Six day trip to Laos - day 6

Six day trip to Laos - day 6

Breakfast in the Aussie Bar again.

Plenty of time, before our flight, for coffee on the Villa balcony and packing.

Tuk tuk to the airport. It's an international flight direct to Chiang Mai. Quick and easy check-in, passport control, security and gate location.

The Lao Airline plane has those things that go around. Rotor blades? 

Inside the plane, it looks newly refurbished and very clean. The flight attendants are smart and helpful. This is as good as the top airlines. Great views as we take off and climb.

A one hour flight (including a very nice snack, I get to eat two). Back in CM I am relieved to get the necessary thai visa stamp in my passport. It's 60 days instead of 30, don't know why.

Loved the slow boat down the Mekong, loved Luang Prabang.

Hope you enjoyed the blog. Any feedback by email welcome. Til the next, Best wishes to you all,

John

Six day trip to Laos - day 5

Six day trip to Laos - day 5

Breakfast in the Aussie Bar, just around the corner from the Villa - big and good

A short walk to two adjacent temples that share common grounds.

The Buddhist temple of Wat Aham was constructed in the early 19th century. Its main hall is known to have been built in 1818 by King Manthatourath, who ruled from 1817 to 1836, from a dynasty of Lao Kings based in the then capital of  Luang Prabang. 

'The interior of the sim is bright and colourful. Structural elements of pillars and beams are painted in reds and gold, while the interior walls are covered with murals depicting Buddhist theological precepts.

There are scenes of a variety of torture and suffering experienced by those who inflicted evil on others (very gory), as well as elements reflective of the historic past of the city'.

The date of the founding of Wat Aham itself is not known, though there was a wat on the site before King Manthatourath.

Wat Aham is known as the "Monastery of the Open Heart". It is quiet and serene here, (temporarily breached when children from the near-by school are passing through the grounds!)

The serenity is in contrast to its contentious past when it served as a mediating ground between the animist Religion of Spirit Guardians and Theravada Buddhism.

In the same grounds is Wat Wisunalat, an ancient monastery.

This Wat was originally built in 1513 during the reign of King Wisunarat (1501-1520) and represents the earliest style of Lao temple architecture. Wat Wisunalat is Luang Prabang's oldest operating temple. 

The sim today continues its existence as a museum of valuable religious art, with numerous centuries-old Buddha statues in bronze and gilded or unadorned wood, ordination precinct stones and other religious objects.

Also in the grounds is the unique 'Stupa of the Great Lotus', originally erected in 1514. It is known more popularly as That Makmo, the Watermelon Stupa, because of its rounded dome.

 The dome stylistically reflects a Sinhalese influence and is the only stupa of such a shape in Laos, and perhaps even in Cambodia or Vietnam.

There is also a gong

and boats. The monks join in the annual boat races, a big event here, as (I have seen) in Cambodia and Myanmar/Burma.

Back to the Villa for coffee on the balcony, via some interesting back streets

In our last afternoon here, a slow relaxing walk along the edge of the two rivers.

 the convergence again

 'old days' retouched

 the ferry

 sunset

This is a beautiful place to be

We have been very lucky with the weather. Warm and no rain 

Time to eat. Fish and veg in the passageway

On the way back to the Villa, a foot massage.   oooooohhh, so good after all that walking.

I am ready for yet another good night's sleep. Goodnight and happy dreams to you all.

Six day trip to Laos - day 4

Six day trip to Laos - day 4

Coffee on the balcony this morning before going out for breakfast. Very relaxing.

A late breakfast is in yet another restaurant across the road. Interesting place, multi-level in a tropical garden.

Breakfast OK, including hash browns this time.

Now to the nearby Ratsavong Market, a single storey modern concrete structure filled with small shops selling everything except food. Won't be staying long here.

Next a pleasant walk down to and along the side of the Mekong River. A nice place to have a drink overlooking the river.

We learn that there is a traditional market, called Phousi Market, about 2 kilometres away. We decide to walk, and enjoy the experience as we pass Lao people going about their daily lives.

