a bit of time on my own & back to the night market for more shopping {with Andrew & Charlotte}

Andrew and Charlotte went off kayaking {sorry no photos} the following morning {16th August} and I decided that I'd have a massage instead {far more sensible I thought!}. They headed off soon after breakfast to check out the flow of the Nam Khan River and I headed off to the Spa. Well, that didn't turn out too well as the 'brilliant' staff at Spa thought it would be perfectly acceptable to treat clients whilst building and renovations were going on right next door as in a new building going up on the hotel property adjacent to the Spa! Needles to say, I didn't think it would be too relaxing with all the banging and bashing and loud voices going on whilst having a massage so I cancelled! A rather grumpy me decided that I should jump on one of the hotels bicycles and explore more of Luang Prabang, so I did!

photos from my bike ride around Luang Prabang……

waiting for a ferry

most of the houses and shops look like this in the centre of Luang Prabang

old, paint-peeling shutters

have no idea what these flowers are called

part of a temple

newly restored temple

humble abode of a monk

entrance to a temple

I love this photo

detail on a wall

detail on a wall

the outside of a temple

I know I said that there aren't any birds in Laos…there are some of course but not flying free like one would expect to see in such a green country! here birds hang in cages….they can't even see each other as the owner had placed card between each cage….such a sad life they have!

have fish, will travel and sell! a mobile pet shop!

helmets are optional! and as many as you can fit on your bike - apparently!

a driver taking a nap on his hammock that looks to be permanently fixed to the roof on inside of his tuk-tuk

the only 'fancy' car I saw in Luang Prabang

I saw this lady each day we went out; she hand stitched the goods she was selling; here she is taking a break

'serious, expensive, famous' are the words on this guys 't'shirt; I think he looks like Morgan Freeman!

keeping the sun out of her eyes…..

high-fiving the lovely lady who just gave 'me' a piece of fruit {the fruit offering is in another photo that I chose not to post - this was the cutest pic!}

choosing dinner I'm guessing

watching the world go by

one of the French Colonial style hotels seen in Luang Prabang

a good spot to peel potatoes 

monument within a temple complex

detail on a temple

I met Andrew and Charlotte back at the hotel; we had lunch and then chilled at the pool for the afternoon. We headed back into the centre of Luang Prabang for a wander at dusk, then had dinner and we found ourselves back in the night market for another spot of shopping!

we had ice cream here the following day - delicious!

main street of Luang Prabang

pretty lanterns

roof-tops of the night market with part of  the palace complex

there was so much I could have bought at this market…I still think of all the thing I wanted but so didn't need…I'd go back in a flash!!

busking

so Andrew and Charlotte decided that they'd try one of the these jelly-like lollies…they weren't very nice according to them…pretty much tasteless I think they said; I opted for something far more yummier……coconut custard cupcake thingys!

coconut custard cup cake thingys cooking 

coconut custard cup cake thingys waiting to be purchased

a young boy at his stall selling coconut custard cup cake thingys!

coconut custard cup cake thingys - this was what I had to eat; one 'banana leaf' full of them is what you have to buy {I so wasn't complaining} and oh my word…Y.U.M.!!

and how old do you have to be to be to ride a scooter in Luang Prabang? um 12 at a guess?!!!