March 14, 2008

Luang Prabang (LAOS)

A Relaxing Day of Touring Luang Prabang and Boarding a 35 Hour Bus to China

Today was my last day in the country of Laos (on this particular trip, at least), and with my only constraint being a 22:00 bus departure for China there was plenty of time to tour the city of Luang Prabang. Up until the communist takeover in 1975, Luang Prabang was the royal capital and seat of the government of the Kingdom of Laos. Presently, it is a UNESCO World Heritage sight located roughly 400 kilometers north of Vientiane. With a population of only 22,000, the presence of tourists can often feel more dominant than that of locals, but the city has been well-preserved and is a pleasant location for a day of exploring. As a matter of point: the entire city has been designated smoke-free! (A real marvel for any Asian city!)

Below are several pictures taken while touring along the riverbanks of the Mekong River...

I spent much of the day visiting a number of wats within the city limits (a wat is the name for a Buddhist temple in Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos), but by far the most interesting wat was tucked away on an obscure side street and clearly wasn't geared toward tourists. I would have walked right past it had I not caught sight of a small group of teenage monks adorned in orange robes who were chatting animatedly amongst themselves. I couldn't resist going over for a closer look, and soon I climbed a set of stairs opening up on a courtyard where dozens of other students were also studying together. I made my way through the compound trying to find an English-speaking monk to explain what was going on, but it was a futile process. The students paid me little attention, preferring instead to continue scribbling away on small notepads. Eventually, I gathered there was an upcoming mathematics examination that the students were preparing for, but despite my best efforts I couldn't determine the level of the examination or what kind of mathematics were being covered. Nevertheless, it re-affirmed the notion that in many developing Asian countries becoming a monk is the best way to gain an education and have a chance at bettering one's life.

Most of the other wats around the city charged (relatively) expensive entry fees, so I limited the number I visited and spent most of my time relaxing and chatting with Neil and David under the shade of trees. Of course, our static position enabled plenty of locals to approach us - offering to sell us everything from cold water to beaded necklaces - but they were neither pushy or ill-natured so none of us minded making small purchases. Since this is my last day in Laos, it's important to re-emphasize that the Laotian people are unconditionally kind and relaxed in all walks of life. I hope the country can take advantage of its geographic location (next to powerhouse countries such as Thailand and China) to develop further. Unfortunately, being land-locked and at the mercy of a communist government is not the most conducive means for development, but then again, the Laotian people demonstrate that internet cafes on every corner aren't necessarily for leading a good life. 

Another interesting part of the day came from visiting the Royal Palace Museum (Haw Kham), which serves as a kind of national museum containing artifacts from Laos' history. What I found so interesting were the gifts from foreign countries that were on display. For example, the United States government once gave the government of Laos a miniature Moon-Lander (sort of like shamelessly showing off a trophy), the Chinese government gave a series of books detailing the history of the Ming Dynasty (gripping reading, surely), but the Australians were perhaps the most gracious in donating a valuable artifact of their own: a shoddy-looking wooden boomerang that could be bought at any two-bit street stall.

As the day wore on, the afternoon heat dissipated and  the main street through the city closed down to cars so locals could set up a make-shift market. It was the standard stuff up for sale, so after looking around for a bit I started climbing the large hill in the center of town.

The steps made for a steep climb, but as is shown in the picture to the to the right they had a unique look about them. Unsurprisingly, I was actually made to pay for the right to ascend to the top of the hill,  but the views from the peak were worthwhile.

As the night closed in, and my 22:00 bus departure approached, I grabbed a few more chicken baguette sandwiches for 10,000 kip and joined Neil and David at a small cafe to whittle the next couple of hours away. The only reason any of this is even worth mentioning is because the cafe had an absurd bathroom where the toilet was placed at the top of a small set of steps, making it resemble a throne from the Medieval Ages.

Even though I didn't have to use the toilet, I took advantage of the opportunity to make myself comfortable, savoring the King-like feeling until an annoyed woman's knocking brought me back down to earth... And the reality that what I was doing was abnormal in ways that probably mean I shouldn't be making this information quite so public.

Oh well...