First stop today was a coffee shop frequented by locals. By default the coffee came with condensed milk in it. Was unexpectedly very good along with the bread/cake that was also provided. Then headed off to the Wat Sisaket Temple and Museum with the first visit being the museum. The museum, which was once the palace when Laos was a Kingdom, covered events from prehistoric Laos, including bones of dinosaurs found there, to cover the many invasions that Laos has h...

Today we flew to Vientiane on Lao Airlines. Trip was only about 40 minutes and when we arrived there was no one there to meet us. Eventually Vieng, our local guide, and the driver arrived and we immediately headed for a monument called Patuxai or Victory Gate. It is the Lao version of the Arc de Triomphe and is dedicated to those who fought in the struggle for independence from France. We walked the 190 steps to the top for some photographs. Not easy in 36 degree...

We started the morning at 5am when we all went out to see the Monks, about 300 passed us, walk through the town collecting alms predominantly consisting of sticky rice but there was also other food. It is basically what people can afford on the day. Once they get back to their home wat someone prepares their breakfast. Whatever is left over goes towards lunch; they do not eat in the evening. Back to the hotel for showers and breakfast then off to the morning mar...

Phouvy took us on a walking tour this morning starting at the Wat Xieng Toung. This is the most important wat in the city as it houses the Prabang Buddha. Next to the wat was a statue of the second to last king of Laos and the Presidential Palace that is now the Haw Kham museum. Laos is no longer a Kingdom with the last king being forced to abdicate in 1975 when the Pathet Lao took over. He and his family were sent to re-education camps where they eventually died...

We woke this morning after a relatively noisy night of what sounded like kittens missing their mother only to find that we did not have any warm water. If we were not fully awake before the shower we certainly were after it. Down the hill and back onto the boat for another day on the river. Today was hotter and stickier than yesterday but there was a bit more activity along the river shore. There were the usual bullocks and fishermen but also more industry and s...