First Meal in Laos

Our very first meal was at one of the American's houses here. Their Mabon (word translates to house mother) made a DELICIOUS Lao meal for us. There were some appetizers (fried spring rolls with a peanut sauce) but I didn't get any photos of them. We had just finished a whole lot of flying so I think I get a tiny break there ;) Laos also has this really great beer called Beer Lao. It's smooth and cheap (That's price not quality!) it is usually around a dollar.

 

  The next day for lunch we went to the "Château du Lao," a great Lao restaurant across the street from the embassy.The food there is so delicious. I will have to go back to get the actual names of the dishes. (Oh I definitely will go back!) Three of us ate there at a later date for about 80,000 kip ($9.42) I was so shocked as the breakfast at my hotel cost 70000 kip for one person. (I didn't know the price the first time we went because we were treated to lunch.)

 

I had a chicken stir fry dish

I also had this long bean salad. It was WAY too spicy to finish

 

Right on the middle of the area that Château du Lao and the US Embassy are at is the That Dam (pronounced Tawt Dahm) or Black Stupa. Not sure if That Dam means Black Stupa or not. . Legend says that a dragon (a  seven-headed Naga, actually) lives inside. Also I was told that this Stupa was once covered in gold and when Siam (now Thailand) invaded Laos they stripped the gold off and carted it back to their home.

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