Genteel Vientiane

Jumbos in waiting, Vientiane
see all photos »

We arrived in Vientiane at 5.30am, got a tuk tuk or jumbo as the super tuk tuks are known to the city centre and searched for accommodation. Once ensconced we had a sleep since neither of us slept terribly well on the overnight bus. We walked around the first day, didn't do a lot. Vientiane is certainly the most chilled out capital city we've ever seen. It's busy but in a very low level way. There are many french style buildings and traces of the colonial past remain in wine shops, French restaurants and bakeries.  It's very pleasant to wander streets and admire the crumbling, slightly down at heel air about the whole place. Wandering past a restaurant we met an English couple - Sasha and John we'd been on the bus with. So we had a few beers with them. Okay, far too many beers but a pitcher of lovely Beer Laos is $1.40.

Wat, Vientiane
see all photos »

The following day, feeling slightly more energetic, we hired bikes. The old man we hired them off was very funny, he took pains to tell us the bikes were not Chinese made, showed us the workings of the lock for about 5 minutes (he couldn't work it either) and instructed us to be careful and bring the bikes back when we couldn't see anymore.

he took pains to tell us the bikes were not Chinese made

The main streets in true French style are broad and tree lined and it was pleasant cycling round. We aimed for the Laos Arc de Triompe. Apparently this was built using cement donated by the Americans for a new runway at the airport. The arch isn't completely finished. It had a hilarious sign outside with text which appears to be taken directly out of a guidebook. See photo.  We climbed to the top for lovely views across the city.

Inside the Laos Arc de Triomphe
see all photos »

We went out to dinner with a nice Dutch girl who'd been on the tour to the Bolevan Plateau and whilst we were eating we bumped into the Australians we met in Champasak. This backpacker trail is a very small world.

The next day we decided to go out of town to see a strange sculpture park an artist made. It's full of odd Buddha statues made out of cement. Lao people love a bit of cement it seems. There was a very strange mouth of hell structure which you could climb up by entering through the mouth, so we were straight in there.

View from the top
see all photos »

On the bus back we spotted the Beer Lao brewery and on a whim we decided to see if they'd show us round. So we explained to the security guards who spoke no English but were very smiley like all Laos people. They pointed us in a direction and we presented ourselves at a reception desk staffed by three beautiful Lao ladies. One of them escorted us into a nearby building with loads of beer related stuff and gave us a nice cold beer. When we'd quaffed that we were taken to the assembly line for bottling, pasteurising, labelling and packing the lovely nectar. It was very interesting and they produce 480,000 bottles a day and employ 480 people. They are expanding the factory too so they'll employ even more people. Well we like to think that our consumption is helping to create those jobs, so we'll put our backs into that selfless act shortly.

Buddhas in sculpture park
see all photos »

We're off to Luang Prabang, or Phonsavan, next - we haven't decided.