Luang Prabang - The Shangri-Lao of the Orient

(Grumble grumble... this post was supposed to come before the Elephants, which are in Laos... sekretarial hic-cups apparently. Oh, and the laptop power cord is getting beary sketchy so there are some grumbly faces all the way around. Keep your paws crossed everything holds up for a while!)

Hullo bears and not-a-bears!! I am slowly getting caught up on my blog postings. We are only a few days behind now. I had a chat with my sekretary and she's doing a bit better!

We had a long night train from Dong Hoi to Hanoi and then a flight to Luang Prabang in Lao! It is known as the Shangri-Lao of the Far East.

Oooohhh... they use a different script, kind of like Cambodia and Thailand. I think this sign says - "Most handsome bear in the world standing here!" Heh-heh...

This sign is fairly easy to figure out!!

And even this sign can be deciphered if you know a bit of French... I think it says Box of Letters...

Oh look, they have tuk-tuks like in Thailand!!! Tuk-tuks are fun to ride in...

I'd like to learn how to drive one too but... I think I am still too young!

I thought at first this was a fishing basket - silly me... I've been on the coast of Vietnam far too much. It's actually a garbage basket - kind of cool...

There are 33 pagodas/temples in Luang Prabang... which is a lot!! You can buy these marigold arrangements (with banana leaves) to bring to the temples.

Hey - they play checkers here!!!

And they use bottle caps as checker pieces - that's very creative.

Whoa!! Beeline??? Are there bees here??? There must be!! I'll have to got on a hut for them... cause where there's bees, there's honey!

Oh my goodness... look at the size of these candles!! That would take an awful lot of beeswax!

It's official... this is not just Shangri-Lao... it is Utopia!! For a little bear who loves honey... now I just have to find it...

Utopia has a beautiful deck overlooking the river... and it is super hot today.

Maybe I should just chill out for a little bit. Hunting honey is hot and hard work you know... Can you see the top of my hat??

There I am!!

Waiter... I would like a ice tall cold glass of fresh lemonade please... with honey!

Oh... that is sooooo good!!! Now I am a bit refreshed and can go on a honey exploration.

Oh wait... what is that?? (Little bears are notoriously easy to distract!)

It's a USSR motorcycle... cool... with a side car. Vroom!!! I think I am too young to drive motorcycles too... but I can pretend! Now, where was I? Oh yes... honey!

This looks like a likely stash... but no... c'est empty!

How about this one?? I see something yellow in there!

Phooie!!! It's just yellow flowers floating on water...

I'll go and ask Big Brother Mouse.

He runs a literacy program here and English-speaking tourists can come and talk with Laos students and help them improve their English. Alas there are no little Laotian bears wanting to learn English! And Big Brother Mouse says he hasn't seen any honey pots lying around town. Ah well... I wonder if he and Beanie Mouse are related?

Oh my goodness... look!!! They have elephant adventures near here!!! Oooohhhh... maybe I can finally ride an elephant... a real elephant mind you!