In 2007 -- the year I began writing this blog -- my nephew and I joined a group of about ten travelers for a visit to Laos and Cambodia. Oddly enough -- as it now seems -- I never posted my post-trip impressions in my newly minted blog. I did, however, post a number of photos -- and a photo may indeed be worth a thousand words.
We crossed the Mekong river by ferry from Thailand into Laos. From that point, we visited the usual tourist destinations -- Luang Prabang and Vientiane in Laos; Phnom Penh, Angkor Wat, and Lake Tonle Sap in Cambodia. We also hiked and bicycled through rural areas, visiting many small villages, shops and schools -- all in a setting of great scenic beauty.
Luang Prabang is the ancient royal capital of Laos. It was a beautiful city, studded with temples and surrounded by forests and waterfalls and hiking trails. We rented bikes and pedaled out of town to one of the waterfalls, and to a bear reserve. At the time, I assumed that this was the first and last time I'd ever be in Luang Prabang. I was wrong.
Next month, I'll be staying in Luang Prabang for ten days, visiting the partner of the same nephew I traveled with in 2007, together with my great niece Maury (who will be celebrating her fifth birthday while I'm there). Maury's mom, after working for a number of years in Sonoma, has taken on an interesting job in Luang Prabang, working for an organization that promotes local handicrafts, especially textiles. My nephew, at present taking post-grad classes in California to pick up his teaching credential, will join them at the end of the academic year.
In addition to seeing my relatives in their new environment, I'm looking forward to spending enough time in their beautiful city to pick up a feeling for its lay-out and tempo and daily life, a visit that will contrast with our rushed -- but certainly enjoyable -- visit to its major tourist attractions seven years ago. Readers can anticipate hearing more about my visit in future posts.
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