Going to Laos... For Dummies (Like Me)

[LonelyHmgGuy]

hey lonelyhmgguy, a friend and i will be backpacking through se asian in couple of weeks. if you're still in laos, i would love to meet up. we'll be in laos on december 17th and through the 27th.

i'm excited for you.

Thanks for the good vibe Chick... unfortunately, I will be leaving Laos on the 10 of December. Work is calling.

Maybe next time and keep us posted on your adventures.

LHG

[LonelyHmgGuy]

Hello friend...

Your stories warm my heart.

Hey BoO... you're going to make me cry. Life is short. Life is precious and above all, you only get to ride this ride once. Make it count!

LHG

[LonelyHmgGuy]

Places to see and things to do in Vientiane… Part 2

Talad Sao means “Morning Market” in Laos, so my cousin tells me. He explained to me that a long time ago, before the Vietnam War, Talad Sao really meant “morning market”. Most merchants would set up shop in the dark, way before dawn broke and by breakfast time, everything would have already been sold, hence the name Talad Sao. Nowadays, it is just a name. Sure, the market still sits on the same site, but the stores and merchants within rarely open before dawn and they typically stay open all day long.

After breakfast, we stroll through the fruit stands and I purchased 2kg of Lychees for 40,000 kip, one of my favorite fruits in Laos. The light brown fruit is a little smaller than a golf ball and has a sweet white flesh on the inside. May also purchased some sour mangos and 2 kg of oranges. I looked for pineapples but none was to be found.

Having had our fill of fruits, we cross the busy Lang Xang Ave to visit the Talad Sao. The building itself is huge by Laos’ standard; it had three floors with a multi-deck parking garage on the side. On the first floor are Cell Phone vendors and electronics. On the second floor is clothing and gifts. I was very surprise that a lot of the clothing stores were owned by Hmong people, some selling traditional Hmong clothing and jewelry. On the third and final floor, there is a large restaurant, movies and videos and more jewelry, including a gold shop.

Here, you will find that the prices here are a lot more expensive, even for the exact items sold in the Khua Din market across the street. Here, is where the teenagers hang out and do what kids do all over the world, they come to see and be seen. Prices here are higher but keep in mind that the merchant expects you to bargain with them, and that you should never pay the asking price.

I bought May some jeans and a bottle of Chanel No. 5. I highly doubt it’s the real thing… but who cares and who’s to know.

It was getting late so we headed back to our Hotel room to rest a bit. Later, we will explore the night market.
Talk to you all soon,

LHG

[LonelyHmgGuy]

LHG, must be morning where you are... Good morning.  Enjoy your day!

HS - Yes, it is morning. Late morning... 9:30 to be exact. We're out exploring and found an internet cafe. Thought I would update my PH buddies.

Thank you  and enjoy your day too. Saibadee!!!

LHG

[LonelyHmgGuy]

Remember to share some pix with me when you get back. Hope you still have my email.

Yes, I will. Took alot of pics. But internet is so slow here, it's almost impossible to upload anything.

Stay safe and happy holidays if I don't talk to you soon.

LHG

[baddabing]

Lonely hmong guy,

When I first went to visit Laos back in 2007, I was a bit nervous and doubtful that I'll enjoy the trip because I hear people saying how most things/places are not well developed yet.  But in the end, it turns out that it's those very things that I come to enjoyed and missed most about my visit to Laos.

I will go back some day but for now what I would miss about laos is those cheap cell phone rings tones that goes chee-li chee-li and the smell and scent of Laos, especially in Vientiane during sun set.  I meant that in a serous way, not joking about anything.  also going there is sort of like traveling back in time or to another place, world, etc.

I tried to tell friends and family members if they would like to go visit laos don't wait too long, it's the simple undeveloped things and ideas there that they will come to enjoy most about visiting Laos.  Once the country is too developed there won't be much to see and experience anymore.

[LonelyHmgGuy]

Hello All,

Happy Holidays, I hope everyone is well. I truly apologize for the delay everyone...  a lot has happen to me since my last blog. Most of what happen was very personal and kept me very busy so I did not feel it was appropriate at the time to update you all.

So…  Long story short, I am back at home now but more importantly, I have some great news.

