LAOS - Vientiane Travel Tips
A long time ago in 1997 I took a short trip to a a relatively unknown country, nestled between the borders of Thailand, Vietnam, Burma, China and Cambodia. A hair raising bus ride from Bangkok Thailand took me there and if I hadn't yet been initiated in Asian culture, I was initiated again. The bus picked up travellers, with their moped or chickens anywhere along the road and the journey through plenty of jungle like forested roads was mostly in the dark as there were no streetlamps. I wondered if I would get there alive. But I did and Laos overwhelmed me with its stunning temples, half French//Asian culture, architecture and genuine authenticity. Nothing like Bangkok or any Thai city, Laos is laid back, truly exhibiting that Buddhist-like peacefulness. Underdeveloped then but still from what I've read, in that it is more concerned with eco-tourism. This is not the place for parties, shopping and glitsy-glammy touristy nonsense. This is a country with wild nature still completely in tact and quiet rural villages. The city centre is tranquil, not much in the form of public transport, but it's small so travelling by foot or tuk-tuk are the best options. I stayed in a simple boarding house and although not much English was spoken, service was friendly, helpful and polite.
The nicest part of my trip apart from visiting a few temples was walking along the Mekong river, particularly at sunset. Locals wander around in their Vietnamese straw hats, feminine long skirts as they push or pull a wooden cart, along dry red earthed roads lined with old trees and against a backdrop of beautiful luscious rice fields on the other side. Simple wooden "shacks" for that back to nature feel are built over the water, and have little porches with hammocks and bamboo showers. The atmosphere is quiet, respectful and even the boats sail slowly and elegantly up and down the river. The beauty of Laos is in its utter simplicity.
In town, which one would more likely call a rural village, baguettes (French loaves) are on sale everywhere along with plenty of different kinds of fruits. Children go to school or after activities (I am not sure) in temple like houses with beautifully adorned doors and gateways, plus the customary Asian detail on the decorated roofs with their curled up edges. This one below also hosting some paintings of Buddha on the wall, in lotus position, meditating.
The biggest monument of Vientiane is the The Golden Stupa (Pha That Luang temple), which is not painted in gold but is actually covered in gold! It was built in 1533 on the site of an old Hindu temple and is a sacred place for Buddhists. I've added a video to get a better idea and to imagine the scents of incense accompanying you, while the faithful bow their heads in humble subservience with their hands in dutiful prayer position. The temple aso appears on banknotes and coins. Furthermore, due to my rather old and scarce collection of photos, and the fact that Laos is such a wonderful place to visit, I've included an Indie Travel Blog to give you more information about the rest of Laos which has much more to offer than just Vientiane which I visited.
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