A 5.30 start this morning to watch some of the 500 monks,mostly novices,collecting alms. This is a daily ritual aálhnd gifts of food are normally made (sticky rice and biscuits). It is then given to the poor and needy by the monks. further along is the morning market where the local farmers bring their produce to market; chickens,frogs,crickets,fruit and veg etc. In addition because it is New Year's Day there masses of other stalls selling just about everything else. Also as every other house seems to be selling something it would appear the city should be a Unesco world shopping city as well as a world heritage city.
At 8 .30 we set off for a 7 hour drive across mountains to Vang Vieng,situated half way to Vientaine the capital of Laos and nestled by a river that is the tourist draw here.tubing,kayaking and caves. We booked our tours in the town and watched the water fights. But we are here to stay in a mountain people village. After a traditional greeting with the village elders. water poured over us,rice thrown over us,special bracelets applied to both wrists and a couple of shots of local hooch we had a tour of the village with the local kids following us and squirting us every now and then.we all enjoyed a beer in the late afternoon sun before a home cooked meal by the ladies of the village. After dinner the children performed local dances for us and tried to teach us too!