Luang Prabang, Laos for Boun Lay Hua Fai (end of Buddhist Lent)

We decided to take advantage of the overlapping local holidays and U.S. holidays to escape to Luang Prabang, Laos for a little 4 day vacation.  The festivals in SE Asia mark the end of Buddhist Lent and the fall Full Moon.  This usually is also called light festival across the buddhists countries of the region and is similar to Diwali in India.  Luang Prabang and Boun Lay Hua Fai festivities definitely did not disappoint.  A great little town, steeped in French colonial architecture set in a lovely valley with mountainous views and the mighty Mekong River driving through and around old town.  We packed a lot in during these few days...good weather definitely helped as did the cool water in the pool at our guest house.

Across the street from the Haw Pha Bang of the Royal Palace.

Street side BBQ (fish/chicken feet/pork), the chicken feet did look good.

Kuang Si Falls

After the falls, we checked out the butterfly reserve at Kuang Si falls.

The following day we hiked up the Phu Si mountain with our 

friends Ben, Lauren, and Vivy Zinner.

Our last day there, we took a deluxe river boat up the Mekong to the Pak Ou Caves

which are Buddhist Temples dating back thousands of years.  That boat was actually a family's house boat who were water merchants that used their house boat to carry goods up/down the river.

The steps up to the Tham Ting (lower cave) and the various river boats.

Mama, Lael, and Vivy just chilling on the luxury Monsoon river boat.

Rooftops of old town Luang Prabang.