Honesty

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When we left Vietnam for Vientiane, it was the first day in over a week that the sun was shining and rain was not falling. It was bittersweet leaving Hanoi because there was finally an opportunity to enjoy a place in Vietnam with good weather, and we were nervous that the bad weather had gone ahead of us to Laos. Despite our fears, when we got off the plane in Vientiane the sun was shining (burning) down on us, and there was no chance of rain.



I had heard a lot of good things about Laos and its people, and was excited to see if what I heard was true. I knew how true it was even before I got through customs. As a Canadian, we have a much higher visa fee than other nationalities to enter Laos. As my non-Canadian friends and I went through customs, the customs officer teased me about how much more expensive it was for me to visit. His jokes and friendly smile put me in a great mood, and it stayed with me the entire time in Laos.



Now we didn't spend much time in Vientiane (the tubes were calling us), but it was a great visit. The main thing that we did there was wander around the city and visit Haw Phra Kaew temple. I think it is my favourite of all the temples I have visited since being in South East Asia. It's very simple and doesn't have the bling that most temples seem to have. As Alex, one of the guys I was travelling with in Laos said, Haw Phra Kaew had an honesty about it that other temples sometimes lack. Even thinking back to that visit, I feel a sense of calm coming over me. Such a simple place, but a highlight of my travels overall.



The other thing I loved about Vientiane (and Laos) was the BBQ fish that they did. I actually had it twice in one day (shared for lunch, a whole fish myself for dinner). I won't be doing an "Adventures in Food" post for Laos (just didn't feel the local food or find that many interesting options), but they sure know how to BBQ. I think I'm going to have to seek out a fish tonight for dinner just thinking about it.



So overall, Vientiane was a great way to be introduced to Laos. The city revealed how lovely the Laos people are (they never disapointed throughout my time there) and what a beautiful country it is.

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