Vientiane, Laos

  Vientiane, Lao Peoples Dem Rep
Thursday, August 14, 2008

We arrived in Vientiane, the Capital city of Laos on Saturday afternoon. Spent most of the afternoon looking for somewhere decent to stay but couldn't find anywhere. We had read in the guidebooks that if you arrived in Vientiane after mid-day that your accommodation options would be very limited. This was true. So we decided to stay at an below average place for the 1st night then get up early the next morning and go to a better guest house, thats what we did, checking into the Sihom Guesthouse on the Sunday morning. Didn't do much for the remainder of Saturday, had a walk round the town, got a feel for the place and had an early night. One thing we did realise that, Vientiane, as a capital city in a country with twice the population of Ireland, is about the same size as Waterford or Kilkenny! After being to Mumbai, Delhi, Hanoi, Saigon & Bangkok is definitely was a breath of fresh air!!!

Karl with Monks

8-Wats & Temples of Vientianne

After we moved hotels on Sunday morning we decided to make the most of the good weather and do a bit of sightseeing. First we saw a few temples around Vientiane, then walked to the city market and up to the victory monument an attempt at an Arc de Triumph build from concrete donated by the USA to help Laos rebuild their airport! In the evening we were spoiled for choice for food and drinks, there are so many options in Vientiane compared to other places in Laos so we had nice food and drinks in a Western Style bar called Khop Chai.
On Monday morning we walked to the National Museum only to arrive and discover it was closed for a month for restorations - ah well. It rained for the rest of the day so we spent most of the afternoon in an internet cafe doing some research about Thailand then in the evening we went to a charity restaurant that helps the street kids of Vientiane by training them to be chefs of work in the hospitality and tourism sectors. Obviously it was more expensive than most restaurants but it was really nice. I had a traditional Laos buffalo and potato stew type thing and Lydia had a red curry with glass noodles and fish. She was convinced the staff were trying to murder her with the size of the portion but she kept on eating and we both rolled out of the place too stuffed to go for a drink so we just went back to the hotel to watch a film.

3-Victory Arch

17-Wats & Temples of Vientianne

The rain was pelting off the guest house window all morning on Tuesday so we just lay in bed and watched the olympics. After a few hours we were feeling sporty so went in search of the bowling alley (nothing else really to do in the rain). We found it after not too long and it looked like the place was transported direct from the 1960's. We had a few games of bowling and a few games of pool and in the evening decided to go to a music club. At the start it looked like a dodgy place, drinks were expensive, there was a few "working girl" types lingering around and there was karaoke videos blaring out on a big screen (unfortunately they weren't encouraging customers to sing) but after a while more tourists came in and the band started playing. They started off well playing a bit of Guns n' Roses and another song we didn't recognise but it was good anyway. The they started into the Laos rock/pop which was terrible so we made for the exit. On the way out I made for the mens rooms and as I'm standing there at the urinal doing my business I could sense someone sneaking up behind me. Next thing I feel two hands on my shoulders and this chap starts massaging me while I'm trying to piss!!! I shrug him off and tell him "no massage", finish my business and as I'm washing my hands he tries it again, "no massage" I say again. Then as I'm leaving the bathroom, he's standing in front of the door, blocking the way and says "something". Now, "something" can mean anything in Asia, in India and Nepal it usually meant "Do you want something to smoke, marijuana etc". In Vietnam is usually meant "Do you want something to have sex with?!!!". But usually it means "Give me some money". I hope he wasn't offering me the Vietnamese interpretation but whatever, I just say no thanks and kind of barged him out of the way, grabbed Lydia and we ran!

Buddha Lydia

20-Wats & Temples of Vientianne

We had been waiting for a bit of good weather to hire out a motor bike and drive 25km south of Vientiane to a park full a Buddha sculptures and on Wednesday morning the sun was splitting the skies outside the guest house so I ran out, hired a bike and off we went on our way. We got about 15 mins down the road and realised we'd have to abort the mission. The Mekong River had burst its banks and had flooded the road we needed to take. There were police and army everywhere, houses, hotels and restaurant were under water and there was no way we were getting to the Buddha Park. So we went to the National Monument of Laos instead - Ph That Luang - a huge golden temple. That was nice to see, as was the surrounding temples. We had the afternoon to waste and the weather was taking a turn for the worse so back to the bowling alley it was (we'll be pro's by the time we get home!) for more bowling and pool. Had a really nice dinner that night, our last night in Laos in a place called the Full Moon Cafe, we were raging we didn't find this place earlier in the week.
We really enjoyed out time in Laos we'll never forget trekking in the jungles of Luang Namtha, the cookery course in Luang Prabang and tubing in Vang Vieng. It pushed Nepal for the the best country of the trip so far but it will have to settle for second place. The people, however, were by a mile the nicest we've met anywhere, no competition, they're in a league of their own!