Yangon to Luang Prabang

We found this message from Yangon Airlines minimally reassuring, but since it was number 10 or 11 of the 17 flights we will have taken by the time our trip is over we just shrugged and said, "Whatever."We were sad to leave Myanmar. The experience was in every way magical, interesting, provacative, beautiful and inspirational. These people of gentle spirit and burgeoning optimism reminded us that somewhere in the world things are getting better instead of getting worse. We left America during a particularly terrible time when our country's penchant for violence and love of guns was yet again in the headlines. It was truly impossible to imagine that things would or could ever be different. Then we came here and saw that change, albeit gradual and in no way perfect, could in fact happen.We came to Laos and this small city in particular because of Sam Brody. When our youngest son traveled in South East Asia around 5 years ago he emailed us from a place that was nothing more than name for us, "If I don't come home look for me in Luang Prabang." Fortunately he did come home, singing the praises of this uniquely charming (and not so easy to get to) place in the central hills of this landlocked country bordered by Thailand, Myanmar, China, Vietnam and Cambodia. Tragically known as the 'most bombed country in the world' during the years 1964 - 1973, Laos was the battleground of the 'secret war' waged between the United States and North Vietnam. It was the Hmong people, an independent minority tribe, who paid the biggest price. They worked for the US as a 'secret army' with promises of protection against the Communists whom they mistrusted. When we pulled out of Vietnam and left them undefended, thousands were killed and many more wounded. Our government eventually relocated some of the Hmong people - many to the United States - where they had an understandably difficult time assimilating. For a very good understanding of what these people faced in their new land I suggest reading Ann Fadiman's excellent book The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down (http://www.amazon.com/Spirit-Catches-You-Fall-Down/dp/B004TE6DZ4).Reports of Luang Prabang being a "haven for backpackers" are well founded:And yes, places for massage abound. The streets are lined with guest houses, small hotels, cafes and coffee houses.At times tourists seem to outnumber the locals and given Laos' historical connection with France, we weren't surprised to see bakeries offering tasty French pastries and good baguettes. French is a 2nd language here.Both David and I were struck by how very much this town reminds us of New Orleans. Houses looking as if they were airlifted from the French Quarter line tree shaded streets. Flowers are everywhere you look.The air is perfumed with the aroma of frangipani and brightened with splashes of color from tropical plants totally foreign to me.Interspersed with the French-influenced buildings are beautiful teak houses one of which David pointed out could be ours."Winters here and summers in Provincetown," he mused. "Shall we call the kids and tell them to sell Waltham?""What about Pearl?" I asked."She'd love it here. Tell her to start flying."Enough about real estate. Let's move on to food. Bountiful, appetizing and taken pretty seriously:The night market starts at five and takes over most of the long main street. Stalls selling beautiful hand crafts face stalls selling every imaginable kind of food. It was our most tempting encounter to eat street food...but we resisted.David is busy pecking away on his laptop detailing his thoughts on our first day in Luang Prabang. I am hoping that he will write about the two pagodas we visited as he will no doubt spell their names correctly and describe them in greater detail than I would. My take away photos are of the monk meticulously applying gold leaf to a temple undergoing restoration. In a series of repetitive and meditative moves he was like the ant taking one grain of sand at a time to the top of a mountain.I couldn't help humming the theme to 'Goldfinger' as I walked away.The other thing that caught my eye was what I call the 'lounging Naga' the monster spirit (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nāga) perched upon a niche containing a small Buddha statue.Don't you think everyone should have one of these guarding their home?