Pakxeuang, Laos

From the train station at 6.30 in the morning, we walked with our luggage to our day hotel; to refresh and have breakfast. Fortunately we had very small luggages. because the walk was our morning workout; at least half a mile with our luggages We all took showers changed and had a wonderful breakfast on the top floor overlooking the city of Hanoi. We were sad to leave Hanoi. We loved its people, and there is so much I would have liked to have seen. I can envision going back. Vietnam is a place filled hope and it’s people are hard working, kind with wonderful attitude. We took Vietnam Airlines and our short flight delivered us to Luang Prapang, a Unesco city in Laos, it’s so different from Hanoi, it’s buildings are all low rise, you feel like you’re stepping back in the colonial times. You feel like a certain peace envelops you, as soon as you walk around town. There is very light traffic, the streets are wide and clean, there is tons of ornate Buddhist temples. Our hotel is magnificent. It was once a governor’s mansion in the early 1900’s, the service is impeccable, there is only 23 very large rooms, with gardens and high ceilings circling a huge courtyard, similar to a hacienda style building. The hotel is surrounded by a fortress like wall. It’s called Hotel de la Paix, quite appropriately named! Then we are driven to the gold gilded temple called Wat Chom Si, we walked around looking at the mosaic storied murals on the walls depicting a monks life. There is an area where young monks are planting a garden. The many temples in the city are used to educate young monks from all over Laos. We then walked 331 steps to the top of Phusi Hill with a 360 view of the Mekong river bordered by thick mountainous jungle and on the other side the town of Luang Prabang. Lastly, we had a delicious meal at 3 Nagas , a restaurant run by French women, the cuisine was a Vietnamese French fusion There are quite a few French expats living here. We’re still jet lagged and go to bed way to early!