About a month ago we had a few days off of work and school due to a national holiday in China, and finally had a chance to visit Luang Prabang in Laos. We chose Luang Prabang over other areas in Laos as it is a UNESCO World Heritage city, and came highly recommended by many people we've met abroad who have traveled there. From the minute we landed, we were not disappointed. It was probably one of the most relaxing vacations we've taken -- even though we were actually quite adventurous in the activities we did. Nate and I don't usually take part in many outdoor activities, but this place had us crossing seasonal man-made bridges, floating down the Mekong River during a storm, trekking through the mountains to see waterfalls, and yes, even eating a few non-conventional dishes.
Day 1
Every evening around 6:PM they close down several blocks in the central area and host their night market. In almost every country in Asia, you will find large night markets where stall after stall of vendors are selling various local-made (or imported from China and Vietnam) items. It's usually a very lively activity as vendors are trying to get your attention in various ways. We were pleasantly surprised by how quiet the night market was. The vendors seemed as relaxed as we were, they would say hello as you walked by, and if you decided to look at something but then not purchase they let you go on your way.
Handicraft Night Market - behind it, the Royal Palace Museum grounds.
Day 2
The next morning we woke up bright and early to watch Tak Bat, the monks' call to alms. Tak Bat is a meditative ceremony that happens each day at dawn. Locals wake up every morning to give their offering of sticky rice. We were able to capture these photos from a distance since Nate has a long zoom lens (it is considered disrespectful to be shooting photos up close).
Next up? A day of "Wat-ing". We decided to stay around central Luang Prabang, get familiar with the area, and see the many wats that Luang Prabang is known for. What was most interesting was being able to see the everyday life of the monks that live at the various monasteries. Here are a few of the many that we explored:
It was an extremely hot and humid day, but that didn't stop Nate from dragging me up some 350 stairs (while carrying a bird we bought to release - don't ask), to the top of Phu Si hill. Although I thought I was going to pass out a few times, the views at the top were worth it.
All that "hiking" worked up an appetite! A small afternoon meal at Coconut Garden. Lao food is DELICIOUS!
A few hours later...Nate decided he wasn't done with today's adventures. Every year, during the dry season, a bamboo bridge is built so that you can walk across to the other side of the Nam Khan river. During rainy season, the bridge is taken down and people use boats to cross this area. On the other side of the bridge, Dyen Sabai, a restaurant that Nate just HAD to try! We slowly made our way across the bridge, stopping for various selfies along the way, and by the time we crossed it, it was dusk.
When you're near a river, surrounded by jungle, and it's 80 degrees out...yep, mosquitoes! The food was really good, but we ate it really fast as we were getting eaten alive! Unfortunately, we weren't able to really enjoy the whole point of the 'outdoor-sit on big comfy pillows lounging-while eating a delicious meal' feeling we had hoped for. By the time we left it was dark -- the only light we had crossing back over was the string of lights you see. Sort of eerie with all the jungle noises surrounding you...
Day 3
Another day, another adventure! We decided that instead of just staring at the Mekong from our hotel room balcony, we should float down it! The hotel's front desk suggested that we hire a private boat so that we could make a few stops along the way and see some villages. Our choice was either English-speaking guide with hard wooden bench seats, OR non-English speaking guide with comfortable seats. We are used to being surrounded by non-English speakers and do just fine - obviously the comfortable seats!
Ah, nice relaxing boat ride down the Mekong...Mekong Riverweed, check! BeerLao, check!
Um, Nate...I think he's signaling for us to put on our life jackets. Mine only has one buckle, the other one is broken, how about yours? Oh good, we're floating down the Mekong during a thunder and lightning storm -- at least this boat is completely wooden (except for piece of metal lining the roof above our heads)....
No worries, if our driver seems unfazed by everything, putting on the life jacket is merely a fashion statement. Luckily, about an hour down the river, the weather cleared as we arrived at the Pak Ou Caves.
On our way back down the Mekong, we stopped at two local villages. One was a whisky village, the other was the paper village. A long time ago our friends Nick and Angie, introduced us to snake whisky -- yep, this was there! At the paper village we got to see handmade paper being produced - sorry, we forgot to take a photo, but here are a few from around the small villages.
Hungry for some Laotian food, we stopped by Tamarind. They have an excellent set-menu that lets you sample various Lao cuisine. Chicken stuffed in lemongrass, buffalo jerky, Mekong river weed with buffalo chili paste, fish steamed in banana leaf...we were in heaven!
In fact, we enjoyed our meal SO much, that Nate decided he wanted to try the Lao Adventure Meal. The description on the menu said it was only for the most adventurous of eaters. Obviously that's what "we" are (ahem, Nate is). We spoke to the chef who ensured us that there would only be a few bugs in the 15-dish meal that the chef would prepare the next evening...
Day 4
About an hour away from Luang Prabang, is Tat Kuang Si, a park that is known for their tiered waterfalls. We had wanted to visit a waterfall in Langkawi, but since it was dry season so was the waterfall. As we were in Luang Prabang just at the beginning of their monsoon season, it had rained on and off for the past few days so the waterfalls were beautiful! We had intended to go swimming in the crystal clear waters, but the weather was on the cooler side (75 degrees) with drizzle, so we just waded around instead.
Last adventure on our trip? Dinner! Course #1: Platter of various greens found in and around the Mekong River, with a side of sticky rice, fried stink bug, and "another type of bug" (says our waiter). I tried the various greens, all pretty tasty and seasoned well. Nate had one each of the stink bug and "other type of bug". Course #2: The real adventure begins...baby catfish, pig intestine wrapped with lemongrass, herb stuffed chili, baby prawn salad, bee larva, and fermented fish (2 ways: recent and 6 months). I tried the catfish, pig intestine, stuffed chili and baby prawn salad. Nate tried everything.
I was pretty full by this time, when the waiter came by and asked if we were ready for our final platter. What's coming next we inquired? Some very local specialties found in both the mountains and in the river. Oh, well then! You can take the first platter of vegetables (and bugs) away! We want to make room for the final platter. Course #3: What's on the final platter? As they cleared the vegetable platter away..."frog, snake, eel, and skewel." What's a skewel? "It's like a rat. Do you know what a rat is?" Oh, like a river rat? "No, from the mountain." Hmm...Oh well, I wasn't too concerned as I wasn't really planning on eating any of it. I did however, try a little of the vegetables and broth surrounding each dish as I wanted to taste the flavors of the dishes. Nate was busy chewing on each of the various meats, being the adventurous eater he is...
I still don't know what a skewel is. I think he means squirrel, Nate says. No! He said skewel. Nate pulled up a picture of a squirrel and on his phone and called our waiter over. Is this what this is? "Yes, a skewel, like a rat, but with a bushy tail!" OH! That explains what's staring at us!
Unforgettable adventures in Luang Prabang, and definitely one of our favorite places in SE Asia!
~ Trisha (and Nate , too!)
P.S. Yes, I'm still working on our photo album and will post the link in a future blog entry!