Well, we arrived in Luang Prabang (LPB), to the biggest waterfight I have ever seen. Yep, Laos New Year ( Pi Mai) is in full swing here in Luang Prabang. There were people throwing water on cars as they drove by, on people as they walked past, and on each other when there was no-one else around. There were people walking around with water pistols, locals & tourists, just shooting each other. Ute fulls of people were driving around town, music blaring, throwing water out the back of the ute, and having water thrown at them. People soaking wet & covered in mud, flour or assorted coloured powered were drinking & walking around the streets. Everyone was delieriously happy & having a great time. Except us. The festivities had caused a traffic nightmare in this small town with narrow streets, so what should have taken 10mins,
took ….
Flying in, you could see that it is a beautiful area. Mountains, hills, rivers. It is stunning. After a minor debarcle checking in, our hotel was pretty nice. The best I can describe it as, is ‘fusion’. French wallpaper, with Asian bamboos shutters. French balcony overlooking a lotus pond. Very quaint. And if I thought Siem Reap was cute, it has nothing on this place. The bible (aka Lonely Planet), refers to this place as ‘tonic for the soul’, and I can see why. It’s more like a village, than a town. Maybe 50,000 people live here.
After a restless night, of roosters crowing from 2am (!!!!) and no hot water in the morning, two very tired travellers embarked upon a day excursion. A bumpy 4wd ride followed, but at least we had air-con. Elephant ride in the morning. Then, visited a cave across the Mekong River with 4000 buddha statues. The cave was packed with people worshipping, due to New Year. They pour water over the statues to clean them, ready for the incoming year – the year of the rabbit. Walked up about 100 stairs to the top of the hill, and was ready to die at the top!
After lunch we tried traditional Laos whiskey (Lao Lao) which would put hairs on your chest. So potent the alcohol just evaporates in your mouth. There was also the very traditional bottles, with both whiskey and…scorpians, snakes, lizards…any number of creatures! We avoided these. Then it was off to a waterfall. Quite beautiful, with milky emerald water pools that you could swim in. And a zillion tourists were doing just that!
Highlight of the day – the most amazing water festival EVER!! At lunch, people started driving around again, throwing water around the streets. This time, we couldn’t & didn’t want to avoid it or miss out. We got hammered with water, flour & coloured powder, until we were standing absolutely dripping wet in a variety of colours. So, what does one do in this situation? What else but join in. So, a group of locals adopted me, and I proceeded to drink LaoBeer (actually called that! They must make an absolute killing today!!), dance around the streets barefoot & throw water at people! SO MUCH FUN!
One of the local traditions in LPB is the morning ritual of monks collecting alms. At 6am every morning, monks in saffron orange robes walk the streets, and the locals offer gifts of food. Usually sticky rice, biscuits, fruit etc. The monks walk barefoot & silent along the road, while the locals kneel or on mats on the footpath with basket of offerings. They give something to each one who walks past, usually touching it to their head first (the spiritally highest point of a person) before dropping it into the monks collection basket. The monks we saw were aged anything from maybe 8, to 80. It seems that they come from the ‘home’ temple, and walk streets close to them. There was a heap of different groups of them, in different areas around town. According to locals, there are about 200 that come out every morning. It was very cool to see. In amongst the locals giving alms, local beggers sit, mainly kids & women, & the monks can give some of their offerings to these people, which they do, even the younger monks.
Then…more waterfights! Seriously cool. This festival is the best waterfight EVER in the whole world. We bought the best waterpistols we could find, complete with backpacks of water, & set off to town. We were drenched 2 minutes later. If you walk through town, there is just no way to avoid it. It’s funny though, to watch the tourists who aren’t prepared & get annoyed. There was a procession through town just after lunch, which was huge for such a small town, & the best part was, that you were EXPECTED to drench the parade participants. They got hammered with water, of all colours. People dye the water pink, blue, orange, any assortment of colours. Even the monks & the policeman. Funniest sight of the day was a policeman on a motorbike getting a bucket of pink water thrown over him, then 2 locals climbing on the back of the bike & stealing his hat. Hilarious! He took it all in his stride though. Everyone here does. Totally normal to be soaked to the skin with pink handprints on your face today.
So, we hooked up with a group of foreigners who had befriended a local with a hose. All the locals here pull out a hose and let in run all day, so people can fill buckets, waterpistols, and waterever else is lying around. For about 4 hours it was traffic chaos in the main st, with utes full of people drinking, dancing & throwing water. One ute got creative & lined the ute tray with plastic, then filled it with water, sat in it, & scooped water out at people as they went along. The rest had 44 gallon drums of water in the back, & kids with powdered dye on their hands, who would reach out to rub it on your face. I became all colours of the rainbow. By the end of the day, my white shirt was pink, orange & bright green. I had black grease smeared down one side of my face, & flour through my hair…which of course turns to glue when mixed with water. A great look…especially knowing I would have to wear that look for a bit, the town runs dry on water after the festival, so no showers!
Other LPB shots…
Asiatic bear that had been rescued from poachers.
At a temple this morning.
My experiment. Forget to post postcards in Cambodia, so put them in this cardboard box, and see what happens…
I’m off for Sunday afternoon drinks…
All up, LOVE LPB, and it has definitely been a highlight of the trip and I will definitely be coming back. Now, off to the nations capital, Vientiane, before a girls weekend in KL! 4 sleeps Sunni K!!!!!!!!!!!!
