Asia Steps

We left Luang Prabang Tuesday evening and were about to catch a flight to Vientiane when the power went out at the airport. Now, call me petty, but I think but I like to have my airports all wired 24/7. While I was entertaining all the possible catastrophes of this little episode, all of the airport staff, vendors and tuk tuk drivers were leaving for the day. It was, after all, past 8pm already! After a small delay, we finally took off to Vientiane where we spent a short night in a deserted strange looking hotel. Very early the next morning, we caught a flight to Pakse, the main getaway to the south of Laos. This time there was no power failure at the airport but rather a HUGE airplane size roach walking around the “security check” area.
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So far we’ve stumbled upon two photography exhibitions while strolling around in Luang Prabang. The first was housed in a beautiful French villa showcasing photos of Lao life as part of the Biennale international de l’image. The second exhibition was right next to the Palace museum entitled “Floating Buddhas”. The photos were taken by a German photographer who was invited by the monks of Luang Prabang to document novices’ study and practice of meditation. The photos were all shot with an analog camera in black and white achieving a wonderful dramatic effect. I liked it so much I bought a poster of the exhibition and with some luck, it will actually make it all the way back to New York.

We arrived in Luang Prabang on Friday morning and did not have a hotel reservation. At the airport, we met a fellow traveler, Laura, who mentioned she was going to a guesthouse that may have another room available. We decided to share a tuk tuk to the city (about 4km away) and see if we could stay at that same place. After a short drive, we got into town and realized that Laura’s guesthouse did not have any available rooms but the guesthouse next door-Levady had a room. We quickly snatched that room and started our adventure.

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After 19 hours of travel from Luang Prabang by plane, bus, boat and tuk tuk we finally arrived in Don Khon - an island in Si Phan Don, in Southern Laos. The island is a small piece of paradise dotted with bungalows and restaurants by the Mekong River, featuring amazing sunsets. The island only has electricity for a few hours during the day. It is quiet beyond belief and for the first time in what feels like years-we can see a sky full of stars.

At 6a.m. this morning, dozens of cell phone alarms clocks could be heard around the backpackers’ area, it was time to get up and see the Buddhist monks. Every morning, hundreds of monks dressed in a traditional orange outfit roam the silent streets of Luang Prabang collecting alms from the locals (Tak Bat in Lao). All along the main road of town, people set up mats on the floor with pots of sticky rice and wait for their turn to give food to the monks. The monks walk silently in a long never ending line, gazing at the floor while accepting those small portions of rice. The people of Luang Prabang seem grateful for their chance to perform a Buddhist “Mitzvah” and bow their head down as they serve the rice. This surreal daily ritual is filled with early morning’s haze and complete silence, the only thing that can be heard is the tourists’ cameras clicking.
Britney Spears may think she has it hard but the monks of Luang Prabang are shot from every possible angle. Some tourists even go as far as walking right up to the young monks and taking their photo. From a spiritual and humbling experience, it was transformed into a circus, or at least that’s how it felt to me. Tourists position themselves in good “photo worthy” angles and are even given the option to buy some crackers so they can give to the monks (feeding time at the zoo?). After snapping a couple of photos I realized I am simply not able to be part of this paparazzi show and opted to just stand back and look at the wonderful symbiosis of the monks and the Luang Prabangis.

The charm of this amazing place takes over you immediately and you are forced to walk slow, talk softly and think happy thoughts (no, no interesting brownies served for breakfast). It is simply gorgeous here, the combination of stunning Wats, beautiful French Lao buildings, enchanting Mekong river and breath taking views all make it a very special place. Luang Prabang is a gay friendly cat friendly place where people are smiley, relaxed and kind. It feels like an island but is actually a small town in the mountains. We have been trying to think of what this place reminds us of and so far we’ve come up with a mix of Sapa (Vietnam), Colon (Panama), Sinai (Egypt) and Zichron (Israel), I guess it is just like nothing we’ve ever seen.