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Published: September 28th 2005
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Wat Xieng Thong
One of Laos' most beautiful and historic temples Luang Prabang - Laos' second biggest city, home to some of its holiest Buddhist Temples, a UNESCO world heritage site.
It was the heart of the ancient kingdom of Lane Xang Hom Kao - the Land of a Million White Elephants and the White Parasol - founded by the legendary Lao warrior Fa Ngum. Although it has its own share of tourists (most travellers who visit Laos skip the capital and head straight to Luang Prabang), and the city center's a chockablock of cafes, travel agencies, guesthouses and money changers, Luang Prabang managed to retain its mystical vibe.
Surrounded by forested mountains and the mighty Mekong river, Luang Prabang's landscape's dominated by stupas, its spires soaring to the skies, as if communing with heaven. Novices with their shaved heads, orange robes and black umbrellas stroll in the streets, the images of which are a staple in travel guidebooks and postcards.
On our second day in Luang Prabang, Phan brought us to perhaps two of the most important architectural and spiritual structures in Laos -the National Museum and the Wat Xieng Thong.
The National Museum, or the former Royal Palace, is situated in
Street Beat
Novices with their bald heads, black umbrellas and orange robes are a constant feature in Luang Prabang Xiang Thong road - the main thoroughfare. Seated between the banks of the Mekong River and the foot of the holy Phou Si Hill, the museum used to be the home of the Lao royal family.
The main entrance to the museum’s decorated with the symbol of the monarchy: the Airavata. The Airavata is a three-headed elephant sheltered by a sacred white parasol and surrounded by the guardian nagas – holy water serpents which protect the Lao people.
The Lao monarchy fell in 1975, soon after communist Pathet Lao forces captured the Vientiane. King Sisavang Vatthana abdicated his throne and on December 2, 1975, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic was born.
With the monarchy gone, the National Museum now serves as a repository of royal paraphernalia – their French porcelain, the elaborately decorated elephant saddle for the king, huge teak furniture, swords made of silver and gold, the queen’s poster bed. What really fascinated me is the mosaic of multi-colored glass mirrors depicting Lao village life and adorns the walls of the Throne Hall. Fhan said the multi-colored glass mirrors were imported from Japan.
The National Museum’s significance, however, lies not on
Enjoying My Cuppa
That's me in L'Etranger Cafe. Definitely one of my fave chill out places in the world!!! being a glamorized storage room for the Royal Family’s odds and ends.
At the right of the main entrance is a tiny barred room housing the replica of the holiest Buddha image in Laos – the Pha Bang.
The Pha Bang represents a standing Buddha with two upturned palms. This position is called “Ham Nhat” – the Buddha calming all arguments. The original Pha Bang is cast in gold, weighs 43 kilograms and was made in Sri Lanka. The Pha Bang was brought to the city of Xiang Dong Xiang Thong by Fan Ngum’s wife, Nang Keo Keng Yu. The Khmer princess is a devout Buddhist.
Xiang Dong, which was the seat of the Lane Xang Kingdom, was renamed Luang Prabang in honor of this sacred Buddha image. The Pha Bang also served as a symbol of the unified kingdom.
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The Wat Xieng Thong, or Temple of the Royal City, is regarded as one of the most historic and most beautiful Buddhist monasteries in Laos. The temple was used for the highest royal ceremonies and temporarily housed the bodies of the deceased kings.
For Fhan, a visit to this temple is a trip down the memory lane. Fhan grew up and was raised in this temple, having been one of the bald, robe-clad novices who populated the many monasteries around Laos. He entered the monastery at the age of eight, where he learned the rudiments of both secular and Buddhist education. He left after ten years of being a novice, saying that he didn’t want to become a monk.
As for me, what again grabbed my interest, is a mosaic of multi-colored glass spangled at the back of the main temple. The mosaic depicts the “Tree of Life.”
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We had lunch at L’Etranger, a book café located at the back of Phou Si Hill. I had salad, sandwich and a pot of brewed Lao coffee – thick, dark, strong and a tad too bitter for my taste.
Canadian-owned, but Lao-managed and housed in a renovated shop house, L’Etranger is a favorite chill-out place for western tourists who might be missing that “café ambiance”, and who might just want to relax at the mattresses laying down the floor. It’s a café-bookshop-gallery-movie house rolled into one. It’s definitely one of my favorite hang-out places in the world.
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We capped the day with a dinner at a steamboat restaurant where Jennifer taught Jesus how to use chopsticks. Jesus proved to be a quick learner, and soon enough he was using chopsticks to eat up his noodles, meat and veggies (Jesus has a massive appetite, he even ate my leftovers). I was so embarrassed. Here I am, with my Asian-Indian-Chinese blood, and despite my friends and family’s best efforts, I never learned how to use chopsticks.
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