Impressions of Laos
Traveling to Laos was initially a Visa business trip. After having used up three 30 day Thailand Visas, it was time to take drastic steps and go for a 60 day Visa! I had a choice of several countries I could go to in order to accomplish this task. I chose Laos for several reasons, I liked the fact that it was nearby, a Buddhist country, and lush and beautiful like Thailand.
I was also curious to see the difference between the two countries, culturally and physically, now that I have a feel for Thailand.
I had considered taking a slow, two day river boat from Thailand to Laos; I imagined how beautiful that would be. I am trying to learn not to put expectations on what my experience will be, because it is always different in reality than the pictures I paint in my head. After questioning Pink about her experience taking that boat ride, the reality was two 8 hour days on a hard wooden seat in cramped quarters on a rocky boat ride. No food, only the water I brought. I gave up the idea of the boat trip, and decided to fly.
After my flight from Chiang Mai to Udon Thani was confirmed, I did a little research. Udon Thani is in Thailand close to the border of Laos, near the capital city of Vientiane. I found a nice map of Vientiane, and printed it. I also looked up vegetarian restaurants; just to be sure I would be able to eat! I found three, and printed it out. As it turned out, as in Thailand, vegetarian food was offered as a choice at many of the food places.
From Udon Thani I would take a bus to the border and from there a taxi to my hotel.
The day before I left I decided to explore hotels. I had researched them before, but found prices online were very high. I had heard you could get a nice room for $6 a night, so I was going to wait until I got there to inspect the options before choosing. Having second thoughts, I did find a good room online in a decent hotel in an excellent location. I booked the room for two nights, figuring if I found something I liked more I could switch for my last two nights there.
I was also curious to see the difference between the two countries, culturally and physically, now that I have a feel for Thailand.
I had considered taking a slow, two day river boat from Thailand to Laos; I imagined how beautiful that would be. I am trying to learn not to put expectations on what my experience will be, because it is always different in reality than the pictures I paint in my head. After questioning Pink about her experience taking that boat ride, the reality was two 8 hour days on a hard wooden seat in cramped quarters on a rocky boat ride. No food, only the water I brought. I gave up the idea of the boat trip, and decided to fly.
After my flight from Chiang Mai to Udon Thani was confirmed, I did a little research. Udon Thani is in Thailand close to the border of Laos, near the capital city of Vientiane. I found a nice map of Vientiane, and printed it. I also looked up vegetarian restaurants; just to be sure I would be able to eat! I found three, and printed it out. As it turned out, as in Thailand, vegetarian food was offered as a choice at many of the food places.
From Udon Thani I would take a bus to the border and from there a taxi to my hotel.
The day before I left I decided to explore hotels. I had researched them before, but found prices online were very high. I had heard you could get a nice room for $6 a night, so I was going to wait until I got there to inspect the options before choosing. Having second thoughts, I did find a good room online in a decent hotel in an excellent location. I booked the room for two nights, figuring if I found something I liked more I could switch for my last two nights there.
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I ended up staying the whole time at Saysouly Guesthouse. It was located a block from the Mekong River, in the midst of the busy riverside business area. Surrounded by restaurants, bookstores, internet shops, other hotels, and of course, little shops, it was ideal.
Since the main purpose of my visit was to apply for a Tourist Visa at the Thailand Embassy, all of my sightseeing was worked around that schedule. I would have to go in the morning to apply, and return the following afternoon to pick up. |
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After spending all morning Tuesday standing on line with 300 foreigners, my application was in and I was free for the afternoon. I went back to my room, had a bite to eat, and grabbed a Tuk Tuk ride to the morning market.
The market consists of row after row of vendors displaying wares in separate booths. If you are looking for beautiful cloth material, you will find several rows to choose from. In fact, if you are looking for ANYTHING, you can pretty much find it here.
Always a looker, rarely a buyer, I left the market to explore the area and see what I could find. I had seen an interesting sight on my ride to the market, and was aiming in the direction I thought it was in. I was very fortunate to turn a corner and catch site of my goal.
The market consists of row after row of vendors displaying wares in separate booths. If you are looking for beautiful cloth material, you will find several rows to choose from. In fact, if you are looking for ANYTHING, you can pretty much find it here.
Always a looker, rarely a buyer, I left the market to explore the area and see what I could find. I had seen an interesting sight on my ride to the market, and was aiming in the direction I thought it was in. I was very fortunate to turn a corner and catch site of my goal.
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What I had found was Patuxai, which translates to Arch of Triumph. (Now known as the Leaning Tower of Patuxai)
It was surrounded by a beautiful park area. The closer I walked, the more interesting the building became. I started wondering if there were stairs I could climb to get to the top, thinking it would be a great view of the city. Of course, what would a seven story monument be good for if it didn’t offer a view from the top? After paying my 1000 kip to access the 7 flights of stairs, I began my upward climb. Along the way I passed interesting portholes, and several floors had concession stands setup, selling a wide array of tourist items. A nice break between the flights of stairs! The final flight up the winding staircase rewarded me with a view of the city. Vientiane is quite expansive. The town center of Vientiane has a mixture of new and old.
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You can even find a rooster or two strolling down the sidewalk.
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Along the river where I had chosen to stay there is also a mixture of some new, mostly old. The Presidential Palace is right up the street from the business district I was staying in. I understand the Palace is rarely used, only occasionally for ceremonial purposes.
Across the street from the Palace on the rivers edge, the style is a little different. 
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Further down river, is the River Promenade, a stretch of outdoor restaurants overlooking the Mekong River. |
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Wednesday afternoon I had to return to the Embassy to pick up my visa. I left early in the morning so I could explore the surrounding area. I had the Tuk Tuk driver drop me off at the Embassy, and started off walking from there.
I was drawn to a building I could see several blocks away. Turned out I had stumbled upon the most important National monument in Laos, Pha That Luang. What luck I was having! The Great Stupa is the most important national monument in Laos, and is a symbol of the Buddhist religion and Lao Sovereignty. An image of the Stupa appears on the national seal of Laos. Once surrounded by 4 Wats, 2 remain today, the Wat That Luang Neua and Wat That Luang Tai. |
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The garden was full of wonderful statues, and many images of Buddha.
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I returned to the Embassy, retrieved my passport, and went back to my room.
A couple doors away from my hotel there was a Lao Traditional Dance theater. Every night I could hear the music, so this night I decided to attend the show |
Even found a Buddhist kitty living among the Buddha’s. (What karma!)
I really enjoyed the city, but was aching to get out into the countryside and see some of the beauty of Lao. I had been to visit several tour guide shops, and had seen the gorgeous photos of the mountains, and National Protected Areas, the beautiful waterfalls, lush landscapes. But most trips were 2-3 days long, and I didn’t have the time. I only had one day left to explore Laos. |
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