Luang Prabang, Laos

I arrived yesterday from Chiang Mai, Thailand to Laung Prabang, Laos.  After a short ride to my hotel, I was off exploring.  Keep in mind I did not know a person.

This is a very old town which has be kept in the French Colonial style.  Every build is no more than 2 stories high.  As I was walking down the night market street, I could hear some blue grass fiddle playing.  As I stopped to listen, there were 3 Chinese young ladies listening too.  One of them went up to this man and wanted the violin.  He obliged and handed it over.

She started to play the most incredible classical music with not music.  The crowd grew and before long the side walk and street were everyone taken in by her playing.

Oh, I digress,  I was on my walk to find the soy with the food market.

Off again, then I saw Indigo Blue Hotel, this was the land mark to this food market.....

and WOW, how great, you paid one price and filled your bowl and sat a table with total strangers, but not for long.

I met a couple from Sweden, a couple from England and few others on their own too

I was alone for long and the conversation went on until the owners ask us to leave so others could sit down and eat.

The topic of discussion was feeding the monks in the morning.....it is the ritual, but for a later blog.

So today, I was discovering the town in the daily light and saw the violin player, the man not the Chinese lady.  He was playing his violin and asked me to join him tonight where is playing with other local musicians.

As more discovering, I met the lady in the picture.   She was 75 and traveling alone....she was sitting there by the river contemplating crossing the  bamboo"bridge".  As these 2 monks spoke to us.  One was 17 and the other 16.  They had just finished their exams and wanted to practice their English.  It was such a challenge for them to understand "southerneeze"

Traveling alone is so wonderful, people just stop and talk.....well, of course, I always say, "Where are you from???"