Nam Sok Guest House, Luang Prabang

In 30 minutes leaving for Phonsavan, a small town in the hills close to the Plain of Jars historical sites. The last 4 nights we spent in Luang Prabang (Louang Phabang), a very touristy UNESCO World Heritage site,

• visiting temples;
• swimming in the Kuang Si waterfalls (1h tuktuk drive from the town);
• climbing the sacred Phou Si hill in the center of the town;
• buying souvenirs, fruit shakes and French baguettes at the night market;
• speaking English with local schoolboys (a Big Brother Mouse initiative);
• visiting the Royal Palace (now National Museum), with the most famous Lao Buddha statue in a side chapel and in the courtyard a Soviet-made statue of the last king of Laos handing over the country to the communists (in 1975);
• observing the local alms ritual at 5-6am (involving long lines of teenage monks, old ladies and men giving each of them small portions of sticky rice, another set of old ladies selling such portions to tourists so that they can make the offering, and a bunch of tourists photographing everything).

In general, after 9 days in Laos, it seems quite similar to Thailand: same style temples, same religion (Buddhism and animism), people watching Thai TV (where Thai anthem is played every evening at 6), same food, shops sell Thai snacks (which are two times more expensive than in a Thai 7-eleven), one can pay in Thai Baht, etc. Looking forward to Vietnam which is likely to be different.