Upon arrival Mick had spotted a sign for coffee oreo milkshakes so we headed (AKA ran) there and delighted ourselves with shakes and the first of many Laos sandwiches ( French bread... Oh. Em. Gee.). Refueled and ready to go, we were ready to take on Luang Prabang. Having 5 days to spend there, we covered a lot of ground, so to break it down, our trip consisted of meandering, monks, markets and.... Being fatties (shocker!)
Meandering: We strolled up and down the cobblestone streets, admired the French architecture, oohed and ahhhed at the breathtaking views from both the Mekong and Mae Kok Rivers, and popped in and out of shops and galleries. The town was so darling and so charming that we happily spent our days wandering around. Our little photographer, Mick, enabled us to meet a lot of locals and have some chats and we even scored a free concert from Mr. On, who was playing a Laos instrument in his home. He brought out some plastic stools and entertained us with his tunes for the next 30 minutes. One morning we jumped (and wobbled) on a shabby little boat across the Mekong and explored the village of Chomphet, where we were led by cute little children to a secluded Wat about 1000 steps up (I kid...I think). I loved the fresh, old, cozy feeling that the town had, so meandering the streets was the perfect way to experience it.
Monks: The monks in Laos are much more friendly and a whole lot more eager to practice their English, so we spent a lot of time this week chatting with monks from various Wats. Luang Prabang is lined with gorgeous, and quaint, Wats, and we spent a good chunk of time wandering through them. By chance, and by pure luck, we happened to get to Luang Prabang during Boun Lai Heua Fai, or the Festival of Lights. All of the temples were filled with hundreds of lanterns, candles and boats made of bamboo, that were later paraded down the main road and into the Mekong River. It was such a stunning sight and we were so happy to be able to witness the monks lighting their candles and going absolutely wild with fireworks, firecrackers and sparklers. For 3 days straight, the town was filled with lights and lanterns and the crackling and popping of fireworks. Rocket launchers filled the sky, giving the appearance of dozens of shooting stars at any given time. It was definitely a happy time to be there. And of course, as the main toursist attraction, we woke up one morning at 5:30 am to see the procession of monks during the alms-giving in the morning. We may have slept a little too late and witnessed only 5 minutes of it, but it was still enjoyable.
Markets: Who knew that Luang Prabang would have a pretty epic handicraft market? A little too epic... Let's just say that maybe too much time was spent here and my suitcase is going to be a little harder to pack. On the other hand, the morning market was a different sight to see. Frogs, pigeons, chickens, snakes, bats, cockroaches, turtles and worms lined the street, twitching in their last minutes. It was a little too much for me, but Michaela had a field day with the photo opps.
Being fat: Naturally, we ate our way through the town. Both the Laos options and the Western options were irresistable, and so I chowed down on local cuisines like laab, som tam and loads of sticky rice, while also indulging in sandwiches and pizza. Yum! Being the charmers that we are, we made friends with the waiters at various places, and maybe took it a step too far by creating a heart made from the melting wax of a candle and gave it to one of them. One restaurant even held an Ethnic Fashion Show, displaying the various styles of dress from all of the Laos people. It was pretty awesome!
Luang Prabang made me smile. I fell in love with its people, its food and its gorgeous views. It was sad to leave and say goodbye to not only the city, but also to Michaela and Sarah, as we all went our separate ways. I dreaded the long journey ahead of me to Siem Reap, but I still had a day of Vientiane to look forward to and maybe one more chocolate croissant.
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| Mr. On! |
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| Morning Alms |
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| Fashion Show |
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| Pretty Lanterns |
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