Not that it was cold here in the north of Laos, no, but the evenings and nights can get a bit cold. So at least for one day (tomorrow we're going to Hanoi, back to the cold?) warmth is in order. And an extraordinarily arduous journey from Luang Namptha to Luang Prabang, mostly over a…
The drive from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng is breathtaking – and long and tiring. A good asphalt road connects Luang Prabang with Vang Vieng. It's not a good asphalt road. So much for the statement in Wikipedia (sometimes I wonder how the online dictionary gets its information). But bad roads make driving in a minibus just…
Luang Prabang is the capital of the province of the same name in the mountainous north and was originally the capital of the historic kingdom of Lan Xang and the French protectorate of Laos. It was the royal city until the monarchy was abolished in Laos in 1975. Today the city is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site and is one of the most important tourist destinations in the...
In the holy city you can meet monks everywhere. They cause a stir with their dark red robes, their shaved heads, their alert and mischievous expression on their faces. There is nothing ascetic to be discovered there, rather an unbroken joy of life. The Samaneras, on the other hand, dressed in lighter orange, are novices, the offspring, so to speak. However,...
Misty, gray morning. Sunday. No church bells, but birds chirping in the distance (or am I just imagining it?). The air smells as always, not actually like Sunday, but rather like TukTuk exhaust and kitchen smells in the back of the restaurant, where I'm eating a cinnamon bagel with butter and homemade (!) jam. Plus, of course, one of my beloved coffee mon...
So now I'm in the holiest of all cities in the country - Luang Prabang. And today I'm going to find out why that is... But the first thing you notice when you step outside in the morning is the fresh air. It smells of spices, of fresh bread, of the forest. Strange in a city that last night...
The day starts early, with chickens clucking, ducks chattering, and children's cheerful voices. Early morning coolness and humidity in the air. Slow, sluggish walk through the paths between the houses. The ticket office doesn't open until eight, so breakfast first, as it should be. Farewell conversations, always the same. You vow to stay in touch, but you know full well that...