Places to see and things to do in Vientiane… Part 1
The one thing to know about Laos is that this beautiful country is still developing; the roads are rough and not very well maintained, some houses and buildings are old and not up to code and there are no zoning laws whatsoever. However, to me, that’s part of the charm and allure that keeps bringing me back to Laos. To us, the people who were born or raised abroad, living conditions in Laos may seem outdated and deplorable. But to those who live here, it is their way of life and the only thing they know. For those that live here, life is good and they are content. Please keep these thoughts in the back of your mind as you explore Laos… or any other developing country and I promise you, you will have a better time.
So, May and I headed down to Talad Sao (translation: Morning Market) to get some breakfast because I was starving for some Hmong food. My stomach was starting to settle down after my long flight and it wanted food. From our hotel, it was a brisk 15 minutes walk to Talad Sao through some narrow streets and back alleys lined with large trees cover in moss. Some roads were clearly marked and others were not, some intersections had signs and others were a free for all. It was an awesome walk, holding May’s warm hands in the cool morning air.
Our first stop was the Khua Din Market, an open air market that sits directly across from Talad Sao and behind the main bus terminal in Vientiane. Unlike Talad Sao which is 3 stories high and in an enclosed building like most traditional western malls, the Khua Din Market is only one level and has no doors. I would say it most resembles a flea market; everything is under a canvas, on the ground or in a shed. At the Khua Din Market, you will find fruits, vegetables, fresh meat, herbs and restaurants. Most locals prefer to shop here as opposed to Talad Sao.
We found a restaurant that had Hmong owners. The restaurant was a small room in a cinder block building, probably no larger than 10X10. Inside, there was a large fridge filled with sodas and water and 3 small tables, all empty. Towards the back there was a bbq grill and on the floor stood 2 wooden stoves. The wife stood near the front counter, next to 2 freshly boiled game chickens under a fishnet cover. There was a man in the back, grilling some bbq pork. The nice lady asked me if I had just come from America… I nodded my head yes. For the life of me, I don’t know how they know it, but I swear we Hmong-Americans must stand out like sore thumbs; they can spot us from miles away. I sat down at the table closest to the street.
There were no table cloths, no menu given out to us and the floor was dirty. Flies were all around us and we can smell flumes from the nearby buses. I pointed to one of the boiled chickens and May nodded her head. We also had some bbq pork with some sticky rice... 2 bottles water help to wash everything down… it was a really good meal and my first taste of real food since leaving SFO. Our tab, 100,000 kip or a little over 10.00 US dollars for the whole meal.
As we sat there, finishing our meal, I could not help but notice how beautiful May is. Her face was still soft, her eyes still bright and her smile still so warm. Only a few months has passed since we last saw each other, but somehow, it felt like a lifetime… we both have grown a little older and a lot closer too.
I love this woman.
Well, it is midnight… so good night all. I will catch you tomorrow.
LHG
Topic: Going to Laos... For Dummies (Like Me) (Read 227132 times)