In preparing for the trip, I collected information about small, not having even a mountainous landlocked country squeezed between Vietnam, Thailand and Burma. Every day, Laos has become increasingly interesting, and I seized the growing travel fever.
Turned out to be exactly as I imagined it - full of color, tradition and taste of Asia. From Vientiane (the capital of the most parochial Asian I have ever seen), through the village of Vang Vieng (western youth spends here cheap holiday away from the bustle of the city), to Luang Prabang, the orange robes of monks praying. The most convenient way to get to Vientiane by plane, although more experience border crossing Lao Friendship Bridge (Friendship Bridge), over Mekongiem between Nong Khai, the last point on the map of northern Thailand, and Tha in Laos on Leng. After a brief delay, the "visa on arrival" and its place in the "queue" to check the passport (the principle of "first come, first served 'basis) is sufficient to short the market with a driver jumbo that after 20 minutes find yourself in the center of the capital of Laos. Almost every corner of the breakfast you can eat delicious baguette stuffed onions, strips of lean bacon, Laotian pate and radishes. This remnant of a time when the country was a French colony. To this day, older residents communicate in French, that many streets bear the names of French and a good bottle of Chablis as easily as we buy in the center of Dijon. Buddhist tradition, however, is stronger than the colonial influence. Towering over the city Pha That Luang temple, a symbol of the country, reminiscent of a lotus flower bud. Its golden color reflects the sun prażące. Around midday swelter is unbearable. The best time to sew up one of the quiet cafes and drinking excellent coffee, devise plans for the evening, when breezes blow from the Mekong makes your stay more bearable Wientianie (KHOP recommend Chai Deu serves local dishes and cheap Beerlao). Vietnamese grow rice, Cambodians look like growing hear how growing "- after a few days in Wientianie understand the meaning of this maxim. Life goes on here unhurriedly. Although it is characteristic of the inhabitants of the Far East, drive to enrich and improve the living conditions. Do not This means that there is no pride or ambition - good temporal descend into the background. It is important to calm down and happiness of the soul, in accordance with the overriding principle of Buddhism varieties that happiness depends on the state of mind, not of wealth. Among other things, in connection with that in the capital is safe. There are stealing pocket money, but the beatings and fraud risk is negligible. Vientiane is probably the only place in Laos, where you can feel like a big Asian city, with all its (almost) comfort and disadvantages. There are huge markets, filled with Japanese sushi bars, salons spa, modern hotels, the only bowling alley in the country, and even Multi-lane lit streets.
Of course, if the compare Vientiane to Bangkok, Hong Kong, or even Ho Chi Minh City, it will fall a small, lacks modern highways, subway or even a well-organized network of buses. But here is something that other Asian capitals have to get rid (or are on their way to get rid of). For which of them can be enjoyed grilled, freshly caught fish from the Mekong piing paa, sitting on mats at the table with old car tires covered with oilcloth? And for a moment let yourself drift rhythm of the street, watching the suction to cars, rickshaws, tuk tuki, cyclists, pedestrians and animals? A storm gathered from the best three days. "I have not today" - he would say every evening, the owner of Orchid, a little guesthouse in Vang Vieng (northern Laos) in which I spent a few nights. Was the beginning of the rainy season has already dismantled most of the wooden footbridges over the Nam Song. The day was 45 degrees, night 30 Once I was awakened by gentle thunder, after a time whitened the curtains on the windows. After a few seconds I heard another boom, has already pronounced, and the next. I grabbed a tripod and camera and ran to the balcony. For three hours I watched the performance with the participation of lightning every few seconds to light up the mountain peaks surrounding Vang Vieng. The morning after the storm there was no trace, greeted me, blue sky and a scorcher. Before the wooden hut, "seat" from organizing rafting on the tractor dętkach mountain Nam Song River, has already queue thirsty tourists experiences (rafting lasts all day and costs 3 dollars).. Be in Vang Vieng and did not sail on the tire so as to visit Zakopane and not enter the breakfast. For a few hours sail comfortably strutting in a huge DETC, seeing the beautiful mountain landscapes and respond to greetings children standing on the shore. You can also rent a bike and go to one of the so-called. lagoons - stone troughs at the foot of the caves with crystal clear and cool water. Many people jump from growing at the edges (the jump is worth asking the locals for the depth of the basin). Vang Vieng is famous for one more "attractions". One day, one of the bars at the request of the U.S. viewed its tourist (of course pirated) copy of the TV series "Friends" (Friends), 1994, this time passed into history Vang Vieng. Bar began to fill with tourists, will soon run out of places. Surrounding restaurants quickly seized on a way to luring visitors. Currently you can not go through Vang Vieng, without hearing repeated ad nauseam episodes of this popular series. Watch for the hundredth time Jennifer Aniston and Matt le Blanc produces the desire to depart in a more "traditional" place. Therefore, every morning from Vang Vieng leave loaded to the brim with buses to Luang Prabang, the sacred capital of Laos. Ibid trip despite the short distance from Vang Vieng (approx 160 km) can take up to ten hours, including breaks to change the tires, which are "shot" during a steep ramp. Like a snake winding roads are in terrible condition, streamers do not have rails, buses to death and accident statistics are not maintained. Luang Prabang but it is worth the risk. The city is famous for its dozens of tiny along the narrow streets, hidden in the shade of tropical trees (night 8-10 dollars).. You do not have too far to find a restaurant with traditional cuisine. Many of them gives the Lao specialty: grilled, specially prepared pieces of meat, seafood and vegetables. But that is not for cooking risking life, times, breaking a 20-year coach ...
It is worth to get up at dawn and climb the hill of Phu Si, to find out why Luang Prabang since 1995, is on the UNESCO World Heritage Site. On the surface similar to see about 70 Buddhist temples, one more wonderful than the other. Stand on both sides of the Mekong River flowing through the city and its left tributary, the river Nam Khan. Most of the resident monks who live according to strict rules of Buddhism. Early wake-up will allow us to see the ceremony, reception of victims from Luang Prabang residents. During the tour of the temples should stick to certain rules: do not wear short pants and sleeveless sweatshirts, did not enter into boots, and sat on the floor before the image of Buddha, under no circumstances would draw interest towards the statues. Photography monks are permitted and accepted, we must nevertheless ask their permission (they like to talk to, they are open to the world and knowledge). When you visit a few days in Luang Prabang is not all the way to visit the pagodas. Therefore, signposting tourist path - follow it, do not miss the most. It starts on Phu Si hill said. Going down the steep stairs, we hear a loud prayer, the monks in one of the oldest temples of the Laotian - Wat Pa Huak Following the thirteenth century to the north toward the Mekong, we will to the eighteenth-century Wat Mai Suwannaphumaham famous for its beautifully carved walls with scenes from Buddha's life. In Wat Xieng Muan reside Buddhist art teachers - students will show us his works, mainly paintings and sculptures of Buddha. Most impressive famous Wat Xieng Thom, the fifteenth-century temple situated on a peninsula by water oblanym Mekong and Nam Khan. Is an excellent example of the architectural style of the sacred Luang Prabang with a roof sloping to the ground. In the middle there is a twilight, and, importantly, shade. Laos opened to the world, which slowly begins to instill its cultural wealth. Do not let the others ahead of us in discovering the secrets of this country.
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