Healthy eats...
by Hewer
I observed an unusual but heart-warming scene when I was in Vientiane. I was walking down a little side road next to That Luang when I passed a large elementary school. It must have been lunch time because it was very noisy in the playground. I observed three small kids (can't have been older than 8 or 9) dart out of the school gate and then sneak down the road to this vendor and his cart. They all had their wallets out and seemed to be making a few purchases. As I got closer, I noticed that it wasn't candy or chocolate, but fresh fruit and raw vegetables(!) The kids promptly hurried off with their purchases and cooly slinked back into the school. It was quite a comical scene but I was more surprised than anything else. I sneaked out of school a couple of times to go to the shop when I was that age, but I never bought anything near as healthy as that. I thought it was great to see and something I won't forget. I'd be thrilled if my kids were sneaking off to buy fruit and veggies :-)
luminous light on the wooden enclave
by richiecdisc
Though there was no shortage of pubs in town catering to western tastes, one place up river sounded worth the walk for its local flavor and advantageous riverside location to watch the sunset. The stroll there was a leisurely pleasure and the place itself was a pleasant rustic affair of wooden planks overhanging the river. Its charm only grew as red hues from the sun cast luminous light on the wooden enclave. We soon met up with an Aussie couple seated nearby, similarly there for nature’s display as well as some Beer Lao and spring rolls. One beer led to another and combined with the light show, it was soon dark with mozzies out in full force. We had been lucky up to that point in Laos regarding the nasty parasites, as previous cities had been downright cool at night. We applied some repellent and soon noticed an enormous herd of geckos on the ceiling beams glamoring for the fluorescent light. The attraction was a double one, the mozzies to the light, the lizards to the mozzies. We watched transfixed and happy for their protection as they slurped down their dinner with even more gusto than we had our beer. But this second show would come with a price though not of admission. It was such good fun that we stayed much longer than anticipated, well after dusk and soon found ourselves in the unenviable position of having to walk back on a dark and now hostile looking road. Our newfound friends were on motorcycle so we had to go it alone and soon all the barking dogs we had ignored earlier in the day seemed far more ferocious. (concluded below in My Fondest Memory)
Traditional houses
by SirRichard
Inside the Sisaket Temple and Museum complex you will find, at the right as you enter by the main gate, a row of traditional lao houses that can be visited inside and will give you an accurate idea of how they live in the country.
Traffic
by SirRichard
Even being the busiest city in Laos, Vientiane is an oasis of peace and calm compared to Hanoi, Phnom Penh or Bangkok. Here you will find very little traffic, mostly motorbikes, and no traffic jams. In fact, I can hardly remember any traffic lights, and of course it was not a suicide to cross the streets, as in the above mentioned cities!!
Your head should be below the head of the Buddha
by SumTingWong
Your head should be below the head of a Buddha image. This is just a sing of respect. If you are tall you should kneel or sit so your head is not above that of the central Buddha image. Just a cultural note!
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taking petrol in
Stalls Along The Busy Fa Ngum Road
COMPACT SELF CHARGING TORCH
