Vientiane, Laos

It has been quite an adventure getting to this quiet town in Laos. After leaving Lewis, I traveled on the overnight train to the border. It was a hassle to get a visa on the spot, but I was in it with everyone else, and overall, was just an hour wait. Just a 30 minute ride later, I was at my guestouse in a town that seemed rather European compared to anything else I've seen here (excluding Singapore). There are trees and greenery everywhere, and the streets are even called "rue" which is certainly not a Lao word! I have walked around a lot, and figured out that this really is a small town. I thought I'd rent a bike, but couldn't really ride it far enough to make it worth it - plus the humidity is insane!

I will download the pictures separately, because it is really time consuming - but I have seen some interesting things! The presidential palace (because this is the capital city) is hardly protected at all! There were no guards or security to be seen - the French Embassy was more secure! I don't know if the president is even in residence, but clearly there isn't a lot of animosity expected.

The people here are very laid back, as is their reputation. No one seems to get excited about much, and even the tuk-tuk drivers only wave a hand or ask quietly if you need a ride. This is a welcome change after Bangkok, where every step was filled with vendors and drivers hounding us for business.

This morning I walked for two hours along the river, and then up to the morning market. It was wonderful. There's a picture included of a monk walking down the street - they're everywhere, quietly going about their business. This is really a relaxing place to spend a couple of days while I wait to be able to go back to Thailand (visa requirements).