Finishing Up in Luang Prabang

For the next day and a half we did as many things as young boys could tolerate. Of course nothing could hold a candle to riding elephants, but we persevered. Some of us climbed Phousi Hill and visited another temple. Great view of the town.

Some of us crossed the river over yet another bamboo bridge ( no easy feat)

and went into a community with a mix of poor homes but also craft shops. We watching ladies weaving beautiful scarves and others making paper from the dung of elephants. Apparently elephants in huge amounts of food every day but their bodies don't digest a lot of the fiber. I don't really know how the dung is harvested or used int the paper process, but I did see the result and pit was very pretty. (And of course, we bought some). 

We took a sunset cruise on the Mekong. We saw homes, temples, lots of small farming areas and water buffalo. 

We went to the Night Market for the second night in a row. For this activity, we did not take the kids because it gets pretty crowded in those aisles. You could find lots of clothing, baskets, textiles, jewelry, herbs, oils, and more. 

Jenñy and I spent most of our time pouring over the Hmong vintage textile pieces that are being salvaged from the elaborate clothing the Hmong women have created for yeas. Several stalls had purses, wallets, aprons, etc made from these pieces, but we bought salvaged pieces that we will do something with ourselves (not sure what yet, but we will be creative!).

On the morning of our departure, we arose early and walked down the road to the main temple area and watched the monks take their morning walk from one temple to the other in their saffron colored robes and receive the offerings from the local citizens. It was just as the sun began to rise that they finally appeared. I lost count at 70' so it was quite a lengthy event. 

Finally, we were back on the road, yeah that bumpy, pot hole filled road. Over and through the mountains - back to Vientiane.