Market and TAEC

Somehow this morning we slept through the 4 am drums. Perhaps it was because twice during the night we were awakened by tuk tuks pulling up out front with loads of people, probably just after a long bus ride or boat ride from somewhere, arguing with the driver that he hadn't taken them to the right hotel. Apparently it's a common scam for tuk tuk drivers to take tourists to the wrong place, claim they had misunderstood the destination and then demand more money to take them to the right place. We could hear one guy shouting "Utopia, Utopia, we told you Utopia", at the driver and "Don't pay him any more money" to the other tourists. We're not sure what was going on but you either yell or pay more, it seems, to get where you want to go.

 We did manage to wake up about 6:15 and went out on our balcony to see some of the monks walking by receiving food donations.

 It starts out okay but quickly turns into a bit of a zoo. As mentioned earlier, some tourists just get up too close and have no respect. This solemn ritual has been going on for hundreds of years with no tourists around at all. Now, in the last 15 or 20 years it's gradually turned into this. People should be forced to take lessons on proper deportment before getting a passport. They're only demeaning other people's impression of their own country's civility.

 After breakfast we wandered through a local market. Anita passed by a meat counter without buying. Hmm.

There were lots of really nice vegetables for sale as well. At the end of the market were a few ladies selling scarves and traditional Lao wrap-around skirts (sarongs). Anita bought a scarf.

 After the market, we walked up to TAEC, a centre that has great displays of the different ethnic clothing and jewelry from all over Laos. Laos is very tribal, with many different ethnic groups who have their own traditions, clothing and way of life. TAEC has organized marketing of their clothing made with different weaving techniques to help give remote villages sources of income now that selling opium poppies is outlawed.

 Another display at TAEC.

 We stopped for a mango/banana fruit shake at one of the little diners across from our hotel. From our table we could see our room with balcony and the other restaurant where we eat breakfast. The soup smelled so good we each had a bowl of that too. Total cost 34,000 kip or $4.25 for lunch for both of us.

After lunch, we went along the Mekong bargaining with boat trip guys for a one hour cruise tomorrow morning. Of course, they all wanted us to go today but we're waiting for the cool morning. It seems that the fair price is 100,000 kip for the two of us for a one hour cruise ($12.50). We'll do it in the morning.