Luang Prabang

Travels in Lao

                          

 A large part of Luang Prabang,s Charm is derived from its Wonderfully dilapidated French Colonial buildings. Like a Blowsy Old Dowager whose Knicker Elastic has given way Luang Prabang wears its Drawers around its ankles with unselfconscious Panache!! This is my second visit here and it was not until after a few Days that I actually became aware of how quiet and sedate a Town it is. Unlike the Thai Town I live in there is little traffic here and people drive Slowly, in fact in no way wishing  to be critical the Lao appear to do everything slowly!!

This has been my second Visit in less than a Year. I am lucky in that the Thai Town where I live is only 60 Kilometres from Vientiane the Lao Capital. In fact I visit Lao quite often on my Motorcycle but until recently I have headed South. This trip was the first time I have taken my Car it will also be the last time!! The Potholes on Roads which are seldom repaired are HUGE and one is frequently forced to drive on the wrong side to avoid them!!

I spent 10 Days in Luang Prabang this Visit and I think most People would find this far to prolonged a stay. In fact apart from a Casual inspection I did not visit any of the beautiful Buddhist Temples. This was a Chill Out Holiday and there can be few Towns in which doing not very much of anything is more agreeable!!

Driving back from Luang Prabang
I would not want to Drive this Road at Night!!

My Room at Sokdee Guest House
Comfortable Room and Bed and Looking out on Palm Trees

I drove here on Roads That Looked rather like this

One of the delights of Luang Prabang is its Compactness. The Old town is surrounded by Rivers ( The Mekong and the Nam Khan) on Three  Sides. Strolling around this Tranquil Town and simply

 soaking up the Atmosphere is a pleasure indeed. When One gets tired a Coffee Stop at the

excellent Café Banaton is called for! Here One can enjoy an Americano and a Tarte Au Citroën for a fraction of the price I recently paid on the Boulevard St. Germain in Paris. I believe the French were poor Colonial Masters when they were here but they did leave us these Beautiful Buildings and they bequeathed to the Lao the ability to Bake Baguettes and delicious Pastries!!



Café Banaton





Accommodation and food is quite a lot dearer here than in Thailand where I live, while of course being considerably less expensive than European Towns. Lao has no manufacturing and almost everything sold here is imported from Thailand, which immediately doubles the price!!.

Because of its French Connections there are a few passable Restaurants here although Wine is Hugely expensive, the only Country in this region with reasonably priced Wine being Cambodia. Pictured on the Right is the best French Restaurant in Town "L,Elephant "I had an enjoyable Dinner here, with a Bottle of Wine my Bill came to Half a Million Kip!! Not as bad as it sounds around $60.00

                                                                        

I am staying at the Sokdee Guest House where I stayed last year the Room for $20 per Night is Really quite nice ( Everything is Wood Floor, Walls and Ceiling) they have also got some cheaper Rooms I believe and Next Door is the Sokdee Residence where a room costs $50 per Night I have not seen these $50 Rooms but I am pretty sure that they would NOT be worth the extra $30. The People are Friendly Noy the Younger Brother who goes out Touting for Customers and desperately wants to drive my car suggested that we could go and enjoy the Company of some Vietnamese Ladies together!

 I think the Cheapest Rooms in this part of Town (Apart from Hostels) are $10.00. The Namsok ( Pictured Right) is, I am told OK and the Rooms have En Suite Facilities. The Namsok is only 150 Yards from Sokdee and right in the heart of the Old Town and around 50 Yards from the River.

I love France and the Millions who share my Passion will be enchanted by the Romance of Luang Prabang !! The combination of the Lovely Old French Colonial Buildings festooned with Bougainvillea and set amidst a huge variety of Exotic Palms is quite Unique!!

I noticed on this trip a lot of Chinese Registered Cars (The Chinese Border is probably nearer than the Thai Border from here!!) The Chinese appear to be buying up large Chunks of Lao and I get the impression that the Lao are rather wary of their large Expansionist Neighbour. Nobody in S.E. Asia is Over Fond of Westerners (Europeans or Americans) but while many dislike us they are in no way afraid of us. My advice is go to see Lao before it becomes a Chinese Province!! 

Land of a Million Scams

Travels in Lao

Land of a Million Scams

Lao River Bridge

Vang Vieng

 

I am spending a Month in Lao formerly known as lane Xang " Land of a Million Elephants"  I regret to have to tell the reader that an update on the name would be "Land of a Million Scams"!! Let me get the negative stuff out of the way right now so that I can tell you the Good Stuff!!

You Will be ripped off in Lao no question about that!!! However with care and attention and remembering to ask the price first  this assault on your Cash can be kept to a minimum!! Far more Dangerous is the Banditry practised by the Police in Vang Vieng where I have just spent 10 Days!!These Upholders of the Law "Sic" ( Plain Clothes Police) frequent the Bars where Unwary Backpackers are proffered Menus offering a Heady Cocktail of Drugs!! As far as I know the Cops could even be working with the Drug Vendors!!

