Luang Prabang is one of Laos most important "cities." I put quotes around that word because the population is about 50,000, just a town in most places. But the entire population of Laos is only 6.5 million and a majority live in rural areas. Additionally it is one of the most visited places in the country. Luang Prabang used to be the capital (until it was moved to Vientiane in 1975) and remains a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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| Luang Prabang is centrally located in Laos |
What I had read and we soon found to actually be true was the existence of an 11:30 pm curfew for bars. Why couldn't they just bribe the cops like Thailand! It definitely seemed like our nights out would be short. On the first night Mike and I walked around the old town with two British girls who had been on our trip from Chiang Mai, and everything was closing down early.
But sure enough there was a loophole. A bowling alley outside of town is open until after 2 am and continues to sell alcohol. Did they pay off the authorities? Well I never found out how they got around the curfew, but that is where the party was after hours. When we showed up it was full of backpackers - hardy any Lao people in sight. Sure people were bowling, but we all knew why we were there - it was the only place to get a drink!
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| Luang Prabang bowling scene |
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| posing with Mike and the English gals |
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| With the Welsh crew |
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| Mike's peculiar bowling style |
Aside from late night bowling, Luang Prabang has a beautiful central town with numerous Buddhist monasteries and temples. The monks line up along the streets every morning to collect alms. I wish I could say it was an amazing scene, but we failed to make it out that early!
The central area has an old palace (from when the city was the capital) and theatre. There is also a large hill near the palace where you can climb the stairs to a temple overlooking the city. At night street vendors line one of the main avenues to set up tents selling clothing and souvenirs The best food deal in town is there too - you can get a chicken sandwich for only 10,000 kip!! Not cheap you say...well first let me clarify. The Lao money is called the kip, and one dollar is worth a whopping 7,800. So you can get a sandwich for all of one Euro. Not bad at all.
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| The old palace, with the night market in the foreground |
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| view of the city and the Mekong from the Buddhist hill temple |
After two nights in a row of late night drunken bowling Mike and I were ready for a break. We enjoyed hanging with the four Welsh guys we met on the slow boat, but they can sure drink! On our night off Mike and I took a stroll around the old town and just happened to stumble upon a street party. It wasn't very big; actually it was really just one family, grandparents, children, and grandchildren all together drinking and dancing (well the 6 year old grand-kids weren't drinking...I don't think!).
They invited us over - more like pulled us in - and gave us beers. It is customary to down your whole drink when toasting in Laos. That is one reason why they use ice, to slow down the drinking. Another is that it is just f*cking hot! After a few beers Mike and I hesitantly began dancing to the Lao music. It really isn't that hard, not much coordination required (which is good for us!). The family succeeded in pulling in two other foreigners and we all danced, drank, and took pictures together for an hour or two. Like most things Luang Prabang the party wrapped up early, which was a good think considering I was trying to take a rest from partying!
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| the hands are crucial for Lao dance |
Our last night in Laos, despite trying not to, we ended up back at the bowling alley again. As I drank more I somehow improved my score. The second game I came through with a 162! Maybe I just need to drink more to bowl better.
The following day the 8 of us - Mike and I, two English girls, and the four Welsh guys - had arranged transport to Vang Vieng. It deserves at least a full post on its own, so I will stop here for now.
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| Near the spring pools outside Luang Prabang |
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| drive carefully! |
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