All The Young Monx

Like a French provincial town transplanted to tropical paradise, Luang Prabang sits nestled between the Mekong and Nam Kam rivers in north-central Laos, about 475km. north of the capital Vientiane. After walking the jungle and tasting rural and small town life in northern Laos, we step into the "big" city (all of about 100,000 people) to find all the comforts of home--or at least those of Thailand. Modern coffee shops, bakeries, diverse cuisine...and unsurprisingly a bevy of Western tourists. Fortunately they haven't quite yet ruined the charm of Luang Prabang.

Luang Prabang's status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site has helped to preserve the crumbling, French-influenced architecture that lines the city's streets. It also allows the local government to ban trucks and buses from barreling down the main streets, a welcome break for any traveler using their feet as a main means of transport. The city is teeming with young monks walking in small groups to and from the many temples and monasteries, tucked under matching orange umbrellas and smiling gently as we cross paths. We find it all fairly charming, the slow pace and friendly people adding to the relaxing atmosphere.

Monk laundry.

Every night the main street shuts off traffic and fills with a market brimming with souvenirs. It's a great place for a slow wander and a snack. We manage to find the vegetarian food stalls on a side street off the market, where for 10-12,000kip (about $1.50) you can load your plate with an assortment of veg and tofu goodies. The quality is nothing stellar, but its good for a quick, cheap meal. 

The Lao have this great saying: "Same, same...but different!" and it perfectly encapsulates many of the goodies on offer at this market. Little old ladies, many from nearby tribes, one after another, selling the same t-shirts, trinkets and sarongs as the next one down the line. But we still manage to find a few gems--some little bottles of locally made Lao Lao whiskey for me and a cute dress for Sadrah that she negoitated down to a fair price.

It rains quite a bit over our first few days in town, so we take it easy--get some laundry done, chill out over coffees and pastries, poke into shops and visit a few temples between the raindrops. 

Making paper.

Weaving.

When the weather finally breaks we rent bicycles and venture out of the city into some of the smaller villages where women weave silk garments for the night market stalls on giant looms. An older woman is kind enough to let us into her home for a few moments to observe the lengthy, tedious process. She and her friends speak no English, but the kindness in their smiles is more than enough communication. Later we stumble upon a collection of shops selling handmade paper products. We stop for a minute to watch a women making paper by hand.

We also enjoyed some great meals in Luang Prabang. Twice we were stuffed to the gills with Lao barbeque, a do-it-yourself tabletop feast. The waiter removes a tile from the center of our table and places a stone bucket of hot coals in its place. On top he sets a metal dish. In the raised center we grill slices of tofu while around the edges we pour a soup broth and fill it with tons of fresh vegetables and noodles to cook. We add garlic and chilies to the broth, and coat the tofu slices in a tangy barbecue sauce. In the end it's more than enough food for at least 3 people, probably more. At 50-60,000 kip for a massive meal, it's a great value.

Lao barbecue.

We had another dinner at a great restaurant called Tamarind (which offers training and education in hospitality and restaurants for street children) where we were able to sample some of the traditional local specialties. It can be tough to eat like a local in these parts when sticking to a vegetarian diet, but the sampler platter and meuyang (a wrap-your-own mix of noodles, herbs, pastes & vegetables) turned us on to some great flavor combinations. It was definitely a "classy" night out for our budget, but it's worth the splurge every once in a while to try out some really tasty food and support a good cause!

On our last day we organize a ride to Kuang Su Waterfall about 30km. outside of the city.  We take a few hours to explore the crashing falls at the top and several pools that form below that are great for swimming.  We even try out the rope swing.

Every morning just before sunrise, in every village and town in Laos, monks leave their temples to collect alms from the local people. With the number of temples concentrated in this small city, the sheer volume of monks is quite striking. Hundreds of monks fill the streets, each carrying a basket which the local people along the street fill with a handful of sticky rice each. Although it seems a bit like charity, they give alms as a way of gaining merit in their faith. "It is closer to a symbolic connection to the spiritual and to show humbleness and respect in the presence of normal society. The visible presence of monks and nuns is a stabilizing influence. The act of alms giving assists in connecting the human to the monk or nun and what he/she represents." I stole that from Wikipedia, but it was the easiest way to describe the ritual.

Unfortunately the photo-op has become quite a tourist draw, as the streets teem with barefoot monks in dark orange robes walking in silent procession in the light of daybreak. Thankfully, the government has gone to great lengths to make sure that  tourists are observing the ritual respectfully. On our last morning in town we rise in complete darkness and head for the main road near our guest house. We make sure to keep our distance, observing as men and women emerge from their homes with big baskets of sticky rice and kneel on mats along the sidewalk. Soon rows of monks appear out of the darkness, seeming to come from all directions.  They collect their daily alms in a barefoot procession silent but for the soft padding of hundreds of feet, and the whole ritual is over in a little over 20 minutes.