We are wrapping up our visit to Luang Prabang and central Laos, heading later today to the country’s capital of Vientiane, which is the French version of the original name established during the colonial error. We are scheduled to depart on a high-speed train, built by the Chinese, of course, as they dominate these parts. That said, the Lao people are all very friendly and welcoming to us Americans and other visitors.

This region is very beautiful. Mountainous and lush, with the Mekong River flowing throughout. Our day entailed an extended visit to a small village that has been supported by the organizer of our tour, Overseas Adventure Travel and its charitable arm, the Grand Circle Foundation.

There we met some of the school children and their teacher, passed out some milk and cookies, listened to them sing us some traditional songs, sang a couple of our own (well, those who could sing did). After that, we tasted some locally made rice-based whiskey, and dined with the village elders. It was a very enjoyable day.

Later in the afternoon we made a side trip to the Kuang Si Waterfalls, a picturesque spot that also is home to a bear rescue center. We went to Alaska to see bears. Now we’ve also seen them in Laos. These were behind a fence, but that’s OK.

The center houses several Asian black bears rescued as orphaned cubs. The bile from the animal’s gallbladder is an ingredient in some traditional Chinese medicines, and there’s an ugly black market around it. Poachers will milk the bears dry for this stuff. Horrible, so this center is doing good work.

The falls and the downstream pools were quite soothing, and you could swim if desired. Some in our party did, but I’m not that much of a swimmer, so I just enjoyed the surroundings. It’s very popular with tourists and locals alike, but once you get away from the largest waterfall not overly crowded.

I’ve enjoyed the food on this trip, but as someone raised on a Western diet I was getting a bit tired of rice and noodles. Not to mention the village “delicacies” I tasted. Deep-fried rat. Yep, you read that right. It’s a type they capture in the rice paddies, not the ones gnawing at the trash.

Some might consider that hair-splitting, but I liken it to people back home who eat squirrels. Squirrels might have a cute bushy tail, but they are still rodents. Anyhoo, like the old saying goes, “tastes like chicken.” Honestly, they smoke it and then deep fry it. If not told ahead of time what it was, most carnivores would likely enjoy it. I wasn’t the only one to try it, but most folks, Pat included, passed.

The French influence in the region offered a respite in the evening as we dined our final night in Luang Prabang at a restaurant called L’elephant. It was as good as many similar Western restaurants I’ve been to. I had a steak from New Zealand while Pat had a locally caught perch. With dessert, drinks and tip, the tabs was $75, which is high for around here but cheap for back home. Had I opted for a local beef it would have been even cheaper.