colduphere

Talk about turning a happy ending into a sad ending. My condolences.

progol

Enjoying your report! I do hope DW is feeling better soon!

<<Sadly, I was not solicited. Not that I would have accepted, but it would have been nice to have been asked. After all, I'm not dead yet.>>

Indignation followed by regret -- I so relate! As an older (not old!) female, I no longer get those whistles and stares on the street. I want to get indignant - but they're not bothering me anymore.

yestravel

Sounds like you're having a very fun time in VN. What's the weather like? Did you play tennis in the heat? Hope DW is able to join in the fun soon.

progol -- "As an older (not old!) female, I no longer get those whistles and stares on the street. I want to get indignant - but they're not bothering me anymore." well stated!

Toucan2

I hope dw is feeling better soon.

The scooters, the tennis, and the massage experiences all sound great!

gruezi

Dear Santamonica,

So nice to be reading your report. Although I'm sorry to hear your wife is not feeling well. A little pepto bismol every day is very good for traveler's diarrhea. I used it in Bangladesh and was the only without without "issues" that trip.

Keep it coming!

kimanhoianhotel

Good luck and have a great time.

santamonica

THanks for all your comments and suggestions. We are in Luang Prabang now. DW is all better but I was sick last night and spent today in bed whilst the rest of the family spent the day missing me at a beautiful waterfall. We went to a restaurant with great food and music by Stephenie grappelli and then the night market and now I'm back in bed. It's very nice to be in bed but why go half way around the world to be in bed? Tomorrow maybe we'll ride some elephants, or shoot them, I'm not sure what the plan is. DW just mentioned caves.

yestravel

Oh no! Sorry you are now not feeling well. Hope that ends soon. We really enjoyed Tamarind Restaurant in LP. Try the granitas that they served. Another good meal was at Tamnak Lao.

Toucan2

Maybe you will ride elephants in a cave? Then you could touch the roof.

gruezi

Hope tomorrow you are both back in the saddle. On elephants.

barbaralandesberg

Hello everybody!
The best time to visit Viet Nam is this season when there are no rain and it is also not too hot as usual. You can start your trip in the North and travel to the South to explore the whole country. In february, there is a very big and important festival in Viet Nam. You can enjoy a wonderful trip as well as special experience in this lovely country.

santamonica

We're staying at the Apsara, next to the Tamarind. We'll go to the Tamarind for Christmas dinner.

Today, after my day half way around the world in bed, I got up early, bought some sticky rice and crackers from a street vendor, and sat on the sidewalk waiting for the monks to file by, which they did shortly, collecting people's alms of sticky rice and crackers and moving along quickly. I ran out of rice and crackers in the middle of the monks so the ones at the end of the line got nothing from me. This may result in bad karma.

Yesterday, the rest of my family had a wonderful time at a waterfall (kuang si falls) where they went swimming. The pictures look incredible, although they said the water was really cold. I hope I can get to a waterfall. A makeup waterfall.

Today we took a two hour boat ride to Pak Ou caves. Upper and lower caves filled with Buddhas. The upper is quite a bit upper but worth the climb.

The boats here are not like boats in the usa. Boats in Asia are long and skinny for some reason. Like that mural of a Japanese boat in the middle monstrous waves. We stopped at a village and bought some scarves and table runners.

I have to do some serious christmas shopping tomorrow for DW and the children which will be difficult because there are no Chicos and Targets here.

Elephants soon.

yestravel

Glad you are feeling better. Too bad you missed the waterfalls. We were there in late Janaury and it wasnt terribly cold. Loved the Apsara. Really liked their omelet at breakfast. I think I had it everyday we were there. No Chicos or Target…I'm shocked! have fun

santamonica

Yes, in your honor this morning I had the omelet. Quite tasty. Tonight, Xmas Eve, we have dinner at the Apsara, tomorrow at the Tamarind.

Today DW got a two hour massage, Ds#2 got sick, and DS#1 and I rented semiautomatic motorbikes and drove to another nearby waterfall (tad sae waterfall).

Driving a semiautomatic motorbike, or scooter, means you're cool but there are way cooler people all around you using a clutch. Still, driving a motorbike in Laos is one of the cooler things I've done.

There were elephants at the waterfall. And zip lines. No elephants on zip lines.

We shopped. Morning market, afternoon market, early evening market. We're ready.

I hope all fodorites, even the ones who aren't reading my trip report, have a merry christmas.

progol

Happy holidays, SM! So glad you're better and enjoying your travels! Hope that DS2 feels better soon and DS#1 stays well!

Like yestravel, we loved the Apsara (and stayed there, thanks to her TR!). Our favorite dinner was at Apsara, followed closely by the one at Tamarind, so glad that you're having both.

I've become obsessed over scarves since traveling to this region, and my favorite scarves were bought in LP. There are some wonderful places to buy them in the shops and in the workshops that are across the river (see yestravel's report or mine for a better idea where these are located) that are worth going to, not just in the night market. I recently went to a flea market here in NYC where someone was selling some stunning silk scarves and discovered he bought them in Luang Prabang. I wish I bought more.....

Enjoy the rest of your trip and happy holidays to you!

Florida1

Sounds like a great trip so far, santamonica! Hope DS2 recovers soon and that no one has any more troubles with illness!

We are in Bangkok now and will be leaving Monday for LP and will be staying at the Apsara too!

Hope you enjoy the rest of your trip - I will be reading along!

gruezi

Merry Christmas to santamonica and family!

Hope you are all feeling better today.

It's terribly gloomy here so be glad you are off on motorbikes seeing waterfalls. And far from Chicos and Targets.

Regards to the Florida1s too!

santamonica

Yesterday was christmas. Thanks for all your good wishes, and those of you visiting here have much to look forward to. I love grammar.

We're all healthy. Our elephant tour yesterday turned out to be the same place ds1 and I motorbiked to the day before. The elephants had nice brown eyes and wrinkly skin. Just like us.

Dinner at the Tamarind was very nice although ds2 almost passed out from eating a chili pepper. You've got to watch what you eat while you're eating it. The barbecued Buffalo was excellent.

This morning DW and I saw the monks file past for alms, had our last omelet, and left early
for the airport.

I bought a small journal at the airport for writing mindful meditation lecture notes. At my age I don't need a big journal.

We're in hanoi now at the serene hotel which is on a street too small for cars. We didn't think we'd go to Hanoi but a flight was canceled, so we are here for half a day. I know you itinerary-ites are upset with our poor planning, as you should be.

Soon we will have some pho, see a lake, and a museum or two. Then on to hoi an and the rest of our lives.

colduphere

This could easily win a "What I Did on my Christmas Vacation" contest.

santamonica

Oddly, the Temple of Literature has very few books. But it's a cool place with pagoda like buildings and pools and plenty of Buddhas.

We got lost coming back. Everything looks the same. But it's all very exciting. Pedicabs cost more than taxis.

Now I gotta give the phone to ds1 so he can post his picture to facebook, where he also hopes to win the Christmas vacation report contest.