Accommodations: Sabaidee @ Lao Hotel

This morning we were able to sleep in because we didn’t have to leave the hotel to get to the train station for the train to Vientiane, until 10:15.

The station was very clean and the boarding was very quick and easy. We were given box lunches before we left the hotel, so we enjoyed them during the two hour train ride. The scenery was beautiful as we were in-between the mountains and again, it was a sunny and warm day.

We checked into our hotel and Allan went on the orientation walk, but I sat that one out and instead got some laundry together to give to the front desk to be laundered and picked up tomorrow afternoon.

We then had a wonderful evening with another couple as we went to visit a Laotian family for dinner. The son picked us up and drove us to his home. His name is Chai (spelling?) and he is 18 years old. He goes to university and speaks English very well. He was a delightful young man and a wonderful host.

We meet his mom and his cousin as well as a young girl who works for the mom, helping with cooking, etc.

Their home is magnificent! Beautiful teak furniture throughout with massive tables and chairs. We had sticky rice and banana wrapped in a banana leaf for an appetizer which was delicious. Then we all walked to the back of the house where the kitchen was, and we helped cook part of the meal.

Chai’s mom was a hoot… Full of fun and laughter and she had everyone dancing while we chopped, and stirred, and pounded the ingredients as they were added to the bowl. It was ground duck with cilantro, fish sauce, scallions, and tomatoes, and a few other ingredients.

We then went to yet another room for dinner. We enjoyed a delicious soup, a dish of noodles and vegetables, cucumbers and a type of bean that you bite and eat with the duck, BBQ’d pork on a stick, sticky rice, and a spicy dish with papayas. Chai showed us how to take the sticky rice in our fingers and push the duck or the noodles into it to eat it all together.

We had a wonderful time chatting with the family. And Chai did most of the translating. Then, his mom said that everyone should get up to dance. We learned a dance similar to the electric slide and we also learned a Laos traditional dance..Lamvong. we had a lot of laughs and a lot of fun!

We had a tapioca dessert with flavors and ingredients in it that we had never tasted before. It was very tasty and very different.

We bid our hosts a fond goodbye and Chai drove us back to the hotel. It was a wonderful evening and one we will remember for years to come.

Appetizer of sticky rice, coconut milk, and banana

Chai’s home

The home outside

Allan stirring the dish for our dinner

The feast!

So many delicious dishes were served

We were dancing the night away.

Dessert

The mom brought this out and took bracelets off of it which she tied on each of our wrists while wishing us good luck, safe travels, health, and to come back and visit again someday.

Having the bead bracelet put on my wrist

Allan having his bracelet put on

Saying goodbye at the end of a wonderful evening