Vientiane Views

Monday morning daybreak as the rising sun streams through the windows of the guest house, I am now so used to waking at dawn I no longer notice it.

I am getting my bearings in Vientiane and feel comfortable in this family run guest house. I am cutting costs as hotels here are expensive, this is one up from a hostel so its not a true backpackers budget dive, I have a bit of space, air/con, a fuzzy TV with bbc, a shower which works and even a little table to type on, there is even free water, hot and cold, though its three floors down to reception-more steps!!

I felt much disorientated on first arriving here. The bus journey was tiring-I now read in my guide book that ‘Bus journeys can be protracted, uncomfortable affairs, with your space invaded by being sick into plastic bags whilst caged chickens squawk in your ear. Your bus will most probably break down and you’ll be forced to sit on the outskirts of a forest ……………’  Never a truer world.

My book also tells me this is known as the most laid back capitol in the world. Exactly my thoughts. Expecting a capitol city to be at least vaguely city like, it has taken me two days to realise this is, um, well, a collection of disparate streets, though with a wonderful river front and superb wats and markets to explore.

It must be the only capitol you can cycle comfortably, meandering around alleys, along boulevards from the French era, around the market stalls, in and out of the Wats.
Here too though building work is underway everywhere, the Canadian owner here tells me that in the 8 years he has been here the traffic (what traffic?) has increased enormously and he fears for the future of the gentle, slow, people.

Vientiane is a melting pot of ethnicities, the pace of life belongs to the country but the people who live here come from so many cultures and societies-there are at least 132 different ethnic groups, a high percentage are Thai, the Buddhism is aligned with animism very obviously. The communist government apparently has suppressed Buddhism but the monks are very visible; here men will study as a novice monk for three years or so as if it was ‘national service’ to achieve mature manhood.

The city heat is oppressive, especially after the cooler air in Vang Vieng-30 degrees rather than 35/40 here. Yesterday I cycled with my mate Heather to Pha That Luang-see pic- the most important national monument in Laos and a favourite trip for visiting monks; there we were, two elderly white women, and hundreds of orange clad monks. And then I went on a swimming pool foray. Turns out there is a public pool bearing a remarkable resemblance to the Pells pool in Lewes less than a five minute walk from the guest house.  So I fetched the cossie, found a wooden sun lounge without too many holes, shared a shady tree, swam, ate spiced fruit and ice cream, and chilled out!

Last night we met up for supper and again for breakfast this morning, cycling off before the heat becomes impossible. The trip became one of iced coffee and markets. The first iced coffee (breakfast) was at the morning market, sitting at a stall watching rice sellers and hustle and bustle of the traders.

Rice Sellers in the morning market

Coffee break #1

 A Wat or two later, another iced coffee was called for.  This time we paid three times the price, but for three very good reasons-four if you count the newspaper. One; the clean bathroom, two; air conditioning; three; this café, Makphet, is part of a chain which gives training and a career for former street children…a good cause, and four, the newspaper! And in fairness, as you can see from the pic, a gorgeous coffee.

Coffee break #2

This afternoon I went on a solitary bike ride along the Mekong River leaving Heather to her massage. The water levels are so low you can virtually walk to Thailand, and the fishing villages below the raised road/promenade continue untouched by progress.

Fishing village

Thailand across the river

And this evening…yes, I did the aerobics class!  The instructor leaps onto the table and switches on the loudspeakers the moment the sun has set-people come and go but attendance is impressive. By the time the hour was up it was dark and I was exhausted. I guess I should sleep well tonight!