He's very professional. I'm sure you'll be happy.

In LP, the residence Phou is out of town. It is the highest rated hotel however.

I now realize that I should have probably opted to stay where you stayed in LP, Panda. At the time I booked, for some reason I had the idea that they were the only ones with a pool large enough for swimming laps. (So much for my research skills on this trip..)

Now I see that your hotel also has a pool. AND that the weather may be too cool. Was anyone swimming when you were there? Is the pool there indeed large enough for lap swimmming??

At this late date, I will have to stick with the Phou Vou..I am sure it will also be wonderful.

I imagine it is easy to get rides from the hotel into the main part of town..is this true? Do they have motorbike taxis? How long of a walk would the hotel be from center of town??

You won't want to walk to town from the Pansea (Phou Vou) - way too far. However there are tuk-tuk drivers in the parking area that will take you into town - don't know if they are there in the am for the monks but you could certainly set something up with one in advance. Shouldn't cost more than a buck or two. I believe there is also a hotel shuttle that goes into town every half hour or so during the day.

No one swam in the pool. It was too cool. Check weatherbase.com for average temperature.

A tuk tuk can take you back and forth as can the hotel shuttle. If you go to the monk procession, buy the sticky rice from the early street vendors.

the tuk tuks vary in size and they are different from bkk...they are more a motor bike with a truck bed on the back....pick one with a big motor for more power going up hills like the small one to the drive at the pansea...

you will be very happy there...oce you get a driver you like tell him what you want to do when and he will be there for you...they charge per person rather than per trip btw....we paid $1 each into town...

the hotel also has a scheduled van ride into town, free....i think they probably go in for the monk walk...or arrange with a driver the day before...

excellent rest. at pansea...breakfast is especially nice overlooking pool...

The spelling police have read this report and it has been found wanting. My penalty is brutal, dinner tonight with Bob. Unfair sentencing. My pleas for mercy were for naught.

Thanks to you both. I am glad I don't have to ride on the back of the bike like I did in Siem Reap because that can be a little scary for me! Too bad about not being able to use that pool, though. It looks lovely in the pics.

its not only the spelling....its the content...

off to take my shower and put on my armor on the way for dinner with the panda...

post dinner....we always split the check....we compare the tip....he tipped the waiter $8.90 and told him that i was cheap.....i tipped him $9.00....that must be the 10B that is his usual tip while in thailand...

he did treat to wonderful ice cream in newton center however....they actually spent 3 hours in the burbs and did not turn into pumkins...we looked for rizzuto but he was no where to be seen...

wonderful evening i have to admit...

Dinner was very pleasant. I suspect they finally got Bob's medications adjusted properly.

As an aside, I was again in my self-sacrificing mode. In addition to the inherent charity exhibited by my willingness to be seen in public with his Bobness, I was also willing to forego the Patriots-Steelers game.

Having moved to Billerica, I am no longer allowed to set foot in Newton.

For those that don't know, Massachusetts has a prison in Billerica and Don may be a guest. He may also be the only person that has ever moved FROM Newton TO Billerica. It is usually the other way around.