Tag Archives: Luang Prabang

Laos, On the Road

Wats ‘O’ the Week – Luang Prabang Temples

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This week’s installment of Wat ‘O’ the Week comes to you from Luang Prabang, where my sister and I celebrated Wat Wednesday. The historic little city in northern Laos boats 32 Buddhist temples built before the French showed up in 1887 for 58 years of colonization. Much to Megan’s relief, I didn’t make her visit all of them.
We were on the quest of a particular novice monk, who chatted with my friends, Tony and Rand, during their visit to Luang Prabang last fall. So we started at the temple where he was supposed to be “stationed” (or whatever verb you use to describe where a monk lives). “Novice Lai works at Blah Blah Temple now,” a monk told us. Only he didn’t say “blah blah,” and we were too intimidated to ask for clarification. I thought I heard a word that started with “K,” and the monk gestured in a direction that had only a few more blocks before we would hit the confluence of the Kham and Mekong rivers. So how hard could it be?
Unfortunately, we never found Lai. Sometimes being a girl traveler is a real disadvantage, particularly when it comes to approaching monks. They were all friendly enough, but Meg and I both worried that we were violating some patriarchal protocol by walking past the regular temple buildings to hunt down Lai in the residential areas.
However, we did enjoy visiting a few temples before heading back to Vientiane. Here are some highlights:

Wat Sene Soukharama
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Built in 1714, this temple had some interesting details.
The windows were pretty flashy.
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In the Buddha chapel, I loved that someone put a tiny elephant on one of Buddha’s big toes.
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This funky guy with a fish in his claws was a nice touch.
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Wat Sop Sickharam
These monks picked a perfect spot for studying.
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Rice cakes were drying in the sun at the temple.
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Wat Sirimounkhounsayaram
We walked around this temple, but I didn’t take any photos. It wins the prize for longest name, though.

Wat Xieng Thong
This is Luang Prabang’s most famous temple. Construction on the sim (ordination hall) started in 1560 right on the banks of the Mekong River, and other buildings were added over the years. The sim’s sweeping roof is considered a hallmark of traditional Luang Prabang temple architecture.
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The back of the sim features a spectacular “tree of life” mosaic, and similar mosaics cover the exterior walls of other buildings on the temple grounds, as well.
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I always enjoy seeing daily life depicted in art like this detail of villagers cutting rice, particularly meaningful next to the offering of sticky rice that someone had placed on the ledge.
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Inside the temple’s carriage house, we saw a 12-meter-high (39-foot-high) funeral carriage.
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Pretty detail on the carriage house door.
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We also liked this Buddha in the carriage house. He’s standing in the posture that’s often associated with making peace with relatives, but the expression on his face suggests he’s thinking, “Seriously, I have to break up another squabble? Come on, people! Where’s the love?”
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Laos, On the Road

Cookin’ Up a Lao Storm

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As we all know, cooking is not my forte. (See my Christmas cookie post for background.) However, my baby sister, Megan, is quite at home in the kitchen and doesn’t shirk from scary paraphernalia such as the VitaMix and lemon zesters. Too broke to shop and too lazy to head out on an adventure tour, we signed up for a cooking class at Tamnak Lao Restaurant.

We met at the restaurant’s cooking school at 10 a.m. today. The rest of our class comprised an American couple working in Singapore, a French Canadian family on vacation, a German guy who leads bike tours in China and his parents, and a Danish university student. Of course, I just wanted to sit outside with a cold beer and chat with everyone. Fortunately, we had morning and afternoon “tea,” so there was plenty of time for socializing.

Our day started with a visit to the local market, where one of our teachers, Phia Yang, introduced us to Lao fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, rice, seasonings, and sauces. I’ve been to enough Asian markets that the icky stuff doesn’t faze me. That said, there was definitely some icky stuff. Perhaps the ickiest was a wooden chair that was obviously used for butchering animals. It was dripping with blood and fleshy bits. I took a photo, but I’m guessing most people would rather not see it.

One funny moment happened when a rooster made a break for it. He was captive at a chicken stall one minute, and then he squawked and leapt over the counter, literally running for his life. The vendor threw a potato to knock the rooster off his feet, but he missed. Whew! Unfortunately, the vendor eventually caught the feisty fellow and tied him up in a plastic bag, presumably for a customer.

