Cafe Amazon in Luang Prabang, Laos

After over two years of seeing small shops and restaurants closing down due to horrible global leadership during the pandemic, it's nice to see some new construction even if it's from a corporation. UNESCO made this lovely town a world heritage site back in the 1990s to preserve its historic look. That means that no buildings can be more than two stories and no major corporations are allowed. That means you'll never see a KFC or 7-11. I'm not sure how the few corporations that do exist get past the rules, but this new cafe is very nice and improves the feel of the town.

Wan wanted to pray at the temple so we dropped by Wattaohai before we had dinner.

Our dog, Rapper, was a good boy while we got the monk's blessing. I see a lot of people walk their dogs on leashes and I feel so sorry for them. Whenever I go for a walk with Rapper, I'll let him lead the way and my only job is to be his bodyguard. He really likes visiting temples. Maybe he was a Buddhist in his past life.

What's the price of gas right now? I really don't know or care. I've always preferred riding a bicycle to a motorcycle. It doesn't matter what country I'm in, cops never harass me when on a bicycle. They view motorcycles as a way to grab cash from riders for some reason. I also see a lot of people force themselves to go on runs or to the gym. Not me. I'm in better shape in my 40s than most people half my age and I never work out. I'll do as many pullups as I can sometimes, but riding a bike everywhere is a great way of staying in shape without having to be disciplined. We used to put the dog in the basket, but he's almost fully grown and can keep up with us now. I'll let Wan lead the way and I'll follow him to protect him. The only time I ever yell at him is when I tell him to get on the sidewalk. He hates being told what to do, but he knows I'm telling him to do it for his safety.

Cafe Amazon is easy to find. It's in the center of town across from the night market.

I haven't been to a Starbucks for over a decade, but I think this is the closest equivalent you'll find here in Laos. The feeling of the place is very chill both inside and out. I doubt the coffee compares, but I've liked all the food and fruit drinks I've had so far.

Thanks for reading. If and when you visit Luang Prabang, I'm sure you'll drop by here too. It's next to the best ATMs and the post office so you can't miss it. Have a great day.