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Luang Prabang
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As we already knew the drill we found our bags with ease and balancing precariously we walked the plank onto the shore. The riverbank was awash with passengers as three boats had arrived within minutes of each other. This was a blessing as we didn't get harassed at all and were left to get our bearings and have a wander, it was also a curse as we were following a trail of people in search of a guesthouse and every one we seemed to try was full.
Although it was 5.30pm it was hot and humid and too much to carry our backpacks another step, so after half a mile of fruitless searching we deployed another tactic and jumped into a tuk tuk and headed to a guesthouse recommended in the book, which was on the outskirts of town. Unfortunately it was full J but there was another one next door and we managed to secure the last available room in desperation.
We bartered the price down a little to a still way over budget 12 pound a night but when we saw the room it was worth it.
It was a large room with a grand wooden four poster bed; the wardrobe, dressing table and mirror were equally as grand and heavy in hand carved wood, housing a flat screen TV. The best thing of all was in the newly tiled, sparkling bathroom …. Oh yes we had a BATH!!!!
It was like all our Christmases had come at once and we dumped our bags and made use of it immediately! Well when we say immediately it was actually after the non English speaking lady who checked us in and the guy who spoke very little English tried to decipher that we needed a plug. It was an interesting interaction to say the least as we kept repeating the word plug as if they were deaf rather than unable to understand and pointing at the plug hole and making other actions that symbolized we wanted to take a bath, the guy finally understanding tried to convey our request to the lady which resulted in her blowing up like a bottle of pop and unleashing a barrage of what sounded like abuse with her pointing wildly at the bath, shaking her head, shouting some more and finally turning on her heel and heading out of the door quickly followed by the poor guy who just looked at us, shrugged and put his head down. We were left very confused and amused and took it that we weren't supposed to actually have a bath but we couldn't just give up, we would have to find another way to block the plughole.
As we were searching for an ingenious solution there was a knock on the door and there stood the lady dangling a plug from a broken chain with such a smug look, she pushed into the bathroom shoved it into the plug hole and when it fitted she was overjoyed and came out looking very pleased with herself. Her persona had completely changed and we took this to mean we were forgiven. We thanked her very much as we have mastered this in Laos and enjoyed a hot steaming bath and an early night. Happy Days.
The next day we went to explore. Luang Prabang province is spread out over a wide area but Luang Prabang is the Capital and is concentrated over 4 main roads on the peninsula between the Nam Kham and Mekong rivers. In the centre is the unmissable Phu Si a 100m high hill which is home to an ornate gold temple "That Chonsi" which sits on the summit with "Wat pa Huak" and "Wat Thom Phu Si" on the upward climb.
The French influence is very apparent here and the whole place has a colonial feel. A lot of the original architecture is still in place and the tree lined rue's would not look out of the place in the south of France. We strolled along the main boulevard separating the road from the Mekong River admiring the beautiful buildings with symmetrical features and huge sash windows dressed perfectly with wooden shutters. We imagined the upper class from the 18th century, Doctors with 3 piece natural coloured suits and ladies of leisure in billowing dresses displaying their finery, sitting sipping a gin and tonic in old wicker furniture, under a rickety ceiling fan while the locals served and pandered to their every need. These illusions were a little shattered when it was, in reality mainly American tourists drinking beer Lao in shorts and t-shirts with blatant advertising slogans demanding the locals pander to their every need.
There is also a Swiss influence with beautifully crafted wooden chalet style structures. These have again been turned into guesthouses, but have also been utilized as Art Galleries and boutique shops adding to the European feel. There are also a number of bakeries providing numerous varieties of blended coffee, freshly baked baguettes and sticky sugar covered pastries which make for a great place to while away an afternoon under a parasol, taking in the mountain views and daily life on the river.
In contrast to the bakeries and chic hotel eateries there are local restaurants that line the Mekong with their own small space of mismatch plastic tables and chairs and food that is either from an oil drum filled with hot coals providing BBQ chicken, pork or fish on site, or carried back and forth by the teenage member of the family from the household kitchen tucked along a narrow alleyway across the road. These are often more appealing in value and taste than the aforementioned choices.
One thing there is in abundance are Buddhist Wat (temple complex). They range from ancient ruins to ornate, resplendent Pagoda's with Naga (mystical dragons) and Buddha statues in all sorts of materials, sizes and positions each with their own expression and meaning. They are all stunning in their own right and scattered on the landscape like hundreds and thousands on a cake making it beautiful and all the more tempting.
We climbed up to Phu Si as mentioned earlier and were blown away by the panoramic views surrounding us. Looking out from the tree lined track that lead to the top we could see the whole town and outer villages spread out before us flanked by rolling hills and rocky mountains covered in patchwork forest leading down to the Nam Kham river where a wooden bridge connected the two lands. It was like viewing an oil painting and we stood for some time trying to take in every inch.
