Alcohol

Australia has a lot of laws to limit people's consumption of alcohol. For example, from certain time of the night, alcohol can be served only in small quantities, like pots (for all the serving volumes and their names check here); Two days ago I met someone I knew, who was sitting in an outdoor area of a pub. She stood up to talk to me. After a few minutes one of the pub's guards came over and asked her to sit while she was in that region, because "it is the law"; The law also defines areas where consumption of alcohol is forbidden. They can be inside hostel rooms or even a block of houses.
So why, with all these restrictions, I see so many drunk people around? Probably it has to do with all the bottles shops around... For them (and just to post another song) I dedicate the following song, "Alcohol" by the Barenaked Ladies

Alcohol, my permanent accessory
Alcohol, a party-time necessity
Alcohol, alternative to feeling like yourself
O Alcohol, I still drink to your health

I love you more than I did the week before
I discovered alcohol

Forget the cafe latte, screw the raspberry iced tea
A Malibu and Coke for you, a G&T for me
Alcohol, Your songs resolve like
my life never will
When someone else is picking up the bill

I love you more than I did the week before
I discovered alcohol
O Alcohol, would you please forgive me?
For while I cannot love myself
I'll use something else

I thought that Alcohol was just for those with
nothing else to do
I thought that drinking just to get drunk
was a waste of precious booze
But now I know that there's a time
and there's a place where I can choose
To walk the fine line between
self-control and self-abuse

I love you more than I did the week before
I discovered alcohol
Would you please ignore that you
found me on the floor
Trying on your camisole?
O Alcohol, would you please forgive me?
For while I cannot love myself
I'll use something else.

Beer Lao (and other unavoidable alcoholic beverages)



It is unavoidable, the T-shirts are everywhere, here comes Beer Lao!

Beer Lao is produced in Lao. I was about to try and work my mind a bit to recall what I know about it, but why bother when I can have another bottle you and refer you to here? It is quite good and very cheap, around a dollar (less in a grocery store) for 640ml. It is a big problem for me as alcohol and me don't mix most of the times. So I keep consumed amounts low. And no, I have no intention of buying a T-shirt, advertising it here is a must because it is part of the experience, but advertising it on a T-shirt is too much for me right now. Anyhow, what else is available?

Dark beer Lao - I haven't tried it yet.
Lao Bia - The only other legal beer in Laos. It is made out of palm sugar and had a sweet taste to it, or that what I vaguely remember. It has an antique looking label, written in French.
Lao Lao - The local produced whisky, made out of sticky rice. It comes in different percents in volume, as it is not scientifically produced in some factory. I can smell it, which says a lot about it (not too strong) and it reminds of the Japanese alcohol drink, Saki, also produced from rice. Almost every trip you'll book will include with a visit to a Lao Lao producing village.

Big Mistake



On my last days in Nepal, I've decided to try somethings I haven't had the time to try before. So today at lunch I went for the local wine, Tongba, which I thought was the local beer (big mistake).
"Tongba is a special cultural alcoholic beverage of Limbu. Tongba basically is a Nepali ethnic wine made of fermented millet. Tongba is made by pouring hot water into a pot of fermented millet and drunk with a bamboo straw. Tongba is popular during winter season with locals and year around with tourists."
Source
Because I came originally from Austria (Not exactly true), I am known for my enormous alcohol capacities (Terrible lie). Hence the awful headache I am experiencing at the moment and the general bad feeling. Good idea!