LUANG PRABANG, LAOS

Luang Prabang, the former royal capital of Laos, is a world away from Vientiane. Cool, lush, quiet and charming, Luang Prabang is the Laos of your dreams, and one of my favorite destinations on this trip.

The city has been known by several names and been transformed many times over its long history. As Muang Sua and then Xiang Dong Xiang Thong, the city was the center of a kingdom that fell under the influence of Chinese, Mongol, and Khmer states. After 1353 it became the capital of the Khmer backed kingdom of Lan Xang, which encompassed much of modern Laos. When the capital of the kingdom was moved to Vientiane in 1560, the name was changed again to Luang Prabang to honor the ancient Buddhist relic housed here, and the city remained a center of royalty and Buddhist study. When the French took control, they allowed the monarchy to remain in Luang Prabang and added their own imprint to the city. Today, as a World Heritage Site, "LP" is well visited, but does not feel like a tourist trap (sort of like Hoi An did). There is still a vibrant, authentic town that operates here, and it is intoxicating.

One of the most beautiful temples seen on our journey was Wat Xieng Thong, a monastic complex dating from 1560 and one of only two temples in the city to be spared in the 1887 Chinese Haw troops fleeing the Taiping Rebellion.

Just beautiful!

The grounds of the former royal palace.

This is a typical early 20th century wealthy family's home preserved as a museum.

Our most magical evening of the entire trip thus far fell on the night of the full moon. First a royal puppet show at a temple near our hotel.

We proceeded to another temple, which we walked around three times, holding incense, flowers and candles along with a hundred townspeople. The moon was bright, the candles were atmospheric, the monks were beating drums at a rate that seemed almost danceable, fire fueled lanterns floated above, the air was filled with incense and Luang Prabang took its spot as my favorite city we have visited.

The next day we visited an elephant rescue camp and a gorgeous waterfall. Normally you can swim, but it was a bit too chilly when we were there.

We had mixed feelings about riding one of these amazing creatures. Lan Xang Hom Khao, the full name for the former kingdom of Laos, means "land of a million elephants." Only 1,000 Asian elephants survive in the wild in Laos, and another 1,000 are domesticated. Many of those are used in the logging industry, where they are worked to the bone and abused. Rescue centers like the one we visited give former logging elephants a chance at a happier life and rehabilitation. Like many tourist-oriented activities in this part of the world, including hill-tribe visits and preserved town centers, the elephant rides are a double edged sword. It is better than working in logging (for many reasons) but also sad that these highly intelligent and sensitive creatures are not able to survive in the wild.

Luang Prabang also had some of my favorite food on the trip. Above, a home-cooked meal we ate with a Lao-Loum (lowland Lao) family that farms cotton. They were gracious and lovely but we felt (once again) that visiting the homes of villagers is a strange form of tourism. Good in that it provides income where there might not be enough and allows for cross cultural experiences, but bad in that it turns their daily life into a bit of a "human theme park." It is hard to decide if visiting is the right or the wrong thing. There is not a clear answer in a part of the world that is changing as quickly as this one.

Sindad, a fantastic grilled-at-the-table dinner of broth and cooked meat and vegetables.

And khao say Luang Prabang, a local speciality of rice noodles with soy bean sauce, tomato, minced pork and onion. YUM.

SAIGON

I consider myself a lover of fast-paced cities and a pretty savvy urban dweller. New York is my home; I love Tokyo's futuristic complexity; even the vastness of London can be exciting when the weather isn't totally gross. Nothing, and I mean nothing, could prepare me for the totally frenetic, youthful viberance of Saigon. There is a throbbing energy, packed night markets, throngs of teenagers everywhere, and insane traffic weaving through it all. I had heard that compared to the exotic crumbling charm of Hanoi, Saigon seemed more flashy but with less character and culture. I did not find that to be the case at all and hope that on my next trip to Vietnam I get to spend more time in this fascinating city.

One of the highlights was the food. My husband was sick and sadly missed all 36 hours we had in Saigon trying to recover and gear up for treking temples in the heat of Cambodia (more on that soon). This meant I was on my own, with the (absolutely necessary) help of my sassy and fun guide Chau, to discover Saigon's food scene. She and I ate at two ends of the spectrum: a trendy, organic, locally sourced neo-Vietnamese eatery as well as a hot, smelly packed night market bazaar stand. Both were outstanding. I don't even know all of what I ate, but here are some pictures of it!

Besides the food, the War Remnants Museum was an emotionally difficult but totally required highlight. My other favorite was the former Presidential Palace, now known as the Reunification Palace. This weird 1960's relic was designed by Vietnamese architect Ngo Viet Thu for the South Vietnamese president Ngo Dinh Diem. It stands where the original French colonial Norodom Palace once stood. That residence was home to the French colonial governors of Indochina and then the South Vietnamese president until it was bombed by Diem's own airforce in a US backed assassination attempt in 1962. The US had of course propped up Diem's corrupt regime during the Vietnam war until he became a liability and we decided to throw our hat in the ring to help get rid of him. The assassination attempt did not work (a later one did) and Diem ordered the construction of this new modern residence in place of the Norodom Palace.

When South Vietnam fell in 1975, the image of the Northern Vietnamese tanks crashing through the gates of the compound signaled to the world that the US had lost the war and Vietnam would be one communist country, hence the new name, Reunification Palace.

Inexplicably, the new govenment left nearly everything in its place as a museum (of victory, I suppose?). All the furniture, draperies, wall treatments, etc. are still there, and the building is a strange relic of swinging 60's meets Vietnamese design. There is actually no air conditioning, but the structure remains cool from open windows and cross ventilation worked throughout the spaces.

My favorite room was the "signatory room," covered in lacquered panels and featuring these bizzare but fantastic James Mont style seating pieces and case pieces.

Love the curtain rods/valances as well. Those are the lacquered wall panels.

The entertainment room. Here is where the president gambled, smoked and partied while the war raged. Those good times would come to an end soon...

The private theatre. Diem was a huge movie fanatic.