Vang Vieng!!!

Oh boy this has been GOOD!!  So how yesterday played out is exactly why I LOVE traveling.  As our luck would have it, yesterday was the annual boat races here (I found out later that it might be more than just annually but it is still super special and rad).  We started the day with an amazing breakfast at this organic spot.  What really caught my eye was the sign out front reading 'home made goat cheese'...scramble that with a couple of eggs, a baguette on the side and you have one amazing way to start your morning.  Beverages for the meal included a pot of coffee, hibiscus juice, pineapple juice and a mulberry shake.  BOMB!!

After breakfast we walked over to the temple.  It was beautiful and full of people.  We had heard that there was a ceremony in the morning at the temple followed by the boat races so that was our game plan.  After checking out the temple and ceremony we walked back to where the boat races were at.  When we showed up it wasn't very busy but you could tell it was just getting started.  In no time the entire spot was packed with people (all locals).  The most amazing smells were wafting through the air and the music was great.  In no time Colby and I had a table full of friends and we were all drinking beer and watching the boats.  Everyone was so nice to us.  At one point I turned to Colby and asked where all the backpackers were.  I mean, here we are in Vieng Vang which is a total backpacker hotspot at the main event and no one else was there.  We eventually realized that all the backpackers were down at Bucket Bar getting hammered because later they showed up to where we were...So back to us....we made tons of friends and ate some amazing food.  Dried squid, cooked whole fish, carmel corn, vegetables and lots of beerlao...LOTS.  Our new friends proceeded to introduce us around and then find us dance partners for the traditional dance.  That was fun.  There was live music which was cool too!  By live I mean a dude playing beats on his keyboard and different people singing.  It could have been karioke.  After hours at this party our new friends offered to take us to another spot.  We were down since, by that time, the drunk backpackers had showed up and the scene was starting to unravel.  We loaded on their scooters and they took us just out of town to a club.  This was crazy because it was about 2 in the afternoon but when we walked into the club, it was pitch black.  We drank, danced and had a ton of fun with our new friends then decided to head back to town.  Earlier that day we had seen a sign for the local sauna and decided to check that out.  2 bucks each and well worth it.  So nice and relaxing.  After the sauna and a shower we went out for dinner.  At this point Colby hit the wall.  At dinner he was sleeping which was kind of annoying but whatever.  I had the thought to just leave him there sleeping but he woke up as I paid the bill.  I proceeded to tell him that I was about to leave his sleeping ass there and that pissed him off so he got up and left me.  Probably for the best as he was done for the night and I wasn't.  So I went back to the pool table bar (Jaidees pronounced JD's) we had been at the night before (I was undefeated btw!!) and continued my streak!  I also decided to try the opium tea....whoa...probably not necessary after a full day of drinking lots and lots of beer but it was cool.  I chilled at the bar for a bit chatting with my friends there and then decided to go back out to that 'night club' we were at earlier in the day.  More dancing, more drinking and more meeting new friends.  I met people that were having a birthday party and in no time we were sharing beer and cake.  Delish.  Then I made the LONG walk home...drunk, stoned off opium and completely blissed out of my mind.  A little rain on the walk home never hurt anyone.

I woke up today moving slowly...to say the least.  I'm not sure what time I came home last night as there are no clocks in our room.  Oh, that reminds me.....I lost my phone already...fuck it.  I think I left it on the bed when we were packing at Vientiane.  If you don't know me then you are probably thinking 'bummer dude, bad luck'...but if you know me then you aren't surprised.  I have a knack for losing shit and the phone was the first thing to go.  No big deal.  I wanted it to use skype and also for the music but will survive without it.  So today we rented a scooter and decided to check out a lagoon and cave about 7k outside of town.  I like to pick destinations as far as possible because it is always about the journey.  So the journey was epic.  I drove us and did it poorly which resulted in a flat tire so we had to turn around and get that sorted out.  No worries.  5 bucks for the scooter, 2 bucks for a new tire and 2 bucks on gas.  The lagoon wasn't all that and the cave was pretty dope.  The scenery out here is AMAZING.  The illustrated version of this tale is going to be epic.  This evening we decided to get our first Lao Massage.  I know what your thinking...happy ending?  Here are my thoughts about that.  I get massages a lot back in the states and it is never a sexual thing.  If I want a happy ending then I will go to the brothel for it.  The massage was killer.  This guy was all over the place, standing on me, bending me and twisting me.  I was poppin and crackin.  Now a mellow night before we push off to Luang Prabang tomorrow morning.  No more beer for me at the moment but I am sure that will change.