LUANG PRABANG, LAOS

Another day of putt-putt-putting down the Mekong--more of the same beautiful scenery, and for a little excitement, a few areas where the muddy water was churned into eddies, whirlpools, and some near-rapids. This morning's highlight: Glancing across the river to see a bull elephant standing on the bank! I barely had enough time to point it out to Chris, who managed to snap a picture--I think we were the only ones on the boat to see it.

Around 3:30 pm we docked at Luang Prabang, which from the river hardly looks like a town at all. But it's actually a very nice little palm-tree-shaded hamlet, most of which sits on a peninsula created by the meeting of the Mekong and Khan rivers. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995, which basically means that the whole city is a historic district, and is protected from uncontrolled development. It is a pretty charming place, with lots of old-looking colonial-era buildings, lots of open-air restaurants along the Mekong, a night-market selling local textiles and handicrafts, and at the center of town, Mount Phousi, a tall hill with a Buddhist temple at the top.

After checking into a guesthouse across the street from the river, we walked around town and spent some time talking with the staff at White Elephant Tours, who signed us up for a day trek tomorrow.