Oh Luang Prabang...this was such a strange but an almost magical place. So many random, but fun things that happened. I was there for about 4 days and these were the most memorable things (in no particular order):
1. My Arrival
Simon had taken the bus from Vang Vien to Luang Prabang, while I had gone down to Vientiane and then flew up to Luang Prabang. We were only in contact by email, so I wasn't sure when and where I would actually meet up with him in LP. All I knew was the name of his hostel, not even the location. I told him I would arrive around 12pm so he had some expected time frame.
Since there were extra seats on the earlier plane, I arrived around 10:00am instead. At the airport, they were asking for $5 for a taxi ride into town (which is a lot), so I waited around to see if anyone wanted to share a cab. Eventually, a French couple and their nephew let me share one with them. As we got into town, I see Simon and a couple other people walking up the street! I asked the driver to pull over and I popped out of the taxi, probably scaring the crap out of Simon! It was such unbelievably good timing. If I didn't wait around for anyone to share a cab, I probably would have spent my first day in Luang Prabang searching for the hostel and Simon.
2. Spicy Laos Hostel
Didn't like it the first night AT ALL. There was one guy in my 10-person dorm who came in drunk, turned on the lights at 2am, and started ranting about how someone was in his bed and spilled water on his laptop. I thought, I need to get out of this place! It's a complete zoo!
But he left after that night, so it wasn't so bad. After all, I was staying at a UNESCO World Heritage House. The accommodation itself was nothing to write home about; showers and toilets were hidden around the house, and some beds were pretty lumpy (I got a good one though). It was more about the atmosphere. The hostel was very social, full of characters who had been traveling from as long as 1 year to just a few weeks (even met a person from Sacramento!). I had some good times meeting new people and just hanging out with Beer Laos on the porch at night.
3. Day with the Elephants
I joined a tour that took us to an "elephant camp" where we rode elephants into the jungle/forest and into the lake. It was definitely and awesome experience. The elephants are so sweet. The best part was getting in the water with them. They were playful, and like in a rodeo fashion, they would try to throw you off their backs so they could bathe freely. It freaked me out a little bit (since I can't really swim well), but I held on tight. One fellow got thrown off and lost his glasses! Some local kids dove around and found them though. Pretty amazing. The elephants were so nice and gentle. The mahouts (trainers) were ok. They weren't super mean to the elephants, but you can tell this was not a super ethical outfit running the tour. If I were to do it again, I'd pay more for a more ethical tour.
4. Waterfalls/Scenic Drive
The pools were such a lovely ice blue. Very fitting, because the water was cold! Glad I got to see the countryside of rice fields too. Lots of rolling mountains, lush green fields, and bamboo huts popping in and out of the scenery.
5. Alms Giving Ceremony
Every morning, the monks begin the alms giving ceremony around 6am. It's a really beautiful ritual, because the monks receive donations from the locals (rice, food, candy, etc.) and in turn, the monks give donations (that they just received) and blessings to those who are in need. It was really interesting to watch. Although unfortunately, it's become a tourist attraction. Some tourists were so disrespectful; they would walk right up in front of the monks and take photos (sometimes with flash). It's so intrusive on such a special ceremony.
6. Riding a bike around
I rented a bike and rode out to Ock Pop Tok, a textile center a little bit outside from the center of town. It was a really nice facility for weaving, basket making, and fabric dying, which women from the local area came to work. Afterwards, I stopped by the Phousi Market, and then to the Luang Prabang Red Cross for a massage. It was nice riding outside of the touristy area. Compared to the main strip of restaurants and shops in French colonial buildings, there's a much poorer side of Luang Prabang that I don't think foreigners see. Aside from walking, biking is still my favorite way to see a city.
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