Hangin around Luang Prabang...

Luang Prabang is for... Strolling through its humid streets, eyeing (and maaaaaybe buying) gorgeous local textiles, Hmong jewelry and antiques, daily $6 Laos massages, consuming as many crusty baguettes, croissants (yes amazing french bakeries here!!) and lattes as possible, swimming in a multi-tiered turquoise waterfall, learning to make a kitchen knife from a piece of tuk tuk scrap in a small village, and eating a Loas BBQ while sweating along the Mekong...

We also rented scooters with a fellow travel buddy and the three of us drove 140 km through the Laotian countryside to what quickly became one of my favorite places on earth - Nong Khiaw. We passed tiny villages and dodged potholes on the long stretches of curvy roads in between. We observed locals going about their daily tasks: men carting wood, women with babies on their backs foraging the roadside for flowers and herbs, children literally jumping for joy to waive at us on their walks home from school. The ever winding riverbend was gorgeously framed by towering karsts (cliff/mountains) that jutted seemingly out of no where.  On the way there it was midday, hot, and dusty; but a few days later we left early for the 4 hour ride home and scooted through the misty morning fog. Both were equally exciting rides that really gave us a real, genuine feel for the country.

Nong Khiaw felt like what tourist towns are meant to feel like, just before they are kinda spoiled. Still gritty and not overrun with tourists, but polished enough to be comfortable - cheap clean cottage like rooms, an amazing(ly difficult) hike strait up a karst to a breathtaking viewpoint, and a manageable amount of bars/restaurants. The Indian food we had for dinner was one of the best meals of our lives and it even thunderstormed for an hour (first real rain we'd seen in months!). It was a sleepy, romantic, relaxing town... perfect for chillin.