Luang Prabang

'There's a kind of luck that not much more than being in the right place at the right time, a kind of inspiration that's not much more than doing the right thing in the right way, and both only really happen to you when you empty your heart of ambition, purpose, and plan; when you give yourself, completely, to the golden, fate-filled moment' -Gregory David Roberts 'Shantaram'

This is the first book I decided to read and it is blowing my mind.  Roberts style reminds me of the beatnik writers of Americana.  The rich detail and poetic flow inspire me to write that way....hahahah, yeah right.  I sound more like Robert's Indian guide, Rabu.

So, it has been 3 days already in Luang Prabang and I haven't been able to sit down and write the details of our story.  I actually had to start jotting down notes so as not to forget anything. 

We arrived in the afternoon and proceeded to do what we do in a new city.  We took a tuk tuk to the town center and walked around looking for accomodation.  By this time we have realized that any guesthouse in the guidebook is going to be more expensive than the one that is usually next door.  So it took about 10 minutes to locate a spot and settle on a price about 13 bucks a night.  We dropped our bags and walked up to the main drag to rent bikes and familiarize ourselves with the city.  It is beautiful.  The Nam Khan and Mekong River create a penisula which is the 'tourist downtown'.  At night the main street closes and turns into a market with the most amazing and beautiful trinkets....and FOOD!!  Street food is amazing here and cheap.  Soup with a ton of things wrapped in various leaves will cost you about 3 bucks.  I bought my first pair of Thai fisherman pants and a few other gifts.  We met a cool young german couple while walking around and also a cool couple of german girls.  The German girls walked up to us and asked how much we were paying at our guest house and said they were looking for something cheaper.  They had found a spot for 10 bucks a night so when we went back to our guesthouse we bargained with the guy to let us stay for 10 bucks instead of 13...WHOOP!  The next day we got up early to check out a few of the wats that seemed most interesting.  It was funny because when we told out host that we were going to check out all the wats he started laughing....because there are over 80 here in Luang Prabang.  So the first was around the corner from our guesthouse and was incredibly beautiful.  Wat Xieng Thong houses a beautiful funeral chariot (think an elaborate float/ hearse) and the architecture is described in the guidebook as the finest example of a Lao monastrey.  Then we went to Mount Phousi which is located at the top of the highest hill in the city.  It was a great place to get our barrings a little more and see the layout from an aerial view.  Then we went to Wat Visoon.  This was billed as a 'religous museum' because it houses tons of buddhas over 400 years old.  It was beautiful.  As we exited the wat we noticed a sign pointing down an alley for a bar/restaurant called Utopia.  Colby had heard about this place so we decided to check it out.  TOTALLY AMAZING.  There is a giant jenga game, a volleyball court, beautiful gardens and lounge chairs facing the river.  We new at once that this would be cracking at night. 

According to the book, the Pak Ou Caves are the most popular exursion from Luang Prabang so we shopped around and found the best price for a boat ride up the Mekong to the caves.  It was about 12 bucks each for a 2 hour boat ride there, in which we stopped at a whiskey village for some homemade Lao Lao.  It is actually a rice wine but it is 50% alcohol.  This is the kind of booze they put snakes, scorpions and bugs in...super cool.  The caves were alright but nothing super incredible.  There are over 2500 Buddha images in the bottom cave and 1500 in the top.  That was cool as some were so old and dissintegrated that you could hardly tell what it was.  This, as with most things in life, was more about the journey up the river rather than the destination. 

When we got back in the evening we went back to the market for dinner and ran into the German couple.  They wanted us to take them to Utopia so we all rolled down that way making a stop at a shop that offered free lao tea tasting.  That was cool and fun.  It was interesting because a couple times during this night the power went out....in the entire city!  The night market, full of people and things went pitch black on more than one occassion.  We finally arrive at Utopia and set out to have a few beers.  After a great game of Jenga (all the blocks have things written on them that you have to do like hug a waiter or kiss someones knees) we decided to play a little volleyball.  The German guy played volleyball in university so after a couple more cold ones we decided to start playing.  In no time we had full teams on both sides.  It was awesome.  I have heard that there are many Israelis traveling around and we had our first encounter.  They were AMAZING.  Jonathan gave me 5 sheckles (very cool currency) and I promised him to spend it in Israel.  At that moment I decided that if I still have money after South/Central America, I will go to Israel and Egypt in July and August.  Keep your fingers crossed.  I have a feeling that by the time that rolls around I will have enough connections there to stay for free and get a really good experience.  They then convinced everyone that we should go to the 'nightclub' after Utopia closed at 11.  We had a posse and all piled in a tuk tuk for the ride.

