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Published: December 16th 2010
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Hi again,
Writing from Vientiane, the place this blog is about, never happens! First time round being here we didn't really do a huge amount I guess. There isn't much to do despite being a capital. The city only has a population of about 200,000 (clearly not much for a capital) and you have the Laos-usual of French colonial buildings, including their own 'Arc de Triumph'. The city is also a bit like Bangkok in modern design. Worth mentioning that quite comically America donated cement to Laos to build a runway and instead they build their arc, now nicknamed 'The Vertical Runway', sometimes you just have to love a country.
Trying to remember back on what we did.... ahh, the museum. Well that was crap. Seemingly randomly put together and not very clear over the large historical period it covered. Frankly, the best thing in there was an upside down map of the world.
The four of us went bowling, good fun, not forgotten how to bowl yet. Although I did slip over as we were bowling bare foot.
Couple of nights drinking in the bars along the river here, big rooftop bars with pool tables -
nice change after being in small places for almost a month. Went to a disco (disco is definitely the correct word here), assuming it was on the roof we went up to the 13th floor and then lamely had to descent one floor at a time until we got to the 7th. Having been dragged here by our gay friend Stephen, we expected a fantastic club with loads of people. We arrived on this rooftop and had to wander around to find the actual entrance and walk into the disco. Tiny tiny room. Stupid mirrors everywhere. Myself and Rick had to get up and walk to check whether that it was actually that small. The tables were canisters, the sort you'd expect people to keep toxic waste in. Despite it all, it was a descent night, danced with a scary Amazonian looking ladyboy who I'd met the previous night (I'd gone to a bar with Alex and Rick and ended up talking to a group including Laos men, women and ladyboys - a good mix!).
Another night, I left Alex in a bar with this group, I'd had enough BeerLao (it can happen!) and had one of those standard
Bowling Alley, Vientiane
In the sleepy capital you find what you can for fun. irritating approaches from a ladyboy. For a change though, I wasn't in an annoyed mood, hugged her(?) and simply said, "Maybe tomorrow night love". Classy rejection.
Luang Prabang Took the epic bus journey up north to the place described by LP as 'tonic for the soul'. It's a pretty accurate quote. Once again in a place set alongside the river (no longer the Mekong!), it's a World Heritage town due to have a history of monarchy based here (maybe...).
It is generally very modern, actually that's the wrong word. It's very 'geared' up to package holidays, that's better. The guesthouses are all modern and very nice looking and for possibly the first time since leaving home I was in a place where a lot of middle aged people and retired couples travel to. Spent a few days relaxing here, went to Kuang Si Falls about 30km away, lots of swimming, rope swinging and jumping off waterfalls. Saw a bear sanctuary, joked about how the rescued tiger that is no longer in its cage has clearly escaped and will surely soon start eating people. Truely beautiful place. A family were at the waterfalls and I managed to
THE Nightclub
What happened in Vientiane, stays in Vientiane. The horror. get a picture of one of the girls just before she landed horizontally in the water from the rope swing. They laughed, all good!
On getting back in the evening, climbed up a hideous staircase to a temple for a sunset that wasn't overly impressive. Went back down an even worse route to see the marketed 'Buddha's Footprint'. It wasn't what I expected and was a tiny cave with a foot print in the stone that Godzilla would've been proud of.
Night market up next, very nice, although thanks to all of the older tourists the prices offered were extortionate to a backpacker, so it was short lived. Went to watch a Buddist ceremony in a temple too, very chanty.
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