The bus journey from Vang Vieng gladly over, windy roads with big drops, provided a heightened sense of terror as the bus driver sped through the curves. However spectacular scenery flanked the journey, and former banditry on the route is now a relatively distant event of the past. The usual tussle with the tuk tuk drivers over prices and we had arrived, albeit not quite where we intended in the town.
Old Luang Prabang sits snugly on its peninsular jutting into the Mekong river. A now familiar asian/french architectural style pervades, but with vastly more charm than other population centres encountered. Definately the nicest city we've visited in old French Indochine. Nice when somewhere lives up to the reputation.
Planning a few days here we had time on our side for a relaxed pace of sightseeing. The highlight for us the bear rescue centre and waterfalls. The bear sanctuary providing a home for Asiatic black and sun bears formerly kept for Chinese medical trade, and sideshow purposes. Much happier in their new environment they amble sedately through large enclosures and clamber on their own giant jungle gym.
Alongside the bear sanctuary sit some of the nicest waterfalls we've seen. Though not the biggest, tiered cascades drop into turquoise pools, certainly some of the most beautiful. Swimming is also popular in the pools, one even featuring a rope swing. Comedy here provided by a chinese tourist who decided to pretend to be drowning after splashing down from the rope swing. As he bobbed under repeatedly popping up to glug help, we began to question the length of the routine. Then his friend piped up, 'he really can't swim'. Whilst he was retrieved, fine but spluttering, by some other tourists in the water we couldn't help look incredulous that someone who can't swim would launch themselves from a rope swing into a deep pool.
We also managed to get a days climbing done. Whilst the mornings were a little damp with things drying quickly we hired some slightly aged but functional kit and spent a day at the local crag. Only four routes were bolted up to 6a+ but a fun morning nevertheless.
A key attraction of Luang Prabang is the shopping although I started getting night marketed out. Needless to say I finally succumbed to Em's persistant hunting for bargains and am now carrying a nice hmong wall hanging and some cushion covers, not to mention a range of other nick nacks. Fortunately as travelling time is fast diminishing binning worn out stuff is making way for souvenirs!
A foodie highlight was a Laos barbeque. Local food Em could eat as she can see what goes in, thus avoiding the deathly prawn. The Laos BBQ is a bucket of hot coals on which a fondue/bbq tray is placed, cleverly allowing cooking of noodles and veges in the pork stock filled rim whilst utilising the top for meat or fish, bbq juices flowing into the stock. Yum.
One tourist attraction we missed was the morning alms giving to the Monks. Reduced to a predominantly tourist side show we weren't too sad to miss it. Rumour has it that the monks getting finally fed up of tourists disrespectfully shoving cameras in their faces and inadvertantly giving bad food, sold by touts, were keen for action. The authorities response, to threaten cladding actors in saffron robes to maintain the tourist spectacle. So the monks soldier on.
Assessing options it was time to head for more remote parts so a boat journey was booked and off to Nong Kieuw. 7 hours up the Nam Ou river.
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