Dear long awaited subscribers!

I have been slightly lazy on the blogging. I am actually in Saigon, central Ho Chi Minh City in South Vietnam. I have blogs coming covering my journey from Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng and Pakse in Laos, Siem Reap, Angkor Temples and Phrom Penn in Cambodia to HCMC in Vietnam!

From Pak Beng we floated down the Mekong to Luang Prabang, the formal Royal capital of Laos. A cascade of impressive mountains surround the small city of 66'000 and has 32 working temples/monastries and picturesque french colonial buildings and streets. At night the main street becomes a night market of crafts and a food market at sunrise. The Lao people are so calm and relaxed, even in the markets the Lao only smile and say hello - which I really appreciate later once arriving in horrible hassling Cambodia.

Highlights of this beautiful sedated city would be rising at 5am to give alms to the monks, which was sticky rice and bananas. climbing the steep vegetated hill in the centre of the city and view the city and mountains from the old temple sat on its summit. Photography exhibition of Monks. Bustle of night and food Markets. The best thing of all being able to experience a less touristy settlement with some peace and quiet, the locals are sound asleep by 10pm! bars and restaurants close at 11.30. Just how I like it!

I had strangley fallen in love with this unspoilt settlement, it felt comfortable, safe, friendly and very very relaxing, you could live forever with this pace of life! This Lao town has been my favourite place so far. On one early morning I was walking around the penisular of the city where the Mekong and Nam Song river meet and noticed a grassy abandoned plot with a view over the rivers and mountains, at that moment I promised myself I will one day buy this potential prominent site to build my retirement/holiday pad! For the rest of the day I couldn't remove this notion from my mind with possibvle architectual ideas for it!

Anyway, must stop dreaming! Tune in soon for adventures on the Nam song in Vang Vieng, Laos. J