Day 12
The Monster of Concrete
During my last trip in Laos, four years ago, I had mostly stayed in the cities of Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng. Although Vientiane is the capital of the country, I only spent one day there, waiting for my train to Thailand. This time I will stay for four days. No plan in particular. Just do some sightseeing, enjoy the food, and take pictures.
There is no train that goes from Bangkok to Vientiane. Instead, the train stops in Nongkhai, which is the border town between Thailand and Laos.
From there, you have to buy another ticket to Thanaleng in Laos and go through customs at the end of the platform. Usually, they will sell you a train+minivan combo ticket to get to Vientiane. It’s much more expensive than the train ticket alone, but it can be less of a hassle than to find your own way of transportation, while carrying heavy backpacks.
Next, hop on the train to Thanaleng – a 10min ride across the Mekong river – and you’re in Laos. The funny thing is that I’ve done the same journey four years ago, but it was the other way around.
In Thanaleng, I get a Visa on Arrival and hop on a minivan with a bunch of other tourists to go to Vientiane. The van will stop somewhere near the riverside, in front of a hotel, regardless of whether or not you’re staying in this particular hotel. I’m not worried because I’ve read that Vientiane is a small enough place to get around by walking. My hotel can’t be that far.
I ask for a map at the reception (1) and find out where my hotel is - only a couple of blocks away (2). Thanks to their help, I know exactly where I have to go.
I get to the hotel, check in and leave my bags. I could go for a break right now, but it’s already 11am. I don’t want to waste the whole day away. The map I have is not the most detailed, so I ask another one from this hotel. It’s even worse. I should get one from the tourist office.
Shenron is guarding the way to the dorm rooms. That’s pretty awesome.
On my way, I stop at an exchange bureau to change dollars and baths into Lao Kip. But I don’t do it at the first bureau I see. If you can get away from the more touristy area, the exchange rate can work better in your favor. The map I get in the tourist office is perfect. Every street is named, most restaurants and hotels are pointed out, as well as the major temples and attractions. During my stay, I’m going to use this map everywhere and people will often stop me to ask for directions. Now, I can plan my day with ease.
Vientiane is far from being the most popular tourist destination in Laos. In fact, despite being the capital of the country, it’s rather small and most visitors only stay here to catch a flight or to cross over to Thailand. Apart from a few monuments and temples scattered all over the city, there aren’t many places of interest. But that’s exactly why I came here. After the rush of Bangkok, I want to enjoy a more laid back atmosphere.
My first stop is Patuxay monument - also known as Laos’s version of the Arc de Triomphe. For obvious reasons.
Once I’m done taking pics of the outside, I climb to the roof for a sweeping panoramic view of the main avenue.
From here, I’m about 1km away from That Luang stupa.
Built in the 16th century, That Luang is a gold-covered Buddhist stupa in the center of Vientiane. It is generally regarded as the most important monument in Laos. It’s also a national symbol, appearing on official seals and currency banknotes.
These are a few banknotes from Laos. 10000 Kip = 1 euro/dollar Notice That Luang stupa on some of them.
To see my video of the Golden Stupa https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvBwyge0l38
The statue of the King Setthatirath, considered one of the great leaders in Lao history. He ordered the construction of That Luang in 1566.
The stupa is 69m in length and 45m high. It’s quite impressive from afar. But as you get closer, you can see that most of it is being renovated. The only thing I can do is walk around for a while.
Laos - a country torn between tradition and modernity‌
Next to the stupa, you can visit the beautiful temple of Wat Thatluang Tai. Its garden is filled with statues and the inside walls are covered with wonderfully detailed religious vignettes. Check it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRiiFugdLkw
When I leave the temple, it’s already past lunchtime. I follow the map to find a close enough restaurant. If it’s on the map, it must be a good one, right. No, it wasn’t. I ordered fried rice in a pineapple and they added meat floss for whatever reason. And my orange juice was so watery, they probably just opened a can. The good thing however is that I can use their wi-fi to find all the restaurants and cafes with the best reviews.
In the afternoon, the heat is almost unbearable. I keep changing the side of the street I’m walking on just to stay in the shade. I could use a tuk tuk of course, but they really rip you off and I’d rather save some money. I’m walking all the way back to the riverside, visiting a couple of small temples along the way.
After a while, I stop at Fruit Heaven, a fruit bar specialized in fresh fruit juices and shakes.
