{"id":307,"date":"2025-02-05T16:22:46","date_gmt":"2025-02-05T15:22:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/travel.thatmanmatt.com\/?p=307"},"modified":"2025-02-05T17:19:43","modified_gmt":"2025-02-05T16:19:43","slug":"day-17-i-heart-lp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/travel.thatmanmatt.com\/index.php\/2025\/02\/05\/day-17-i-heart-lp\/","title":{"rendered":"Day 17: I \u2764\ufe0f LP"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I really do. This town is super-cute, super-chill and super-cheap. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019s shop, more a barber\u2019s shack. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And he was excellent. I think the only English he spoke was \u201cfifty\u201d and since I don\u2019t speak any Lao other than sabaidi <\/em>and khobchai<\/em>, hand signs indicated the requirements and the results were great. Fifty kip<\/em> is 2.20\u20ac. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019 first president. He\u2019s got a nice bronze statue looking out at the mountains. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
His Excellency Prince Souphanouvong. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
His Excellency\u2019s backside. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

From there I walked<\/em> about 2km in the steadily increasing heat to an artisan silk weaving place on the banks of the Mekong River. I wasn\u2019t 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<\/em> good food (yes, the most expensive but wow\u2026)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Wobbly panoramic view of the Mekong River.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Before the happening.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

And then a guy comes over to me and says \u201cwe are celebrating the opening of our new hotel, we would like you to be in the photographs.\u201d Me, some rando off the street, who didn\u2019t even realise this was a hotel. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So yeah. If<\/em> you ever stay in the Vang Luang Hotel<\/em> in LP, and if<\/em> they have photos on the wall of the auspicious day when they celebrated their official opening, then maybe, maybe<\/em>, you\u2019ll find me, stood at the back, looking slightly awkward as a confetti cannon goes off above me. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

See. I \u2764\ufe0f LP.<\/p>\n

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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\u2019s shop, more a barber\u2019s shack. And he was […]<\/p>\n

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