Luang Pradang

Friday February 19th

Overcast and cold today (19 or 20C). We started following an architectural walking trail in the guidebook. Wandered through the food market with live catfish and even toads then climbed Phousi hill to see the Wats and the view. Came across Buddhas for every day of the week except Sunday, and His footprint. This was a shape where nodules had weathered out of concretionary limestone and a major triumph of religion over petrology.

Many Wats later, we visited the museum which was the former royal palace of this erstwhile capital city before the revolution. The rooms were modest in size and the decoration, whilst it tried to be impressive, only underlined the relative poverty of the country. Unfortunately someone must have been told that light is bad for museums, and all the rooms were in stygian gloom with people peering to see what the display cases contained ( mostly Buddhas). To be honest, even so long after the monarchy it isn't apparent that communism has done more for the people than tourism.

Wandered through the night market and remarked that the quality of so many 'handmade' local items was so identical, whilst the standard of workmanship everywhere else was so poor. Everything wooden here is nailed together and like the Thais, the people may have spirit houses but they don't have spirit levels.

Saturday February 20th

Started early to complete the walking trail, but got sidetracked into crossing Khan river via a rickety bamboo bridge. Then several impressive Wats later, found an even ricketier bamboo bridge which led us to a village on the far side specialising in silk weaving. Incredibly intricate, slow work for girls with excellent eyesight. Back to the main town after being relieved of thousands of kip, for lunch at the 'Tamarind' restaurant, or more precisely an education in the 'etiquette' of eating sticky rice with one's fingers and an education in how unpalatable some Lao food can be!

Finally finished the trail. Gosh, we can almost tell colonial French influenced Lao design from Lao influenced French design. Weather warmed up to regain a sunny 30C. This town may have low voltage, but probably has the highest wattage of anywhere we have been so far.