Laos: Luang Prabang

“We don't have a lot of money but we are happy people"

So here I am, in Luang Prabang, Laos, hanging at Utopia. The only locals here are the workers but they make it seem like it’s the happiest and most tranquil place on earth. I most definitely took a liking to this city. Maybe it was the buzzing markets or the beautiful nature surrounding the city, but you know what they say, “it’s the people that make the city”. This city is no different; the travelers met along the way as well as the locals have made this an incredible experience to say the least. I had the pleasure of seeing the Lao lifestyle from a local perspective and owe it to the friendliest locals crossing my path thus far in Southeast Asia. My new friend, we will call him Tito*, showed me around the city, he said “it’s a gift to show you around as I can practice my English” but truly he was the one giving the gift of time and kindness to a foreign stranger. The quote “ we don’t have a lot of money but we are happy people” were actually his words of wisdom.

It all started with a morning adventure out to see Phou si hill and Wat Tham Phou si temple, from which the views of the city and the Mekong River were mesmerizing. Taking my sweet time exploring the grounds and stumbling upon a cave with various Buddhist relics in it, the golden reclining Buddha, his foot print and many other sacred statues and hidden pathways, the day just got better and better from there. (Side note: caves and waterfalls have a special place in my heart, so I try to find and explore whenever possible). As the temple run was coming to an end, walking out of the spiritual greenery to face the Nam Khan River and a very unstable looking bamboo bridge. “Let the adventures begin” I thought to myself, not knowing where the bridge would lead. Stumbling upon a young German couple looking just as intrigued and confused as myself by what may lay on the other side of the bridge. Being an extrovert, naturally I struck up a conversation, which led to me tagging along with them for an exploration of the other side of the town and eventually the village of Ban Phonesaath. En route we discovered a great little stand with a variety of Lau coffees, fruit shakes and snacks. Opting for the iced cappuccino, which was delicious btw and my new friends had a fruit shakes, mango and passion fruit if I recall correctly. Everything was delicious and beat anything back home out of the water, for a fraction of the cost. Southeast Asia is known for the abundance of fresh fruits and veggies, so the fruit juices and shakes are never a disappointment. As we kept walking we noticed a bunch of locals playing the French game of “Balls” (may have a different name in other parts of the world). Never personally seeing this game before, but the couple was familiar and apparently it’s a very well known game worldwide. As we stopped to watch, one of the locals who spoke English pretty well invited us in for a drink, which turned into 5 or more. We spent half the day there drinking and hanging with the local family and their friends.

It was an incredible experience to say the least. They were so kind to us and we made new friends as we drank, danced and enjoyed life in a tranquil Luang Prabang village. Even though most of them didn’t speak English much, we found a way to communicate. Learning a few new words in Lao as they learned about us in the process. I am a true believer that everything happens for a reason, and this was no different. Meeting these amazing souls led to one of them taking me to the Buddha cave and a short trek through the local waterfalls the following day. It was such an incredible experience, on the way we made a stop in the whiskey village where the locals bottle various insect and animals in their rice wine and whiskey. In the back of this village was a shed with one of the locals explaining the process of making the rice wine, which was pretty informative, but the cherry on the top was the actual tasting. The next day someone recommended a visit to the famous waterfall, an hour drive away. I must say it was one of the most beautiful waterfalls I have ever laid my eyes, called Kuang Si falls. Clear blue waters, running over natural structures of stone in the serene forest. It was the perfect place to relax and find peace in the picturesque setting. Unfortunately, time was not on my side and spending only a few hours at the falls was all that could have been spared. Vang Vieng was next on the itinerary, the party central of Laos, had to catch my bus before it departed without me.

*Names have been changed for privacy reasons

Modes of transportation: Tuk tuk, van/ bus, plane

Dates of travel: 12/16/16 – 12/22/16

Food to try: Grilled fish from Mekong River, grilled chicken, grilled duck, chicken curry, banana and nutella crape, egg and cheese crapes, fresh pineapple juice, fresh coconut juice, khao nom kok mini coconut pancakes, riverweed, hot pot, pho