Lovin' it in Laos!

Quick update, today, which is V-Day here in the Lao Peoples' Democratic Republic (which is neither the Peoples', Democratic, nor a Republic, since the gov't. here is strictly communist). We came to Lao PDR on a twin-engine prop. plane from Chiang Mai, Thailand on Feb. 9th, landing in the UNESCO world heritage city of Louang Phabang. It's MUCH more mellow here than in Thailand, and the cost of living is half what it is in Laos' neighbor to the west. We're staying in a super nice guesthouse with hard-wood floors and a hot shower for only a few bucks a night, and we usually have dinner at one of the many vegetarian buffet dinners set up in carts on the street for $0.50 each! Today we came back from a two-day trek into the hills around LP, where we visited several rural villages of the Hmong and Khamu people, two Lao minorities. We slept at the Chief's house at Ban Pha Thueang (a Khamu village), though we didn't really get to talk to him. Our guide, Vhang Tong (from the northern Lao city of Udomaxi), cooked us an excellent Lao dinner at the chief's house, too! It was the best food we've had in some time! After dinner, we sang songs, played games, and entertained with our pictures the many kids (from age 2-13) who came to observe the foreigners at the Chief's house. It was a great experience, but one tempered by the massive deforested areas we walked through to get to their homes.

Khamu village where we stopped for lunch.

Khamu kids watching J draw.

Beerlao and Justine... a match made in heaven!

Khamu kids outside the Chief's house. They played games with us, sang songs for us, and drew pictures with us in the dirt. Adorable? Absolutely!