Luang Prabang thru pictures.
Note:
Our golf friend Prasanna's recent trip and his pictures and a write up made on his trip to Bhutan reminded me of our trip to Luang Prabhang. Our trip was covered in two blogs! Felt it is easier to share as one blog. Here it is!
Our trip was actually made during Feb. 2009, a few months before our move to Bangalore and not in Feb 2023!!
LP is charming with nice buildings and old Wats (Temples). Absence of high rise buildings makes it very appealing. It surely is ideal for us oldies who like to walk. It is also nice for the young who love trekking, kayaking and other adventure sports.
I especially liked the offer to teach us how to be a mahout in two days at an elephant camp! The soap dialogue 'Aurathon koh ankush lagana chayiye' had always intrigued me! Here was an opportunity to learn! Decided not to take a risk as they did not specify that the class was only for men!
'Laos, one of the world's few remaining communist states, is one of east Asia's poorest countries' (BBC) It was also my observation that interactions between people appeared a bit guarded.
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| A charming airport, reminiscent of earlier Pune airport! |
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Our favourite haunt, the LP Bakery. Veg soup Lao style highly recommended. |
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While the notice at the LP Bakery was not very friendly the waiters were very extremely nice. |
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The new heritage! |
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The late king is still revered by some. Our guesthouse manager is one of them! |
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| King Sisavang Vong: He was born at Luang Phrabang, on July 14, 1885. His father was Zakarine, King of Luang Phrabang and his mother was Queen Thongsy. He was educated at Lycée Chasseloup-Laubat, Saigon and l'École Coloniale, Paris. He was known as a "playboy" king. He had up to 50 children by as many as 15 wives, two of whom were his half sisters[1]and one of whom was a niece. Fourteen of the children would die in the Mekong after a boating accident. (Wikipedia) |
With a 12 pm curfew and no girlie bars, reading a book is the best way to pass time in LP. You can buy books at the LP bakery and read as you sip a cup of tea or coffee. I noticed that the younger ones were busy with their laptops connecting to people elsewhere while ignoring the people with them!
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| Kids have a new game. How far can they throw their slippers. |
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Fashion Models in the making! |
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| Clean roads and nice buildings |
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| Did buy a book on Laos, but yet to fill in the details! |
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| Tara was interviewed by a Lao student. |
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The reason why LP is so clean! Admirable practice to catch and teach them young. |
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| The stories would be interesting! |
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| This could be in our Malleswaram, Bengaluru? |
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| She looks worried that tourists don't walk in to her shop. |
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| Surely not for tourists!? |
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| Very jealous of any city with a river |
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| She did not even look up, perhaps she guessed we won't buy! |
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She did make an half-hearted effort to sell. |
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Weird stuff to drink. |
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My first reaction was 'Wow!'. But Monks also need a calendar. |
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| As a grandparent I relate to this! |
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| The cave temple approachable only by a boat. |
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| The picture must have came out well! |
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| Absolutely divine! Lovely landscaping and totally clean! |
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| I had a great time getting into the water a little down hill. A pity that the camera did not work for Tara. It was very refreshing to be in there. |
The main street 'Sisavangvong'. We spent many hours on this street as we ate at the Luang Prabhang Bakery seen next to the red tents!
The Night market!
The experience was nice but tame. We did not feel the energy of a market place. The vendors were friendly in a subdued way. They did not push for a sale. Tara did buy a few odd things as a contribution to their economy. We bought a bed cover on our final night at LP and were amazed when the vendor told us that it was her first sale for the day and it was already 10 p.m.!
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| As we walked out of the Bakery after a cup of tea we were surprised to see a lot of activity right on the main street |
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| The baby was real and a doll! |
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Tara was impressed with the speed of setting up the market and the order. Nothing new for us but the fact that the main street was closed for the night market was impressive.
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| The patient vendor. Most of them were calm and while some did smile, they were not animated and hardly a shout was heard! |
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| Not many tourists. Perhaps it is an order by the authorities to set shop |
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| A rare sale! |
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| The market spread a little to the side streets.But it was not active |
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| Not a very aggressive salesman! |
Offering alms to the monks:
We had heard about the tradition of offering alms to the monks early in the morning. Sticky rice, freshly cooked in the morning is offered. Usually the devotees place orders a day earlier and they start congregating at around 6 am and so did we! The operation is well organised and it is like being at the time of suprabhatam in any temple of India. Tara decided to join and was lucky to get something to offer as the guest house receptionist had forgotten to order, in spite of giving him the money in advance.