Further along the track were small bamboo houses, perched gracefully on stilts where the monks resided. We knew this because the washing lines outside were filled with bright saffron robes of varying shades that dictate what level the monk has reached in his studies.
After appreciating the splendor of the three Wat and Golden Stupa we walked along the Nam Kham riverside. The buildings were the same in structure with more understated grandeur that was accentuated in the adjourning cafes. Simple wooden furniture and Cream fabric parasols, wooden boxes and dirt patches planted with cabbage, lettuce and herbs that filled the air with aromatic scents finished with tea light lanterns that added to the romantic feel.
There was a bamboo bridge so creatively crafted that led across to a man made beach area (where we spent the next day relaxing, reading and catching some rays) The bridge had to be dismantled during the rainy season and rebuilt once the chance of destruction had subsided after crossing it we don't know how it managed to stay in one piece and we were glad to pay 40p to help towards maintenance.
We continued our walk soaking up the relaxed atmosphere and watching the sky become pink as the sun slowly fell until dusk when we rounded the corner onto another main street that was beautifully illuminated with paper lanterns and fairy lights.
We couldn't believe our eyes as the street that was previously empty during the day was now filled with stall after stall of traditional handicrafts, food, drink and hundreds of tourists. It was crazy. We tried to meander our way through, browsing the kaleidoscopic goodies laid out in uniform rows covering every inch of tarpaulin and blankets that formed the base of each stall on the floor. The goods ranged from fabric and tapestry. Handbags, slippers, baby bibs, oven gloves and aprons to bed covers and pillowcases, endless pieces of jewellery from chunky silver pendants to delicate wooden beads and colourful thread. Wine bottles filled with snakes and scorpions as well as the locally made rice wine and whisky. It had something for everyone and seemed never ending.
We stopped at a food stall that was advertised as all you can eat for 10,000 kip which is equivalent to about 80p. Laid out on a long table were bowls and platters filled with noodles, rice, vegetables and other tasty tip bits, like an Asian version of Morrison's salad counter. Well we are experts at getting the most out of those so we decided to share a bowl and began loading up carefully utilizing every inch of space until the owner declared we had to Stop. When we pointed out it was all you can eat and we still had space he was disgusted and shouted "One each" … "No more" he wouldn't even let us have two forks.
After filling our faces we made our way to the other end of the market past the T-shirt and vest stalls all emblazoned with the same three different images Beer Laos, Buddha and the national flag in a selection of primary colours. The wood carvings and art work were impressive but then when you have seen a hundred plus stalls selling identical products the shine quickly wears off.
We wish this could be said for the doughnut stall which never seems to lose its appeal and draws us in like moth's to a flame every time.
The next day was spent relaxing after we moved into a cheaper guesthouse which just happened to be the one Pete and Em had moved into.
We found out that accommodation was so expensive because it was Chinese New Year so the influx of tourists commanded prices be doubled to capitalise on the festivities. The celebrations were non existent in our neighbourhood there wasn't even a fire cracker in sight so all four of us made our own fun and shared a couple of beer Laos (the first alcohol since we came away) and listened to the old school Madonna albums and relived our youth while cooking our own dinner on the BBQ.
The BBQ is an amazing thing, a bucket of hot coals is inserted into a hole in the table and on top of this is a large metal container with a moat surrounding a cone shape. In the moat you add the clear broth/stock, vegetables, noodles and egg, while this is simmering away the "meat" is placed around the edge of the cone and a big piece of pork fat is used to stop this all sticking and flavour the broth. It kept us good for ages and was delicious.
We had pretty much explored all the sights in Luang Prabang so with the influence of our travel buddies and a bit of Beer Laos we all decided to hire a motorbike the next day and take a road trip to Pak Ou Caves and Tat Kuang Si Waterfalls.
We were up bright and early and map in hand decided to head to the caves first which were 38km out of town. Once we had filled up with fuel (80p for a full tank) and I had stopped head butting Rod every time he changed gear we settled in for the ride.
The first obstacle we had to conquer was the bridge over the river Nam Khan. It is constructed of steel sides in a diamond formation with steel girders on the bottom. The base is finished with horizontal slats of timber between the girders and four uneven pieces of 3" by 2" laid side by side vertically in a repetitive manner but not attached which is what you have to stay on to cross. It was like riding over a giant wooden jigsaw puzzle, 60ft above water, with traffic skimming past you crossing the other way. We expected Richard O'Brien to be waiting with our Crystal on completion of the task.
