The Rolling Coconut: Luang Prabang Roundup

Phu Si stupa as seen from the top of the hill. Its amazing what Lao Buddhists can do with some saffron fabric and a can of gold spray paint.

Today's blog entry is coming to you live from Vang Vien Laos, the tubing capital of SE Asia and the back-packer party capital of Laos, but first some thoughts and pictures from my stay in the former imperial capital of Laos, Luang Prabang.

Anytime you hear a whole lot about a place I guess you're bound to create a very clear visualization of the place that more often than not is going to be wrong. I suppose its a bit like the story of the three blind monks attempting to describe an elephant, (more on elephants later) but anyway Luang Prabang was a very nice place but just different from what I expected. I suppose what I expected was bit absurd in retrospect, a mountaintop Shangra-la, with dusty unpaved streets, blinding blue skys, resplendent ancient Wats and a handful of tourists scattered among the locals lazily going about their business. What I found instead wasn't too different than the picture I had in my mind but I found Luang Prabang to be a thoroughly tourist oriented town that has decidedly gone upmarket. I would stop short of calling it modern, but Luang Prabang definitely seemed more Siem Reap than Nong Khiaw. Luang Prabang is a much prettier town than Siem Reap and it boasts excellent shopping, I had a difficult time controlling myself, the selection of hand loomed textiles was amazing. Add to that list; chock full of wats, monks, and stunning riverside vistas. Despite being full of tourists and the people who make their living catering to them, the vibe in Luang Prabang was positively 'chill-laxed Lao', bordering on somnambular.

One of the many stunning riverside vistas afforded by a simple stroll about town. The skinny little pennisula of Luang Prabang has the good fortune to be framed by two scenic rivers. The Nam Khan, above, and the Mekong. (not pictured)

Luang Prabang street scene with villas belonging to the Chang Hotel group in the background.

View from the top: Luang Prabang as seen from Phu Si temple, the city's highest point.

Wanna buy a bird? Around Phu Si there were a few ladies selling tiny little bamboo cages with two tiny little birds inside that you can set free as an offering to lord Buddha or some other god, spirit, ancestor etc. I bought one just to help out the little guys inside. I kept thinking its good I'm not here today with some delicate child or god forbid my fiance. I would have been forced to buy and free every single bird in Luang Prabang.

Inside of Wat Xieng Thong. One of Luang Prabang's most beautiful temples.

Yummy, yummy fish roasting at the night food market. One of the top two or three greatest all time grilled fish I have ever eaten.

Monks line up for their daily procession each morning. They go about town 'begging' for food and in return they offer the giver a chance to 'make merit' or basically score Buddha points for the next life. I learned that the monks and especially the young novices much prefer you drop by the temple with a pizza or a chocolate croissant around say, eleven 'o clock instead of giving them dirty, cold, bland sticky rice like every one else at six in the morning.

My young friend, Vit the novice monk, hard at work making me a lucky bracelet. Like I said, they like chocolate croissants.

I don't know if its me or Laos but once again I found it difficult to find the motivation to move quickly or do very much in Luang Prabang. Mostly I slept in, wandered about town doing some very gentle sight-seeing and in the evenings I ate and bought textiles at the night market.

My last night in town pondering my next move I realized I had fallen into a bit of a lonely traveler's funk, I made a snap decision. I needed to make some new friends.

Ladies and gentlemen, meet Ban Souh:

Wait a minute,... Hold on,...

There, that's better. Meet Ban Souh. A 42 year old male asian elephant. Ban Souh used to spend his days working as a lumberjack but now he earns a living allowing tourists to pretend to boss him around at the 'All Lao Elephant Trainer (manhout) Camp' just outside Luang Pranbang.

The two of us were fast friends, at least I'd like to think so. He let me give him a bath or at least pretended to, so we must be pretty tight right? I spent a day and a half at the 'All Lao Elephant Trainer Camp' and spent the night in one of their lovely riverside bungalows. I got to practice a few elephant commands and then I got to ride around atop of Ban Shou's neck, at first with a trainer then all by myself. Its not quite as easy as it sounds especially when Ban Souh decides he is in a hurry to get to some some bananas. Let me just say that anyone who hasn't had the chance to ride on an elephant definitely should do so if the opportunity ever presents itself. Its a very surreal and completely absurd experience. You really can't fully appreciate the power and enormity of an elephant until you ride on top of one. Its at once exhilarating and unsettling to think at any moment the elephant decides he has had enough of riding you around he can reach up, grab you with his trunk, pile-drive you into the ground and if you're not dead already he can then choose between his massive foot or his head to grind you into a greasy little person-burger patty. Needless to say I made it a point to stay on Ban Souh's good side. I saw absolutely nothing in Ban Souh's demeanor that would suggest an animal capable of violence, but I was shocked to find out some tourists are so stupid that they have to be reminded not to tease the elephants! Well anyway Ban Souh and I got along famously and I found it hard to stop smiling while on top of him. I was giddy like a little kid on Christmas eve the entire time. What fun it is to have a pet elephant for the day!