Luang Pra Bang

  Luang Pra Bang, Lao Peoples Dem Rep
Friday, March 28, 2008

The Old Royal City is situated on a peninsula at the confluence of the Khan and Mekong rivers. The center of the city is dominated by a hill called Phousi topped by a small temple and covered by lush gardens and Buddha figures noteably the Prabang Buddha.

Buddhas everywhere

There are dozens of wats (temples) in and around the city.

A Wat

Monks are constantly visible on the streets.

Novice Monks

Young Lao men are expected to spend some time as a monk. Some choose to continue and make it their vocation.
I was last in LPB in 2004 and I've heard that there are more tourists than before but the city is still a beautiful lazy place where one can chill out. Well it's true there are more tourists but they are most noticeable on the main street. Once one gets away from "croissant corridor" things seen unchanged. Unlike Vietnam there are a small number of motorbikes and the rules of the road seem to be more considerate. One of the most relaxing and beautiful places to appreciate the former Royal City is on the banks of the Mekong river which forms the western boundary of the town.

Sunset over the Mekong

The north and eastern boundary of the city is the Khan River which can be crossed by several bridges.

Bridge across the Khan

I searched for a small coffee stall which I had frequented on my previous trip. I found it and to my surprise I found a man that I had spoken with in 2004. He is a French speaking Lao man who was a pilot during the "Secret War". If my understanding of his heavily Lao accented French is correct he was trained in Thailand and flew missions against Cambodia and the Pathet Lao in the 70s.

Morning Coffee

He's the guy on my right with the Japanese shirt. Others in the photo are the woman owner of the shop, a doctor with a tattoo. Missing is a former teacher who is fluent in both English and French who had become a tour guide because the pay of a teacher was not enough to support his family. I felt like a member of the community hanging out with "the good olde boys". This sort of encounter with real connection is what I like about traveling alone. It makes me feel less like a tourist/voyeur and more a member of the human family.
It's starting to get hot by 10 AM so I begin to make my way through the open market toward the Cold River Guest House my home away from home. As I walk by a shop I notice electrical supplies and other building hardware. I see electrical wire, plastic pipe, gasoline powered generators, screws, nails and endless other building materials displayed inside and onto the sidewalk. Some microhydro generators catch my eye.

Micro Hydros

I recognise them from the trip down the Nam Ou. There were many deployed in the river on bamboo platforms generating electricity for the small villages nearby. A young Lao man from the shop come over and asks in English if I have any questions. Wow! English! I ask him about the generators: What is the output power? (350W) Where are they made? (China) Seeing them reminds me of my visit to Dr. Loc at Hanoi Tech. several years ago. He and his students had developed a very efficient microhydro generator they were trying to commercialize. They found that the Chinese unity although less efficient was outselling theirs because it was cheaper. As it turns out the young man is a teacher of English at the Luang Pra Bang Institute of Technology.
Today I fly back to Hanoi. Though it's exciting to see new places and get to know the people there it takes a great deal of energy. I always get slowed by URIs (upper respiratory infections) from the dust and pollution. I'm really ready to be back in Arcata. I make my way to the tiny airport just outside LPB and attempt to check in. The Lao staff won't permit it because they don't see a visa for Vietnam. They know that if they fly me to Vietnam and Vietnamese authorities will not let me in they will have to fly me back. I argue (unconvincingly) that I have paid for "Visa on Arrival". They say that only EU and certain other countries are eligible. "Not possible for Americans", they insist. Unfortunately I did not receive a copy of the original. I'm stuck. The manager a very calm Lao man explains in very broken English that he is not permitted to let me board w/o a valid visa. The plane will arrive in an hour! There is no flight tomorrow and my flight home leaves the next day from Hanoi. What a pickle! I have visions of having to replace my trans Pacific return ticket. He says he may be able to get a $90 express visa from the Vietnamese Consul in LPB before they close. My mind thinks "Scam", but he's got me. I quickly fill out the visa form and pull a spare photo (mug shot)I carry for such situations from my papers. Then the $90?? My money belt is nearly empty of USD. I find only a few Chat and some Dong. Is there an ATM? Yes but only one but I will only take Lao bank cards! I'm stuck again! I resort to requesting a short term loan from passengers waiting for the plane. No luck. He finally calls the Vietnam Air Manager who is able to get a cash advance over his cell phone from my credit card. Taking the visa application, photo and $90 he summons a young man with a motorbike and has him zip the materials to the Consulate before they close. Now I just wait and cross my fingers realizing that it can't be a Scam because a Vietnamese Express Visa does cost $90. In 40 minutes the young man on the motorbike returns with my passport and nice new Visa. Things are not supposed to happen this fast in Laos. Amazing. Wheels up and off to Hanoi. Whew!