It does sort of feel that its Heritage status is in some sense a celebration of Colonialism. But, really, despite all the pretty buildings and charming streets, it\u2019s the Lao people and culture that give the city its oomph. A marriage of convenience, maybe; the result is lovely.<\/p>\n
Need to add the perennial Lao caveat of poor air quality. I\u2019d say it\u2019s about on par with L.A.; though I\u2019ve heard tell that later in the dry season it can be essentially zero visibility for the entire day! I\u2019m lucky to have arrived when I have. The other problem is that the fruit — while plentiful enough — is fairly expensive, and decidedly mediocre.<\/p>\n
Oh, Laos, why must you torment me? You fill my soul with wonders to beggar this poor sucka\u2019s comprehension; and yet you won\u2019t allow this poor sucka to breathe, nor will you allow this poor sucka to eat.<\/p>\n
I moved to a different guest house this morning, \u2018cause the one last night was really loud with partiers (not so bad, thanks to ear plugs), and the bed was tiny and the mattress warped. This new one is a few dollars more, and the Internet connection sucks<\/em>, but at least I\u2019ll get a good night\u2019s sleep. It\u2019s too bad about the first place, \u2018cause I really like the community of travelers it\u2019s attracting with its great prices \u2013 but those beds and mattresses are just too much to take.<\/p>\n Thought I\u2019d start out visiting the Chinese Market and Phosy Market. The former \u2018cause\u2026Chinese Market! The latter \u2018cause it\u2019s supposed to be the best market in the city. Both were a waste of time, though the Phosy did have some decent veggies.<\/p>\n The couple of hours schlepping out to the markets and back was made totally worth it when I passed by the Badminton Stadium (!):<\/p>\n Do the Laotians love their chickens, or do the Laotians love their chickens? Don\u2019t know if that cup lights up like the damned Olympics Flame when there\u2019s a Badminton tournament in effect \u2013 but I sure hope it do!<\/p>\n In addition, passed by a temple with a very<\/em> long Naga regurgitating a multi-headed Naga. Had not seen that before.<\/p>\n Took luncheon at the river, and was amazed to see the number and variety of butterflies around-abouts. Beautiful, too. Have been seeing them all over Laos, in point of fact. After lunch, I put up the god damned weather vane, and it told me to go exploring the Old Quarter.<\/p>\n Which, I decided to first trace the route of the river, which heads North, then makes confluence with the Nam Khan, which heads east and bends back down south; peninsulating (guessing) about fifty square blocks\u2019 worth of land, thereby defining the contours of the Old part of the city. Near the confluence, I became involved in a very long conversation with a Schooling Monk, name of \u201cBick\u201d.<\/p>\n He\u2019s from Nam Bak, same as Misai (c.f. Udomxai post), and wants to eventually be an English teacher. He\u2019s been studying English for only five months, but it seems to mine ears as though he\u2019s better at it than the other Laotian students with whom I\u2019ve conversed \u2013 and they\u2019ve all been studying for a few years. He may be a prodigy (although his accent is a little on the thick side).<\/p>\n He asked me which religion I \u201crespect\u201d; and I went on this big long philosophical rant about not respecting any hierarchical institution, and not respecting the preying-on of people\u2019s fears for acquisition of power and money, and so forth.<\/p>\n Turns out, however, that he meant by \u201crespect\u201d, simply, \u201cfollow\u201d. He said that Laotians only \u201crespect\u201d Buddhism. I was somewhat incredulous that there aren\u2019t any Laotian Hindus or Muslims; but he insisted it\u2019s true.<\/p>\n During the conversation, he kept complaining about his lumbago. Eventually, though, having noticed my headphones, he asked me if he could listen to some music. So I spun up some Florence + The Machine for him.<\/p>\n If somebody would ever tell you that Buddhist monks know not how to rock it to Russia, you\u2019ve my permission to poop on them. Just look at him loving the groove! By the way, that\u2019s a schoolmate of his in the background, engaging another foreigner in a similarly lengthy conversation. Practice makes perfect!<\/p>\n His initial reaction: \u201cOh, this is in French\u2026no, English!\u201d He then explained that he\u2019s only got Western music on his phone, before pausing for several seconds with a look of deep concentration, and then bursting forth with, \u201cOh, this music is very fun!\u201d<\/p>\n I agreed, and he continued, \u201cFemale singer, you know? Female singers. Female singer; this is very fun.\u201d He wanted me to send him the song via bluetooth, but I\u2019ve not the slightest idea how to work it (not to mention my device isn\u2019t equipped). Imagine that: a Laotian Buddhist novice making me look like a utter techno-nube. Generation gap knows no bounds, I guess.<\/p>\n Finally, he needed to return to the temple, south of Phosy Market; but urged me to walk with him so that he could show me his school. Once there, he requested that I take a picture of it, while he departed. Don\u2019t know why<\/em> the request, but here \u2018tis.<\/p>\n Continuing on my tour of the old quarter, I noticed the Hammer-And-Sickle flying all over the place.