Originally when we were planning our trip, Laos was nowhere on our radar. I read a few blogs where people said it was one of their favorite small cities in Asia, rich with culture and history (the town is 700 years old). Known for its temples, street markets, traditional monk ceremonies, and beautiful setting... and half way between Chiang Mai, Thailand and Hanoi, Vietnam... We figured why not check it out.
We've enjoyed the past 3 days here, exploring the city on bikes, getting massages, and eating the cheap food. One thing we haven't enjoyed is the shitty internet in Laos. Blogging and watching the A's live has been hard, but we have somehow managed to keep ourselves entertained. The city is on a peninsula, only about 3 blocks wide, bordered by the Mekong (like the Mississippi of Asia) and the sleepy Nam Khan, making it easy to get around on bikes or walk end to end, stopping off for some street noodles, or a croissant and an iced coffee. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, meaning the city is considered of great cultural significance and is protected from major development. It has maintained its Buddhist roots while also inheriting some French Colonial aspects (like bomb ass croissants). Here are a few pics from our first day on bikes and the night market:
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| Getting our bikes for $2/day. Bri really wanted one with a basket. |
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| Bri biking past some monks... They are everywhere |
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| Our hotel room, 20 feet from the best restaurant in Luang Prabang. |
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| The main street |
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| Spicy Green Papaya Salad |
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| Shiny temple, fully restored. There are 30+ temples around the city. |
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| Lunch by the Mekong |
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| Lots of motorbikes for rent |
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| View from the top of the hill |
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| Croissant a day keeps the... Whatever, we are on vacation |
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| Our bikes in front of our favorite bakery. |
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| The night market, it's about 8 blocks long and packed every night |
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| Side street off the night market, like the food court at the mall |
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| For $1.50 (10,000 Kip), grab a plate and load it up. |
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| I ate way too much |
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| 50 kinds of noodles |
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| Our hotel at night, facing the Nam Kahn River (the smaller one on the other side of town) |
On our second day we took a trip out to Kuang Si Waterfall, which actually surprised us at its size as we had thought it was just a swimming hole. The water was mint green, an interesting contrast to the muddy waters of the massive Mekong that runs through town. We discovered a semi-treacherous hike to the top, with some "safety" features, like bamboo poles and wet rickety stairs, that would likely not have passed US safety inspections.
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| The Kuang Si waterfall |
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| Mint green water, not sure why but it looked cool |
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| View from the top, check out those sturdy guard rails |
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| Wet stairs, no railing |
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| Going barefoot was actually safer, flip flops were a liability |
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| Can't see in the water, going in carefully |
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| Refreshing after the long hike |
This morning we got up at 5:45 to see the tradition of Tuk Bat, or the Alms giving that happens every single day on the main street. The locals gather to hand out small morsels of food to the monks, in exchange for blessings and good luck. What the monks gather is usually all they eat for the day. This ceremony has become somewhat of a spectacle, with vans of disrespectful tourists snapping photos and generally treating it as a show rather than a religious ritual. While we are tourists, I tried to stay back and get a few shots from afar. It really is amazing as the old traditions have remained. We are currently sitting at breakfast trying (with the struggling internet) to Google "monk culture in Luang Prabang" as we are fascinated by them.
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| Daily ceremony of Tuk Bat |
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| There are 100's of monks, forming a line that goes for blocks |
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| There are some little monks too |
Tomorrow we are off to Hanoi, Vietnam... A massive city which should be a big change from the small town pace here. We've got a street food tour lined up, before heading out on a boat to Ha Long Bay for two nights. I sure hope the boat has Internet to keep up with the A's PLAYOFF run, but I am informed it is unlikely.
*Here is the source of our Internet issues, thanks Lao Telecom!
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| Hey, I think a few of of those aren't connected |
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