All those great things you've heard about Luang Prabang? They're true.
But no, they're not true thanks to the French. They left behind some nice buildings, coffee and baguettes as good as you'll find anywhere but let's not kid ourselves, the French were here because they wanted the place for themselves. At the time, the bastards couldn't look at an ant farm and not want to colonise it. Maybe they did do that and there's a colony of ants out there running around in berets, sipping cafe noir and annoying the shit out of any other ant that comes within earshot of them. I lost that analogy near the end there but what I'm trying to say is that Luang Prabang has way more going for it than just some nice French colonial architecture and a European feel about it (in the tourist zone that is).
What made Luang Prabang great for us then?
1 - meeting these crazy coots (brokelemons) and convincing them into just one more beer (after sharing snake/lizard/centipede/other unidentified animal infused whisky) that caused them to miss their overnighter to Vientiane
2 - squeezing into a sampan with locals to cross the Mekong and wander through the villages checking out a couple of lovely old temples and constantly getting stuck in the mud, much to the pleasure of the locals
3 - some delicious street food including a perfect Khao Piak Khao complete with blood chunks
4 - enjoying a beer in the fancy part of town, down on the Nam Khan with "free peanut"
5 - reflecting on the top of Phou Si Mountain and chatting with a monk on the way up who drilled us with questions about the world and our own country
6 - finally finding a decent Laos coffee
7 - heading out to the spectacular Kuang Si Waterfall
But no, they're not true thanks to the French. They left behind some nice buildings, coffee and baguettes as good as you'll find anywhere but let's not kid ourselves, the French were here because they wanted the place for themselves. At the time, the bastards couldn't look at an ant farm and not want to colonise it. Maybe they did do that and there's a colony of ants out there running around in berets, sipping cafe noir and annoying the shit out of any other ant that comes within earshot of them. I lost that analogy near the end there but what I'm trying to say is that Luang Prabang has way more going for it than just some nice French colonial architecture and a European feel about it (in the tourist zone that is).
What made Luang Prabang great for us then?
1 - meeting these crazy coots (brokelemons) and convincing them into just one more beer (after sharing snake/lizard/centipede/other unidentified animal infused whisky) that caused them to miss their overnighter to Vientiane
2 - squeezing into a sampan with locals to cross the Mekong and wander through the villages checking out a couple of lovely old temples and constantly getting stuck in the mud, much to the pleasure of the locals
3 - some delicious street food including a perfect Khao Piak Khao complete with blood chunks
4 - enjoying a beer in the fancy part of town, down on the Nam Khan with "free peanut"
5 - reflecting on the top of Phou Si Mountain and chatting with a monk on the way up who drilled us with questions about the world and our own country
6 - finally finding a decent Laos coffee
7 - heading out to the spectacular Kuang Si Waterfall
Observations Made on the Songthaew to Nong Khiaw
Given we were packed in like sardines it was hard to see much but we did share the ride with one very well behaved chicken and almost ran head on into a truck. Fun times were had by all, chicken included
Barrie-ometer of "Feel" - "I'm Monsoon Moon, I rain down the pain!!"
