I really do. This town is super-cute, super-chill and super-cheap.

I started the day with a haircut and much-needed beard trim. The shop I was aiming for was closed, but a short stroll down the street brought me to a guy who had less of a barber’s shop, more a barber’s shack.

And he was excellent. I think the only English he spoke was “fifty” and since I don’t speak any Lao other than sabaidi and khobchai, hand signs indicated the requirements and the results were great. Fifty kip is 2.20€.

Next I went on a hunt for a motorbike tour but that was a bust. But no worry because I got to see the world-famous* park dedicated to President Souphanouvong, Laos’ first president. He’s got a nice bronze statue looking out at the mountains.

From there I walked about 2km in the steadily increasing heat to an artisan silk weaving place on the banks of the Mekong River. I wasn’t expecting much but it was actually really nice, seeing how they are reviving the silk weaving techniques and setting up women in surrounding villages to be able to sell their cloth. Plus there were cute kittens and really good food (yes, the most expensive but wow…)

I used their free e-Tuktuk to get back into town, took some nice pictures of the river in the sunlight, had a couple of beers.

And then just as I was approaching my hotel I saw a bunch of people in bright red clothing, standing in front of a new building, red roses everywhere, and a red ribbon waiting to be cut.

Being nosey (and tbh a bit tipsy) I stood about and looked on as they arranged and rearranged themselves ready for the photographer, sneaking a couple of photos in.

And then a guy comes over to me and says “we are celebrating the opening of our new hotel, we would like you to be in the photographs.” Me, some rando off the street, who didn’t even realise this was a hotel.

So yeah. If you ever stay in the Vang Luang Hotel in LP, and if they have photos on the wall of the auspicious day when they celebrated their official opening, then maybe, maybe, you’ll find me, stood at the back, looking slightly awkward as a confetti cannon goes off above me.

See. I ❤️ LP.