Boun That Luang. I remembered it like yesterday: Glaring bright lights, screeching sounds of live bands, clusters of laughter from the locals flooding in, sweet and spicy aroma tingling curiosity at the tip of my nose. While strolling along the edge of the Mekong River with a bag full of cafe nom yen and stuffing my face with about three freshly steamed sticks of khao lam, a young man tries to sell me a handful of Hello Kitty balloons. My first thought was, oh, consumerist culture sneeking in at its best? After all, it’s Hello Kitty. Who wouldn’t let this furry face of happiness dominate the world? I definitely would.
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