Lurking into Laos: Two Days in Vientiane

After spending our first month in Thailand, Nathalie and I headed across the border to Laos to visit the second country of our trip.   We started in the capital city, Vientiane.

As our visas were expiring, we had to leave Thailand.   After our extraordinarily unique experiences during our first month, we were more than ready to move on and head north to Thailand's smaller, more laid back neighbor.

We left Bangkok last Saturday via plane and, via transfer, crossed over the Mekong into Laotian territory in the late afternoon.  Immediately  we began to see the difference between the two countries.   Getting into Thailand was a relatively painless experience.   We just had to wait in line for about five minutes and wait for the customs officer to put a stamp in our passports and that was it.   When we arrived at the Thai-Laotian border crossing, the tempo was markedly different.   Upon arriving at the first window, we were told a machine was broken and were given forms to fill out.  Easy enough; I've done this plenty of times before arriving into the US and helping Nathalie complete her declarations.   The difference here was the timing of the whole thing.

Almost immediately after we arrived, an official put out a sign in front of the first of three windows saying 'break.'  "Okay, this is a bit strange, but whatever, we'll just go with it   God knows how many superfluous coffee breaks I took when I was working (note to my management who is doing my performance review right now: the correct answer is zero.  I took zero unnecessary breaks) ."    After ten minutes of 'break time,'  there was a line a dozen people long forming behind us and we began to get impatient.  After all, we all came over on the same bus and we all needed the same thing.   

So with that in mind, we politely mobbed the window and asked why they were in break.  As it turns out, their computer was broken and what they meant by 'break' wasn't a work stop but an equipment malfunction.   Oh well, shit happens.

After 45 minutes or so of waiting for them to fix their system, we were finally able to pay the 36 USD (cash) and get the entry visa.   Once we cleared customs and immigration we were met with a remote bus outpost, awaiting passengers to take the 30-minute drive into the capital.

Nathalie and I hopped on a local bus and for the nominal fee of 60 cents each, we had a lift into Vientiane.   We arrived in the main bus terminal and after finding out where our guesthouse was, we set off on foot to find our evening lodging.  

By this point, it was five in the evening and he air was heavy in humidity with overcast skies surrounded by the light urban jungle.   We meandered through the quiet urban streets for twenty minutes until we found the guesthouse.  After checking in and changing clothes, we set off towards the center of the city to have dinner and couple of drinks.

Vientaine has been billed as the world's quietest capital city.   After spending one hour there, I could

One of the main streets in the capital

believe it.  Gone was the horrendous Bangkok traffic and the streets that were seemingly left on repeat.   We were instead greeted with the quaintness of a small town that happened to host the head of state and its accompanying parliament and ministries.   Enter surrealism.

The Peoples Democratic Republic of Laos or Laos PDR, was a former part of French Indochina   While it never provided much financial value to the French other than opium cultivation, Belgium's neighbor to the south certainly left its mark on southeast Asia's landlocked backwater.  

The street names are written in both Laotian and French.  Most government offices were given French names (ministere de l'industrie et des mines) along with their Laotian ones.   Practically everywhere you went, you could find a baguette and a croissant a la francaise.   Grocery stores and convenience shops alike sold wine, something we didn't see much of in Thailand.

I'm not quite sure how I could describe Vientiane without using the word 'surreal.'  I've never been in a capital city so quiet and so laid back.  Yes, this country is landlocked and developmentally behind its neighbors, but it still has a rich Indochinese history and isn't exactly minuscule like Luxembourg or Lichtenstein in Europe.   There are nearly six million Laotians meaning that there has to be some sort of urban dwelling where they gather to govern themselves.

French language influence

Well, like in the French language, the exception is the rule.   Laos has traditionally been confederated with mountainous terrain in the north, a hilly middle. and the Mekong river valley dominating the south.  Very little of the land here is arable.    The territories that make up the country have historically been semi-autonomous and have usually played second fiddle to their Thai cousins in the south.

I'm a city addict.  Even if Brussels isn't that big as cities go (with a population of around 1.1 million), I'm still happy to be sucked into the lustrous decay that is urban living.   Vientiane, on the other hand, is the anti-city.  With its overbearing government offices spattered all over a small town, it was damn near impossible to get a clear read on this place.

So after making it into the city center, and the ten blocks that it encompasses, we found the two main drags going through town and found an outdoor restaurant serving Laotian food.

What is Laotian food like? It's a bit like Thai food with less fish and more slow cooked meat.  For my first authentic meal, I had something called "lap,"  which is minced chicken (although it can be any meat), with cilantro/coriander, hot peppers and green onions.  I fully recommend it.  After dinner, we had one last drink (a local pils called LaoBeer), and headed back to the guesthouse for the night.

Lap; a traditional Laotian dish of minced meat

The next morning after changing hotels, we rented some bikes and set out upon the city.   We were impressed by the diverse architecture ranging from French colonialism to southeast Asian modernity, intermixed with what could only be described as Laotian contemporary.

The Laotian version of the Arc du Triomphe  after a rain shower

Laos PDR is a one-party state.   Having helped repel the French and the Americans last century, the communist party still runs things and you can see their mark everywhere.   From the communist flags being flown everywhere to the propaganda slogans posted  throughout the streets, you're immediately made aware as to who's in charge.  

Laotian and Communist Party flags on the Mekong Riverfront. 

But with that in mind, we were awestruck at how genuine and friendly the Laotians were.   I haven't competed my opinion on the Thais as I'm still scheduled to go there a few more times, but so far, the Laotians are the ones who have fully embraced the friendliness, openness and 'smile culture' that southeast Asia in general, and Thailand in particular, are trying to promote.  

Everywhere we went, we could ask the local shop-keep or waiter how they were doing, and they would shoot back a friendly smile and an honest answer.  Their English is much better than the Thais and perhaps unsurprisingly, we've been able to use our French language knowledge (well my French language knowledge, it's Nathalie's mother tongue) as a fail safe.

Most guide books say to spend as little time as possible in Vientiane as they claim there's nothing to do there.  I disagree with that.   Vientiane is a laid back place where you can chill out while having the comforts of a capital city.   The food there is excellent with a wide range of cuisines along with friendly folks that keep you smiling.   Evening during a late afternoon storm, people moved at a relaxed, if anxious pace, knowing that whatever the sky might dish out, they could handle it.

Honestly. I kind of fell for the place.  There's something about the sleepy urban capital that I really warmed up to.   I never felt unease nor any rush, and for being in the capital city, I didn't quite know how to process this sensation.   So instead of fighting it and calling the place boring, I went with it, and perhaps as a reward, had one of the best night's sleep in a long time the second day we were there.

The National Stadium

As we're unfortunately a bit pressed for time (we have to be back in Bangkok in eight days for the final of what seems like one hundred dental appointments), we could only really stay two days in Vientiane.   We left yesterday (Monday) for Veng Vieng, and the central mountains of Laos PDR.  

While I've been able to build up a hefty arsenal in the past 24 hours for Veng Vieng, I've really enjoyed reminiscing about my time in Vientiane.   It's the polar opposite of Thailand's Bangkok yet it possesses that down-tempo rhythm that dictates island/country life.  I'm really hoping that this isn't the last time I'm pleasantly surprised in my travels.