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luang prabang Incredible French Colonial architecture, art galleries, book stores, wine bars, internationally renowned restaurants, boutique hotels, charming outdoor cafes... the only thing that made me remember I was in Laos was all the monks scurrying around. And of course the fact that Luang Prabang has more temples per square meter than any other place on the planet. The entire town is a UNESCO site – not just a building or a park – the entire town! |
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| December 6th was Helen's BIRTHDAY and I had a few little tricks up my sleeve. First she opened pressies, then we went to a sweet little cafe that was owned by a Lao man and wife who had recently returned from living in France, which means good coffee and pastries. It was stragically located so you could sit and just watch the world go by, and no one would notice you. This is where we saw our first hint that the holiday season was approaching. Next, Helen got a massage. Then we did whatever she wanted for a few hours. We met some little girls who were selling tourist trinkets so we invited them for lunch. The outdoor Mojito bar (yes, mojitos in Laos!) was our next stop. After a few nips we were off to the Lao National Opera where we saw the Ramayana (a favorite of the national opera venues in SE Asia), then to a lovely French fusion restaurant that served Helen's new favorite food: deep fried Mekong seaweed. We tried to make it to Les Caves du Chateau for desert, but after several bottles of wine we were running late (maird!), so I vowed her birthday was to continue into the next day. This continuation somehow happens every year, but she's worth it. |
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| On my last trip to Tioman I had met Ken and Helen, a lovely couple in transit from Ireland. My Helen had been hearing about them and she finally got her chance to meet them when they blew through town on an overnighter. It will be a glorious day for the breweries of Melbourne when Mr. Coyle arrives. Helen and I had a nice a laugh with them and we wish Ken and Helen the best of luck in their new lives. |
The UNESCO distinction is for preservation. The by-product is that it insures a healthy tourism business, then renovation projects start popping up, rent prices skyrocket, and locals get moved out. Sure they work in the businesses, but very few can afford to actually live in town. Many of the European or Chinese business owners pay locals less than $3 per day when they are running shops or restaurants that would be considered "in the black" even by Western standards. So in an effort to keep things as they are, everything has changed, and as usual the locals are the ones who are affected most by it. But one thing that will never change is the giving of the alms. At 6am every morning Buddhist monks hit the streets for food. And boy, do they get it! |
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| So, after Helen's birthday and my full recovery from the "mystery virus" we were off on our 2-day Mekong trip. As we approached the boat we'd booked our first sight was the captain's kid peeing off the gangplank. Hmmmm, was this OUR luxury boat? |
