July 30,

We were both up and about by 0700. We readied, had our Javas and it started raining. The clouds were hanging low, as if caught by the mountains. Today may be a chill day. We went to breakfast. I had scrambled eggs and toast. Jeff stuck with an omelet and toast. We shared a banana and watermelon. I still had a bit of the veggie noodles in addition. Neither one of us has had the porridge item – not sure what they call it in Laos. The noodles, rice and porridge are in chafing pans but are not heated. I don’t care for lukewarm porridge… Goldilocks I am not.🤭 We finished and went back to our room, watched YouTube and chilled out.

Around 1300, we went out, as there was okay weather right now. We went down to check out the river. The Nam Song was just starting to reflood the walkway of the River View Hotel. I wonder how high or low for that matter this river gets. Questions? We stopped for lunch at Cook Savang. I had an Apple Shake and a Chicken, Bacon, Cheese Sandwich. Jeff had Ginger-orange-mango Shake and Fried Pork Belly. Both were filling – mine because of the huge hoagie-type bun, and Jeff’s due to the fat on the crispy pork dish. We paid 300,000 LAK, which was $13.90.

Next we walked about a little as the sun was shining. We saw butterflies all about a flowering bush. Stunning. Sometimes it is all about the little things of God’s Creation! Anyway we went into a couple of shops and finally found fresh whole wheat bread and bought it.

We arrived back at our place and cooled back off. It was hot and muggy. How fickle we can be… if it’s raining we want sun, but when we have sun – we want the coolness back that comes due to the rain! Anyway, it did rain in the mid afternoon. Around 1700 we went up to the roof to get our fix watching the hot air balloons. It is like having a daily show. Reminds me of being able to watch the fireworks each night at Phu Quoc in Vietnam. It is fun, and free entertainment! I mean… a hot air balloon, what’s not to like!?! The air was hardly moving. The big colorful balls went up. There were four of them tonight: one – the rainbow one, we were in two nights ago; the red “Lao Flying Media” one; and two other colorful ones. They all kind of just hovered up above us, barely moving at all. They all probably went about the same distance we covered two days ago, not very much. But the thrill of being up with the birds is breathtaking. I’m so glad we did it. There were also more paramotors about, like Jeff did yesterday. They are fun to watch as well and wave to everyone up there enjoying themselves.

But the grandest thing was when we came up here, before the balloon, and paramotors was a fantastic, brilliant rainbow. It was gorgeous and seemed so close, even like it was touching the ground a few yards in front of us. I was looking for the pot of gold!! HEE-HEE! There was a faint double one above it. It was a fantastic sight and always reassuring the promise God gives us with it!

Anyway, we finished our show and split a PB sandwich for dinner. Blessed day!!