Laos - Luang Prabang, Part 1

Luang Prabang, a small city in north central Laos, is a former royal capital that sits on a peninsula at the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Khan Rivers.  It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995, and in the last couple of decades it has become quite a popular tourist draw thanks to its many Buddhist temples, French colonial architecture, and surrounding mountains and waterfalls. It drew us in, at least for a taste of Laos before continuing on to neighboring Thailand.

Wat Ho Pha Bang Buddhist Temple.
This is only a little more than 20 years old. The temples here are very different from the ancient stone rubble-strewn jungle-encroached temples of Angkor Wat. Here the temples are largely constructed of wood and full of bling. A little too "Las Vegas" for my taste, but beautiful in their own way. 


Offering




1952 Citroen Model II
The French influence is more than the architecture.


From our hotel room terrace facing the Mekong River. Also by a somewhat busy road and a congregation point for the tuk tuk drivers, so it was a bit noisy.



Wat Mai Suwannaphumaham (try saying that three times fast).


A lot of the detail is just painted.






Deborah finds a temple kitty. We are generally quite cautious around animals in Southeast Asia for fear of a rabies-infected scratch or bite, but this one was clearly tame.


Prayer instructions.






Every country seems to have its own version of a tuk tuk. The ones here are very colorful (but not that comfortable).


Monks in a boat.







Five on a motorscooter.
(photo by Deborah)



Monk laundry.


Naturally, there is a lot of English (and some French) on the signs of businesses catering to tourists. It is not always perfectly translated.


This is one of our favorites.
(photo by Deborah)


Inviting alleyway.



It is not uncommon when travelling to come upon something you can't explain, such as a giant chicken on a second floor balcony.
(photo by Deborah)


(photo by Deborah)





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