Well Wouldn't You Know It

You never know when the battery on your camera is going to crap out.

I was minding my own. Dropping off laundry at the cheapest place I've seen (7000 kip per kilo). Where inside the house I get invited to sit down with Ban and his guest for a little birthday celebration.
What it really looks like at first is a bunch of dudes sitting around (on the floor), singing Lao karoke, drinking a bunch of BeerLao and eating some food that's on a cirular ratan 'coffee table'.
But at second glance it's a bunch of dudes sitting around singing, drinking, eating and celebrating Ban's birthday.

I mean how can I say no when I'm being invited in to eat and drink. And these guys were on the last bottle of a case of big BeerLao bottles, and half way through my stay one of their ladies brought in another case. And by case I mean plastic milk carton looking thing with 12 big bottles of beer.

After about 15 minutes or so of listening to Lao karoke I was looking for the exit and made a break, I rustled everyone together for a group pic and sure enough my battery was dead. Oh well, the memory will remain. But when I go to leave I see that one of the guys took off with my flip-flops.

So I settle back in on the floor for a couple more glass fulls of BeerLao, some exclent grilled Buffalo, sauteed veggies and 'hot-pot' chicken broth/chicken chunks thing complete with feet.
But then some more people started to come including the ladies and one of the youngens was sent out for some "Spy' wine coolers for the hens. Classic.
Guys sitting around drinking beer, eating and singing. And the ladies gossiping around over on the couches. Sounds pretty universal to me.

toby