Buddha and "Madonna washing her hair" in the silk weaving village in Luang Prabang, Laos - or to be more correct PDRL 'the Peoples Democratic Republic of Laos'.
Vat (with a W not a V) Sane, Luang Prabang just across from where we stayed. We attended a BIG funeral here 2 years ago for the Abbott and while we were here this time, were invited to an anniversary 'party' but unfortunately it was the day after we left.
One of the smaller vats in the Vat Xienthong complex. The exterior walls are quite exquisite in their complexity of scenes.
Vat Hor Phrabang, the personal vat of the former royal family in the Palace (now the National Museum) complex, Luang Prabang
Would you believe this is the carpet directly in front of the High Altar in Vat Sane? The story behind it remains a mystery! Perhaps the Abbott just liked it.
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The army guys are removing a safe from the Bank of Laos (which had a police station attached, outside of which a tuktuk driver used to daily pedal his wares! Psst, want ganja? want opium? etc but that's another story). Again, why? We have no idea. +was+removing+this+safe+on+thye+main+street+from+the+Bank+of+Laos..JPG)
Up up and away onto the back of a ute, and no one pays the slightest attention, except the tourist walking past.
This was our tuktuk which took us to the airport in Luang Prabang. Superior model of course! Compare to our pics of the Burmese taxi :-) All tuktuks in Luang Prabang as brightly painted and well looked after.
Symoungkoun Guesthouse, our residence in Luang Prabang with old colonial style buildings next door. Our room is immediately above the motor cycle with the shutters open.
The old Customs House in Luang Prabang which is now part of the UNESCO World Heritage based Restoration of Old Buildings Project. This lovely old building sits above the junction of the Mekong and Nam Khan, as customs houses do, and has lovely gardens and a petanq court. What a nice place to work we thought........and we did make inquiries...........watch this space.
Another of these "venelle" - old buildings, this one is teak - which is being restored, probably to be yet another guesthouse, and the one next door, for which the bricks are intended, will end up in the same "colonial style" required by the World Heritage mob. Love the neat way the bricks are stacked on the ground................almost a piece of street theatre.
YES!! A snake, on which I ALMOST stood. Just as the foot was descending, I noticed what I thought was a thin branch, but it wasn't. Out sunning itself on the footpath beside the Mekong. Eventually it slithered off into the grass. I don't think it was a cobra, they are common here, so we're told, but the small head seems to indicate one of a venomous variety. I'm still here to tell the story! We asked a couple of passing monks and they said it was a ' nice snake'. Well THEY would wouldn't they.
An old canoe on the banks of the Mekong
Orange sellers on the river bank. There were dozens of them with ute loads of small sweet mandarin like oranges.
This is the Fresh Meat Market in Luang Prabang. Believe it or not - NO FLIES!!! I did decide to pass on the bush rats, the turtles and the pheasant coucal which those of you from Australia may know as that lovely big bird with the deep "water down the plughole" call found in the tropics. Apart from that it all looked perfectly hygenic. The fish section further on has live eels, frogs, catfish and other creatures we couldn't identify.
This is the early morning ritual of the monks collecting food. They passed by our window every morning about 5.30 - 6am and the ladies were there to offer rice etc. Lots of fun and gossip till the monks hoved into view and then complete silence and respect till it was over. We went down a couple of times and watched respectfully from the other side of the street BUT further down the road towards the town centre the flashing of cameras was not nice I thought. Unnecesary and intrusive into what is an essential part of Lao life, but that's what the 'tourist's want to see - and show "back home". We did feel sorry for the monks as they obviously felt the cold early in the morning with no shoes on......It was freeeeeezing. Footwear was promptly put on once they were back inside the wats grounds.
B chatting to a novice monk. B is practising his Lao and the monk is practising his English.
+was+removing+this+safe+on+thye+main+street+from+the+Bank+of+Laos..JPG)
Up up and away onto the back of a ute, and no one pays the slightest attention, except the tourist walking past.
This was our tuktuk which took us to the airport in Luang Prabang. Superior model of course! Compare to our pics of the Burmese taxi :-) All tuktuks in Luang Prabang as brightly painted and well looked after.
Symoungkoun Guesthouse, our residence in Luang Prabang with old colonial style buildings next door. Our room is immediately above the motor cycle with the shutters open.
The old Customs House in Luang Prabang which is now part of the UNESCO World Heritage based Restoration of Old Buildings Project. This lovely old building sits above the junction of the Mekong and Nam Khan, as customs houses do, and has lovely gardens and a petanq court. What a nice place to work we thought........and we did make inquiries...........watch this space.Another of these "venelle" - old buildings, this one is teak - which is being restored, probably to be yet another guesthouse, and the one next door, for which the bricks are intended, will end up in the same "colonial style" required by the World Heritage mob. Love the neat way the bricks are stacked on the ground................almost a piece of street theatre.
