July 7

The palace museum was closed once more.
(Here come those cynical New Yorkers again.
Bolt the gates.)
The street food rocked once more.
Today’s food highlight:
Assorted packets of… stuff
Wrapped in assorted savory leaves,
For a few cents apiece.
Or rather a few thousand kip.
For example
A few noodles, a pearl-sized fruit, some type of veggie paste, spices, some crunchy veggie
Wrapped in some sort of edible leaf.
Little dumpling-like creations
Each one different
Made as we ate
By a woman with bare hands who
Popped things in her mouth with those bare hands
As she worked.
Guidebook says don’t
Taste buds say do.
Tromped around town on this last day in Laos.
Full moon tonight
(not that you can see it, as it’s raining again)
But it means that it’s a holiday here
Full moon, no work
Even for the little monks.
Made it to the temple at the top of the hill at the center of town
Great view of greater Luang Prabang, mountains, vats (what??), Mekong
And across the river by canoe
Ferried by a man who
Wasn’t Sheila O’Shea’s guide
And who waited
While we explored the town across the way.
Back on the strip, I
Downed so many pineapple shakes I lost count.
Finally getting my ear around the Lao language
And putting together new phrases from what I already know
But must change gears so I can find my way to the bathroom
When we arrive in Vietnam tomorrow.
Can say only ‘hello’ right now.
Need to study up.
Back to the room to finish red wine
Which we can’t take on the plane.
Chúc súc khoė
Yea! Now I know two things in Vietnamese!