A nothing day

A nothing day today.  I walked and walked and saw nothing of note, I slept, I rested, I went to Bianca's place and picked up some odds and ends.  I read my book, uploaded photos and watched cooking shows on TV.  Just seen one shot in Bali and it reminded me of the exceptionally good food I had in Ubud.  Murnis Bebek Tutu and Obi Oka suckling pig were both a m a z i n g.  Worth going back for!  Definitely!

Another not quite average focaccia at Joma for lunch where I read the paper and had an OK coffee.

Tomorrow I head to Ban Pako Eco Lodge for three days.  The lodge is on an ancient temple site and about 50km north of Vientiane  on the banks of the Nang Num river.  It is apparently rustic and homeley so in that basis I am not expecting anything remotely plush but as long as it is quiet and relaxing I do not care.  Apparently there are villages I can visit and, if feeling energetic, some treks I can do.  I have a pile of books and intend doing very much of very little.  No internet there so no blogs for a few days but will have them ready for posting when I get back to civilisation.  

For dinner I took myslef to a wee pizza shop at the end of the road, about 50 metres away.  Solo Pizza. No sooner I had arrived and the guy there asked my how I was enjoying Mandala Hotel, the place I stayed in when I first came to Vientiane.  Then I remembred that he was the guy I had asked directions from that first day a month ago.  He does have a good memory.  And he also makes a very mean pizza.  Absolutely, superb Italian style pizza, sauce, good mozarella, anchovies, capers, olives and basil on a crisp thin crust with fat puffy edges.  All accompanied by a BeerLao and just brilliant.  Must come back again.

As I ate I read my book, "Ant Egg Soup" and am at the stage in the book where she is in the south at the coffee plantations, when Lao coffee was just starting to take off.  At the time of writing Lao was planting and harvesting mainly the poor cousin of coffee the robusta beans, but now I understand that much of the crop is the better quality arabica bean.  Plus of course, they do a luwak (civet poo) coffee as well.  

I am quite enjoying the local coffee, much milder and sweeter than South American and Italian blends and if the locals could learn to brew properly, it would be great.  So far I have only found one place  that actually expresses their coffee properly and that is la Banneton; all the others do a lovely thick crema but very much under expressed and lacking in body.  Oh well.  Much better than the states.

Dinner over I set iff for the local deli just over the road.  Chocolate was needed to finish off my meal.  I raise my eyes and spy the gas station ahead and so instead of crossing the road I keep going to check out what the petrol station had to offer.  No chocolate, but I did get a yum cappuccino Magnum.  No more expensive that the deli (which is expensive) but it reminded me when living in Wellingotn we would give money to child to go to supermarket and buy us something specific.  It was odd because we never got much change and then realised that said child was not going to supermarket to shop, but to gas station which was 20 odd steps closer.........

And so another day draws to a close and anither adventure is about to begin.  When I get back from the lodge it will nearly be time to leave again, this time for Hanoi for Xmas.  I must say I am not missing Xmas fuss, shopping or celebrations at all and glad not to be part of any such things.

Good night from Manoly Hotel room 207.