What's On The Other Side?

The weather was perfect blue as I stroll along Khem Khong Street parallel to the river of Mekong. Swaying trees of coconut and frangipani gave a soothing shade to the pedestrians and the open-aired riverbank cafes, while the other side of the street is lined with nicely restored French Colonial building that has become guesthouses, bars and antique shops.

While walking toward the point where it confluent with Nam Khan River, I occasionally saw wooden longboats drifting lazily along the Mekong. I wondered what they were doing on the boat. And then I looked to the other side of the river, and although I didn’t see any human activity, I could see unpaved pathways and buildings.

And so I wondered, “What’s on the other side?”

Probably detecting an opportunity at earning some income, a few boatmen began to approach me to offer a ride. I resisted the temptation and continued to the confluent point. But all along, I could not help thinking about what could possibly be there.

The confluence of Mekong and Nam Khan rivers

The confluent point was a geographical marvel, but my mind began to feel overwhelmed with curiosity. Finally I gave in. I jumped on a wooden longboat and asked to be transported away.

“50,000 Kip,” said the boatman, which is around USD6. It was steep for a measly 1-minute ride, but I couldn’t be bothered with any haggling at that point. As the boat took me across, I tried to fathom a reason. Was I hoping to discover some unknown gem on a less beaten path?

Crossing the Mekong River on a long boat.

The longboat landed on a mud-caked ground. The boatmen agreed to wait for my return, and gestured to me the way. Uphill. From the point where I alight, I could only see old staircase squeezed between trees. With a slight hesitation, I climbed the weary steps.

A Buddha statue overlooking the Mekong River welcomed me, as if expecting my arrival. Ray of lights stole their way to the ground between the high leaves and branches.

Then, almost like an epiphany, I found my gem.

There stood a partly neglected temple, within a vast, clean compound. You might think after seeing hundreds of temple in the city, discovering another one would not give any impact any longer. This 400-year old one, however, felt really authentic.

The main temple

 The wall inside the temple, still in its original, untouched 400-year old painting.

Chanting, "Oh, whatever!" in unison.

The temple itself is really small. Neither is it a majestic one. But its charm is unmistakable.

The greenery that has swallowed a large portion of the temple compound gave a contrasting yet unmistakable ambiance of Luang Prabang.  With virtually nobody around, I find the place rather tranquil and mysterious, with a slight of eeriness. Funny how a place can feel so otherworldly just a river crossing away.

 A drum hut that looks like it came straight out of Nang Nak movie 

I could see some saffron robes being hang for drying. Possibly monks' houses.

The place didn't took long to explore, but it was indeed meaningful. After about half an hour, I returned to the riverbank. The same longboat was waiting to take me back to the town.

Returning to where I came from, I sat down on Mekong riverbank for some refreshment. As I watched the sun setting on the far horizon, I lost count on how many times I've fallen in love again with Laos.