A mini-rant.Our last morning in Luang Prabang we decided to wake up early to witness the alms giving procession. We both had mixed feelings about it. On one hand, we wanted to see what we expected to be a beautiful and peaceful procession. On the other hand, we didn’t want to be the obnoxious tourists mucking up the atmosphere.

We decided that we would attend the procession but do so from a good distance away. We sat quietly across the street and I took most of my (very blurry) photos from the hip.

But really, the whole experience was just kind of weird.

Guidelines for participating in or observing the alms giving are posted around the city, at guesthouses, and in guidebooks. There’s definitely a right and wrong way to do it. Unfortunately, most of the people we saw did not get the memo. It was embarrassing.

It all started when two buses pulled up to the curb we were sitting on. We had to laugh. Not only did they block our view of the entire street, but we had been told to arrive by foot or bicycle so as not to disrupt the peace. Fortunately, after the buses unloaded their groups of tourists they took off. Next, a mini van loaded with people rolled up to the opposite side of the street. A guide directed the people to their designated offering spot and gave them a quick run down of the procedure.

Then the monks arrived.

I’m not an expert but because I had read the guidelines beforehand I had a pretty good idea that some people were doing it wrong.

Following the monks down the street with your camera two feet from their faces? Wrong!

Posing for a picture while you give alms? Wrong!

Buying food from street vendors as donations? Wrong!

It was almost comical.

I’m definitely not one to ignore my own role in the tourism industry. But I can honestly say I’ve never behaved like some of these tourists did. To be fair, they probably had bad information (or no information) but is that an excuse?

xo, jill

again and again.

After descending Phousi, I became awestruck by the glow of Haw Pha Bang.

We sat on a bench and enjoyed the last few minutes of golden hour with Haw Pha Bang as the star performer. This temple is really just incredible and probably my favorite in all of Southeast Asia (not that I’ve seen them all!).

Haw Pha Bang was completed in… 2006. Yep, it’s a baby. Thankfully, it was built in the traditional style using traditional materials. The temple stores the standing Buddha (Pha Bang) that gives Luang Prabang its name.

Wat Pahouak is also at the base of Phousi. We stopped in for a glance and then went back out to stare at Haw Pha Bang some more.

xo, jill

So many stairs.

As dusk drew near on our second day in Luang Prabang, we decided to climb the 320 steps of Phousi, a small mountain in the middle of the peninsula. Mike had recently read that the view from the top wasn’t spectacular, so we didn’t expect much.

As you make your way up the back side of the mountain there are plenty of small shrines and objects to hold your attention as your climb. I’d like to say I didn’t even notice the exercise, but I totally did. Still, I had some pretty things to look at while I huffed and puffed.

At the top is a large shrine that is visible from below and lit up at night. It definitely helped me navigate a few times after dark.

We were also pleased to find that the view was actually quite impressive. You can see all of Luang Prabang’s charm but in miniature.

While Phousi seemed to be a popular spot to catch the sunset, it was still a peaceful, relaxed, and friendly atmosphere. Definitely worth the climb.

xo, jill

PS This post contains one of my favorite photographs from Laos. Can you guess which one?

Ahem.I know I promised a little break from the temples… but I forgot about this one. And it’s one I really liked. I sort of decided that Wat Aham was our personal temple because we passed it so many times each day on our way to and from the main part of town.

Eventually we stopped in to have a look and I’m glad we did.

Compared to the other temples in town, the grounds of Wat Aham are nearly deserted. While everything is still cared for, it’s clear that this is not a tourist hot spot. And I liked that.

Just a quiet temple sitting on the corner.

xo, jill

“Zen by day, Groovy by night.”

I can’t remember if Utopia was in our guidebook or if we just found it by meandering. Regardless, you know a place is going to be good if it requires multiple “secret” pathways to find it.

Our first visit coincided with the zen atmosphere of the place. We walked towards the back and relaxed on a deck overlooking the gardens and Nam Khan. I could have stayed there forever.

We enjoyed our lunch so much that we returned for dinner later in the evening. By this point, the “groovy” had begun. The once peaceful lounge was now a hoppin’ bar scene. It’s not everyday you find a place that offers such radically different atmospheres, all in the same day!

In addition to being a nice place to hang out, the food is also delicious. You can check out their menu here. This is definitely the place to go if you’re sick of baguettes or typical tourist food. Mike was even offered free fish cakes the kitchen was testing.

I highly recommend Utopia if you find yourself looking for good food and a unique place to hangout while in Luang Prabang.

xo, jill

Mekong and Nam Khan.

Something special about Luang Prabang is that it sits at the confluence of two rivers, the Mekong and Nam Khan. Because of this, there is no shortage of river views. After visiting a few temples, Mike and I continued to meander through town with a focus on the water.

We stopped to rest at a cafe overlooking the Nam Khan and watched people going about their daily business.

Luang Prabang is such a peaceful town. And if it wasn’t so photogenic I’d be finished posting about it by now!

xo, jill