The Scenario is the Police catch you smoking Dope and demand anything up to $1,500!! you read that correctly!! These Agents of the Law Lao Style are Ripping many Backpackers off for Huge Amounts. They simply Nab the unfortunate Victims Passport and instruct them to bring the Daily Maximum that can be got from the ATM until they have bled the poor Schmucks dry.

For the Larcenous Lawman this must be one of the Sweetest Scams ever!! Non Compliance is NOT an Option, don't forget the Victims cannot escape Lao without their Passports and should you be foolish enough to Tough it out you are assured of  a trip to Jail in Vientien a Trial and deportation and the fine the Court imposes could be more than you were being held to ransomed for in the first Place!!

The Blatant Hypocrisy on Display here is Mind Boggling . The Lao Governments only concern about Drug use is how much money they can make out of it, most of the Avalanche of Drugs destined for a Voracious Thai Market comes through Lao. The Thai Town I live in is quite close to Lao and many Thais here have become stupendously rich due to participation in the Drugs Trade!!

I have talked to several people who have been caught in this sting. One Mexican Guy I met this Morning was talking with a Girl who was smoking a Joint when the cops arrived " He was not even Smoking" but the Local Constabulary took him for $500.00. The problem is of course that Lao is a Kleptocracy where the Government steals from it's own Citizens and anyone in Authority can do as they please!! The Agents of Law enforcement in Vang Vieng who are literally Millionaires by Lao Standards are obviously acting with the Knowledge of their Superiors and a large percentage of their Booty will inevitably be passed up the Chain to the Faceless People who run the Vast Mafia enterprise  otherwise known as Lao!!

Vang Vieng was getting a bad reputation i.e  Stoned Backpackers dying while imitating Tarzan and instead of landing in the River being Splattered on Rocks!! Someone decided Drugs were out and Vang Vieng would become Disneyland for Backpackers!! The above while possibly a Laudable idea was never going to work here, there is simply too much money to be made out of Drugs!! Whether by selling them, smuggling them or Blackmailing Stupid Foreigners caught using them!!

 On my first Morning an Old Man " My Age!!" who was squatting by the riverside, remarked on the Chilly weather when I agreed that it was indeed rather Cold  he opened his Palm to reveal a Large white Crystal and uttered the word Guaranteed to gladden the Heart of Dragon Chasers Everywhere OPIUM!!
 

OK enough about that "You have been Warned!!" The Beauty of Lao will take your breath away!! This Mountainous Country is Spectacularly Lovely, I have visited here 4 times now and never fail to be Awestruck by what I see around me.Vang Vieng is Spectacular, you can Kayak on its Pristine River, Swim in the Blue Lagoon, visit Lush Forest Waterfalls and Climb amazing Hills!! I tracked to a place where One can do proper Rock Climbing, I hasten to add with no intention of participating. A European Couple were Assaulting the Sheer Rock Face it was a lovely Spot and I considered having a Swim in the River. One of the Guys who worked there was quite Chatty and suggested that I might wish to Smoke some Dope declining his offer I could not help wondering if he encouraged his Customers to get High while they were getting High!!    

People come to Vang Vieng for the Beauty which Surrounds it, the Town itself is Dusty and particularly Ugly. Backpackers however can have amazing Adventures here and of course Party the Night away in its many Bars!! I hired a Mountain Bike for a few Days the only problem being that apart from the Main Road from Ventien to Luang Prabang non of the other Roads are Tarred the result being that one is attempting to navigate tracks made of dirt and LARGE AND COPIOUS STONES a Couple of Days doing this Plays Havoc with your Backside!!

Nowadays 80% of Visitors to Van Vieng come from Korea which means that Falang  (Westerners) are very much here under sufferance, the Koreans pay up without Quibble while numerous Westerners have the temerity to object to Blatant RIP OFFS!!! Please forgive my Negativity but I abhor being Scammed!! I am presently writing this drinking a Beer in my Guest House and have just been accused by the Daughter of the House of being KII NIOW (Stingy/Cheap) because I refused to buy Her a Beer!! If I want to buy someone a beer I DO NOT require to be asked!!!

 

Ok Sorry!! Rant over so to those who wish to come to Vang Vieng, and it is worth coming to let me share some of the PHOTOGRAPHS I took during the last 10 Days!!

The View from this Hill which Yours Tully Climbed Yesterday is worth a fairly Strenuous Ascent!! Looking out over the now Fallow Rice Paddy,s  Toward the Blue Lagoon.

I went for a walk and came upon this lovely Spot!!

          The Blue Lagoon is amazing but it is a little like Disneyland for Backpackers with Korean Tourists Hurtling out of the Jungle Canopy on Zip Lines a Refreshing alternative is this deserted river about 3 Kilometres up the Road!! The Rivers are Pristine with no Industry to Pollute their wonderful Teal Green Water!!

Lao Kids Spear Fishing In The River

Another View of my Secret Swimming Spot!!






Mountains Everywhere

I hope by now you are becoming aware of the Magical Beauty which Lao offers to Visitors. And I apologise for my earlier Negativity. Come to Lao by all means it is a truly unique Experience, just be aware that as far as Lao Policeman and every other Lao person believes all Westerners are (A) Rich and (B) Fair Game!!