Wandergliding: Lazy in Luang Prabang

January 25^th-27^th, January 30^th-31^st

I passed through Luang Prabang a few times on my trip. At first, I spent one night in the small city before my Mekong River Cruise where I didn’t do much apart from show up, find my accommodation, enjoy sunset by the Mekong River and then have dinner before departing early the following morning.

One of a view lovely sunsets I caught in Luang Prabang, this one was my first night there before I went on the Mekong River Cruise. I posted this pic in that previous post...but it doesn't hurt to look at it again.

Some ladies gettin' down on a boat on the Mekong River.

Returning from the one night in Pakbeng, I stayed at a different guesthouse for two nights (thankfully, as I didn’t like the first place I stayed at), and it was decent, but kind of a dark, concrete-like room. I didn’t do too much for the full day that I was there on this stint, apart from catch up on emails and blogging and watch the sunset. I was happy to find a nearby bakery/café called Loma, which is proudly Canadian owned for 20 years according to a big sign on the wall. I not only had a nice lunch there but had an option for a takeaway sandwich for my bus trip to Nong Khiaw which I took advantage of.

Another sunset after I returned from the cruise.

The night market area...I was just hitting the ATM and didn't wander into the fray on this particular evening.

After returning from Nong Khiaw, I stayed in a different guesthouse yet again, and this one was the best yet. It was called the Villa Kee Lee. It was located on a little peninsula in town created by the Mekong River on one side, and the Nam Khan tributary river which does a big 180-degree swing just before it joins the Mekong. During my previous nights in Luang Prabang, I had walked into this area for dinner, but I hadn’t really seen the cool side of it. There was one street with some cool restaurants, bars and shops which I discovered on my fourth day in town.

Some temples near my third accommodation, after I was back from Nong Khiaw.

Along the busy street with restaurants.

I popped into this cool looking restaurant for a late afternoon drink.

Money under the glass on the table where I sat...I like looking at various currency from around the world.

It was a nice spot to do some work.

This couple has gone "full elephant attire". This is more of Thai thing, so they probably were in Thailand before coming to Laos.

Some rockin' music on the streets.

Hard to make out in this photo, but a cool ATM that looks like a temple.

The nearby temple at night.

My third, and best accommodation in Luang Prabang. I was in the first room on the left.

The restaurant street in the daylight.

On my last full day in the city, I made sure that I did one of the main tourist activities, and that was hiking up a small hill to the Phousi Temple. This spot is popular for watching sunset, but there is a limited amount of space, so you would have to get there early. Mike and Tony, whom I met on the Mekong River cruise, were supposed to go there for sunset with their tour guide a few days earlier…I wonder how that went.

A few of the many Buddha statues on Phousi Hill.

The lying down Buddha, which is associated with people born on Tuesdays.

Starting to get a view.

Looking to the east.

Looking to the north and east of Phousi Hill.

The Phousi Temple.

The Mekong River from Phousi Hill.

The direction where sunset happens.

This cute little girl was carrying a little basket around with her, which had a tiny bird in it...I couldn't understand why...

And then I saw a woman selling them. Those are all cages with tiny birds in them, some have two birds in one cage. Seemed cruel. I later researched online and the Laotians believe it is a good deed to release a bird according to Buddhism. Well, that seems a bit odd as someone had to catch them first and put them in a cage. Religion can be strange...

Looking back up the stairs I just came down from Phousi Hill.

After Phousi Hill, I was pretty much done with Luang Prabang. When I was researching the place online before getting there, I read that some people raved about the place. It was their favourite spot in Laos. It was beautiful, but I just didn’t get that deep of a connection or attraction to the place. But to each their own.

Yet another temple, but this one was in the same grounds as the National Museum of Luang Prabang, which I didn't bother visiting.

Of course you can't read these next two signs, but they have to do with a morning ritual called "Morning Alms Giving". Alms means giving money or food to poor people, but in this case you are giving the sustenance to monks. At 6 am, the monks parade around in a single file line and you can bring or buy food to give them. Now I'm not religious, and I didn't feel like getting up that early to buy them some rice, so I didn't see the ceremony. I was woken up by the banging of a drum at 6 am though. The sign states to not use flash photography, stay 3 meters back if you are not donating food, and dress conservatively.

This is the menu of various types of rice dishes you can buy for the monks, ranging from steamed rice for 25,000 Kip (<$2) to Mountain rice, which is "A basket of glutinous rice steamed in banana leaf" which is only 20,000 Kip. What an exciting breakfast!

This is an odd looking ferry boat that brings vehicles, motorbikes and people across the river. The side bits are the ramps but it is coming straight towards me.