Once across, the local area became different again and was a small reflection of a traditional way of life. The smooth roads became red dust tracks and the roadside was sparse lined with only a few shops and restaurants that also doubled up as living quarters grouped together at varying intervals. These building were in complete contrast to those in the main town. They were all constructed of a wooden frame with either heavily weaved bamboo or wooden planks making up the walls. The windows are holes in the framework and some had shutters depending on the affluence of the family. The roof also depended on the family income, some just weaved bamboo, sometimes bamboo topped with grasses/straw and if really lucky corrugated iron.
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After an hour of riding through small towns and villages we followed a sign for Pak Ou caves, after another half an hour of uncomfortable bone shaking along a pot holed rocky dirt track we reached the village from which the caves were accessed.
It was a moderate sized village where it seemed the community all worked together and relied on the steady seasonal income generated by the tourist trade. This enabled them to be self sufficient in the sense of crop production and animal rearing for food and wholesale.
We paid the 50p parking charge and followed the homemade wooden signs that led us down to the rivers edge. The scenery never fails to impress and we stood for a while trying to absorb the sheer enormity of the limestone rock faces looming over and extending high into the clouds then realized we were in the middle of someone's vegetable patch that had been planted in the fertile mud left over from rainy season.
As we stared in awe our eyes were drawn to the opposite side and it suddenly dawned on us that is where we needed to be.
Luckily for us there was a long tail boat waiting patiently at the waters edge with a captain that looked about sixteen who was already becoming a shrewd businessman as there was no bartering it was 40,000 kip (3.20) return take it or leave it and the expressionless face said he wasn't bothered either way, we couldn't work out if this was just part of the Laos horizontally laid back attitude or teen angst but either way he won, we paid the money and cautiously stepped into the narrow boat while trying to prevent it from rocking, filling with water and sinking. It seems unbelievable that with 5 people none of the above did happen but by not moving a muscle once equilibrium was attained we managed to stay afloat and enjoy the crossing with the water lapping at the sides just teasing us.
We were soon wobbling our way across the fairground jetty and climbing the many steps to the cave mouth. We then had to pay another 20,000 (1.60) each entry fee which goes towards maintaining the caves which is the biggest load of codswallop we have ever heard. How much maintenance does a cave need? They have existed for millions of years without any maintenance, we could just imagine a Mrs Doyle type figure popping in with a duster and giving it a quick once over … AND … It is meant to be a religious site in which we feel payment should not be demanded. We would be glad to make a donation to a worthy cause that would go to the local community for education or clean water supply etc and not line the pockets of the government! It may not seem a lot but on a travelling budget it's a meal! … Rant Over!
Anyway we paid and we don't know what we were expecting but the caves were pretty underwhelming. There were no stalactites or mites the interesting rock formations and limestone patternations were few and far between, the only appeal was an impressive collection of Buddha's all shapes, sizes and expressions. With a large influx of tourists mainly American and Chinese it was near impossible to see all the Buddha's or appreciate the aura of spirituality when we were waltzing around people trying to make room and avoid the bat poo or like me avoid running out screaming or passing out as the bats came flying in and out at speed at what felt like an inch away from my face.
We followed the cries of "wow dude, that's awesome" from the tour group getting ushered out and filled with enthusiasm and the cave history by their tour guide and climbed the 200+ steps to the upper cave. From the animated build up the guide had given we were certain that this would be the redeeming feature. Outside the entrance proudly stood a huge gold laughing Buddha (laughing because we had paid to see this). We entered the cave mouth filled with anticipation to what lay inside as we were swallowed into the darkness. After about 20 panic stricken seconds our eyes adjusted and Pete and Em found their torch, calm was restored and we looked around and saw …. A CAVE!!!
The saving grace of this excursion was undoubtedly the view. The fact that it was the same views as the boat trip made no difference. It never gets tiring and every time you look you see something new, a plant species, tree, animal, bird, rocks, it is quite honestly breathtaking.
We bounced back to the boat and made the short crossing to where the bike had been left. We trod another path back through the village and stumbled across the elder ladies hand weaving scarves and sarongs on their wooden looms, while the younger generation attempted to sell scarves amongst other things to us. We politely declined, retrieved the bikes and made an uneventful trip back to town.
After enjoying delicious noodle soup (a huge bowl of clear broth with noodles, basil, onion, green beans and sometimes kale into which you add your own chilli flakes, fish and soy sauce, sugar and raw chilli to taste) from one of the many local street cafes we grabbed our hoodies as we had forgotten how cold it gets on the back of a bike and headed the 32km out of town in the other direction towards Tat Kuang Si waterfalls.
The landscape was different again and we weaved our way through the mountains on smoother roads passing row upon row of lush green paddy fields all at different stages of cultivation. The natural beauty that this creates is a sight to behold, the perfectly still water casting a faultless reflection of the mountains, forest and blazing sun. They truly are a work of art regimental lush emerald patches extending as far as the eye can see being tended to by a few local farmers.
