I get up really early (5ish) to go walking, so that part of the day doesn't really count.
When Kim got up, we headed for the bus station, stopping on the way for deep fried, battered bananas and sweet potatoes ( super delicious but we only eat them, two mornings in a row, for health reasons), $0.50. The bus takes one 30 km to the Laos/Thai Friendship Bridge, $1.50, and the outrageously expensive jumbo ($7.50, a big tuk-tuk) the last few kilometres to Buddha Park. This 1/2 acre is jam packed with statues, large and small, but all unusual. The park was build by a "venerable grandfather" who merged the philosophy and iconography of Hinduism and Buddhism and built this concrete (in both senses) representation. It took about an hour to take in this unusual display and cost $1.20.
Jumbo and city bus back to town (and another order of deep fried goodness) and the morning was gone.
We found a great little street vender who served us Thai noodle soup, fried noodles with chicken and a big beer for under $4.00. On one of my mornings wanders I had come across a municipal swimming pool. While the loungers were a bit dated and the area around the pool held a fair bit of litter, the pool was exceptional - clean with just right amount of chlorine. At $2.40 it was the perfect way to waste away a steamy afternoon. Throw in $1.25 for Coke with ice to water our vodka in and it's a bargain.
We dined again at Khop Chai Deu, this time opting for a meal that would suit our plans for later in the evening - beer (really good) and pizza (exceptional smoked chicken) for under $10. And what were those plans? I know, too obvious. Two games at the Lao Bowling Club! Kim waxed me in the first game but I came back to best her in the next. Along with the beers we enjoyed, this sporty interlude came in under $10.
Toss in the $12 a night we are spending on our rooms and this remarkably fun day cost us less than fifty bucks. For the both of us. Pictures of us having too much fun follow.
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