Lovely Luong Prabong

Thursday February 20, 2020
Please note date as I am behind in posting. 

This is our last night in Luong Prabong, Laos and it has been fun to return to this familiar colonial city.  No guide, no schedule, and no pressure to visit another temple or factory.  We've been staying on "Saffron Alley" at My Lao Home, a lovely hotel with very attentive staff.  Unfortunately,  for me the beds, once again, are way too hard. I like a firm bed but don't like sleeping on one that is a kin to sleeping on the floor. So far I've added 3 comforters double folded and still wake up several times with various aches and pains. I only mention this because I want to be reminded that both Asia and Europe seem to be consistent in having no padding on top of their beds. Perhaps I need to start traveling with a extra thick Pilates mat. Note to self!!

Control tower Luong Prabong

LP airport

Mekong River

Bamboo bridge cost 20 Kip to cross

Why did we return to LP? The night market was one reason. With approximately 2 miles of vendors it is a place one can find all sorts of locally made crafts and textiles.  I am in love with the Indigo fabric and all things made from that color. We also came because we like this easy to wander city sandwiched between the Mekong and the Nam Kham rivers.  LP is the home of many temples and world heritage sites. One could come to this lovely city, wander for a few days and then hop a boat and wander some more. Just come with a half empty suitcase.

This what a MILLION Kip looks like yet it doesn't spend quite as slowly as one might like! This equals $100 US

Wall hangings costing in the thousands...of Kip

Restaurants at night

Our driver told us that approximately 80k live in the city with about 400k living in the the entire province.  The Mekong is the major artery connecting Laos with Vietnam and Cambodia. Apparently,  China is building a high speed train to move people between countries faster. We visited a Hmong village yesterday where approximately 70 families make their home. It seemed more like a tourist trap set up by Epcot with adorable children who throw costumes over their regular clothing and beg visitors to buy their factory made purses and souvenirs.  As you wander through their villages it is a bit like running the gauntlet where children are the foe.

Extracting seeds from cotton balls

Little devils look sweet but pushy sales people!!

Photo op plant

Hmong Village 

Well trained Merchandizers

Yes, we stopped at an Elephant camp to feed them. Hated that they were chained!!

Sun Bear enjoying her pool

Baby Sun Bears

 We also stopped at a water buffalo farm run by a couple of Australians who hire locals and  people on work-study visas. They all assist them in their project.  Here they milk the buffalo and turn the milk into various cheeses and ice creams. They also attempt to teach the local farmers how to raise a healthier stock of animals but with wages so low and buffalo going for a thousand dollars a head for meat the farmers tend to sell instead.

Very sweet animals

Our bellies full of water buffalo ice cream, t we drove on to the beautiful Kuang Si falls. A definite tourist attraction but with a lovely walk through old growth forests and a visit with the sun bears who are being protected in a fenced off area saved from poachers.

Beautiful Kuang Si

Today we head for Bangkok by air. If weather predictions are correct we will be packing up our sweaters in exchange for much lighter clothing. It has been in the mid 70's here. Bangkok will be in the 90's!!