In memory of Luang Prabang

City of questions and solace. 

Temple window, Luang Prabang,
one year ago

"Cities also believe they are the work of the mind or of chance, but neither one nor the other suffices to hold up their walls. You take delight not in a city's seven or seventy wonders, but in the answer it gives to a question of yours.

Or the question it asks you, forcing you to answer, like Thebes through the mouth of the Sphinx."  

                                           - Marco Polo, Invisible Cities, Italo Calvino

Hanoi and her sense of community

I love Hanoi. The place is bursting with crazy energy-- the motorcycles whizzing by from all directions and made-up locals with somewhere to go.

 

Home of the pho and vermicelli, the restaurants are usually full and busy. Locals loving their own food. A Vietnamese friend from Hanoi, Zi, proudly says that their cuisine is rarely oily (lucky girl!). 

Get into those hole-in-the-wall restos, but also try out food from the vendors plying the streets. (For what you can eat around Hanoi, check out this previous post.)

In the old quarters, you'll see many examples of French architecture that's able to maintain their charm even in their less-than-ideal state (check out the details: the iron grills, the art nouveau windows, the bold and pretty colors). Also, the place is teeming with cute boutiques that pop out of the most unassuming side streets...

Lira, who's responsible for half the photos in this page

But the thing that I loved most about Hanoi is her sense of community (yes, she's female!). Say what you may about its craziness (disclaimer: I find crazy streets exciting, but I know it's not for everyone) and rude drivers, but Hanoi's got that "buzz" -- of family, kinship, familiarity. We walked around the Lenin Park - Literature Temple area and found these: parks full of families and neighbors playing sports together, old uncles and granddads hanging out playing cards, and an old married couple walking hand in hand (cue in "awww").

I love places that are abuzz with that homey feeling.  

Water Puppet Theater in Hanoi

Bursts of happy in a mask stall outside the theater

Water puppets on parade

Puppeteers/actors take to the water stage, giving their bows for the night

Ensemble + the Puppeteers and dragon

Pretty Singapore

Well-manicured lawns, strategic urban planning, efficient public transport, it's a taste of the First World right here in Southeast Asia.

Random Silliness

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (May 2011)

Luang Prabang

One morning in Luang Prabang

Sometimes the whole thing seems unreal. I mentally pinch myself to remember that the backpacking trip did happen. 


One day, I will go back and, again, sit on the road to watch monks pass by, marvel at the quaint houses, stare longingly at river Mekong, haggle with the adorable Laotians at the nightly walking street, talk to the young monks and past monks hanging out at the temple, and, perhaps, take a cooking class. ;)