Before anyone passes judgment or makes any comment, be it supportive comments or constructive criticism or just plain indifference, please understand that it took me a long, long, long time to come to my decision and do what I did.  As this is an open forum and many of you may not know me personally, some would say it does not matter… but for the sake of argument, please try to keep this blog civil.

So… to continue.

After a long day of shopping and sightseeing, May and I returned to our hotel.  I was still jetlagged and went to my room alone. I collapsed at the foot of my bed and slept for about an hour.

I woke up a little before 6 and I walked down stairs to May’s hotel room and found that she was still asleep. I joking told May that the old saying about our Hmong girls in Laos being hardworking and industrious must not apply to May, because she sure sleeps a lot.  She smiled in reply and kindly reminded me that a traditional Hmong girl would NOT be shopping nor sightseeing with her boyfriend in Vientiane either.  Touché!

We walked down to the Night Market, which was 2 blocks south of our hotel. The air was very still and it was an unusually warm evening, even for Laos’s weather. The hazy sky over Vientiane made for a brilliant sunset; bright shades of orange, red and yellow faded to the west over the winding Mekong River. Smoke and the smell of grilled meat and tilapia from the endless number of street vendors that lined the roads nearby filled the air. Little old ladies can be seen walking along the red canopy stalls, selling small bags of corn, baskets of bamboo rice and sliced sour mangos.

May and I walked along the Mekong level road that had been closed to motor traffic. We would stop occasionally to sit and people watch but spoke very little.  It was almost 8 months ago on this very same spot that we said out goodbyes. It was also on this very same spot that I told May I would return to her.  The very thought of being away from her, not having her in my life, not having her be a part of my life was unbearable and certainly something I did not want to experience again. As May got up to start our walk again, I pulled her hand back and sat her down again. She jerked and asked what was wrong… I had something to say, I told her.

Some things are hard to know and others are hard to understand… what each of us perceives to be true, real or worthwhile can be different and subjective. But one thing I think we can all agree upon is this… It is that, Love in its purest form is grand and that IT transcends everything else.

On that warm evening, on a continent thousands of miles from my home, in a place I thought I would never see, I asked May Vang to marry me and she said Yes.

I will update you again tomorrow…

LHG

[LonelyHmgGuy]

Lonely hmong guy,

When I first went to visit Laos back in 2007, I was a bit nervous and doubtful that I'll enjoy the trip because I hear people saying how most things/places are not well developed yet.  But in the end, it turns out that it's those very things that I come to enjoyed and missed most about my visit to Laos.

I will go back some day but for now what I would miss about laos is those cheap cell phone rings tones that goes chee-li chee-li and the smell and scent of Laos, especially in Vientiane during sun set.  I meant that in a serous way, not joking about anything.  also going there is sort of like traveling back in time or to another place, world, etc.

I tried to tell friends and family members if they would like to go visit laos don't wait too long, it's the simple undeveloped things and ideas there that they will come to enjoy most about visiting Laos.  Once the country is too developed there won't be much to see and experience anymore.

I could not agree more.

Laos would, of course, will still be there. But you're right. The charm and the innocence of Laos will soon be lost and probably lost forever I fear.

[couchpotato]

Hello All,

Happy Holidays, I hope everyone is well. I truly apologize for the delay everyone...  a lot has happen to me since my last blog. Most of what happen was very personal and kept me very busy so I did not feel it was appropriate at the time to update you all.

So…  Long story short, I am back at home now but more importantly, I have some great news.

Before anyone passes judgment or makes any comment, be it supportive comments or constructive criticism or just plain indifference, please understand that it took me a long, long, long time to come to my decision and do what I did.  As this is an open forum and many of you may not know me personally, some would say it does not matter… but for the sake of argument, please try to keep this blog civil.

So… to continue.

After a long day of shopping and sightseeing, May and I returned to our hotel.  I was still jetlagged and went to my room alone. I collapsed at the foot of my bed and slept for about an hour.

I woke up a little before 6 and I walked down stairs to May’s hotel room and found that she was still asleep. I joking told May that the old saying about our Hmong girls in Laos being hardworking and industrious must not apply to May, because she sure sleeps a lot.  She smiled in reply and kindly reminded me that a traditional Hmong girl would NOT be shopping nor sightseeing with her boyfriend in Vientiane either.  Touché!

