Luang Prabang

 Luang Prabang has a French colonial influence with a big dose of Buddhism. Plenty of young Laos men in saffron robes inhabit the village of wats (temples) for their tour of monk duty before going back to regular life, lending the place an air of purity. Being in the far north of the country, it is best to fly in as the roads are bad- from Hanoi, it was only 1 1/2 hrs flight. Luang Prabang is not big, just a couple of main streets lined with tour shops and relatively pricey restaurants. It comes alive with atmosphere at night when coloured lanterns light up the street and the huge night markets start selling food and local crafts.
Early mornings are serene when monks walk in single file down the road beside the Mekong river collecting food in bowls from the residents. Local restaurants high up on the banks of the Mekong offer an idyllic place to spend the cool of the morning drinking coffee, watching the river life of barges, boats and fishermen, reading and slowing right down, before the heat really sets in.

East Coast Blues Festival

Caught some great music at the Easter blues festival at Byron this week. Always a great lineup- something old, something new and always something to surprise when you least expect it. Bob Dylan was the headline act as befits a legend, along with some favourites- Michael Franti, Xavier Rudd- missed the great Elvis Costello who I heard was fabulous- loved the weirdly named  'A French Butler called Smith' complete with dreads and fuschia top hat! Wish I had seen Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks from Canada- another new one to me, she has a beautiful voice on their song 'Midnight in Harlem'. Gurrumul was there, a legendary Aboriginal singer receiving major interest overseas (he performs a spinetingling rendition of 'Every Breath you Take' with Sting.)  Australian indigenous talent is slow in getting the interest it deserves- just witness the amazing Torres Strait Islander dancer Albert David on the Street Warriors clip below.
Back in downtown West End I was watching a busker outside Coles supermarket 'from the communities up north' and asked him to come up to the centre where I work to share his natural infectious love of music. He got immediately involved and has got everyone singing for 'Uncle Bobs Talent Show'.

Street Warriors with amazing dancer