FFFRRRIIIIIDDDAAAAYYYYYYYYYY: Pearl of the Orient, aka Luang Prabang, aka I ain't leaving!

The moment I set my eyes on Luang Prabang I was sold! There is something about this town that makes you want to stay, and then stay a bit longer. Lonely Planet lists it as one of the must sees in Laos: "Luang Prabang is the pearl of the Orient and arguably Southeast Asia's most romantic city: mystical temples, tasty cuisine, and Indochinese architecture."

The name of the city literally translated means "Royal Buddha Image" and it is right on the Mekong river. It is a tiny town, with only one main street, and it is on this street where most important temples are, as well as the night market and the alms ceremony in the mornings. I think what makes this town so special compared to what I have seen up until now is the architecture - a mix of traditional Lao wooden houses and buddhist temples, and French colonial architecture. Next to a golden roofed Wat is a beautiful French style house with its balconies and 19th century shuttered windows. Being a UNESCO World Heritage City they have done a spectacular job at protecting and restoring the old buildings.

The Night Market

In terms of quality of products sold, the night market in Luang Prabang is the best, most impressive market I have ever been to! I wanted to buy everything! If only I did not have to carry it all around with me because let me tell you there isn't much free space in that backpack of mine, and between jumping on and off boats, trekking up the hills, and walking the streets in search of accommodation with one bag on your back, one on your front, and miscellaneous objects hanging from your shoulders, neck, and hands, the idea of adding to the load is anything but welcoming. Still....if only. I did give in to temptation and bought a few souvenirs; a couple of pure silk scarves and an impressive painting of Buddha which is just made for my living room wall (getting it all the way home in good shape will be another story)! I don't think there was anything I didn't want to buy from the selection of goods offered; exquisite textiles, ceramics, antiques, quilts, pillow cases, paintings, silver, bags, spices...

Night Market

When you buy anything at this market you are also contributing to helping the local community (see how you just can't resist..?). I improved my bargaining skills too, as the vendors apparently expect you to make a counter offer. It was all good fun and all interaction between vendors and tourists happened quietly and with kind smiles :)

Tamarind restaurant

In the afternoon we decided to climb the 328 steps to mount Phou Si (oh yes, indeed pronounced 'pussy') to watch the sun set behind the mountains whilst overlooking the town. As we were there admiring the view we bumped into a Scottish couple we met on our three day journey to Luang Prabang. We got to talking and they happened to mention this restaurant called Tamarind, which apparently does very good Lao food, and since we were looking for a place for dinner and are both big foodies decided to give it a go - a decision we didn't regret! Not only is it a restaurant but it is also a cooking school for tourists who want to learn about Lao cuisine. The restaurant offers a tasting menu for 120,000 kip (£12) where they explain the dishes to you (what spices were used, how it was cooked, origins, etc) as they serve them. At this restaurant I also had my first glass of wine of the trip! Sweet Baby Jesus it tasted good, I was starting to have withdrawal symptoms.

So here is a recap of what we ate, and an intro to Lao food! Our first dish was a bamboo soup, a dark green broth with baby bamboo, mushroom, pumpkin, bitter aubergine, holy basil, spring onion and local herbs. It was delicious but I am not crazy about the basil as it gives food a kind of 'anisey' taste...

The second dish was my favourite. It was actually more tapas style several little plates of different dips and tasters. There was a roasted eggplant dip, a sweet tomato dip, a pork sausage Luang Prabang style (errr whatever that is), a garlic chilli powder paste, buffalo meat (aka paradise meat), and Mekong weed (nono not the kind you're thinking but actual river vegetable that apparently is only harvested once a year). Clear favourite of them all, Mekong weed! Everything was delicious but the weed took the points home. It always does.

The third and I suppose main dish was lemongrass stuffed with chicken, slow roasted pumpkin salad, and fish in banana leaf. The fish was a winner of this round, anything steamed inside a banana leaf wins hands down.

Desert was a good one, for anyone who has a sweet tooth which I don't unfortunately. It was sweet purple sticky rice with shaved coconut and for someone who is not a dessert person it went down pretty nicely!

Amazing food, amazing experience.

I general Lao cuisine love using holy basil and dill in their food, and apparently rice is central to all meals - is what I have learned in the past 2 days!

Here's some more I have learned: burping isn't going out of fashion anytime soon! When we checked into our hotel (Liberty Guesthouse, deserves bonus points for the comfy beds and the peace and quiet), the family who run the hotel were having dinner and it was all I could do not to laugh, as mid sentence any one of them could belt the Lao alphabet with no warning! And seems it is a common habit everywhere else around town too - as is spitting. But spitting like you mean it! I have never, not even in the meanest gangsta' movies, seen anyone spit with such a passion or frequency as the Lao people. Watch your back, is all I say.

Street market

Let's finish this post with a funny one - you didn't expect me to leave Mount Phou Si jokes at that, did you? To be perfectly honest it is more of an anecdote, or a 'Terhidote.' As we were walking down the hundreds of steps I noticed there was a hole next to the steps going deep into the mountain (first of all- I want to know what's in there!! And also, could be dangerous, someone might trip and fall into it), so I took it as my duty to inform Aurea who was walking ahead of me that I LOVE HOLES AND THERE IS A BIG DEEP ONE IN THIS PHOU SI MOUNTAIN WHICH I'D LOVE TO EXPLORE.

As soon as I said it I heard myself, and the giggles that followed lasted all the way down, although having realised an elderly couple had heard me made me want to crawl into my Phou Si hole and hide.