We walked down to the Night Market, which was 2 blocks south of our hotel. The air was very still and it was an unusually warm evening, even for Laos’s weather. The hazy sky over Vientiane made for a brilliant sunset; bright shades of orange, red and yellow faded to the west over the winding Mekong River. Smoke and the smell of grilled meat and tilapia from the endless number of street vendors that lined the roads nearby filled the air. Little old ladies can be seen walking along the red canopy stalls, selling small bags of corn, baskets of bamboo rice and sliced sour mangos.

May and I walked along the Mekong level road that had been closed to motor traffic. We would stop occasionally to sit and people watch but spoke very little.  It was almost 8 months ago on this very same spot that we said out goodbyes. It was also on this very same spot that I told May I would return her.  The very thought of being away from her, not having her in my life, not having her be a part of my life was unbearable and certainly something I did not want to experience again. As May got up to start our walk again, I pulled her hand back and sat her down again. She jerked and asked what was wrong… I had something to say, I told her.

Some things are hard to know and others are hard to understand… what each of us perceives to be true, real or worthwhile can be different and subjective. But one thing I think we can all agree upon is this… It is that, Love in its purest form is grand and that IT transcends everything else.

On that warm evening, on a continent thousands of miles from my home, in a place I thought I would never see, I asked May Vang to marry me and she said Yes.

I will update you again tomorrow…

LHG

Eeek! I am very excited for you!

I can't wait to read the rest of your story.

[shootingstar]

Congrats!  Sounds like your love is so genuine for her and I hope that is the same from her as well. Good luck!

[LonelyHmgGuy]

LHG, I have a few concerns but I will not say it since it is your life and I want you to enjoy it. Congratulation and I wish you both the best! Take care my friend.

HS-

You should always speak your mind... PM me.

LHG

[LonelyHmgGuy]

Envy

My mother got married when she was just 16 years old, barely a child according to Western standards. But in Laos, she was already a woman, someone who was depended upon to cook and clean for her family, someone who worked in the fields to plant and harvest rice, and someone to watch and feed her family’s livestock.

She left her family, her home, her friends… she left the only life she barely knew for my father, barely a man himself. She left her lastname, her identity, her beliefs, her dreams and her passions to start a life with a man she had just met a few months earlier. When I think of my mother, the unfailing greatness of her spirit, the courage to face the unknown, and the dedication to her new life, I am taken with an immense respect for this simple Hmong Woman and all women in general.
 
I envy May and her courage for accepting my proposal. I hope to never disappoint her decision...

We woke up the next morning and rented a Suzuki Dream, a 100cc motor scooter, from the hotel located next door. Prices range from 70,000 to 100,000 kips a day and they will need your US Passport as collateral.  The night before, I had heard from our hotel clerk that there was a movie theater in Laos. I had already imagined seeing May in a movie theater for the first time in her life. A cup of soda and some popcorn would complete the picture, I am going to ask May to the movies!
 
The young Hmong man, who is from Phonsavan, works part time as the hotel clerk to help pay for college. His bed is a straw mat on the lobby floor when the front doors are closed. His shift starts on Friday nights and ends on Monday mornings, when he drives back to his college nearby.

After stopping to eat breakfast at Talad Sao, May and I headed off to ITECC, (Lao international Trade Exhibition and Convention Center). ITECC is an Exhibition Hall and shopping center that is just outside of the city. The complex was built back in 2004 at a cost of 10 million US Dollars by a Chinese company and the Lao government. The building is about 10 year old now and it is starting to show its’ age due to the lack of maintenance and upkeeps. The cement parking lot is starting to crack and the once green grass and lush vegetation around the huge building has die or is withering away. The paint is peeling and the signs are starting to fade. Inside the building you will find a huge western style supermarket with check out registers, a furniture store, a bowling center, 2 movie theaters and about 200 flea market style vendors.
 
