A well deserved rest day

- January 12 : 1 pm finally I get up, I caught back part of my lack of sleep with a night of 11 hours long. I'm going to get breakfast - lunch at the guesthouse, with a good rice dish with buffalo, orange juice and coffee. I'm taking my time alone.

I meet Emma just coming back from a great ride all morning in the old city. 4 pm I'll go to see the day market next to the canal. Going there I do my passport photos to a photographer for my visa to Laos and make $ 5 exchange to complete the sum necessary for the visa of one month ($ 35) tomorrow at the border.

I look at a few stalls and bought the long sleeves shirt without buttons with a dragon for my brother Micka. Returning to the guesthouse I see again Emma who's walking towards the canal. Just then I find myself next to the entrance of a temple, before which there is a lounge, a courtyard, in fact, where they perform massages. A row of leather seats, where one can get to massage feet. Since I had not tried it yet I'm having one of a half-hour by a beautiful young Thai teenager.


                                                   
Her name is Tængmo, it means watermelon, it's fun. It's very pleasant, but sometimes painful for the calf and the side of the foot.

Going back further up the street I see a small stall near a temple that sells food rather sweet. There is a French couple who is trying to pick things. I approached and asked if they have already tasted the omelet cooked in a banana leaf, we discuss a moment about their trip and they invite me to come and have a drink with them at their guesthouse, which is two near from the stall. This guesthouse is very nice, teak house surrounded by gardens, small terrace in front of their bedroom.

We drank Thai whiskey and coke with him, his name is Bruno, and we discuss. I hear he has some friends in and around Ardeche, and Séverac le Château and these friends are "Les allumé du pouce" ("The burning of thumb") that we met many times in Gaillac. On this he tells me that he was at the party in Gaillac this year in May, and that we probably crossed our paths there.

He tells me a bit about his trips and those times when he came to meet some people he know at the other end of the world and I say him that I did the same a few times too. Then, he and his girlfriend must go and see a Muay Thai match tonight so I'm leaving to the guesthouse and say goodbye.

By the way back to the guesthouse I buy a banana fritter with a skewer of fried vegetables where I met them. Back in my room I change and put a sweater and some mosquito repellent. I pause a moment for a drink on the terrace of the guesthouse and enjoy the wifi to talk with people live on FB and look for the site on Laos that I had found and update my blog.

Later a small mobile stall stops, and a lady sells in the street skewers of squid and pork balls, served with fresh cilantro and cucumber. It's really delicious. After 22h I'll go take a walk down the main street nearby and stroll and a drink before I go, I think I'll just a massage again tomorrow. It seems there is a festive concert in the neighborhood right behind, maybe I'll have a look.