During the break in the storm we went to take our laundry to a lady down the street to be washed for 8,000 Kip per kilo (or $1, we had 4.5 kilos combined), and then went to grab breakfast at the JoMa Bakery Cafe on the corner near our hotel (Sisavangvong and Hoxieng streets). While the bakery's prices are closer to Western prices, the quality of their products and the level of service cannot be matched. And you get a free glass of filter water with every meal ordered. I had the oat french toast with banana and mape syrup, and Stephen had a breakfast burrito. Some of the other gals from our trip were at JoMa and we joined them at their table.
We went back to the guesthouse to let them know we wanted to stay another night there, but that the toilet wasn't working right. They invited us to move downstairs from room 7 to room 1. After moving our stuff down, we were going to go out to the temples, but it started poring rain again and so we decided to relax in the room a bit longer.
While lounging reading our travel guide, we saw that a massage spa called Dhammada was listed as the best in town, so towel in hand to dry ourselves off when we got there we headed out to Dhammada, just a block or so past the Dara Market. But when we got there the place was not open and looked like it had closed for the rainy season. So we decided to go for a walk around town as the rain had stopped enroute.
We ended up walking along the entire length of he peninsula that is the old city of Luang Prabang. We walked through the Dara Market on our way and I was that there were silk tailors there that made traditional Lao skirts. So while we were walking I was plotting out a plan for the next day with a theory about how much I should pay. We were also discussing where to go for a massage and looking for a place along the way.
We ended up at the massage place two doors down from our hotel. It was air conditioned and spacious, which we thought made it very relaxing. For this venue we payed nearly twice the cost of a non-air conditioned massage place, but with the temperature outside pushing 35 degrees celsius plus humidity, the air con was definitely needed and we were also very happy they gave us fresh, clean robes to change into and washed our feet. It was very calming, spacious and relaxing environment.
The massage was good. Not as much unusual stretching and contorting as I experienced at Lila in Chiang Mai.
We got back to our room in time to shower and meet everyone for dinner. We were going to check out this fashion show that was advertised, but it did not look like they were going ahead with it due to low attendance. So we went to Utopia, which is highly rated in all the guidebooks. And though you have to go through some winding alleys to get there, the walk is clearly signed. Once you step inside you understand why it is a must go location. After checking your shoes at the door, you enter a real paradise with cushioned floor tables under a pavilion that opens up into a garden overlooking the river with tables and benches scattered throughout. It even has a beach volleyball court. One could easily just spend the day hanging out there. And, it has the cleanest bathrooms I have seen since our hotel in Bangkok. Service is good, the menu is a mix of western and local dishes, and you can also order sheesha.
Our table ordered dinner and we shared a grape sheesha. The food is all wonderfully presented and delicious. My only critique was that my Blackened Chicken sandwich with mango salsa didn't come with chicken that was actually blackened, and this sort of ruined the balance of flavours in the sandwich that I was really anticipating. The sandwich was still good, though.
Afterward, we seemed to make it back to Lao Lao Gardens again for the 2 for 1 Lao Lao drinks before the bar closed at 11. We then headed to a disco just outside town at our guide's recommendation. It was interesting and we got some great photos and video. It was a large warehouse type room and it was decorated with metallic wallpaper that looked like wrapping paper and metallic paint. Everyone was spread around standing tables, there was no dance floor and everyone seemed to be dancing around their tables with the people they had come with. And, they only seemed to have 5 or 6 songs that they kept mashing up together with eachother, so bits of JLo's 'on the floor' song kept filtering back in every other song. There were also these Lao guys who came over to our table that we thought our guide knew, but turns out she didn't. They just thought we were a bit of a novelty. Around 1am the club shut down and we grabbed a Tuk-tuk back to our guesthouse.
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