airport.
The flight numbers on the board never showed us a check-in area for our Laos Airline flight - waited patiently for instructions and then with only 1-1/2 hours to take off, decided to find someone to ask. Only Vietnam Airlines personnel around…apparently because only Vietnam Airlines flies all of these other routes. In this case, the booking was with Laos Airlines, the Flight was code share with Vietnam Airlines and the plane was Cambodia Angkor Air. So nice when people can get along.
Flying into Laos it was obvious from the air that we were going to like this place. Typical Asian mountains and lots of green that we could actually see through clear skies – not the ‘fog’ that sits over the cities in Vietnam. Landed in small airport in Luang Prabang (but don’t pronounce the g’s and say it like you have marbles in your mouth…that’s probably pretty close). Had reserved exactly $62 US for on-site Visa. Price apparently went up to $72US. Brief moment of panic. But Michael was allowed to leave the Immigration area to go out and use the ATM machine (in this itty bitty place) to get 700,000Kip (approx. $80US) so we could enter the country.
Beautiful. Beautiful. Beautiful.
Let me repeat.
Beautiful. Beautiful. Beautiful.
Within one hour we knew we would have to come back to Laos. Watch for future plans but for now we are thrilled to have four days here.
This town is adorable. There are restaurants at every step. There are amazing shops selling silver and silks and I don’t even like to shop….but watch me here!
Had a huge lunch. $13 including drinks and a shared dessert.
Saw some wats (temples), some monks amonkst us (he he he I crack me up), and have had just a lovely afternoon.
Getting ready to climb the 130+ steps up to the top of Phu Si to watch the setting sun light up the temples.
So photos later.
The flight numbers on the board never showed us a check-in area for our Laos Airline flight - waited patiently for instructions and then with only 1-1/2 hours to take off, decided to find someone to ask. Only Vietnam Airlines personnel around…apparently because only Vietnam Airlines flies all of these other routes. In this case, the booking was with Laos Airlines, the Flight was code share with Vietnam Airlines and the plane was Cambodia Angkor Air. So nice when people can get along.
Flying into Laos it was obvious from the air that we were going to like this place. Typical Asian mountains and lots of green that we could actually see through clear skies – not the ‘fog’ that sits over the cities in Vietnam. Landed in small airport in Luang Prabang (but don’t pronounce the g’s and say it like you have marbles in your mouth…that’s probably pretty close). Had reserved exactly $62 US for on-site Visa. Price apparently went up to $72US. Brief moment of panic. But Michael was allowed to leave the Immigration area to go out and use the ATM machine (in this itty bitty place) to get 700,000Kip (approx. $80US) so we could enter the country.
Beautiful. Beautiful. Beautiful.
Let me repeat.
Beautiful. Beautiful. Beautiful.
Within one hour we knew we would have to come back to Laos. Watch for future plans but for now we are thrilled to have four days here.
This town is adorable. There are restaurants at every step. There are amazing shops selling silver and silks and I don’t even like to shop….but watch me here!
Had a huge lunch. $13 including drinks and a shared dessert.
Saw some wats (temples), some monks amonkst us (he he he I crack me up), and have had just a lovely afternoon.
Getting ready to climb the 130+ steps up to the top of Phu Si to watch the setting sun light up the temples.
So photos later.
Monday, November 29, 2010
We were sailing along on Halong Bay
Now that you've been blasted by photos from Michael, I'll just wind up quickly about our day today.
Compared to yesterday's crazy, frenetic pace this was a real sleeper...except for the not sleeping part.
We were picked up this morning by our driver and our guide....Hoang (or "Tim", his easier tourist name though Hoang seems perfectly do-able to us) from Hai Phong. He was so intent on us understanding his English and would constantly ask if we understood and if not he would stick with it until we comprehended every subtle nuance of his stories. Admirable, for sure. But it was giving me a headace at 6AM.
Meanwhile, the ride to Halong Bay was longer than anticipated...almost 4 hours. Luckily we had our Kindle's with us so we could read during the drive.
Once there, the boat was, in fact, just what 'Manager' said it would be and just the two of us on it. It was a beautiful day out on the water, clearing to sunny but with a nice breeze. Walks through two caves and just motoring around the bay looking at island after island after island of the 1986 that exist in the bay.
Lunch on the boat was quite a spread....chicken wings, fresh shrimp, whole fish, squid, salads, veggies, rice, etc etc etc.
And then about 3 hours back. (Funny thing. Anybody who's ever taken a horse out for a ride knows that they move a lot faster once you turn back towards the barn. Well, same is true of Halong Bay boats and Hanoi drivers.)
Gotta go search for dinner now.
Tomorrow Goodbye Vietnam! Hello Laos!
Compared to yesterday's crazy, frenetic pace this was a real sleeper...except for the not sleeping part.
We were picked up this morning by our driver and our guide....Hoang (or "Tim", his easier tourist name though Hoang seems perfectly do-able to us) from Hai Phong. He was so intent on us understanding his English and would constantly ask if we understood and if not he would stick with it until we comprehended every subtle nuance of his stories. Admirable, for sure. But it was giving me a headace at 6AM.
Meanwhile, the ride to Halong Bay was longer than anticipated...almost 4 hours. Luckily we had our Kindle's with us so we could read during the drive.
Once there, the boat was, in fact, just what 'Manager' said it would be and just the two of us on it. It was a beautiful day out on the water, clearing to sunny but with a nice breeze. Walks through two caves and just motoring around the bay looking at island after island after island of the 1986 that exist in the bay.
Lunch on the boat was quite a spread....chicken wings, fresh shrimp, whole fish, squid, salads, veggies, rice, etc etc etc.
And then about 3 hours back. (Funny thing. Anybody who's ever taken a horse out for a ride knows that they move a lot faster once you turn back towards the barn. Well, same is true of Halong Bay boats and Hanoi drivers.)
Gotta go search for dinner now.
Tomorrow Goodbye Vietnam! Hello Laos!
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