--->Side story:  I love Colby for many reasons.  One is that he has the ability to say something with so much conviction that it MUST be true.  How can it not be true when he says it the way he does?  Now, only because I know him so well do I know that sometimes he is full of shit.  During an early conversation with the Germans we were talking about our last travels in Europe together and how much we loved Prague.  Colby said something about the St. Peters bridge and I stepped in to correct him that it is in fact the St Charles bridge...he disagreed emphatically and we made a bet on the spot.  Fast forward to the end of the evening at Utopia and it comes up again.  We turn to the first person that speaks English and has been to Prague to ask the question.  The girl was not sure but said she thought Colby was right.  At that moment I new we had to get to the bottom of this so I turned and said to the first group walking by, 'Do you speak English?'  They all nod...'Have you been to Prague?'  Now this is the beautiful part.  The first girl in the group turns to us and says, 'I am from Prague and live there'....OH SHIT!  We told her the bet and the sides and she did a great job of giving us the answer..which of course is St Charles!!  I did a victory lap and was screaming and shouting.  She spoke such good English that we made her show us her passport.  Apparently her dad is Canadian and she did 1 year of high school in Michigan.  It was her last night and her friends were trying to convince her to stay and go to the nightclub with us.  Since I came up on some money I offered to pay for all of them and we rolled out.  It was great. 

The night club was cracking with locals and we had a great time with all the friends we rolled in with.  I have no idea what time we got home at but we both knew that we had to get up early to meet the Germans for a day trip to the Kwang Si Falls.  This was not easy.  I woke up super hungover but we made it and headed out in the mini van for the falls.  There was a great group consisting of two canadian dudes, a young girl from Texas, an older German woman and the 4 of us.  The car ride out was miserable and I actually puked upon arrival.  It was so hard to be in such a beatiful place and feel like such shit but I was able to shake it after about an hour of hiking and swimming.  This waterfall is a MUST (both are actually)!  It was so beautiful.  We hiked up to the top of the falls and had incredible views then went back down and swam in the pools below.  There was a rope swing we were doing back flips from and also jumping off the smaller falls into the pools.  We were all just playing in the water and I really enjoyed myself.  Something wierd to note; when you are standing in the water tons of little fish start nibbling at the dead skin on your feet...it is the strangest feeling.

So after an amazing day at the falls we headed back and gulped down some soup.  On the walk back to our guesthouse we ran into the German girls again.  They had done an elephant tour and we wanted to hear if it was worth it or not.  We all decided to meet at Utopia again for drinks and stories.  They conviced us that we had to do the elephant day so we went directly and booked it.  This was great because they had done all the research.  They found the cheapest spot and had the most amazing time and, because they took us there, we were able to get an even better discount.  So back to the night, Utopia was really fun again and they were really happy that we showed it to them.  Drunk jenga and some really funny blocks made for a great evening.

We got up this morning, grubbed on a fruit shake and fruit plate then headed out with our guide (Dhi) who was the same guide the girls had.  His father is one of the mahouts (elephant trainers) and he was really cool.  We get out there and it is just Colby and I....and 3 elephants.  We first go on an hour trek into the forest.  Up steep hills and through tight spaces.  Then we came back and had some water.  Then we got back on and took them to eat and then for a tour around the small village.  This time we got to 'drive'.  'By' means go and 'how' means stop....but they didn't really listen to me.  Colby had been worried that the animals would be abused but there was nothing of the sort.  No whipping or beating.  They just had a rope around one ear and would tug on it when giving commands.  So after that we got to eat a traditional lao meal.  Cooked whole fish, bamboo, and bowls of vegetables in broth.  It was AMAZING.  Then we took a little snooze because that part of the tour consisted of going to the Pakou Caves which we had already seen.  After our rest we got back on the elephants and took them down to the Mekong for a bath.  AMAZING.  We got to do back flips off their heads and climb all over them in the water.  The mahout would shout a command that would make them start shaking like a bronco and dipping in the water...it was soooooo FUN!!  Colby ate shit at one point becuase he was standing on the elephants head and then lost his balance when the elephant started shaking and fell straight on his back on the ele's back...OUCH...and really funny for all of us.  By the end we were exhausted.  Dhi asked if we wanted to go on another trek with them and we declined.  I never thought I would turn down an elephant ride but after hours on their backs, I was exhausted. 

We became friends with Dhi throughout the day and he has offered to take us to a place for bbq goat dinner tonight.  We also met some more Israelis that will be meeting us at Utopia and then we are all probably going back to that nightclub with a few of the locals we were hanging with today. 

Plans are forming for us to leave for Northern Thailand tomorrow night which means we can hit the other waterfall.  Boy, I am glad to finally get all of this out of my head and into this journal.

-----Story Break----  I am now in Luang Namthang 2 days after writing the above portion..what has transpired has been truly amazing and another true backpacking experience.

Dhi picked us up for dinner and took us down the Mekong to the 'goat' restaurant.  We were the only tourists there so we all sat down at a table and Dhi proceeded to take care of us.  Funny thing is the waitress was trying to sell us Tiger Beer and Mehkong Beer but we stayed fast with Beerlao.  I have heard from more than one person that Beerlao is the best brew in Southeast Asia, and, although I haven't tried any other kind yet, I can safely say that this doesn't give you a hangover and tastes delish! 