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| Tara waiting for the monks to arrive. People were kind enough to offer her a small stool to sit on. |
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| I have a suspicion that the monks were waiting for these VIP's to arrive I saw the monks walking towards us as soon as the VIP's settled down.. |
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| This young girl was actually collecting alms and many young monks gave back from their collection. |
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| Cell phones were just phones? |
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| Monks are quite busy most of the day. |
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| They do have their outings. |
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| They look quite smart |
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| The dwellings are humble |
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| A quiet way to end the day. |
While we did not really spend time with them or follow them about, we were lucky to get glimpse of their busy life. We could perceive a great sense of purpose in them and a calm demeanor. Most importantly they were all very trim, in fact, no fat monks were seen!
Laos was not at all a typical touristy place and rules are made to ensure austerity !
I saw this notice stuck prominently on a wall of the room. It was an "Accommodation Regulation" created by the Police department, Luang Prabhang Provincial, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Peace Independent Democracy Prosperity.
(I am totally in love with this publication and will try to quote as much as I can from it. It is authentic as it has a chop of the director of the police department. I am quoting a few interesting points. Translation by them.)
"Accommodating in hotels, guesthouses and resorts for domestic and international tourists is to make sure that safety and security procedures in place to response in emergency cases for both domestic and international tourists who have accommodated and promote the Lao PDR tourism policy. "
The Tourism police office has issued accommodation regulation for tourists and accommodation provider to implement and follow as below:
1. Tourists have to have your own accommodation at 2400 hrs (mid night). ( I had no issues with this mid night curfew, as I am the 'early to bed' type of fellow! You can see me nodding at 2200 hrs!)
2.( Says show passport!)
3. Every time, when you are check in hotels, guesthouses and resorts you must register your belonging. If there are value things you have to give to receptionist to look after for you and both party have to sign for acknowledgement. If not, in case something lost it will be your own responsible.
4. (Something about ammunition's!)
5. Do not any drugs, crambling or bring both women and men which is not your own husband or wife into the room for making love.
6. Do not allow domestic or international tourist bring prostitute and others into your accommodation to make sex movies in our room, it is a restriction. (and so on)
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11. If you do not follow this accommodation regulation, you will be fight based on Lao PDR law.
12. This regulation take effect with official signature and stamp.
The regulation no. 5 had me worried. It is still very fresh in my memory that Thailand consulate in Vancouver could not issue me a dependent visa. One of the reasons was that I did not produce a marriage certificate with my application. My pointing out to them that both our passports mentioned us as husband and wife did not work.
Here again we were in a predicament as we had not carried our marriage certificate with us. I was considering sleeping on the other bed, just in case there was a raid, but was vetoed!
I was also tremendously relieved that I did not carry a video camera. Luckily mine is an ancient model and I have stopped using it.
A few comments:
Many thanks, Nidhi, for your acute visual observation- the clean, bright robes of the monks in the greyish morning light , as well as the girl asking for alms!- and your insight into the non-visible elements: that there were no fat monks!!
The young monks giving back the alms to the young girl who must obviously be in need (taking back from a monk's bowl is unheard of here, at least I have not come across it) - that is so incredibly touching... the receiving and passing it on/sharing.
Wheels of the karmic circle turning.
Thanks Nidhi, my morning has begun with this image and thought, which I will keep in my heart compartment of special and inspiring moments/deeds.
I am more than determined now to visit LP again and if I can make it, include going to Phongsavan - the Plain of Jars.
Varsha
Wheels of the karmic circle turning.
Thanks Nidhi, my morning has begun with this image and thought, which I will keep in my heart compartment of special and inspiring moments/deeds.
I am more than determined now to visit LP again and if I can make it, include going to Phongsavan - the Plain of Jars.
Varsha
haa haa. Loved the laotian regulations on drugs, movies and cramblings- more an entertainment than a deterrent!
Nice pics of the monks Nidhi uncle.
Nice pics of the monks Nidhi uncle.
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