(Day 15)
We got off to a late start. We didn't get out the door until about 10:00 pm.
Breakfast was delicious. We got some Laos noodle soup from a place where there were no tourists. I loved it! It was very similar to Vietnamese Pho (in fact, it might be the same thing).
We rented 3 scooters for the day. Scooters are much more expensive in Luang Prabang than they have been anywhere else we've been, so we decided to share. Blake rode with Arrio, Sam rode with Dalton, and I rode with an imaginary Emma Watson (kidding, of course).
Our first destination was to the beautiful Kuang Si waterfalls which were roughly 45 minutes away from town. The ride there was peaceful and serene. It felt like we were back in Pai, but with an even more authentic vibe. We passed through small villages and saw little kids playing at schools. We saw people selling vegetables and fruits in little stands and watching us as we passed. The people in Laos seem much more unaccustomed to seeing Westerners than the Thai people. Some of the people laugh and point at us and imitate our strange-sounding language. It is adorable to watch.
The Kuang Si waterfalls are one of the most beautiful geological features I've ever seen. The color of the water is more turquoise than my mind can even conceive of. Arrio and Sam decided to change into their swimsuits and jump into the water as soon as they saw it. They couldn't resist the urge.
Blake, Dalton, and I decided to explore the falls first. We hiked all the way to the top. Most of the pools are available for swimming, but there is one pool of water which is considered sacred to the Laotian people, and therefore, they restrict people from swimming there.
The water was cold, but unbelievably refreshing. We climbed up some trees and jumped off into the water. We swam to the falls and let the flow of the water hit our heads and run down our bodies. I'm telling you know, if you ever get the chance to come here, make sure you visit these waterfalls. You will be amazed.
After spending several hours at the falls, we rode our bikes deeper into some of the villages. We found some villages out in the middle of nowhere. The children behaved as if they had never seen white people before (which may be the case). They gathered in the front of their houses and watched us as we stopped, got off our bikes, and looked around. We got some good pictures of an older lady holding a baby on her hip. Arrio tried to get closer to some of the children, but they scurried away from him, perhaps frightened by his appearance. It was a beautiful experience.
As we drove further down the road (it was a dirt road with a lot of ditches and small streams flowing over it), we waved at all of the people yelling out: "Sabadee!" which means "hello" in Lao. This was a sacred experience for me. One that I will never forget.
The people of Laos are so beautiful, and so poor. Middle-class citizens of this country live off of $100 USD a month. I am humbled that they are so happy and cheerful when they have so little. What a great example of how to live life.
I fell asleep happy and grateful for the lessons I learned today.
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