So the first dish arrives and it is bbq goat....delish pieces of meat, fat and skin that you dip in a peanut/liver sauce.  Next course is what looks like a stew but has no broth in it.  The juice is all from the animal.  There were chunks of skull, cartiledge, tail and everything in there.  We dove in.  Then came the blood.  A bowl of goat blood with peanuts on top..whoa.  Squirt a little lime on there and gulp it down.  Coagulated blood and pieces of liver were in there too.  It all tasted really good.  He showed us the best way to drink beer, with a few ice cubes.  This way you don't get too drunk too fast.  Then his best friend, another guide, showed up.  His name is Thong Phet but he introduced himself as Tom Perry!

-->Side story about Tom Perry:  He came from a small village a few hours from Louang Prabang and is the only son with 3 sisters.  His father sold a cow when he was of age so that he could attend school.  After school he worked as a door man until one day he met an amazing Australian.  This Australian agreed to pay for Tom to learn English for 2 years.  Cost of tuition....120 bucks a year.  Tom is a lucky guy and he knows it.  His laugh is something I will never forget...almost like a shriek and from ear to ear.

Over dinner and drinks with the fellas we decided to have them teach us some Lao.  Here is what we learned...you can tell that we were getting progessively drunk as the lesson went on,
-Beer song keo neh : 2 beers please
-Chow sue young : What is your name?
-Coy sue Dan : my name is Dan
-Ma thair California : I am from California
-Chow wow kha sa ung kip die boa - Do you speak English?
-Chow nam lie : You are beautiful
-Chow yim nam : You have a nice smile
-Chow young sote bor : Are you single? Bo means no..anything else is ALL GOOD!
-Koi joop jow die bol : Can I kiss you?
-Coit muck jow : I love you

Also during dinner we solidified the plan to leave for Luang Namthang late the next day and spend the day with the guys at the closer falls.  We gave Tom Perry some cash to pick up food at the morning market so we could have a traditional lao picnic.  I had also given Dhi a hip hop cd that I made before leaving (I made about 15 cd's of different kinds to give to people along the way) and he was floored by it.

So after dinner we decided to go out and try our Lao on some ladies...that was hilarious.  The guys were bringing girls over to us and we would try to talk to them which resulted in all of us laughing our asses off.  I could tell from the start that Dhi and Tom were good guys and could be trusted.  I now consider them my best Lao friends!

At the end of the night they dropped us off drunk at our guesthouse and we proceeded to crash big time.  We woke up the next day and I went for a walk solo.  Colby and I had gotten a little heated the night before over a picture taking incident.  My camera has been acting funny so you have to hold the button down half way and make sure the flash will go off because if you just push it down fast it takes a pic with no flash which results in a dark screen for a few seconds and a crap photo.  My issue was that when I tried to tell Colby how to do it, he had already stopped listening.  He heard the first words and figured he new the rest.  I pleaded with him which actually came across as beligerant condescendance and he tossed my camera back to me and told me to fuck off.  So after the walk I went back to the guest house and we talked about it.  I pleaded with him to just listen to me all the way through and by the end had explained my version of the events and he understood.  Clean that off the slate as best friends do and back to the fun of being a backpacker together!

The falls were incredible.  Unlike the falls from the day before that were extremely high, these were terraced and a gorgeous blue/green.  We swam, played, hiked, ate (crazy food for that meal was a partially developed hard boiled egg...whoa) and enjoyed each others company.  We were teaching them English and they were teaching us Lao.  Dhi's brother also joined us.  He is studying to be a doctor in Vientiane and was home for a few days.  After the falls we went and played a little snooker.  GREAT TIMES.  Kinda like pool but different...as they say here...Same same but different...funny how true that phrase can be.

Then we headed back to the guest house to pay our bill and pack up.  The host there was a very cool guy that was watching the place while the owner went to Japan.  He had let us use his computer a few times and I was very greatful so I let him copy one of the DVD's I had brought.  40 hours of my top picks from my insane collection.  During which he told me about a movie and showed me a couple of clips..I can't wait to download it when I buy myself a laptop in a few weeks when we get to Bangkok.  This blog/journal thing is really fun for me and I want to have a small computer to carry around.  Wifi is everywhere and I have also had other useful ideas for the computer.  The movies are 'One Giant Leap' and the second 'What about me'...if you love music and people of the world then these are a MUST!!

Back with the boys for our final meal before we left on the bus.  First we went to a spot for dog.  Colby was against it but I tried it.  Bbq'd meat and the peanut/liver sauce.  They told us that the dogs are wild and not house pets.  It didn't bother me really.  Then we went to get some duck so Colb's could get a meal in him.  Similar to the goat we had bbq'd duck then duck blood then some bbq'd pork skin.  All good and all with lots of beerlao and ice.  They dropped us off at the bus station and we said our good byes....I have a feeling that I will come back to Luang Prabang and it is only because of those two dudes. 

Dhi works for Phone Travel Co and their email is vongpachang@hotmail.com..tele is 856-71 253282 and their office is located on that main drag.  If you go to Luang Prabang you must call them and go with Dhi.  Tell him California Dan, or as Tom started calling me, Dance sent you.  Tell him I am the one that gave him the hip hop cd.  If you do an elephant experience in Southeast Asia, DO IT WITH DHI AND HIS FAMILY!!

This chapter ends because we got on the bus...but that is a good story too!!