Luang Prabang, city of romance

I loved Luang Prabang. It's a diginified and lovely alien of a place, like a runaway Parisian neighborhood that started a new life in the tropics. The roads are lined with soft-hued French colonial mansions, many now turned into guesthouses, and giant shady trees. The city just begs to be the setting of some pre-war era romance novel.

Every night, locals set up matching red tents and strings of tiny lights down the middle of the city's main street. It's the most relaxed and beautiful street market I've ever seen. The sellers smile at you but never try to attract your attention, and if you ask about a price for something they give you a fair one. If you decide to buy, they're happy to do business with you. If not, they smile just the same.

And the bakeries! And REAL coffee! Don't get me wrong, I love rice, and think instant coffee mixed with condensed milk to a dark chocolate flavor really grows on you, but our few days in Luang Prabang were like a luxurious little European holiday to break up the odyssey we're undertaking.

But this is a place that begs for photos more than description, so here are ours ...

written by  katieandmichael on May 8, 2009 from Luang Prabang, Laos
from the travel blog: Katie and Michael's Travel Blog
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