My first night here was pretty interesting. although it is a small town there are plenty of bars and people are here to party. Not quite as crazy as Vang Vieng but it was pretty busy last night. I think all the bars have an agreement on days of the week because every night there will be something on. Like yesterday it was free food at one place and tonight there is a free dance at 11 and free drinks for an hour or so. It is nice and you get out and meet people which is good. Last night drank with two German guys. They were about 50 and each had a Thai girl who was my age. They say they come here every 3rd month to get away from Germany and get a new girl. I found it funny that one was a cop and the other worked at a gym and one had a son who was 2 years younger than me. Very interesting to say the least. Today woke up and just sat on the beach all day. Read a bit and swam a bit...mostly just relaxed. I think tomorrow I will do more of the same.
Onto the photos. The first few are from Vientiane and the rest are Thailand.
1. This is the national symbol of Laos...it is on their currency and what everyone associated with it. It is a big temple that is covered in gold leaf.
2. Outside the temple where the video was taken in Vientiane.
3. Since Laos was ruled by the French, they have their own version of the Arc du Triumph
4. Monks chillin'
5. Monk prayin'
6. Inside at the top of the Golden Mount in Bangkok. It was a Buddhist holiday so people kept tying these pieces of cloth around the shrine and then an hour later the people that worked there would take them off and the whole process would start over again.
7. Guy practicing Muay Thai boxing
8. Ronald McDonald greeting people as they come in to McDonald's. This is the typical way people greet in Thailand...no shaking hands but placing them together and bowing a bit. I think there is so order to where your hands go based on status but have not figured that out yet.
9. and 10. Guy in a park playing this game like volleyball except they play with a stray ball and with their feet. I sat there for about an hour just watching. If I could speak Thai I would have asked to play but it was nice to watch.
11. Buddhism is a strange religion because this shrine was right outside a huge shopping center where people will be praying with all the madness of traffic and shopping going on in the background. I do not think I could concentrate my thoughts in a place like that.
12. My banana pancake guy on Koh San Rd. They were so delicious.
13. My first sunset on Koh Chang, simply perfect.