Phousi Market is busy and bustling. Covering a huge area, it is packed with stuff for sale, in stalls or just spread on sheets on the ground with every available space taken.

eels and frogs

dried lions poo and dried fish

Have to sit down for a while, find a lady making juice from squeezed oranges. Sitting at her tiny table behind a row of ladies sat on their mats selling all sorts of foodstuffs, I drink my juice and watch the local world go by. 

Half way walking back to the main town, we stop at the King's Park, an large attractive area with a bust of the last King in the middle.

The park is a very pleasant place to be. It is late afternoon and a large group is playing boules in one corner, children are kicking a ball around in an open area, joggers are pounding the paths, another small group is also playing boules. There is a sitting area overlooking the river. We relax here a while before the remaining walk into town.

Back in town, we find a long narrow passageway, roughly roofed and filled with food stalls, tables and  benches squeezed down the sides, with the minimum of walking space through the middle. Stalls specialise, selling noodle soup, rice meals, grilled meat, kebabs, nuts and spices, or arrays of bowls filled with salads and vegetables, it's all here.

We choose grilled fish, pork and chicken, with a big bowl of mixed vegetables. We have to wait for  the big man in the red apron to finish cooking the fish. He is non-stop grilling and selling chunks of meat and whole fish. Great atmosphere here, locals and tourists crammed in buying and eating food together. The fish especially is perfect, delicious; This is the first time I have eaten fish with chopsticks, it works surprisingly well. Great experience, eating here.

Another brief foray into the nearby night market, then the walk back to the Villa for a relaxing hot drink on the balcony before bed. An interesting day interacting with Lao people in their daily lives.

Goodnight all

Six day trip to Laos - day 3

Six day trip to Laos - day 3

After a good night's sleep and another welcome shower in Villa Luang Sokxay    http://villaluangsokxay.com/  ;
Breakfast in a different restaurant opposite. Eggs and bacon etc., OK.

Luang Prabang, or Louangphrabang, is a city located in north central Laos, at the confluence of the Nam Khan river and Mekong River about 300 km north of Vientiane. 


Villa Luang Sokxay is on the cul-de sac at the end of Th Chao Sisuphon next to the T of Th Phommatha. There is a Wat nearby.

It's a nice day, quite hot (I was expecting it to be cool here).

A walk along the river, then a left brings us to Th Sisavangvong, the 'tourist street' - hotels, restaurants, shops and tour organisers. We shoot through this, straight to the Royal Palace Museum. The last Kings and Queens lived here, up to 1975 when the communists took over. Lots of interesting Royal stuff and pictures. Not allowed to take photos though. So here are the fish in the pond outside.

After a quick look at the Temple and Royal Theatre in the Palace grounds, we attack the 328 steps up Mount Phousi (pronounced pussy)

We pass a two year old determinedly climbing the steps unaided

Nearly half way up, a chance to rest

The two year old passes us

We catch him again half way up the last 190 steps. The views from the top are well worth the climb.

The Wat at the top needs a wash

Half way back down a different way, there is an entrancing garden of Buddhas

Down to the bottom and a short walk takes us to the edge of the Mekong, and lunch. Overlooking the river, I enjoy chicken noodle soup followed by a cold ovaltine. I'm in heaven.

Next, three more Wats, including the glorious Wat Xieng Thong. Wat Xieng Thong is one of the most important of Lao monasteries and remains a significant monument to the spirit of religion, royalty and traditional art. There are over twenty structures on the grounds including a sim, shrines, pavilions and residences, in addition to its gardens of various flowers, ornamental shrubs and trees. 

The ordination hall (In Thai – uposatha, in Lao – sim) is always the most important structure in any Theravada Buddhist temple. The sim of Wat Xieng Thong is one of the most richly ornate in Laos.

Now another walk along the river, charming and delightful in the early evening twilight. A stop for photos where the two rivers meet.

It is time to eat. A restaurant in the 'tourist street'. Spaghetti Carbonara. It's OK.

Then on to the night market. It is big, taking over the long length of a wide street, two aisles of multi-coloured gazebos filled with local products covering every square inch available. Well lit with traditionally dressed ladies and children in attendance, it is a sea of colour and bustle. Shopping is not my thing, but this is a pleasurable place to stroll through.

Lastly, a piece of mango cake and coffee in the nearby Hmong market. Very nice too.

A fifteen minute walk back to the Villa, I'm ready to sleep. Goodnight all.