We visited the morning market in Luang Prabang after our visit to the historic Wat Xieng Thong temple. I love to visit outdoor marketplaces like these because they give one a unique perspective into local culture and customs. You'll see locals dressed as they normally do, interacting with one another and haggling over the prices of the staples they consume daily. And you get a good insight into the more traditional cuisine of the area. In this case, it was quite an eye-opener. Our Laotian guide Nick joked to us prior to entering the marketplace that Laotians will "eat everything except their pets and people". After walking through the market stalls I can say that his joke was steeped in reality. After the marketplace we returned to our hotel for breakfast and then embarked on a whole day of sight-seeing. Our next stop was a visit to a handicrafts center where they made Saa (mulberry bark) paper products and silk garments and fabrics. Afterwards we toured the Royal Palace Museum to learn about the monarchy that once ruled the country. From there we took a leisurely boat ride along the Mekong River that included lunch on board. The remainder of the day's activities will be included on the next photo page....