Phia Yang teaches us about Lao herbs.
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Learning about different kinds of rice.
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Back at the cooking class, we watched Phia Yang and another teacher, Leng Lee, demonstrate how to prepare several Lao dishes.
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Then we were on our own. Megan let me measure a few ingredients, and sometimes I even got to stir things around in the wok, but basically it was her show. We even had a code phrase for when I was getting in her way. She just said, “Why don’t you go take some pictures?”

Megan lets me measure some vinegar.
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The loony chef.
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By lunchtime, we had whipped up a tasty Luang Prabang salad and delicious Feu Khua (fried rice noodles with chicken and vegetables). Add a beer and friendly conversation with our classmates. Perfect!

In the afternoon, we did a less admirable job with Chicken Laap (minced chicken salad with herbs). We didn’t follow the recipe very carefully, so it turned out pretty dry and chewy. Our Oh Paedak (Lao pork casserole) was also less than impressive. It was supposed to be a soupy dish, but Megan and I couldn’t cope with the watery eggs, so we drained the liquid and served it on a plate instead of a bowl. Thanks, but no thanks. We hit the jackpot with Khua Maak Kheua Gap Moo (fried eggplant with pork). It was scrumptious! We also learned how to make sticky rice and Luang Prabang Chilli Paste, which was surprisingly sweet.

We left our cooking class with a cookbook and full tummies. Here’s the recipe for our favorite dish.
Khua Maak Kheua Gap Moo
Ingredients
60 grams pork (the recipe didn’t say what to do with the pork, so we chopped it in to bite-sized pieces)
3 large spring onions
1 Asian eggplant
2-3 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons oil
1. Cut the spring onion into 2-cm pieces. If the white part is large, cut it in half lengthwise.
2. Cut the eggplant into 3-cm pieces; then cut each piece in half lengthwise.
3. Crush the garlic in mortar or use a garlic press.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok, add the eggplant and stir fry until it begins to soften and turn a golden color.
5. Place the cooked eggplant in a dish and set aside.
6. Put the remaining oil into the wok with the crushed garlic, and stir until the garlic begins to change color.
7. Add the pork and keep stir frying until cooked.
8. Add the salt and sugar.
9. Keep stir frying and add the oyster sauce, onion, and cooked eggplant. Keep stir frying until the onions begin to soften.
10. Eat with sticky rice!

Laos, On the Road

Luang Prabang Neighborhood

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My sister and I have spent the last few days exploring Luang Prabang, Laos.

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I keep thinking to myself, “Dorothy, you’re not in Vientiane anymore.” Where is the omnipresent dust? Where are the deafening motorbikes and tuktuks? Where is the hustle and bustle? OK, there’s really not much “hustle and bustle” in Vientiane, but there’s even less here.

Our hotel is located in the Historic Temple Area, near the confluence of the Mekong and Khan rivers. So peaceful.
Here are some shots from our street. At times, it feels like we’re in Europe!
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Last night, we went to a restaurant recommended by several friends (and websites) – Tamarind. As I sipped a ginger and lemon cocktail, and Megan nursed a lime-lemongrass concoction, we listened to the monks chanting at the temple across the road. Here’s a little sample (don’t know why I was so shaky…). That bimbo you see coming out of the temple is a foreigner who had the brilliant idea of wearing her shorts to go watch the monks chant. Geez.

We ordered some appetizers and then … darkness. The electricity went out AGAIN. Seriously, the power has been off more than it’s been on since we got here. The locals just roll with it, so that’s all you can do. The restaurant staff melted the ends of small candles and stuck them directly on the tables and on the top of overturned glasses. We ate our delicious selection of Lao dips with sticky rice and roasted seaweed and chatted with a kind New Zealander who was traveling alone. Eventually, the lights came back on, but the tiny restaurant was packed with a couple large parties and we were having trouble getting the attention of the wait staff. We decided to move on.

Meg and I wandered through the quiet alleys of our neighborhood, perusing the dessert menus at several cafes. Like moths to a flame, we were drawn down a side street to a restaurant draped in twinkly lights with a small Lao band performing traditional music. The only patrons, we received a lot of attention at our outdoor table. The head waiter, in a starched coat two sizes too big, asked if we had already eaten and then encouraged us to come back some time for dinner. We ordered drinks, which were delivered by two more waiters. When Megan asked for another mug to share her tea with me, the confused waiter nodded and said, “cup” and then summoned two other waiters. They rushed over to hear our request and then scurried off to get the cup.

