Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai temples

Beautiful temples in Chiang Mai

... and Chiang Rai

Wat Chedi Luang

Wat buppharam

A monk buying his lottery tickets

Wat Phra Kaew

Wat Phra Kaew is famous in Thailand as the original home of the Emerald Buddha which is now in Bangkok’s Grand Palace. It was discovered in 1434 when a bolt of lighting hit an old Chedi. 

When HRH Princess Mother turned 90 in 1990, a replica of the emerald buddha was made of jade brought from Canada. This buddha is 1cm shorter than the one in Bangkok.

Wat Phra Kaew is also famous as the one of the royally endowed temple in this province. The abbot, Venerable Phra Dhammarachanuwat is the ecclesiastical head of all North Thailand.It is also one of the main centres of Buddhist education and the Sangha’s administration in northern Thailand.

Wat Phra Kaew receives many donations of important religious art works from members of its parish making merit. 

Thursday is the Meditating Buddha

Thursdays child is fair of face

Shrines at businesses

festivals, festivals and yet more festivals.

As has been said before, the Lao people love a festival and the beginning of December was the perfect time for a festival.   It was:

-  40 years since the Laos Peoples Democratic Republic was formed and the monarchy were ousted.  

-  20 years since Luang Prabang was made a UNESCO World Heritage site.  

-  It was  also the Luang Prabang Film Festival  

- AND  THE ELEPHANTS CAME TO TOWN.  

Many reasons to celebrate  so Luang Praband had a parade with 6000 participants.  It was full of colour and costumes and even he President came.  These are some of the photos.

Waiting, waiting, waiting out the front of the National Museum

School kids from all over town

All the different community group were represented

They are holding mukbeng

This is the UNESCO symbol

Even the novices got in on the act

The spirits of Luang Prabang protect Luang Prabang.

They live at Wat Aham and their names are Pouyer and Youyer.  

See the drone above, taking photos

A boat made of bamboo and paper 

Made by the men of Ban Xieng Tong

There was to be a giant baci ceremony afterwards 

Pha = tray. 

Its like a tray to hold the mukbeng for a baci ceremony

The costume of Luang Prabang

Wax castle.  Similar to the art at temples

Young Khmu men and women and they made a huge sound with these bamboo instruments

The Hmong Community

Teachers

And at last the elephants came - about 12 of them

Led by a white elephant (really pinkish) - very rare

From being "The Land of a Million Elephants", there are only about 900 elephants left in Laos.  None live in the wild.  For years,  many have been used for logging and lived a very hard life, such that they stopped breeding.  I think that Sayabouri has the largest number of elephants at about 300.  

A group of people decided to take an elephant caravan from Sarabouri to Luang Prabang over a month or so. The aim was to raise Lao people's awareness of the importance of the elephants.  For some days, there were rumours that the elephants would arrive.  And then they did a day or so before the big parade.  

Last, but no least - the mother and baby elephant

Made of paper and bamboo

Outside Ock Pop Tok