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Published: August 18th 2008
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Arriving to Vientiane, Laos http://jetravel.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/vientiane_map.jpg After sleeping in Amsterdam's airport (what a luxury!!!, very comfy chairs for passengers on long trips & a meditation room), i got out the next day and walked a little bit around the city. Amsterdam will always be beautiful and expensive like most developed countries. My mind was already set up in Asia so i went back to the airport to catch my 9pm flight to Bangkok then transfer to Laos. Everything went very well, no problems with transferring, except for the fact that i didn't realize i got to Bangkok one day ahead and i had purchased my transfer ticket with yesterday's date ;-)
I stayed at a place in the central area of vientiane called Syri 2 Guesthouse (50,000 kip = $6 = 3,000 colones), which runs along 3 main roads: TH Setthathirat, TH Samsethai, & Th Fa Ngum by the Mekong River, very easy to walk & bike around. This is suppose to be SouthEast Asia's most relaxing country to travel around, i can now confirm this, people are so friendly & kind, extremely respecful and always willing to help...Laos used to be a French colony so many roads &
Patuxai, Arc de Triomphe replica in Vientiane, Laos
It commemorates the lao who died in pre-revolutionary wars. names of places are written in French, there is also influenced in the food, i have eaten couple of times a french baguette and of course, some delicious pastry (i couldn't help it, it is my weakness ;-)
The next day, i rented a bike for 15,000 Kip = $2) and went all over town, i cycled for about 7-8 hours until i got really exhausted, visited many temples including the beautiful golden Tha Pa Luang, Patuxai - Arc the Triomphe replica, some other temples around town & the Morning Market, which was a great experience, the fruit juices are delicious, it remains me of home, i also tried some coconut/egg fried balls, I am afraid Asia is contributing to my fascination for coconut.....Around town there is several beautiful French mansions mainly taken over by the Embassies (at the Th Lan Xang Boulevard), a lot of steaming noodle stalls, meat & vegetables stalls, fruit juices & bakery stalls, pretty much anything....
The next day i took the local bus #14 to Xieng Khuan "Spirit City" - Buddha Park 45 minutes from the city....WOW!!! what an amazing adventure to ride the bus with the local Laotian, no foreigners in
this bus that seemed to want to break in thousand pieces at any time, it was fun, everyone was very curious about this Falang = Foreigner riding the cheapest local bus (5,000 KIP = $0.50). Space is not important here, people touch you, or just fall asleep in your shoulder, they touch your bagpack or whatever it is they feel curious about, with no bad intentions, They are definetely lovely people!!!....My way to the Buddha park was rough, the Mekong river doesn't really have compassion for the villagers and the houses by the river and the roads were starting to get flooded, i could see people all along the way trying to create barriers using sand bags, unfortunately for the villagers, the force of nature can't be stopped.....I had to ride a canoe once at the buddha park because it was flooded all over it, two villagers walked leading the canoe, one in front and one in the back, the 15 minute tour was incredible (15,000 kip = $2). The park is full of Buddhist & Hindu sculptures: Shiva, Vishnu, Arjuna, Avalokiteshvara, Buddha, etc
During the afternoon, i headed outside the city to the Wat Sok Pa Luang =
Pha That Luang - The beautiful Golden Temple
This is the most important national monument in Laos. It is a symbol of the Buddhist r eligion & Lao sovereignty. Forest Temple about 4 kms from the center where i had a wonderful Herbal Sauna for 10,000 Kip = $1. I talked to a very nice Laotian girl who was running the place while having some delicious tea. they were all very curious & kind, She said to me that my eyes had a great expression of happiness & Love, which was very beautiful to hear, she wished me the best in my journey, then i went on my way....Walking around the temple, i sat down to talk with two very gentle & respectful novices monks, one of them spoke little english that he taught himself by reading books donated by a western monk....He talked to me about his life, the 5 buddhist principles he lives by, and how the Lao men (Theravada Buddhists) choose to be ordained as monks from 1 to 3 years, normally, young men are not considered "ripe" until they have completed their spiritual term. He was an amazing angel, so kind & respectful, this is one of the things that really shocked me about this country, they are poor just like any other developing country but they express so much kindness & happiness, a great
example to follow by western society....
Sunday morning i am back on the road after 3 days at Vientiane, i will take the bus up north to Van Vieng....
Love & Blessings,
Andres
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Marga
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aventurero!
Que vuelta mas chula estás dando!! Volverás algún día? Un besote! Te echamos de menos!