ຫລວງພະບາງ Luang Prabang, the cultural capital of Laos, is a small but beautiful golden city with glittering spires at every turn. It is a place to wander, get lost in the narrows and forget time, and so we did 🙂 . We stumbled across temple after temple, and when we got too hot or too tired to take in any more ornate beauty, we took refuge in a leafy, monastic courtyard, graciously welcomed by saffron robed monks. There was an air of peace and tranquillity that soaked into our bones. We realise maybe we are a bit tired now, 6 months of traveling. Time to slow down for a bit, and this was the perfect place.
In the cool of the evening the banks of the Mekong came alive with fishermen returning home – kids swimming and people enjoying their evening meal. It was a place to enjoy just being.
There are so many temples in Luang Prabang you could spend your entire time visiting them. Each one different but all shimmering in red, black and gold with splendid carvings on every surface. A marvel in artistry and devotion. This is Vat Xiengthong. Stunning.
Boy it was hot in the town. A day in the coolness of the forest was in order. A short, but hair raising 45 minute mini bus ride (we figure there is no other driving style but terrifying in this land :)) brought us to the famous Kuang Si waterfalls. Famous for good reason. We felt transported to another world . A surreal landscape so pristine, so perfect, so “engineered”, are we in a Dubai shopping mall or on a Disney set we wondered out loud – could nature be so perfect. Resounding… oh yes she can. The rocks were all calcified so looked as if they were made of wax. The limestone infused the water and turned it milky blue in places, turquoise in others. Carefully we slid in, slippery rocks and ahhhh so cold! that was a surprise. We shared the pools with a handful of tourists and a few locals all enjoying the day. A gaggle of noisy boys had the best day leaping into the water from the rocks, we loved watching them and their joy.
After a wonderful afternoon swimming in the pools, we dried and walked a short distance to the Sun Bear rescue center. It is a very important foundation which educates local people on the struggle these animals have in Laos due to the pet trade and their body parts being used for medicine. The rescued animals were living in huge, joyful enclosures with trees and grass and lots of bear company and most important to a bear good food. They seemed very active and we watched them playing together. Their pasts unimaginable these particular animals had been rescued from living in tiny cages some for 10 years – and having their bile milked for medicine. Dreadful. But happy now. Thankful.
The next day we decided to wake up super early and participate in Sai Bat (Morning Alms) is a longstanding tradition in Laos Buddhist culture. In Luang Prabang the townsfolk offer food to monks every morning. Great care is taken in preparing the food as this food is for the monks. Each morning, starting at around 5:30, saffron-robed monks and novices emerge onto the streets with their alms bowls (‘bat’). Lao people will place a portion of food in the bowl of each monk who passes by. The ceremony is undertaken in complete silence. Some times money is given too. The poor of the town sit to receive from the monks we saw this little band of children being given rice and food from the novice monks. It was a very early start to the day but wonderful to witness this centuries old tradition.
As we had got up at 5 am we went on to the morning market, which was in full swing by 6am! Along with the fabulous fresh veggies and herbs were some unusual proteins, always hard for us to witness animals we don’t think of as food being sold as food, especially as they are often still alive. It is hard not to be judgemental – but we remember – for these people anything that moved was food during the terrible war that raged for 9 years here. Agent orange sprayed over their forests defoliating everything. People had no choice but to eat everything and anything they could find. Then after time, these foods become staples and children grow up with them, evoking all the same memories we have when our family favorites hit the dinner table.
Wild honey, live bee lava, pupa, eels, toads, bamboo rat, and a bucket of wriggling dung beetles.
The night market in Luang Prabang is pretty well known with the tribes people and locals selling their crafts. All manner of gorgeous things, but one blanket took our eye covered in what looked like stone tools – on closer inspection yes indeed a myriad of axes, auls and strange stone disks We sat down on stools and proceeded to chose ourselves a stone age axe head, a disk from the Akhi tribe and a stone rice disk which wards off evil.
There seem to be quite a few prehistoric sights in this band across Asia we went to the stone age cave in Vietnam and heard of many things being found in the north of . Actually if you look on the map it is not so very far from here – In Phonsovan we were told that kids in the river often find stone tools and then they are collected and sold to a lass like this one who brings them all the way to market. I have to say we were excited Lance hummed and haaed over an amazing woolly mammoth tooth – just too big to carry – jeeze so hard to walk away with out it but we bought this little collection. Lum souvenirs not everyones cup of tea hehe.
Who could resist a sign like that? Pak ou caves was on our list and so was a boat ride on the Mekong. The waters of the Mekong have for centuries been the major highways in this region, carrying goods, people and ideas up through the heart of Laos. Ticking two boxes we signed up with the Captain who was ready to go. It was rather was a lovely misty morning the forests looking so mysterious BUT we felt slightly chilly. We are wondering how we will survive the Decenber re-entry shock of a canadian winter? 🙂
Wev made an unscheduled stop at ‘Lao Lao Village’ Ban Xang Hay, famous for its whisky. (bit of commission for the captn’ ) – Lao Lao is the local brew. At 50% alcohol it packs a diesel like punch we tried it – I love a drink but this is jet fuel! To enhance its flavour and make it more palatatble the locals add ingredients like cobras lizards and insects. Still not doing it for us. More neolithc tools for sale here and a couple of mammoth teeth. Hard for us to resist and these creepy wooden effigies – kinda regret not getting a few of them.
Where the Nam Ou (Ou River) and Mekong River meet at Ban Pak Ou, two famous caves in the limestone cliff are crammed with thousands of Buddha images. For 600 years pilgrims have travelled here from all obver the country. and left a buddha idol behing when they left. over time these Buddha images in varying sizes and styles. have added up to over 4 000. There are two caves, upper (Tham Theung) and lower (Tham Ting).We visited the lower one first.
This young woman and her son were selling painted stones in the cave – I couldn’t resist they were so beautifully done. As I turned to leave from a “window” in the cave I spied these elephants working with their mahouts on the other side of the river. Such a wonderful timeless scene.
The upper cave – up lots and lots of steps of steps!! surprise surprise. It was very dark inside and felt so much like Indiana Jones discovering some kind of tomb as the camera flashed it illuminated hundreds of statues – very atmospheric and cool.
We couldn’t leave with out climbing Mount Phusi- Not a difficult climb compared to some we have done. But it is so hot here any steps upward seem grueling.
Unfortunately the practice of releasing cadged birds is popular here. It is meant to be good luck. The poor bird sits in its bamboo prison awaiting a stranger to release it. The quandary do you pay to release and keep the practice going? or ignore and hope eventually it stops? We did the latter.
We cheered silently for this little guy. Get out of Laos… don’t stop in Vietnam – set your GPS for Thailand Hurry, hurry haaaard.
Views for miles. We Loved this little town so pretty and chill so calm and relaxing – did we relax I think we forgot to hehe. On to Vang Vieng tomorrow.