After leaving Luang Prabang we made our way by bus (AC and quite comfortable) to Vang Vieng - known as the hard core party town of Laos. Most backpackers spend their days tubing down the river, with the tubing operators pulling the tubes in for temporary stops at bars on the riverside. Nights are spent sitting in restaurants and bars watching endless reruns of Friends, Family Guy and the Simpsons while enjoying countless Beerlao (a very good local beer) and in some places adding a side of marijuana or opium. Some restaurants list these on the menu, others offer “Happy” pizzas or meals.
If this isn’t your cup of tea (and it wasn’t mine), you can spend hours biking around the countryside exploring the caves and lagoons, relaxing with a massage and enjoying the endless reruns of Friends.
We stayed only a day in VV and then took a local bus (no AC and a little less comfortable) to Ventiene, the capital of Laos. Honestly, although the guidebooks suggest you can spend several days there, I thought that a day and a half was just right. Vientiene is a sleepy capital city and reminded me of Phnom Penh. The time we had there allowed us to take in the major sights, including walking along the riverside which splits Laos and Thailand, the Victory Monument reminiscent of the Arc de Triomphe, Phat Thra Luang (which required a 4 km walk/bike ride or tuk tuk to get to) - but it is the most important temple in Laos. Historic but not my favorite city in Laos.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Monday, October 3, 2011
Luang Prabang - Part 2 - Leeches
Luang Prabang isn’t just a city steeped in religion. I think what makes people fall in love with it - is its chill vibe. It oozes charm with its restaurants, bars and shops set in a French Colonial atmosphere. You can easily spend whole days just strolling down its streets, stopping in at a Wat occasionally, talking to a monk, nipping into a shop and then for a coffee or a glass of wine or a BeerLao (very good local beer) or treating yourself to a massage (I have become a foot massage convert), all before going to the night market where you can have a heap of food for dinner at the awesome price of $4.50 (including meat or fish, about 10 different sides and a beer).
But Luang Prabang does not stop there, as I found out. You can also spend a day with the elephants - learning how to mount and ride them astride their head and bathe them in the river, or you can ride an elephant and then spend half a day kayaking or as I did, visit the Tat See waterfalls and then spend half a day kayaking (and only falling in once!). As great as the kayaking was, the next day was even better. We hiked up and around the Tat Kuang Si waterfalls. The hike took over two hours - at times steep and at other times slippery (I only fell once!). Much of it was quite muddy because of the heavy rains that have been falling. After we climbed for about an hour, we crossed over the top of the falls - the sight was breathtaking.
It was as we peered over the top of the falls that we noticed them - leeches - on our feet. They had apparently latched on while we were hiking in the woods. They can be pulled off with minimal pain but have to be flung off your fingers since they latch on wherever they can. I was fortunate to have caught them shortly after they tagged me. Another experience to add to the books!
But Luang Prabang does not stop there, as I found out. You can also spend a day with the elephants - learning how to mount and ride them astride their head and bathe them in the river, or you can ride an elephant and then spend half a day kayaking or as I did, visit the Tat See waterfalls and then spend half a day kayaking (and only falling in once!). As great as the kayaking was, the next day was even better. We hiked up and around the Tat Kuang Si waterfalls. The hike took over two hours - at times steep and at other times slippery (I only fell once!). Much of it was quite muddy because of the heavy rains that have been falling. After we climbed for about an hour, we crossed over the top of the falls - the sight was breathtaking.
It was as we peered over the top of the falls that we noticed them - leeches - on our feet. They had apparently latched on while we were hiking in the woods. They can be pulled off with minimal pain but have to be flung off your fingers since they latch on wherever they can. I was fortunate to have caught them shortly after they tagged me. Another experience to add to the books!
Luang Prabang - Part 1
The travel books tell you that Luang Prabang becomes many travelers favorite city in Southeast Asia and I can understand why. It has definitely become one of my favorites in the 2 and 1/2 days I spent there.
Luang Prabang is set along the Mekong and the whole city is deemed a UNESCO World Heritage site as being one of the best preserved cities in SEA. It seems to be the capital of Buddhism in Laos with the numerous temples and monasteries sprinkled around the city. Monks are seen everywhere in their saffron robes and umbrellas to protect them from the sun.
Speaking of monks, in Luang Prabang, the monks still collect alms each morning from the townspeople. I participated in this ritual my first morning. I awoke before dawn and walked to the main street. As soon as I got there, I was accosted by some local women selling sticky rice or plates of bananas that could be given to the monks. I stood back awhile since I wasn’t sure I wanted to participate. The rules are strict and I didn’t want to do anything that would offend. Our tour guide suggested that it would be fine and we went over the rules again.
