The line of monks coming down the street for early morning alms (food given by locals). Each temple takes a different route around town, making sure that there is a steady flow and pace. The procession takes place in the early morning before there is much light and we had been asked not to use flash or to get close to the monks to disturb them. Unfortunately, they moved too quickly for our shutters! Read more about laid back Luang Prabang.
One of the Australian girls on our trek shows the kids the picture she's just taken of them. Given their reaction, it may have been their first photo. We found that showing people the images we'd taken of them served as an alternative connection when there was no common language. Most people really seemed to appreciate it. Read more about the three levels of hill tribes we encountered on this trek.
Our first night in Vientiane takes us to one of the many restaurants set up along the Mekong River. They all serve the same type of food at similar prices, so we opted for the place with the freshest looking seafood. After a brief negotiation, we ended up with fIve of the meatiest giant grilled prawns we've had in our lives for $4. Paired with a lemongrass-stuffed whole fish, this made for a simple, yet transcendental culinary experience. Read about our first impressions of Vientiane, Laos.
