Luang Prabang, Laos

We finally arrived in Luang Prabang, Laos - A UNESCO World Heritage Center that exemplifies a beautiful fusion of French colonial architecture and the heart and soul of urban Laos. As Lonely Planet puts it, "Luang Prabang is a tonic for the soul." Because it is Unesco Heritage Listed, buses and trucks are banned from the city streets. We stayed at a really adorable guesthouse, Merry 2 Guesthouse, owned by a family. All five of us were able to fit in one dorm style room, and we even had a huge balcony!

This adorable and dreamy city was once the ancient royal city of Laos while under French colonization, and the remnants of this history are easily seen in the tiny streets lined with wine bars and cute cafes selling baguettes. It's the kind of city where one can easily get lost in time, stay longer than planned, and sit down at a wine cafe along the Nam Khan River and become a writer or artist all of the sudden. The city is surrounded by mountains, where a dreamy fog sits on the peaks all day long, while the sun shines through the small, cobblestone streets. "... Gleaming temples, French-era palace and villas, multiethnic peoples who live here give Luang Prabang a romantic and relaxed feel that can captivate even the most jaded travellers."

It was a perfect city for a birthday celebration! It was J's birthday while we were in Luang Prabang, and we celebrated by having a few bottles of wine - two at a wine bar and one on the balcony of our guesthouse room by candle light. How romantic for us five girls!

We spent a day doing some hardcore (for us, at least) activities that was well worth every calorie burned and every scrape, bruise and muscle ache. The first half of the day, the five of us were led by a guide through the mountains of rural Laos, about a 45 minute drive from Luang Prabang. We hiked through the jungle, through fields and villages, and plantations of various products (rubber, tobacco, etc.). We came upon the Hoify Village, where we were able to meet some of the local villagers, capture some amazing photographs, and rest our feet. Then, we continued trekking to Tat Kuang Si - one of the most amazing natural wonders I have ever seen! It is a multi-tiered, shaded waterfall that tumbles over limestone formations into a series of cool, turquoise pools, which are perfect for swimming - especially for tired jungle trekkers, such as ourselves. To come upon this sight after sweating in the searing sun of the Laotian jungle mountains was jaw-dropping. The crazy thing about this beautiful place is that it is all natural, even though it is so incredible that one just can't help think that it is man-made.

The second half of our day trip was kayaking down (or up?) the Nam Khan River. While relaxing for our feet and surrounded by stunning rural scenery, our arms got the best of us and we felt like dropping into a heap of limbs by the end. Highlight of the kayaking trip: Bridget and I almost bumped right into some water buffalo, as we thought they were rocks, but as we paddled a bit closer, we then noticed the giant horns sticking out of the water and then the nostrils and tired eyes. Yikes!

On the morning of our last day, we woke up at 5:00 am to watch the monks receive alms as they silently tiptoe through the lazy streets of Luang Prabang. We had heard that this is one of the best places to see the monks' morning ritual... it is just magnificently magical!

Not totally wanting to say goodbye to Luang Prabang just yet, we unfortunately had to leave that day to get to our next destination - Vang Vieng. Only about a 1/2 hour into the packed mini-van journey, we were pulled over due to a road block and discovered that all transportation headed in that direction were stopped. All passengers were sitting and standing and waiting on the side of the road for.... a bike marathon/ race to pass through! We waited there for over an hour, and saw maybe 10 cyclists pass through. Welcome to a 3rd world country. Welcome to Southeast Asia. Welcome to Laos!

Laotian workers we saw along our trek

Trekking

It was tough hiking up the mountain, but sooo worth it!

In Hoify Village

Tat Kuang Si Waterfall

The water buffalo we almost hit while kayaking

The ice cream man that convinced Bridget and I to buy some of his ice cream: "The children don't want today; it is cloudy. Please, buy some ice cream, no children want today..." Really, how could you refuse?