Luang Prabang

When I left Cambodia, I was thinking I should have scheduled my itinerary to give me more time in Cambodia and to skip Laos. I was really enjoying myself and there were more things Iwanted to see. After one day in Luang Prabang, I was sold on Laos. After spending 10 days there, I was still not ready to leave.

Luang Prabang was an old emperial capital and is still home to the largest number of Buddhist monks and monasteries in the world. Because of this rich heritage it is protected as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is set on a peninsula along the Mekong River and mountain ranges ring the city. According to friends, five years ago Luang Prabang was untouristed. Today, there are plenty of Internet cafes, travel agencies, and English-speaking restaurants. However, the town still retains its charm and lovely, laidback pace. The Buddhist monasteries and the rivers give the town its character.

One friend, a Korean diplomat, recounts a saying from the region: The nicest Vietnamese is still meaner than the meanest Laotian. This is not to say that the Vietnamese are mean, but to distinguish the incredible hospitality of the Laotians. Little agitates the Laotians I met - smiles and patience are typical. Even in negotiating in the market, their character is quite distinguishable from their neighbors. In Vietnam, the vendors approach you and call out to you. The starting negotiating price is often at least twice the fair market value. Negotiations can be heated and confrontational. If you say no, the vendors will chase after you and give you a discount. In Laos, you have to approach the vendors. The starting price is about 30% above fair market value and if you walk away, the vendors wish you a good night, but don't try to press the sale.

The location provides stunning sunsets and sunrises. Before sunrise, the monks gather at their monasteries. Each monastery then processes into town and joins a long procession of all of the monasteries. Each monk carries a food bowl and people kneel on the side of the street and put bananas and sticky rice in the bowls. Locals sell rice and bananas to the tourists and because of the large number of tourists the bowls overflow, so that the monks end up emptying out the entire contents of their bowls as they process.

Because of Luang Prabang's location, many of the activities revolve around the river and the mountains. My two favorite activities were riding the elephant and kayaking on the Mekong. The elephants have retired after 40-50 years of carrying cargo and now give rides to tourists. They are large, but still smaller than African elephants. I rode on the head, grabbing the ears, feeling the bristly skin, feeling every movement as it plodded through the jungle and the river.

In kayaking down the river I saw the daily life of the Laotians. Fishermen threw their nets. Families harvested rice in the paddies. It was so peaceful and lovely - each turn brought a new vista. There was no schedule, no billable minutes, no breakdown of the subway, no mobile phone. Only mountains, the river, the boat, and me. I enjoyed my last experience in Laos, but I didn't want my time there to end.