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We decided to explore the "city" today. After a "sleep-in" (till 9 o'clock!!! woweee) we walked back to the night market area, which was all packed away, revealing the steep stone step[s up to Mount Phousi (and yes, it is pronounced the way you think it might be). Initially the steps were congested with children selling bracelets and old women selling ornage flowers, incense, and little wooden cages with twitering birds inside. Although it didn't look hot, or even feel particularly hot, we sweated constanbtly in Luang Prabang, and the top of MOunt Phousi was no exception! Drenched, we admired the views of this wonderful little city. It's more of an overgrown town, to be honest, with simple buildings, and scattered with "wats" (temples). The Mekong River curves its muddy way through like a snake, and mountains replace the skysscrapers. We chatted for a while with a monk from the temple at the top of the mountain, and escaped the throng of tourists at the viewpoint by exploring the nearby shrines and many buddha statues. We saw three little children release the9ir caged birds with cries of delight, and the ginormous imprint of Buddha's foot. Down below we could make out monks in a wat, playing some sort of ball game in their instantly recognisable orange robes. Bald monks, old and young, wander everywhere in Luang Prabang. We passed an internet cafe packed with orange, and it is the norm to pass a monk on the street.
We hid inside our air conditioned room during the hottest part of the day, then ventured back outside to watch the sun set over the Mekong in an empty riverside restaurant. It started pouring down with rain, so what were we supposed to do but go to thenearby massage place (now drenched to the skin with rain, not sweat)??? The Dhamkmada Massage Place was incredibly tranquil, all relaxing music and trickling water. We dried off and changed into some super comfy fishermen pants and mmmmed and ahhhhed as two lao guys dug their elbows into our backs. They served up some yummy tea to warm our insides before we left (luckily it had stopped raining) and as we drank we read the handy hints and guidelines to receiving a massage - the last note reminded those who experienced "sexual desires" that sexual harassment uis not only a cardinal sin, but also illegal. Basically - this is not that kind of place!!!
Back to the night market, I had some spruing rolls and a fruit shake for dinner and got sucked into bargaining with an 8-year old. I was terrible at it, and ended up paying more than the price Johnny got it down too because she looked at me with big doe eyes and what else was I supposed to do? Never try to haggle with a kid, you just won't make it!!
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