Luang Prabang

After the last entry was very negative, now some good news=)

The hardships of the bus ride were quickly forgotten after we slept for a half eternity and the next day realized how incredibly beautiful, cozy and relaxed the city of Luang Prabang is. There are small restaurants and cafés everywhere, the people are very friendly and attentive, and there is a lot to explore.

For breakfast, we had a huge baguette topped with everything you wanted for just 1.50€. There are small stalls everywhere selling fresh fruit shakes, sandwiches, baguettes, crepes, fresh coconuts, etc. A walk along the Mekong River is also highly recommended. We climbed the highest mountain in the city, Mount Phousi, and enjoyed the insane view of the entire city. There was also a temple to admire on almost every street corner.

But the highlight, especially for me=), was the daily night market. From 5-10pm, the locals set up their stalls every day and there are countless souvenirs, handicrafts, and snacks to buy. What was new for us was bargaining with the vendors. But after the first two times, we knew how it works and where the prices are. For example, I got a pair of shorts for just 1.50€=)

Not only at the market, even when taking a taxi (or as they say here, TukTuk), you always have to negotiate a price beforehand, otherwise you will be ripped off.

We enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere for four days, strolled around a lot, and enjoyed delicious food every evening. Jonas and I have definitely fallen in love with the food here and try everything that is possible!

What is very unusual for us again are the hot temperatures. Even in the shade, it is 30 degrees and you sweat even when sitting in the shade!! During the lunchtime, it is sometimes so hot that we always escape to our hostel room with air conditioning and only go out again around 5pm... it still doesn't get cold, but it is much more pleasant!

One day, we rented a TukTuk. For just 16€, the driver took us to the Kuangsi Waterfalls about 30 km away and waited for us there until we wanted to go back home. We were greeted by an incredibly beautiful waterfall, which is described as the most beautiful waterfall of all. Unfortunately, it did not show us its full splendor because it is the end of the rainy season and as a result, the water did not have the turquoise color as described everywhere. Nevertheless, we enjoyed the short walk and finally took a little swim in the ice-cold water. A perfect cool down!

On the way back to the parking lot, there is a bear sanctuary that can be visited for free. Bears that have been rescued from bad conditions are taken in here and should have a better life now. Finally, we treated ourselves to a delicious lunch at one of the nearby stalls. This time, Jonas tried a grilled fish and got exactly that. The fish was served with all the innards, but it didn't taste so bad at all.

Overall, we spent four super nice days here and it is not for nothing that Luang Prabang is considered the most beautiful city in Southeast Asia. We cannot say whether we see it the same way, but the city was definitely worth a visit and it will be hard to top it!

Greetings from sunny Laos to Germany!!