Your President speaking

He was almost toothless and pretty old. While holding my hand he got a closer view at it with a magnifying glass and started murmering some semi-english words. From the questioning look on my face he understood I didn't have a clue about what he was mumbling, so he took a pen and wrote down two legendary words to describe me: 'No luxury'. I was not the girl that needed luxury. (a moment of silence) He continued. I possess a more than everage charm, that will not only cause men of all ages to stop and stare, but it will actually take me places. The Catshuis to be exact. I will become president of the Netherlands... Well... I wonder what he really saw...

The old man was sitting in a large room, filled with Buddha statues and fake flowers. He pointed towards the back. The man who created the park of surealistic Buddhas we were visiting was lying in the back. Dead. So you understand, we needed to take a closer look. And there he was, all dry and crusty in all his glory encapsulated in a round cofin with a glass lid. Wonderful. A 15 year old corps.

After this eye-opening experience we moved on to Laos. First stop: Vientiane, the qaint little main capital of this poor but stunningly beautiful country. By now BF V has found the very best way to please his lady: rent bikes to go for rides that last right through the very hottest part of the day and sleep in hostel rooms without windows. You know... 'cause I'm the girl that needs no luxury...

The almighty truth-telling man with no teeth | Me desecrating some statues | And here I'm trying to make up for it

In South East Asia you can by yourself a new face at every street market.

We also took a sunset 'cruise' over the mighty Mekong river.

In Vientiane we visited some more temples | It has its own Arc de Triomphe since the French have one day made their territorial pee here | A Monk gone AWOL | Beer in Laos tastes the same as beer tastes really everywhere | The boulevard of Vientane comes to life just before sunset