After 2 full days on a boat to get here, we could not wait to see what Luang Prabang had in store for us, and we were not let down! This was one of the most beautiful towns we have visited so far on our journey. Luang Prabang is a recognized UNESCO World Heritage site and has therefore managed to retain its French-influenced charm as a laid back, Lao riverfront town.
Banana trees line the street
The night market
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Our first morning in Luang Prabang, we woke up to drumbeats and went outside to observe monks “making merit”… a daily ritual where they collect rice from Buddhists lined up on the street.
Our guesthouse overlooked a Wat and we enjoyed sitting and watching (from a distance) the monks in their day-to-day activities.
Kids collecting flower blossoms from this tree (to make into flower necklaces which are sold in town)
And… yet another cat… do you see a trend here…? :)
Mount Phu Si
In town, a set of stairs leads to Wat Pa Huak, a series of Buddha statues and a supposed imprint of Buddha’s foot.
View of Luang Prabang from the top of Mount Phu Si
Scary millipede
We came across an imposing trail of ants… we took more pictures of the ants than anything else that day. :)
Ceremonial drum… played in the early morning before monks make merit.
Salamanders seeking shade in the mouth of a dragon statue
Buddha’s footprint
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Royal Palace Museum. The Lao King lived here until the revolution in 1975 when he was exiled and imprisoned… and now it’s a museum.
Monks walking to “make merit” in the rain (our second morning in Luang Prabang)
It's amazing to see the clear Euro-French influences in the architecture. I think I'd be most fascinated by the monks and would sit watching them for hours!
ReplyDeleteGetting quite a lovely lesson following your adventures. I had always seen Budda in a seated position. I wondered about "making merit" on rainy days....Now I know. Enjoy. enjoy.
ReplyDeleteDid you hear the monks wanted to stop the morning ritual do to bad food? They were getting food poisoning. The street vendors were selling bad/stale food. The Laotian government told the monks that if they stopped, then the government would pay men to shave their heads and dress as monks. They want the tourist dollars!
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