Before too long … the twinkly lights went dark. Yet another power outage!

Despite the lack of customers, the restaurant was soon ablaze in candles, and the band didn’t miss a beat. We enjoyed lingering with the marimba-ish melody wafting on the cool breeze. It would have been very romantic to be there with someone who wasn’t my sister. Walking back to our hotel, we stared up into the inky sky. Without city lights for competition, the stars glittered brightly and the moon lit our path.

Laos, On the Road

Luang Prabang – Taking It Easy

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I’m sitting at a coffee shop in Luang Prabang, Laos, sipping yet another refreshing “soda maak nao” (soda water with lime). I had hoped for a fruit shake, but the power’s out all over town. No electricity = no blender = no fruit shake. Bummer. Megan is getting her daily massage. Until my banged up legs heal a bit (mementos of rock climbing in Krabi), I’m taking a hiatus from aggressive rubdowns.
We arrived here Saturday evening and took a stroll around town. It’s hard to believe we’re in Laos. The French, who landed in Luang Prabang in 1887 and refused to leave till 1954, left quite an architectural mark. Since the city became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1995, many colonial villas, shops and offices have been converted to guesthouses, restaurants and art galleries. Located at the confluence of the Mekong and Khan rivers and surrounded by mountains, the town takes on a quiet vibe. Tourists rise early to snap photos of the monks collecting alms in the chilly mist, so mornings are a bit lively along the main boulevards. Then the clouds burn off, and everyone seems to take a long afternoon nap to escape the scorching heat. Cool breezes prevail after sunset, and the town comes to life again but in a gentle way with twinkly lights dangling from the trees.

Our first night in Luang Prabang, we went out for a casual dinner. Megan tried her first “laap,” a popular Lao dish of minced chicken and herbs, eaten with sticky rice.

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The next morning, we followed part of a Lonely Planet walking tour, visiting a couple temples and then climbing up the 100-meter-high hill, Phu Si, to see the golden That Chomsi stupa at the top and to enjoy stunning views of the two rivers.

Hiking up the hill.
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We made it!
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A pretty little spot on top of the hill.
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Inside the little temple at the top.
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Buddha’s footprint. He must have been huge!
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Great views of the two rivers. Here’s the Mekong:
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And here’s the Khan:
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After lunch (and Meg’s daily massage), we jumped on a longboat for a little cruise on the Mekong. The riverbanks were bustling with village routines: ladies washing laundry, children chasing each other, farmers tending the crops and animals, workers building a boat, fishermen pulling in their nets, and monks strolling to and from the hillside temples. Around 5 p.m. it seemed everyone decided to take a bath. Mothers stood in waist-deep water to give the kids and themselves a good scrubbing. Men stripped down to their skivvies and waded in for a wash. Although other people on our boat took pictures, it seemed quite invasive. They must have been thinking, “Geez, can’t a person have a little privacy around here?” When the sun dropped behind the mountains, everything and everyone was bathed in a pinkish golden light. As our boat pulled back to shore at Luang Prabang, long lines of Lao people were waiting for the river taxi-boats.

Walking down to the river.
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Ready to go!
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Beautiful sunset.
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This is what Megan has seen the most on this trip.
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This is what happens when you ask Megan to take pictures. Sigh.
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People waiting to catch the river taxis.
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For dinner, we went to 3 Nagas, a posh open-air restaurant connected to a boutique hotel. The food was delicious, but even better was the ambience. I had made a reservation earlier in the day, so when we showed up, our outdoor table was marked by a banana leaf with my name written in silver ink. (The leaf said “Sharan,” but close enough, eh?) A tiny vase held a delicate white flower with spindly petals. White lights swayed in the trees, and vintage cars were parked on the street. It felt like a movie set.

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Today, we rented bikes and cycled to the outskirts of town. Twice we turned off the main road and pedaled till we ran out of asphalt. Once we left the historic area, the city looked very similar to Vientiane. People doing their jobs, living their lives.

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Back in town, we traded our mountain bikes for these cruisers and pedaled around the back alleys.
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After our ride, we stopped for a coffee but that’s when we learned of the power outage. We parked the bikes at the hotel and went for a stroll, and then Meg headed for her massage du jour. (Turns out the massage therapist was falling asleep, so Meg cut it short and met me at the café!) So, I’ll just suck down the rest of this soda with lime, and we’ll look for diversions that don’t require electricity…