(c) December 2007 Oliver Bonten
Luang Prabang
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Luang Prabang
December 2007 163 |
The Phra Bang is a much-venerated wooden Buddha image, and the original royal capital of Laos is named after it: Luang Prabang is the "town of the Phra Bang". Luang Prabang is situated on a peninsula between the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers, in mountainous terrain, easy to defend but not easy to reach except for the Lord over One Million Elephants (the old name of Laos).
Modern Luang Prabang is known for its well-preserved colonial architecture: most of the town has been built by the French over a century ago, and still looks like a town from this time, except for the electrical wiring. There is not a lot of contemporary economic activity: it is in mountainous terrain, with difficult and limited access, but it is a popular tourist place. Thai, Japanese and other Asian visitors come to visit old and famous monasteries, some of which have been centres of Buddhist scholarship, while a lot of other people just come to visit. Luang Prabang is a pleasant place, with a lot of things to do and see in the area, and lots of opportunities to relax and enjoy the good and simple Lao food (and a few Beer Lao of course).
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