Trip Report: Vientiane, Lao

Who in the hell would want to go to Vientiane?

To tell ya the truth, it certainly wasn't me; but now I've been there, I want to go back again, and again, and again.

I mean, go figure, right?

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GETTING TO VIENTIANE:

FROM BANGKOK:

If you want to 'Experience the THRILL of Travel', or are simply a 'cheapskate', you can take a bus.

OR, you can spend a 'few measly bucks' and take the 70-minute flight.

FROM CHIANG MAI:

1. You can first go to the really cool town of Luang Prabang (UNESCO World Heritage Site). From L.P. you can then fly to Vientiane, take de bus, or take a ferry down the Mekong.

"Life goes on day after day
Hearts torn in every way

So ferry 'cross the Mekong
'Cause this land's the place I love
And here I'll stay

People they rush everywhere
Each with their own secret care
So ferry 'cross the Mekong

And always take me there
The place I love"
- Gerry and the Pathet Lao

OR,

2. Gawdforbid, you can take the +ten-hour bus(es) to the border

OR,

3. Fly to Udon Thani in N.E. Thailand, which was my choice.

The Nok Air flight was a 50 passenger prop, which meant I flew 'low and slow', and had a terrific view of the Thai countryside (rice paddies, mountains, and more rice paddies).

From the Udon Thani airport, I took a 150-baht mini van for the one-hour ride to the 'Friendship Bridge'; a.k.a. the border.

At the Thai side of the bridge, I cleared Thai immigration (stamp-stamp), and then took a 10-baht mini van to the Lao side.

On the Lao side, I bought a Visa on Arrival for $35 US, and before reaching the 'stamp-stamp window', a taxi guy intercepted me and asked, "Where you go?”

I said, "Vegas".

He said, "Huh?"

I then said, "the Bellagio".

He said, "Huh?"

I then stopped screwing with head, and told him the name of my hotel (NOT the Bellagio).

He said, "Okay, Okay, 150-baht".

For only $4.41, I said, “DAMN RIGHT; Okay, Okay!!”

He then surprised me, by whisking me through the 'stamp stamp' thingy, and the promised thirty minute drive to Vientiane, took only twenty-five.

Good Gawd Almighty, I LOVE LAO!!!

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HOTEL:

It's an old villa they are remodeling into a small B&B hotel. The remodeling has apparently been going on for years, but 'mai pen lai', 'mai pen lai'.

The rooms were terrific: good furnishings, high ceilings, AC, nice bathroom; and NO TV or phone.

The grounds were very beautifully landscaped, with a small, 'slightly greenish' (but ok if you're a carp) swimming pool.

I decided, naw, don't think so.

Breakfast was freshly-baked baguettes, fresh fruit, and strong Lao (French style) coffee.

Q: How strong was it?

A: STRONG enough to take the 'proverbial chrome', off the 'proverbial bumper'.

It's in a residential part of town with other big old villas, a nearby university, the Cuban Embassy (VIVA FIDEL!!), and of course, MANY beautiful wats (Buddhist temples).

Note: The country is named the 'Lao Peoples Democratic Republic'; however, they teach the 'teachings of Lord Buddha' in the elementary schools.

It's about a ten-minute walk to 'downtown' Vientiane.

Oh, and it was 1,000 baht ($29.41) per night.

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'DOWNTOWN' VIENTIANE:

"When you're alone
And life is making you lonely,
You can always go downtown
When you've got worries,
All the noise and the hurry
Seems to help, I know, downtown
Just listen to the music of the traffic in the city
Linger on the sidewalk where the neon signs are pretty
How can you lose?"

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GIRL, are you in the wrong town, or what?

Neon Signs?

I mean, forgetboutit!!

And while you're at it; forgetabout: McDonalds, and KFC, and Starbucks, >>>

Not in Lao, Petula!!

The French obviously laid out the city, because there are several wide streets called boulevards.

One of the boulevards even has, a kinda/sorta goofy looking 'Arch de Triumph' (photo).

For a capital city it's very small; and I'm guessing here, even smaller than Chiang Mai, or for that matter, Helena, Montana.

The Lao are much, much, MUCH, poorer than the Thais, and this is quite apparent because the streets aren't jammed with cars, or even motorbikes.

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The LAOTIANS:

The largest ethnic group in the 'Lao PDR'; are the Lao people, at +/- 70%.

I wouldn't know a Lao if he came up and 'bit me on the butt'; but I thought everyone, and I mean EVERYONE I had contact with, were nothin' short of WONDERFUL!!

The Laotians are quite similar to the Thais: language, food, Buddha, and of course, smiles.

BUT, the difference is Vientiane hasn't been overrun, at least not yet, with tourists.

Indeed, a nice difference.

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FRENCH RESTAURANTS:

Since this was a French colony, there are still half a dozen French restaurants in town, and all the ones I tried, were spectacular.

ONE of MEALS

Appetizer: salmon (lox) rolls, with 'creamed' roquefort cheese in the middle, with lime if you wanted, which I did.

Soup: creamed pumpkin soup, with little bowls of condiments you could add: nicely smoked ham, scallions, and mushrooms.

Main course: coq au vin (chicken cooked in red wine), small whole potatoes and those itsy-bitsy carrots.

With a Lao Beer, it came to <$10US

For dessert, later that night:

An almost translucent buckwheat crepe, filled with caramelized Asian bananas and cinnamon, plus Lao coffee, for <$4US.

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Footnote from wikipedia: Between 1971 and 1973 the USAF dropped more ordnance on Laos than was dropped worldwide during World War II (1939−45). In total more than 2 million tons of bombs were dropped (almost 1/2 a ton per head of population at the time), destroying the country's limited infrastructure.

I was asked by the young guy at the hotel, "Where you from?"

I proudly told him, "America".

He gave me a big smile, and a 'thumbs up'.

And when I returned the 'thumbs up' and said, "Lao Number One!!!"; the smile became VERY LARGE indeed.

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