Louang Phabang

In the grey ethereal light of early dawn a single line of bare foot saffron clad Buddhist monks progressed down the main street of Louang Phabang. They neither hurried nor lingered but moved steadily with dignified confidence. Each of the hundred or so monks carried a silver container for alms. Along their route the townsfolk and visitors from other Buddhist countries sat with offerings of boiled rice, bananas and other cooked food. They sat so that their heads were lower than the monks. Each supplicant placed a handful of rice or some other morsel of food into the containers held by monks so that each monk in the solemn procession received food from several people. This ritual was performed every day at 6am in Louang Phabang and provided the monks from the many pagodas with their food for the day.

Louang Phabang is an ancient capital of Laos and contains many old and hallowed Pagodas or Wats. It was also an important city in French colonial days and a strong French influence remains in the shophouses lining the main street and the administrative buildings. At the beginning of last century the French built a palace for the King and this Royal Palace has been beautifully restored and converted into a museum.  The balance of ancient Laos buildings and the hundred year old French colonial buildings is so pleasing that the whole town has been listed as a UN World Heritage site.  We enjoyed several days sitting in river front cafés watching the brown Mekong flowing by, strolling through the old streets and visiting the many pagodas.

Laos is undoubtedly a poor country and that poverty was illustrated by the morning market. With meat from domestic animals relatively expensive game is important in the local diet. We marvelled at large monitor lizards, red squirrels and a variety of common woodland birds laid out for sale.  There were also live guinea pig type animals tethered in woven baskets on offer. We were told the Laos name for this animal and an expat suggested they might be short tailed bamboo rats – who knows? As with all South East Asia markets there were many types of river fish, prawns, crabs and shells along with live frogs. The area is also famous for a wide variety of mushrooms and river weed.

We were very fortunate to be Louang Phabang in the lead up to Laos New year. Traditionally Buddha statues are bathed in sacred water. Monks also ritually wash in water to wash away the sins of the year in preparation for the new year. This has been taken up with enthusiasm by the general Buddhist population but in a much more exuberant form! As new year approaches people start throwing water on each other and then on anyone who passes on foot, bicycle or motorbike. Given that April is also the hottest time of year being hosed down can be welcome, if a bit unexpected by strangers to the town.

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