The movie theater had 2 shows, Kick Ass 2 and a Thai Movie. We decided on Kick Ass 2 and the first showing was at noon. Being that it was barely 9 AM, we decided to take a stroll thru the shops to kill some time. Many of the shops offered the exact items for sale, mostly clothing including fake Prada, Oakley, Nike, Gucci and Adidas products. May bought a pair of shoes for 40,000 kips (5 dollars) and I bought a pair of Ray Ban knock-offs for 80,000 kips (10 dollars).
 
After some rest and a couple of cold drinks, May and I went bowling... 8,000 (1 dollar per game). May and I took turns throwing gutter balls, while laughing and falling down like two teenagers, it was awesome. For a moment, I was back in high school. For a moment, there were no deadlines. And for a moment, it was just the May and I, on a date, having the time of our lives.

That’s it for today…

LHG

[theking]

That’s it for today…

LHG

Good stuff LHG!

Post some pics if possible ...

[LonelyHmgGuy]

Good stuff LHG!

Post some pics if possible ...

Hey King... Yes, stand by. Pics coming soon.

LHG

[LonelyHmgGuy]

No Buyer’s Remorse…

After an hour of throwing gutter balls, May and I were tired, so we left the bowling alley.  We walked downstairs to purchase some popcorn and sodas, our movie was about to start and I wanted to make sure we had good seat.

The theater was nearly empty when we walked in and was only half full when the movie started.  If no one told me that I was in the only movie theater in Laos, I swear it felt as if I was out on a date back in California on a Friday night. The seats were worn but still comfortable, it was cool but there was no AC and the sound system was decent.  Of course the entire movie was in Thai and I did not understand a word being said, but I had a great time none the less. It’s a good thing I saw this movie in the English version on the plane over to Laos.

After the movie, we drove home on our Suzuki Dream I rented from the hotel next door for 70,000 kips. We stopped by Pha That Luang, a gold-covered large Buddhist stupa in the centre of Vientiane that was built back in the 3rd century. The week before was the Pha That Luang Festival and about a dozen of vendors were still hanging around, which included food, video, clothing and balloon-dart throwing vendors. We bought a pound of BBQ pork, a plate of papaya salad and a pound of sticky rice and sat down to have dinner. The salad was fresh and very spicy, just the way we like it.

After dinner, May and I visited the video and balloon stalls, my brother in law had requested some tradition Laos music and I figure this was the perfect spot to get some. With May’s help, we bought 4, 2 traditional and 2 modern Laos music videos. While walking back to our motor-scooter, a Laotian lady shouted for us to play her dart-balloon tossing game. If you’re not familiar, popping balloons with darts for prizes is a very popular game in Laos during all holidays. The rules are simple, pop a balloon and win a prize. The price of each dart depends on size of the prize you're playing for. For Sodas, it’s 3000 kip per dart. For larger prizes, prices can range from 50,000 kips to over 200,000 kips per dart.

I saw a teddy bear that I swear was bigger than May. I asked May to ask the lady how much it would cost to win the stuff bear, the Laos lady said 120,000 kips per dart. Being who she is, May talked the lady to dropping the price to 80,000 kips per dart. Now, keep in mind that a day’s wage for the average worker in Laos is only 35,000 kips per day. It would be like putting two days of your salary on the line to win a teddy bear at the fair. Needless to say, throwing a single dart worth 80,000 kips for a chance at a teddy bear was a little nerve wrecking for May.

As I dropped down the 80,000 kips and picked up a dart, I can feel May’s hand grasping my shoulder. As I raised the dart to eye level, her grip got tighter. I pulled the dart back twice and released it on the third aim. May’s nails drove into my shoulder and I felt her fletched beside me, her eyes were closed. To her amazement, a loud “pop” was heard. I swear she jumped 3 feet into the air and screamed like a siren. I did not tell May, but I spent a lot of my nights playing darts while going thru college. It was like shooting fish in a barrel… way too easy.

We strapped the bear between the two of us on the motor-scooter, May’s hands firming around my waste and we were on our way home.  Am I happy with May, you bet! Did I make the right choice in choosing May, absolutely! Do I love this woman, oh God, Yes! Will our love pass the test of time, I can only pray.

That’s it for tonight guys… I will update you all tomorrow, our engagement party in Nong Hai.

LHG