Laos: Luang Prabang 2

Overlooking the town is a hill with a temple, and on a clear evening we climbed mount Phou Si to watch the sunset

Plenty of interesting buddha statues on the way up

we were not alone

Nightmarket

30km in a tuktuk (brr cold) took us to visit Kouang Si waterfall and bear sanctuary.

Due to minerals in the water the falls had a fairytale colour

Back in Luang Prabang we visited the oldest wat complex in town - Wat Xieng Thong at the golden hour - and it was stunning

 

if you look closely you can see all kinds of stories to tell from the illustrations

Wat Xieng Muan / Wat Choumkhong

Where the monks really live

 
 Bicycle ride

We got up at day break to watch the alms giving procession - an ancient tradition where rice is given to the monks, not exactly as a charitable act, but more as way of gaining good karma, and part of worship.  It has also become a tourist attraction.  All over Luang Prabang, there are leaflets and posters asking visitors to show respect if they would like to witness this, by dressing modestly, not using camera flashes, or standing to pose with the monks.  Sadly most of the tourists we saw, did all of this and it was horrible.

So we walked down a side street. Which turned out to be part of the route.  So we stood across the street to observe

We spent the last couple of nights by the Mekong in a rather lovely hotel as our Christmas present..

and were delighted to be offered a complimentary sunset river cruise

We were sad to leave Luang Prabang and Laos.  It felt like we had had the chance to visit a side of Asia we hadn't seen before, and it really left us feeling revitalised and full of some wonderful memories.