I woke up earlier than usual today, before 10 am. I guess going to bed earlier and not working out helps.
My coffee shop search this morning led me to a place with an excellent upstairs for working. It was just me and two others. The interior was great, but damn the iced Americano was expensive. At $3.56, this price is close to the price back in the States.
After finishing my morning work, I headed down the night market street in search for lunch. I found a place serving traditional Lao dishes. After ordering the Khao Soi, Lao sausage, and omelet, I was a bit apprenhensive as I witnessed a teenage girl that looked no older than 14 start cooking my food. A younger boy, probably her brother, helped take orders. I enjoyed the Khao Soi with its nutty and tomato flavor. The soup could have been warmer though. The omelet was more like fried, scrambled eggs. It was a bit too oily. I really enjoyed the Lao sausage. It had fatty pieces of pork together with plenty of herbs and spices I couldn't decipher. This sausage is one of my favorites so far.
In the afternoon, I visited Wat Xieng Thong, the main temple attraction here in Luang Prabang. The first temple in the complex was lacquered in gold. Inside, there was what looked like a giant gold litter used to carry a king. Surrounding it were the obligatory Buddha statues in all shapes and sizes. The second main temple housed a giant gold Buddha, similar to the ones I saw in the Buddhist temples of Cambodia and Thailand. Disturbing drawings of torture decorated the side walls. I guess this is the type of suffering the Buddha helped eradicate.
Following this temple visit, I hiked up Mount Phousi to try and catch the sunset. Unfortunately, tourists packed the small area at the top. Not liking crowded spaces, I made my way back down after snapping a few photos of the surrounding city.
For dinner, I had a fantastic meal of papaya salad, coconut milk steamed river fish, and rosella tea. The rosella tea reminded me of unsweetened cranberry juice. The fish was tender and juicy. The fish also came with roasted tomatoes. I loved the sour, sweet, and savory flavors from dipping the tomatoes in the coconut milk.
I retired to the hotel where I did a quick Solo Leveling workout minus the 10 km run. I also booked a motorbike for tomorrow, so I can go check out the popular waterfall here. This will be my first time riding a motorbike since landing in Southeast Asia. I hope all goes well.