Laos day 9 – Luang Prabang

I’m feeling better but my stomach is still not back to normal and my appetite hasn’t fully returned.    In the afternoon we visit the Royal Palace Museum which, as it’s name suggests, is housed in what used to be the royal residence of the Lao monarchy.  Situated in the heart of the peninsular between the Mekong and Sisavangvong Road, it is surrounded by lush tropical gardens.  The Palace is a colonial period building  dating from 1904 and houses various royal and religious artefacts as well as preserving the content and internal decoration of the royal quarters as they were in 1975 when the monarchy was sent into exile by the Pathet Lao.  The throne hall is the highlight with its unusual and beautiful floor-to-ceiling, coloured glass mosaic figures placed on a deep red background.  Apparently they took eight craftsmen three-and-an-half years to complete.  In contrast,  the private quarters of the last king and queen are surprisingly plain and unostentatious.  The museum also houses the Pha Bang, a Buddha cast of gold, silver and bronze alloy which legend has it dates from the first century AD, but is more likely to have been cast in early 16^th century,  and was given as a gift from the Khmers.  Whatever it’s provenance it gives its name to the town – Luang (meaning great or royal) Phabang (Prabang).