Luang Prabang is charming and you can easily fall under its spell. One reason I think it maintains it mystique among tourists is that it is just so difficult to capture. We said several times while looking through our pictures that they just do not do the town justice (Part of the problem was that it was so humid in LP that the camera lens would fog up so half of our pictures look like there is a China-like haze all of the time). That being said, here are a few images to give you a better idea of what life is like there.
The main street of LP with its iconic French colonial architecture.
Fresh Fish
Buying riverweed because, as everyone knows, the best riverweed comes from LP.
One of the most popular tourist attractions in LP is waking up early to watch the monks collect the morning alms. It is a daily, traditional activity that has been overrun by tourists recently. We were fortunate that the morning we woke up to watch them, it was raining and the low tourist season. Throughout town there are many signs explaining the culturally appropriate way to observe but not interfere in the process. As you can see, not everyone abides by these suggestions.
"China-like haze": where can I get me some of that, oh, . . . I'm sitting in it. Well, one day, Laos too will join the industrial revolution--I'm pretty sure it started in England, moved on to continental Europe and the United States, then the Soviet Union and Japan, and has been creeping along. All of these wonderful countries have each consequently enjoyed their own wonderful China-like haze. In 30 years--we'll understand "Laos-like haze". Agreed?
ReplyDeletePlz bring me back an oliphant.
ReplyDelete