Luang Prabang was recommended to us by my friend John Leonard from Denali National Park. John has traveled extensively in SE Asia and he remarked that LP was a "can't miss" travel site. It has not disappointed. A great spot.
For starters, it was nice to disembark the plane to 21 degree C weather. Around 70 F. We have been sweating standing still for going on 30 days now. Also, we saw our first hills since we left Hawai'i. Beautiful scenery. The surrounding hills are covered in big limestone cliffs. The area to the south of us near Vang Vieng is apparently rapidly developing into SE Asia's newest 'hot spot' for rock climbing.
We rented bikes from our guesthouse and went on an initial recce around town. Quiet streets, French colonial architecture, serpentine narrow alleyways to explore, and real ground coffee farmed right here in the hills of Laos.
Yesterday was an active day up at a nearby waterfall. It included some nice hiking through the rain forest and some swimming in the pools below the main falls. At the market near the entrance, a little Laotian girl was playing peek-a-boo with Mackenzie. She only had eyes for Mackie.
This morning, Joanie and I walked up to the Main street to observe the morning procession of the monks. Buddhism is the prominent religion here in Laos. Each morning, the monks-in-training walk along the street to to their monastery. Locals line the sidewalk with gifts of rice.
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