<\/p>\n Makes sense, of course, if the Commies are still in the saddle. But I\u2019d not noticed it anywheres else in Laos.<\/p>\n As far as the famous architecture is concerned, yes, it is very gorgeous. The guidebook says the city is \u201ca dream location for any travel photographer.\u201d Couldn\u2019t disagree. But (as the man said), \u201cWhen I got the pictures back, none of them came out.\u201d See here.<\/p>\n Just looks stupid, or at best, \u201cWhatever.\u201d But when you\u2019re standing in front of it, it\u2019s superb. So, I stuck to photographing the old tried and true: temples, and Laotians going about their daily lives.<\/p>\n Not that I can do Laotian temples any better justice than I can Thai; but that don\u2019t stop me from trying. This is one of my faves on the outside…<\/p>\n …and<\/em> on the inside, proving that the Thais don\u2019t have the corner on the drop-the-tourist\u2019s-jaw-to-the-floor-and-shatter-it-into-four-billion-shards-to-be-eaten-up-by-all-the-crows market. It looked like the inside was going to be maybe my most favourite of all. Except\u2026<\/p>\n \u2026no Buddha! What gives? Not sure. But the cart in the front is used to transport<\/em> a Buddha (in point of fact, the Prabang Buddha, after which the city is named)\u00a0 during some or other annual festival, which process requires the labours of sixteen strapping young gentlemen. But, really, this temple was lights out<\/em>. See more evidence at the Flickr page.<\/p>\n Who gets to go up there? My vote would be for the ghost of John Lennon; but I never seen a ballot-box. Here\u2019s a view from the outside.<\/p>\n It\u2019s interesting to note the different iconography from the Thai temples. In addition to the chicken mania, here they\u2019ve got this Cheshire-Cat-with-elephants\u2019-hooves thing-a-ma-deal guarding many of the temples.<\/p>\n And for my money, the Laotians have it all over<\/em> the Thais in the Naga Artistry deptartment.<\/p>\n Telling you, this god damned Templemania is as insidious as.<\/p>\n As far as Laotians going about their business, again, see much more evidence at the Flickr page (when I finally get some Laos pictures uploaded, that is<\/em>). They\u2019re much friendlier\/cooler even than they look!<\/p>\n Laos is crazy with kick-assed trees; and in \u201cLPB\u201d, they\u2019re everywhere you turn. This one on the bank of the river is maybe the kick-assed-est of them all. I know, it looks from this image like little more than turd salad. But if you see it in person, you\u2019ll agree with me!<\/p>\n Later became involved in yet another<\/em> conversation with an student in English needing fresh meat on whom to practice, this one name of \u201cJin\u201d. That\u2019s him on the bike. I didn\u2019t know, at the time of shooting, that I was going to be a subject of his. I just liked the composition.<\/p>\n He\u2019s from Vientiane, and has only been here since Saturday, and thus needed to ask me directions to the Night Market. I suspect he may have used this pretext simply as an entr\u00e9e into the discussion, as he was a bit shy at first.<\/p>\n He says that I\u2019m the first foreigner on whom he\u2019s practiced, even though he\u2019s been studying for two years. Found it a bit difficult to believe, but it\u2019s what he said. I think<\/em> he said that if I had a bicycle, he\u2019d invite me to his house.<\/p>\n All these long conversations with the local English students \u2013 they\u2019re usually quite fun and interesting at first, but can get a bit boring after some time. It\u2019s okay, though, if they\u2019re happy to be helped, I\u2019m more than happy to <\/em>help. Karmically, I suppose it\u2019s an obligation; but even if it weren\u2019t, it\u2019s cool to be able to interact.<\/p>\n Getting towards evening, the riverside was lit up real pretty-like.<\/p>\n And passing this place\u2026<\/p>\n \u2026my ears were flooded with the sounds of a too-right band just throwing the fuck down<\/em>. Couldn\u2019t resist having a look-see.<\/p>\n Turned out to be a birthday party (or similar), I think. There was a ceremony underway, in which the Guest Of Honour received this flower arrangement.<\/p>\n After that, they eventually all gathered to eat at that big long buffet table in the background there. But not before the band cut loose some more, and the ladies remaining sitting down on the rugs busted into some impromptu singing and hand-clapping.<\/p>\n Listen along with me, won’t you? Luang Prabang Party<\/a>.<\/p>\n Walking through the Night Market, The Coconut Kid here tried to make me purchase from him some beads in exchange for him having let me snap a photo; but I was able to get away scot-free.<\/p>\n Walking down any market\u2019s Food Alley is always money in the bank for inneresting sights.<\/p>\n That bag-on-stick is how they de-fly the meat here in Laos. They\u2019ve got a buffet set-up here for the night market: one plate, piled as high as you dare, 10,000 Kip (about a dollar-and-a-quarter). There are probably six or eight different tables this size.<\/p>\n Around the corner, wonderful d\u00e9cor at this outdoor restaurant.<\/p>\n Who knew the Communists could be so fashionable?<\/p>\n Moon made an appearance (I guess the other night wasn\u2019t the Full Meal Deal after all\u2026).<\/p>\n![\"chicken\"](\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/02\/chicken.jpg\" "\\"chicken\\"")
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