The buildings were the same wooden structures the only difference being they were built on stilts to avoid the floods in rainy season. There were other varieties of housing as we got closer to the busier towns such as the concrete/breeze block building (like a small garage) with a wooden structure (like a small shed) on top, there were also a few brick buildings under construction.
We pulled along a dirt track filled with tables full of food, confectionary, tacky souvenirs and tourists. Why we thought we would be the only ones to discover the waterfall existed is beyond us but we naively didn't expect it to be so commercial. We paid our 50p parking and then our 3.20 entry fee and walked through the rainforest and into an opening only to be greeted by an enclosure filled with sun bears. What a lovely surprise that was.
The bears had all been rescued from poachers or entertainers and were cared for at the centre. The enclosure was filled with platforms, hammocks, tyres, toys and lush greenery that the lolloping cuddly bears were all lounging around on. They were very comical and looked as if they couldn't be bothered to move. We wanted to take one home but didn't think we would get him through customs. The bears all have names and their history was documented on an information board. We had a belly laugh taking photos with the life size bear figures that brings a whole new meaning to bear hug!
After walking for another few hundred yards we came out and were completely taken aback by the sight that greeted us. It was a large natural pool filled with menthol waters that were being fed by a small waterfall surrounded by lush green vegetation and banana palms. It was also filled with people taking a dip and cooling off in the humid temps and hot sun. We watched for a while but then decided to keep going if this was the end of the falls we couldn't wait to see the beginning.
As we walked we could hear cries of joy and elation and we thought we weren't too far away and how amazing it must be to engage that kind of reaction.
In actual fact it was the next tier of the falls, again with a stunning giant natural pool with the turquoise/mint green waters that we couldn't get enough of or work out how they became such an amazing colour, fed by larger wider spread falls cascading over limestone rock formations and towering trees creating a cocoon with ferns and grasses filling up the sides. The sound of the water was being drowned out by the 30 or so Chinese tourists who had stopped for a picnic and a dip.
There was a rope swing hanging from one of the high trees and they were taking turns to climb up the wooden ladder that had been hammered into the trunk and swing and drop into the sumptuous pool below. Each time they did this the crowds that had gathered along the rocks where the water fell whooped with glee and clapped and cheered. It was so funny to watch and made us giggle but we decided to carry on to the top and wait for the crowds to disperse before taking a dip.
We couldn't believe how many layers there were to behold. Each one with its own whimsical beauty that kept the smiles firmly embedded until we finally came to the beginning of the multi tiered cascade and our mouths dropped open in awe, it was breathtaking, stunning and powerful as it exploded down over the cliff face and splashed back off the boulders below. We could imagine just how awesome it would be in rainy season if it was this impressive now.
Not content with seeing this we decided we would have to walk to the top to get an up close and personal (away from the hundreds of other tourists) view of the point of exit so we could witness the dramatic build up to such a beautiful cascade.
We climbed the 50 or so steps and made off into unchartered territory deep in the forest higher and higher up the cliff face. The views were outstanding and we absorbed the tranquility while looking out over the tree tops and across to the mountains far away in the distance. Every so often we tried to get close to the falls but we really wanted the view from the top. It felt like we were back in the Himalayas again except for the heat which was causing us to build up a sweat. By the time we eventually reached a clearing at the top the boys went and crossed a small boggy patch of land and found we had gone higher than the falls, back down we went and as much as we tried to get close it was to no avail. The boys did have a good go at one point climbing the sides of the rocks to get a closer look much to the discomfort of us girls.
By the time we had made it to the bottom again the crowds had thinned and the last of the stragglers were heading back to their tour buses. We headed for the largest pool and found the sun was going down and no longer beaming through the trees we took this as a sign and decided we didn't want to go for a swim even though the water looked tantalizing and was calling us in, it wouldn't be worth being freezing on the bike for and hour and half. We watched the bags and took the photos as Em and Pete bravely faced the icy waters. Pete jumped off the falls while Em gracefully entered from the edge only to be then pulled in and under. By the looks on their faces we had made the right decision it was freezing although they adjusted quickly whilst in the water the trip back for them was no fun at all.
We stopped a couple of times to catch the sunset over the paddy fields, one of the prettiest sunsets to date as the whole sky and earth seemed to light up red and orange and create a silhouette of the buffalo, huts and farmers. Magical!
Bikes returned we finished what had been a fantastic day with a few Beer Laos, delicious food which we all shared whilst watching the Stoke match.
This wasn't only the perfect end to the day but the perfect end to our stay in Luang Prabang. It is a charming quaint little place, that's draws you in and romances you for a while and we have thoroughly loved our time here. But time is of the essence and we begrudgingly have to move on we want to experience the true local lifestyle and we know we haven't done that yet.
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