YES!! A snake, on which I ALMOST stood. Just as the foot was descending, I noticed what I thought was a thin branch, but it wasn't. Out sunning itself on the footpath beside the Mekong. Eventually it slithered off into the grass. I don't think it was a cobra, they are common here, so we're told, but the small head seems to indicate one of a venomous variety. I'm still here to tell the story! We asked a couple of passing monks and they said it was a ' nice snake'. Well THEY would wouldn't they.
An old canoe on the banks of the Mekong
Orange sellers on the river bank. There were dozens of them with ute loads of small sweet mandarin like oranges.
This is the Fresh Meat Market in Luang Prabang. Believe it or not - NO FLIES!!! I did decide to pass on the bush rats, the turtles and the pheasant coucal which those of you from Australia may know as that lovely big bird with the deep "water down the plughole" call found in the tropics. Apart from that it all looked perfectly hygenic. The fish section further on has live eels, frogs, catfish and other creatures we couldn't identify.
This is the early morning ritual of the monks collecting food. They passed by our window every morning about 5.30 - 6am and the ladies were there to offer rice etc. Lots of fun and gossip till the monks hoved into view and then complete silence and respect till it was over. We went down a couple of times and watched respectfully from the other side of the street BUT further down the road towards the town centre the flashing of cameras was not nice I thought. Unnecesary and intrusive into what is an essential part of Lao life, but that's what the 'tourist's want to see - and show "back home". We did feel sorry for the monks as they obviously felt the cold early in the morning with no shoes on......It was freeeeeezing. Footwear was promptly put on once they were back inside the wats grounds.
B chatting to a novice monk. B is practising his Lao and the monk is practising his English.
The chinthes,( temple dog guardians) look on. Grrrrr.
School's in, or rather kindergarten. Every morning the kids line up to sign the National Anthum, and then do exercises before getting down to the business of playing and learning. The mornings were at this point in time, very cold, so this time, the class was outside in the sunshine.
The kids were all beautifully turned out, but the building sadly needs major upgrade and repair work.
The funeral urn used by the Royal Family - apart from the last ones who "disappeared" after being carted away by the Pathet Lao - in Vat Xienthong. The whole funeral carriage is beautiful but too much to fit in the photo. You'll have to go visit yourself.
I just loved this little Buddha in Vat Sop, and look at the 'guy' asleep at the back!!
A Buddha in the grounds of Vat Sope. I like the mosiacs on the pillars and the way his whatever they call the enlightenment thing going up out of his head, seems to pierce the cieling.
Each of these little, and some not so little, Buddhas are in different poses. They are in Vat Xienthong.
A Hilltribe - or Ethnic Minority - lady preparing to set up her market stall. Luang Prabang.
A dog sleepily guarding the rice for sale on the main street along the Mekong in Luang Prabang. You think there's only a small number of types of rice? Come to Laos!! You'll be amazed, as we are.
This lass was smelting gold - a couple of bracelets and rings a customer had brought in. There didn't appear to be any check as to ownership! After they were melted down she sold the small ingot to the shop owner. Note the cruxible and the foot bellows. OH & S eat your heart out! We watched straight off the street.
And then we stumbled on to this one. Well, we heard all the bleating, and investigated, as we tend to do........... Goat curry anyone?
Vegie seller in the market, Luang Prabang. How many different plants/fruit can you identify? Soo good and fresh and the flavours. To die for. Never tasted ginger or coriander like it, despite growing our own for years. They have Ngoc Nam with everything!!
B 'discussing' the quality of local textiles. They love to haggle (or bargain) but you have to be fair and reasonable. You know they always start VERY high in case silly farang agree - but WE know better NOW! Note the ever present essential retailing equipment aka the calculator. He will eventually be asked to show how much he is willing to offer, and it has to be silent so the neighbours don't know what price has been arranged. He's very good - and it did follow him home.........everyone was happy.
Early morning across the Nam Khan from where we had our regular coffee first thing (almost) in the morning. Bitterly cold and misty till the sun got well up. Very atmospheric. The vege patches are seasonal following the monsoon rains.
The junction of the Nam Khan with the Mekong looking north.
This bamboo footbridge across the Nam Kahn is a toll one up to 6pm, after that it is free. Mind you, why would anyone try and cross in the pitch dark with no lights etc beats me.
A closer view of that bamboo bridge. It actually looks quite OK in the previous photo but.... and the river is very swift flowing too.
This old merc was parked? more like abandonded, though it still has licence plates, on the road alongside the Nam Khan. Very pitted and rusted. Didn't look like it had been driven for years, B seems to remember it being there last time we visited in 2007. We saw a few of this vintage mercs around, well maintained and driven. In keeping with the "colonial" era we thought.
They get em young in Laos and teach em. This young fella was with Mum at her market stall selling French style baguettes - YUMMY!!! - stuffed with lots of chicken or tofu and all sorts of veges and sauces etc etc for less that $1 (USD that is). Needless to say we had a few over time, as we browsed the markets. Haven't eaten bread for 4 months so it was a nice treat. The little guy also had his own quite large, for his age, machette type can opener and was into everything. Indulged as all kids there are, though they don't appear spoilt as Chinese kids seem to be. perhaps because they have siblings, often a few of them.
