Luang Prabang feels like paradise. Not only can I walk down the street without dodging cows and their dung, I can ride a bike without constantly fearing for my life. It is a beautiful "city" set between two rivers and surrounded by hills. It feels like a mix of Cambodia, Paris and Hawaii.
View of Luang Prabang from the plane. My flight arrived around 12:00 and by 12:30 I had my visa and was at the hotel.
Chitara 2 Guesthouse.
View of the Mekong from the guesthouse.
I treated myself to a Laotian salad--it was the first salad I ate since I left NYC. It was heavenly and so was the restaurant, 3 Nagas. You have to go to a restaurant that rinses its vegetables in bottled water in order to eat fresh vegetables.
3 Nagas Restaurant.
I decided to rent a bike and explore the town. It was about $2.50 to rent a bike for the day.
I loved my bike basket.
A typical street scene.
Wat Hosian. Laos is somewhat unique in that all the monks are not Buddhists. They also have monks who are Christian and Animists (who believe in sprits).
The monks were hanging around the temple.
View of the Nam Khan River. Luang Prabang is on a peninsula surrounded on 3 sides by the Nam Khan and the Mekong Rivers.
One of the best places to watch the sunset in Luang Prabang is from the top of Mount Phousi. This is the entranceway up the 355 steps to the top. I locked up my bike and headed up.
At least there were some things to distract me on the climb.
Sorry, that is sweat all over my t-shirt. Like I said, it was 355 steps to the top and I had just been biking all over town. Behind me is the Nam Khan River.
Looking off to the other side of the hill you could see the Mekong River. The view from the top was well worth the effort.
From Mount Phousi, I biked along the Nam Khan River to get to Wat Xieng Thong.
A cute house I passed along the way.
Wat Xieng Thong, the famous Wat in Luang Prabang.
It was the perfect time to visit the temple. The crowds were gone and the monks were inside singing their evening prayers.
The prayers are half song and half chant.
From there, I headed to the night market.
The locals sell their crafts and other goods along the main street, which they close to traffic everyday between 5-10 p.m. The lanterns are gorgeous.
I turned down a side street and stumbled upon this alleyway with different stalls selling a smorgasbord of food. For 10,000 kip, about $1.25, you can fill your plate.
The grilled fish and meat is extra. I think my Lao beer cost me just as much as my dinner.
Everyone dines together at these picnic tables. I sat with a nice couple from Germany. They just got back from a 5-night trip through the more rural parts of Laos. They said for about $5, they had their own bungalow along the riverbank.
Other sightings near where I ate included grilled pig heads.
And steamed chicken heads.
It was an enjoyable and somewhat relaxing first day in Laos. I booked a kayaking trip for tomorrow morning.
Oh, I forgot to mention that Lalit, my driver in India, was pick pocketed at the camel fair. He told me a million times to be careful with my wallet. I guess he was right.
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Location:Luang Prabang, Laos
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