“To walk safely through the maze of human life, one needs the light of wisdom and the guidance of virtue.” The Buddha
Reflecting…….Gathering Alms.
“To keep the body in good health is a duty. Otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear. ” The Buddha
Yoga on the Mekong. Healthy for mind, body and spirit.We have taken a lot of yoga classes this second half of the trip. Luang Prabang yoga was one of our favorites, for sure.The street food in Laos is amazing, safe to eat and healthy.Our absolute favorite! Larb…. tofu, fish, beef, chicken or pork. At least once a day everyday. Super food!Massage. Always good for the body and spirit. As often as possible!Beer Lao and the internet. A healthy choice for sure! And, yes she has a pink curler in her bangs……..
“It is better to travel well than to arrive.” The Buddha
Boatride with the locals of Pac Ou village. Returning to the site of a climbing expedition that Will was part of in 1999.The “Thrill” having a thrill dirt bike riding in the back hills of Laos. He loved gettin’ dirty!“Oh, hello Mr elephant. I don’t need a ride, but thanks for the offer.”Someone is riding in style. It ain’t us, though. Must be the Frenchies!Cruisin’ the Mekong.We finally found a cool place to beat the heat. Great scenery on the Mekong!My bamboo beauty. Hotel bikes were popular on the streets of Luang Prabang. Ours were the most unique by far. Victoria Xiengthong Palace Hotel. We loved staying here and being treated like Royalty!The monks usually travelled by foot. However, there was always a tuk tuk near by.
Butcher at the morning market.The morning market. No grocery stores in Laos.The green grocer.Fresh, healthy and abundant.Bugs in a bowl. Edible? Of course! Mmmmmmm, crunchy??Night market. Not much has changed in fifteen years.Night market smoothie. You pick the cup of fruit, they blend, you drink. Yum!!!!A hint of French colonialism.Gathering Alms procession.Everyday, hundreds of monks. Age ranges from 10 – 100 years old. 3 months to 100 years in the monastery…they decide.Trying to blend in. Because, they don’t like being photographed and eye contact with women is highly discouraged.Giving and receiving. This long standing relationship between locals and monks is about respect and trust.Gathering alms at the market. Monks eat once a day at noon. The novices have been known to sneak a snack in before they go to bed.Going places. Not happy that we are photographing.Still trying to be non chanlant and help Will get a photo. Oh, well…. I DO ❤️ my bike!Out and about and protecting themselves from the sun. Monk life… same as ours only different?“Please do NOT take my photo.”Mingling with the boys. They quit their little gambling game when the saffron robe came around the corner. Respect.The end of the procession. Now, temple work.There are 33 temples in Luang Prabang. We tried to see the top ten. I would not even pretend to try and remember which was which or say or spell their names. They are all unique and stunning.Each temple has a set of stairs, much to our dismay in the intense Laos heat??Gold leaf, gold buddhas, gold roofs…….Monks chanting daily in every temple from 5:30-7:00pm. Same chant in unison and can be heard all over Luang Prabang. My favorite part of the day. Peaceful, sedating, powerful.Thousands of golden buddhas. On street corners, at the market, in the temples, outside of the temple…. you get the idea, everywhere.The teachings of Buddha. It is how they live.Ancient, but still standing. Unrestored.Freshly painted and relentlessly restored. Monks go to school to learn the ancient style of painting and gold leaf restoration.Honoring Buddha.Temple sunset.
Extraordinary Places
Nam Ou River in northern LaosThe Jungle of rural Laos. Green countryside envelops small villages where time stands still.Nong Khiaw village on Nam Ou river. Will spent 10 hours dirt bike riding to get here. He may or may not have been beat up after that ride…. bumps, bruises and strawberries, I mean.Mekong river country.Kuang Si waterfalls. Worth a day trip.Very popular swimming hole.The brilliant ending to a fishing day on the Mekong. Just a short walk from our hotel for this beauty.Bamboo bridge on the river Mekong. Every year after the rainy season, the bridge is completely rebuilt. Cross at your own risk.
Captivating rock on the Nam Ou. Ban Pak Ou village across the river.Ban Pak Ou village on one side and potential climbing on the other side…..Mountains, river and jungle make up the diverse Laotian landscape.Kuang Si waterfalls. Great way to cool off.Red lotus flower in the jungle.Sunset walk on the bamboo bridge. Peaceful.Lao ❤️. Dinner on the Mekong. Our waiter made us do it! Khrup Jai, Laos!