Cocktail bar on the main street in central Luang Prabang. Loved the name! It certainly looked different - better even- in the evening with lighting etc in the darkness. Open for business whenever. These type of impromptu bars appear and dissapear all the time.
It is good to see that Laos sticks to its traditions and refuses to have street signs similar to the rest of the world. Only in Laos could the crossing be indicated with such elegance. Mind you, it doesn't mean the traffic, such as it is, pays any more attention, than do their Thai neighbours! Mount Phu Si in the background.
Obviously trying to attract farang ( foreigners ). Clever though. Perhaps it's a pisces thing?
I loved this sign along the road from our guesthouse. Excellent food too. Slighly old fashioned and not an Oasis song in hearing distance.
School's in, or rather kindergarten. Every morning the kids line up to sign the National Anthum, and then do exercises before getting down to the business of playing and learning. The mornings were at this point in time, very cold, so this time, the class was outside in the sunshine.
The kids were all beautifully turned out, but the building sadly needs major upgrade and repair work.
The funeral urn used by the Royal Family - apart from the last ones who "disappeared" after being carted away by the Pathet Lao - in Vat Xienthong. The whole funeral carriage is beautiful but too much to fit in the photo. You'll have to go visit yourself.
I just loved this little Buddha in Vat Sop, and look at the 'guy' asleep at the back!!
A Buddha in the grounds of Vat Sope. I like the mosiacs on the pillars and the way his whatever they call the enlightenment thing going up out of his head, seems to pierce the cieling.
Each of these little, and some not so little, Buddhas are in different poses. They are in Vat Xienthong.
A Hilltribe - or Ethnic Minority - lady preparing to set up her market stall. Luang Prabang.
A dog sleepily guarding the rice for sale on the main street along the Mekong in Luang Prabang. You think there's only a small number of types of rice? Come to Laos!! You'll be amazed, as we are.
This lass was smelting gold - a couple of bracelets and rings a customer had brought in. There didn't appear to be any check as to ownership! After they were melted down she sold the small ingot to the shop owner. Note the cruxible and the foot bellows. OH & S eat your heart out! We watched straight off the street.
And then we stumbled on to this one. Well, we heard all the bleating, and investigated, as we tend to do........... Goat curry anyone?
Vegie seller in the market, Luang Prabang. How many different plants/fruit can you identify? Soo good and fresh and the flavours. To die for. Never tasted ginger or coriander like it, despite growing our own for years. They have Ngoc Nam with everything!!
B 'discussing' the quality of local textiles. They love to haggle (or bargain) but you have to be fair and reasonable. You know they always start VERY high in case silly farang agree - but WE know better NOW! Note the ever present essential retailing equipment aka the calculator. He will eventually be asked to show how much he is willing to offer, and it has to be silent so the neighbours don't know what price has been arranged. He's very good - and it did follow him home.........everyone was happy.
Early morning across the Nam Khan from where we had our regular coffee first thing (almost) in the morning. Bitterly cold and misty till the sun got well up. Very atmospheric. The vege patches are seasonal following the monsoon rains.
The junction of the Nam Khan with the Mekong looking north.
This bamboo footbridge across the Nam Kahn is a toll one up to 6pm, after that it is free. Mind you, why would anyone try and cross in the pitch dark with no lights etc beats me.
A closer view of that bamboo bridge. It actually looks quite OK in the previous photo but.... and the river is very swift flowing too.
This old merc was parked? more like abandonded, though it still has licence plates, on the road alongside the Nam Khan. Very pitted and rusted. Didn't look like it had been driven for years, B seems to remember it being there last time we visited in 2007. We saw a few of this vintage mercs around, well maintained and driven. In keeping with the "colonial" era we thought.
They get em young in Laos and teach em. This young fella was with Mum at her market stall selling French style baguettes - YUMMY!!! - stuffed with lots of chicken or tofu and all sorts of veges and sauces etc etc for less that $1 (USD that is). Needless to say we had a few over time, as we browsed the markets. Haven't eaten bread for 4 months so it was a nice treat. The little guy also had his own quite large, for his age, machette type can opener and was into everything. Indulged as all kids there are, though they don't appear spoilt as Chinese kids seem to be. perhaps because they have siblings, often a few of them.
Cocktail bar on the main street in central Luang Prabang. Loved the name! It certainly looked different - better even- in the evening with lighting etc in the darkness. Open for business whenever. These type of impromptu bars appear and dissapear all the time.
It is good to see that Laos sticks to its traditions and refuses to have street signs similar to the rest of the world. Only in Laos could the crossing be indicated with such elegance. Mind you, it doesn't mean the traffic, such as it is, pays any more attention, than do their Thai neighbours! Mount Phu Si in the background.
Obviously trying to attract farang ( foreigners ). Clever though. Perhaps it's a pisces thing?
I loved this sign along the road from our guesthouse. Excellent food too. Slighly old fashioned and not an Oasis song in hearing distance.
Stay tuned for more riveting adventures coming sooooon.............