Here’s how it goes - you sit on the side of the street with your offering. Men can stand or sit with legs behind them (feet are considered very low and must not be shown or allowed in the direction of monks), and women kneel while making the offering. As the hundreds of monks (there were at least 2-300) walked past, I took a bit of the sticky rice (it’s already cooked) and put some in each monk‘s bowl. The monks varied in age from elderly men to boys who looked to be no more than 10 years old. The food they collect is shared among them at mealtimes, which seems fair since by the time the 150th monk came by, I was out of rice!
It was such a cool experience to participate in this ritual. Seeing the monks coming toward you in a line - a sea of saffron - and then passing down the streets back to the monastery.
Luang Prabang is set along the Mekong and the whole city is deemed a UNESCO World Heritage site as being one of the best preserved cities in SEA. It seems to be the capital of Buddhism in Laos with the numerous temples and monasteries sprinkled around the city. Monks are seen everywhere in their saffron robes and umbrellas to protect them from the sun.
Speaking of monks, in Luang Prabang, the monks still collect alms each morning from the townspeople. I participated in this ritual my first morning. I awoke before dawn and walked to the main street. As soon as I got there, I was accosted by some local women selling sticky rice or plates of bananas that could be given to the monks. I stood back awhile since I wasn’t sure I wanted to participate. The rules are strict and I didn’t want to do anything that would offend. Our tour guide suggested that it would be fine and we went over the rules again.
Here’s how it goes - you sit on the side of the street with your offering. Men can stand or sit with legs behind them (feet are considered very low and must not be shown or allowed in the direction of monks), and women kneel while making the offering. As the hundreds of monks (there were at least 2-300) walked past, I took a bit of the sticky rice (it’s already cooked) and put some in each monk‘s bowl. The monks varied in age from elderly men to boys who looked to be no more than 10 years old. The food they collect is shared among them at mealtimes, which seems fair since by the time the 150th monk came by, I was out of rice!
It was such a cool experience to participate in this ritual. Seeing the monks coming toward you in a line - a sea of saffron - and then passing down the streets back to the monastery.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Floating down the Mekong
In order to come to Luang Prabang, where I've been the last two days, we had to leave Huaixay by slow boat and traveled down river to Pak Beng, stopped for the night and then carried on to LP.
I had thought that spending two days on the river just floating along would not be all that enjoyable and that the days would pass very slowly. Boy, was I wrong. In fact, floating down river was great. The days passed really quickly and the scenery surrounding us was magnificent. I think that five years from now, Laos will be the new Prague (or what Prague was in the late 80s) - a hip vacation location. The backpackers have already discovered it - it is time for everyone else.
I will be posting pics shortly, but I am not exaggerating when I say that the trees and mountains surrounding us made me think of the great Northwest in the US or perhaps what Ireland must look like during the days when it earns its name, the Emerald Isle. Alongside the trees and mountains, we watched water buffalo bathing alongside the river's edge and saw children jumping into the river with naked abandon.
While traveling downstream, we were able to stop at two villages on the way. In both villages, most of the adults were off in the fields and the children were either being watched by grandparents, neighbors or the older siblings. They live in mostly wooden huts with the odd brick building (owned by a villager who works in the city - LP probably). Next to the huts were smaller buildings to store the rice and corn they cook, while chickens, ducks and pigs (as well as cats and dogs) roamed around.
Being in the villages brings to bear that Laos is one of the least developed countries in the region and many of its villages are isolated - but life here is refreshingly simple. Life here is languid and it allows you to slow down a notch - definitely enough to enjoy the scenery as you float down a river. Ahh, this is the life.
I had thought that spending two days on the river just floating along would not be all that enjoyable and that the days would pass very slowly. Boy, was I wrong. In fact, floating down river was great. The days passed really quickly and the scenery surrounding us was magnificent. I think that five years from now, Laos will be the new Prague (or what Prague was in the late 80s) - a hip vacation location. The backpackers have already discovered it - it is time for everyone else.
I will be posting pics shortly, but I am not exaggerating when I say that the trees and mountains surrounding us made me think of the great Northwest in the US or perhaps what Ireland must look like during the days when it earns its name, the Emerald Isle. Alongside the trees and mountains, we watched water buffalo bathing alongside the river's edge and saw children jumping into the river with naked abandon.
While traveling downstream, we were able to stop at two villages on the way. In both villages, most of the adults were off in the fields and the children were either being watched by grandparents, neighbors or the older siblings. They live in mostly wooden huts with the odd brick building (owned by a villager who works in the city - LP probably). Next to the huts were smaller buildings to store the rice and corn they cook, while chickens, ducks and pigs (as well as cats and dogs) roamed around.
Being in the villages brings to bear that Laos is one of the least developed countries in the region and many of its villages are isolated - but life here is refreshingly simple. Life here is languid and it allows you to slow down a notch - definitely enough to enjoy the scenery as you float down a river. Ahh, this is the life.
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