Hmong New Year festival

When we were walking around on Saturday, talking to everyone as we do...we were told of a festival in a village on the other side of the river on Sunday. So yesterday morning we hired bikes and rode out to the village. The festival is the annual getting toether of the local Hmong from all the different villages and they stand in lines to throw a ball at each other. This throwing of the ball represents a match making ceremony. Those of an age (around 20yo) to be married are dressed in their traditional outfits - and "are preened and ready to go". The men dress in black with colourful ribbons attached in various adornments and the women are simply stunning. They all collect silver coins and attach them to their outfits. The more coins you have the 'richer' you are. I was given the opportunity to stand in line and catch the ball - I was asked to join in by a very handsome young man (he was about 18). Then a lovely 'mature' Hmong man asked me to join in and was I looking for a partner? He was he joked and would I join him?......he came from Canada!

Laos Ballet

Had another great day. Biy French is still HUGE here. Lots of people still speak French and there are a number of French language schools. Many signs are written in French and Laos - English is a close third. Climbed to the top of the mount in the city centre today - 410 steps. Fantastic view around from the top - could see all the mountain ranges - Luang Prabang is on an encircled lower plateau on the banks of the junction of 2 rivers (Mekong and Nam Khan).

Tonight we are going to a traditional Laos Ballet  -  "The search for Sidu" (it is part of the Ramayana). We actually got the front row seats - hope it is good.

 The first dance with ladies - pretty, but couldnt work out who was being "paid off", by having their 10 year old daughter dance with the adults...'consideration' plays a large part around here.

 The main male dancers - "Hanuman and friends"

 "Hanuman with friends and foe".

 cute little girl but somewhat ill placed...

 We went to an art exhibition at a Swiss owned gallery - which took us nearly 2 hours to find! This is all hand embroidered and covers an entire wall. It was done by an older Hmong lady-it was fabulous.

After the ballet - the moon was perfectly placed above...

New Year in LPB

On our first morning here, we witnessed the early morning alms giving to the monks. I also partook. I bought bananas from a woman in the street to give to the monks - only to discover later that day that is not advised by the authorities to buy from local people in the street to give to the monks - it is advised to go to the markets to purchase food for the monks.....ooops!

Yesterday was apparently Hmong New Years Eve .... New year's eve in 3 places this year -Cambodia, Vietnam and now Laos. So today there were great celebrations. Also to note was the 15th anniversary of Luang Prabang being made a UNESCO city. Big parade this afternoon, so our plans for the day changed yet again and we took up residence at an alfresco cafe on the main street, so we could watch the fanfare. It was gorgeous. We got to see and take photos of many different tribal groups and their style of dress...without feeling like we were intruding on these people and their homes. One doesn't usually get to see elephants prancing down the main street either...unless you were in Luang Prabang today.

 This is the momks procession down the main street on our second day - there were many more on this day as it was the celebratory day for the 15th anniversary of Luang Prabang being a UNESCO world heritage city.

 I feel sorry for the little novice monks at the end. They only eat once a day - it must be in the morning before 11.30am. They get so much food in the morning I am not sure what they do with it all....give it to the poor?

 That afternoon we went to the street parade and these two ladies sat opposite us, the little old one was a scream - organising everyone.

 We were sitting opposite the school and the kids were originally really excited at the gate - the teachers kept them in check - with bamboo canes!

The parade was really colourful - these characters were part of the "Ramayana" play - when the devils came along the kids actually got frightened and ran away.

 Christina giving alms on the morning of the New Year and parade. The lady next to her was really hoping for a lot of good Karma - she was giving out LOTs of 1000 kip notes (about 12 cents) plus when she was running low on them she kept shouting out to her son to get more - she was just as entertaining as the procession.

Visited the Royal Palace - now a National Museum. The curators have tried to restore it to the glory of  1904 - 1975 (from when it was built to the "revolutionary success"). It looks like they have gathered whatever furniture they could from any decade and put it in, there are lots of wonderful period pieces, but it is not over done. It does not compare to the opulence of the European palaces or even the Thai Palaces.

PHOTO above ... The front of the Palace -where international dignatories arrived-not very special at all. Furniture inside was "nice", but the polished floors were wonderful.
 (right)...The back of the Palace, where all the locals came to meet for an audience with the king. This entrance leads down to the Mekong River - it is a much more interesting entrance.

 Wat Ho Pha Bang...this is at the entrance of the grounds to the Palace - it was built to house ONE chair and buddha statue - which is still currenty behind locked grills. Apparently is is sacred and worth too much to allow people to go too close to it. It is taken out once a year -for New Year in April parade.

 Some of the Hmong people in the street parade.

Naturally the end of the aprade was brought up by 3 huge elephants...they were gorgeous (as far as elephants go)

Luang Prabang -only if it's Wednesday

We have decided to stay here until we catch our plane out to Cambodia. There is so much to do, so we will do as much as possible here. Then my next trip can focus on the south of Laos….?

We are going to do a cooking course one day – this will involve checking out the quality of (fishy) items at the markets – learning how to poke and prod with ease and authority I guess.

Our journey here today was a 7 hour bus ride over a mere 230kms. The scenery was spectacular, the roads were 'engaging', the traffic was eye catching and the bus - was NOT airconditioned.

 This is one of the mountain villages along the long and windy road to LP.

 Zoomed in houses - they essentially all looked the same.

 The scenery was spectacular.

 Scene from a terrible stop off with disgusting toilets.

This is the guest house we are staying in, in Luang Prabang. Our room is downstairs on the right. we are paying 100,000kip per night between us. Thats about $12.50

Vang-Vieng (Tuesday with no internet)

The early morning bus ride was uneventful – pleased to note the quality of bus drivers and rides is comparable across Indo China. No surprises for me – not so for Christina. Going up the hills seems to be a chore – can’t think of a slower bus I have been on. Going around corners and past other vehicles was an event – to be missed.

Wandered around Vang Vieng – reminiscent of Kuta beach and Bali; lots of young people drinking and in various states of undress. Why they think they are on the beach is beyond me – we are in a LAND LOCKED country for gads sake. Tubing down the Mekong is not the same as surfing on Kuta. Today we bypassed the tubing and caves and opted for a gin on the river front of the Elephant Pass Resort where we watched the sun set with a couple from Brisbane.They  have been teaching in Hanoi for the last 10 months. We leave them in the morning but will catch up with them again in Luang Prabang

In our hotel room tonight the rules on the wall include:- “no intercourse; no opium smoking or buying: no noisy activities”. I think if they allowed the Opium Smoking they wouldn’t have noisy activities!

This was the view over the Mekong River from our hostel. The town is surrounded by mountains.

Sunset as well

Fishermen down from our hostel

Sunset sitting with my G&T, on the banks of the Mekong at the "Elephant Pass" hotel.

beautiful cows - these decided to follow us when we went walking at sunrise - lots of mist around. Christina was very unhappy about the cows following s - she is not a country girl.

Fishermen across the way from our hostel. They are from the village across the river.

This was walking through the farms when we went out for sunrise. It is just gorgeous scenery.

Lots of mist around the mountain as we walked at sunrise

Cows are so cute..........

The road that probably millions have walked over thousands of years. Leading into the caves and waterfalls, through the farms. Sunrise was lovely-and not that early either - after 6am.