Charming Luang Prabang.

Luang Prabang is beautiful, charming, quiet, tranquile. Its architecture is a unique mixture of old colonial houses and local low-roof temples coming out of the jungle, next to the Mekong river; there are no high-rise buildings and there aren't many cars on the streets, apart from the minivans and tuk=tuks. It has a feel that it is stuck in time and that it resists the advance of ugly new construction and developments. It is truly a gem hidden in the middle of the jungle. The temples are stunning, the view of the Mekong is so relaxing, one wonders how comes there are no landslides on its sides, as no walls have been constructed yet.

It has been raining for three days, and it is still a pleasure to walk around the old streets, contemplating temples, homes, shops and food stalls. 

Food-wise, Luang Prabang is a paradise. It's sophisticated way of cooking, delicious and unusual taste, at ridiculously cheap prices will amaze you You can go to an upmarket restaurant and pay what you would pay at a budget restaurant back home. Then you can have street food for as little as $1.00. At the night market you can have a vegetarian buffet plate for $1.75. I had it one day, and I had to have it the next day. Desserts have a sweet and soft taste. The combination of spice and lemongrass is particularly delicious.

There are many buddhist monks strolling, specially by the Mekong, most of them are children and young boys. It seems that kids have their education at the Monastery, so from a young age they learn how to be quiet, respectful and kind, no sign of screaming or street kids, what a difference from the West, not to mention from many developing places. I have not come across anybody begging, and this is supposed to be a poor country. Well, it is rich for me, as people seem happy and, if their lives are a hard-working struggle, they definitely do not show it. To me this is the real example of a happy buddhist country, far from any ulterior material motive (see Bhutan and its tourist campaign of happiness at extremely expensive prices, I believed it and was disappointed when I visited). And this is a communist country. Perhaps the combination of a very low population in a very green and forested land with many still untouched resources, a lack of new construction and developments, and a kind and loving antique culture, is what makes this beautiful country truly one of the happiest countries in the world. Keep it quiet.