The vibe in Luang Prabang…exactly what I needed. There is a lot to do on a low-key scale, and I can once again cross the street by myself. I had a beet and feta salad two days ago that was so good I thought I’d found religion. If I were (going to find religion), it would be here. Temples at every turn, the bright saffron monk robes beckoning everyone to a new day.
There is the usual beehive of commercialism. Tuk-tuk drivers (there are three different kinds) offering trips to the caves and waterfall, the inevitable motorcycle taxis, open air shops and a huge night market. I got a little lost in it last night but luckily you can’t stay lost for long in this town. The nice thing about LP is that it somehow seems to be in balance.
I took a walk yesterday morning to check out a yoga class. The setting could not be any more gorgeous, and there are both morning and early evening classes. Am going to do my best to make a few of the morning ones since temperatures remain high here well into the evening. It’s still 32 degrees at 9 p.m.
Today was a gift. I ate an early breakfast on the riverfront, overlooking the Mekong, checking out a few of the wats (temples) on the way back. I haven’t seen any of the big ones yet; I’ll be here for a while and will do a little at a time.
Besides, I had to change guest houses by noon. The one I was in for the first two days was good, but for the same price, I found one that includes a good breakfast. The new one also has the most amazing woman at the front desk. She gave me more information in five minutes than I got in 48 hours at the other one. Also a younger clientele, and that always means friendly guests.
Right off the bat I met a young woman, Melissa, from Edmonton. We both booked a minivan to the waterfalls this afternoon, about 30 kms outside of town in the green countryside. What a relief it was to immerse myself in that shimmering, cool green water. There are even small fish in the pools that do free exfoliation! (They wanted $6 US for that in Siem Reap.)
And a wildlife reserve with moon bears that were rescued from poachers. They would be better off in the wild of course, but the alternative to being cared for by humans was death. They seem happy, but I wouldn’t begin to represent myself as someone who knows a happy bear from a sad one, and I don’t speak the language…
Found the vegetarian buffet tonight. All you can eat for 15,000 kip. That’s 2.45 CAD.