West meets East

One of my absolute favorite cities on the entire trip, Luang Prabang is a crazy mix of West and East, wealthy and poor. The old town is surprisingly hip, with french cafes (and the best croissants of the entire trip!), wine bars, and antique stores catering to all the tourists. Though walk through some of the side streets and venture across the river, and in no time you are on a dirt road lined with bamboo and grass huts, and chickens running around.

I had always heard of Vietnam's ties with the French, though I didn't realize that Laos also had these same ties, and that the French influence is still apparent in their food and architecture. Curious to learn more, I did a little google searching and found out that Luang Prabang was one of three kingdoms in Laos unified under French colonial rule in 1893. The French had influence over Laos until 1954, when it then became an independent nation. Until the communists took over the country in 1975, Luang Prabang was the main capital of Laos, and I'm guessing this is why the city has even more French influence than the current capital, Vientiane (aka Viang Chan).

This mix of cultures, together with the lush, tropical vegetation made for some amazing photos.

Communist flags, together with Laos flags, were in front of many stores and houses

The bridge to the other side of the river, which was a stark contrast to the more developed old town.