For one of my trips outside Thailand, just to change destination since in general my choice is Singapore which I particularly appreciate, my choice is focused on Laos. First communist country where I go, not without a little apprehension elsewhere.
Rather than Vientiane the capital with its French colonial architecture and Buddhist temples, I opted for Luang Phabang, the former royal capital of the kingdom of a million of elephants (14th century).
River port located on the Mekong river in the North of Laos, Luang Phabang is far from being a big city (less than 55000 inhabitants) and that's fine for me! As part of the UNESCO World Heritage since 1995 I thought it was a good choice.
Arrival at the airport and first contact with the country, I admit I would have liked it to go otherwise! First of all, whatever the duration, you have to make an arrival visa, $ 30 + a handful of extra dollars to make the "application form" and 1 photo with a 0.3 pixels camera. I will not go further on this subject.
Finally the real trip begins once the airport gate has passed.
Everything I saw between the airport and my Guesthouse on the banks of the Mekong really blew me away. A good sign of a very good trip :)
My Guesthouse is perfect, a good sized room with small balcony and view of the Mekong, a super friendly staff and a terrace on the banks of the Mekong. All to spend 4 very beautiful nights.
It's time for the first walks in these very pleasant streets.
As born in the seventies, the Mekong is something special, exotic for me, steeped in all these films (where it was) seen and reviewed in my youth.
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Luang Phabang is also a multitude of diverse and varied temples and a very pleasant atmosphere. Inhabited since the 8th millennium BC J.-C this city has an unbelievable history! plundered by the Burmese, then by Chinese Black Flags and finally occupied by the troops of Siam (maybe the strong resemblance of the Laotian and Thai language comes from there), it gone under French protectorate in 1893.
The Laotian and French double display that we can see at different places in the city, city where I was surprised by the number of French-speaking expatriates.
All the temples have really beautiful decorations, I think it required a lot of time and good care for the level of details. The temples cover nearly a third of the city's surface and a we can feel a great religious fervor at Luang Prabang.
There are really everywhere across the city, sometimes in small flower parks you can see a little temple with a statue or boat.
I was really amazed in front of these beautiful buildings with their really incredible colors!
Can walk hours and hours in this city without realizing the heat (little lie, we feel it a little bit anyway) and the time that passes. Each temple has it own identity, every street corner has this special things who make you stop and contemplate ...
Besides, here is one of my freeze to contemplate, and this one killed me well. Long time I had not seen a "Citroën Traction Avant" (french car of the thirsties/fifties) and even less in so good state.
A destination where I would return with great pleasure to feel again this atmosphere and see everything I missed ;)
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