Luang Prabang

By far the biggest city I visited in Laos, the Unesco World Heritage city is home to 50,000 people. I spent a week in Luang Prabang, grateful for modern comforts such as hot water, electricity and ATMs. I climbed to the top of Phu Si hill where I checked out views of the Mekong and Nam Khan Rivers, admired the hilltop temple and looked curiously at Buddha's very own footprint.

Temples are scattered all over the city and my guesthouse sat directly opposite one, making my room a front row seat to the 4am drum session given by monks each morning (I assume it's a wake up call- quite effective I can testify). At dawn devotees line the sidewalks, sitting on mats and waiting with baskets full of sticky rice. A line of orang-robed monks walks along, accepting rice, flowers and other offerings. It's a beautiful site, but the monks looked bored and ungrateful for the eagerness and excitement displayed by the early-risers.

I rented a bicycle and rode out to a big covered-market, buying fabric for a sewing project. At night, the main street closes to traffic to allow for the sprawling Hmong hill-tribe market. They sell brightly patterned clothes, hand-made slippers & stuffed animals, paintings on mulberry paper, Lao coffee and tea and jewelry. Further down, a food market comes to life around 5pm, selling grilled fish and chicken, papaya salad, noodle soup and Mekong riverweed (like nori with sesame seeds, dried tomatoes & garlic), sweets and nuts. I was excited to find a vegetarian street buffet for 50 cents a plate. A friend from the Netherlands, Sophie, and I went out for lao lao- rice whiskey that's supposedly illegal, yet openly sold in bars and restaurants everywhere. It tastes strong with a nutty aftertaste.

Walking the streets was easily the best part. Evidence of French occupation is immediatly apparent in the architechture. Landscaping is beautiful with flowering trees everywhere. The town reminded me of New Orleans (minus the size, the test-tube jagermeister shots and the mardi gras beads).

I took an 8 hour bus ride to Phonsavanh, known for the mysterious Plain of Jars and war history.

To read about my first experiences in Laos, click HERE.