Oh boy am I glad I found this place. Best shakes hands down by far in Vientiane. This one is a blend of orange and watermelon. Just compare the color and texture with my last one and you’ll know this is the real deal. During my stay, I’ll come back here as many times as I can to try different flavors.
I am now on the riverfront and the place is getting busier by the minute. For being the country’s capital, Vientiane is still really laid back – the heat might also have something to do with it. It’s only when the sun goes down that the city becomes alive. At least for a few hours. At sunset, food stalls are lining up, vendors set up the Night Market, and whoever wants can join in aerobics sessions.
And of course, there’s the sunset. It would be funny to think that watching the sun going to bed is the most interesting thing that happens in Vientiane. But it’s probably true. A sunset over the Mekong is truly a sight to behold. Especially when you realise that, from the other side of the river, it’s a whole other country that you see – Thailand.
To enjoy the sunset, you can either stay near the Night Market, go to one of the many bars on the riverfront (I’ll do it later), or simply get as close as you can to the river. Most of the riverbank is made of sand, but I was shocked to see how dry the earth was around it.
After watching the sunset, it’s time to comb through the Night Market for souvenirs. It’s not hard to find: just follow the lines of bikes in the parking lot…
Honestly, there isn’t much worth buying – especially compared to the market in Luang Prabang for instance. It mostly caters to locals who are looking for cheaply made knock off clothes and electronics. But it’s nice to simply wander the area - now that the heat has finally cooled off.
While some people are browsing through the market, others take a walk along the riverside. There’s a main boulevard that can lead to the Friendship Bridge (that connects Laos with Thailand) if you follow it to the very end. But it’s at least a few km away. Instead, you can stop in front of the Chao Anouvong statue and find your way back through the public park.
Time to eat. Tonight, I’m going to try some street food. Including fried duck leg, Lao doner kebab, and some local pastries. Since there’s no place to eat near the market, I’ll just go sit down in the park like the locals. When in Rome…
After all this food, I’m finally full and head back to my hotel. This afternoon, I had walked past an ad for some black rice beer and I wanted to try. Tonight, I come back past it and decide to have a go at it. It was a bit strong and bitter. Nothing worth talking about. As soon as I get back to the room, I crash on the bed.
Day 13
Eccentric Park
I start the day with a heavy breakfast at my hotel. And by heavy, I mean ‘slippery with oil’ – Yuck! Not a mistake I’m gonna make twice.
My plan for today is to go to Buddha Park, a meadow filled with statues and located 1h drive outside Vientiane. To get to the park, you can hire a tuk tuk (for a high price I’m sure) or join an organized day trip. Or if you want to save a few bucks and know your way around town, you can take the local bus. Which I did.
I’m glad I didn’t decide to rent a moto or a bike for the day to get to the park – it’s really a bumpy ride. The roads in Laos are some of the worst I’ve seen in Asia.
From what I know of the eccentric concrete sculptures in the park is that they were built in 1958 by a Lao shaman, who was trying to combine different religions (Buddhism and Hinduism if I remember) to start his own. It’s a small but picturesque location. Perfect for a picnic or a recreational photo shoot.
Reclining Buddha, a classic figure in Buddhism.
This is probably Shiva (holding a trident ) on a three-headed elephant.
This one has to be Ganesh, the god with the head of an elephant.
I knew I’d seen this representation somewhere‌
Most tourists come in tour buses, stay for one hour, and leave. I figured that if I could wait a bit longer, I would almost have the whole place for myself to take pictures with my newly-acquired tripod.
This huge ‘carved pumpkin’ as the locals call it, is a representation of Heaven and Hell. I can’t explain why, but crawl inside the mouth, follow a path, climb a few stairs, and you can get to the top.
According to the path you’ve followed until then, you will either get easy narrow stairs to the top or this tiny opening that you’ll have to crawl through somehow. I didn’t find the final stairs…
I could leave now, but I stay a bit longer to do a few on-the-spot sketches. The only ones for this trip. I didn’t spend much time on them, so they’re not that good. Yet, I attracted the attention of a group of children who seemed to like them. They even took a picture holding the last one.
Time to get back. For this, I just need to wait for the bus. The bus stop is just a sign on a wooden post. There’s no schedule or any information whatsoever. Along with the dirt road, I actually feel like I’m waiting for a stagecoach instead …
Back in town, I stop at that damn That Dam stupa, also called ‘The Black Stupa’. Originally, the whole structure was covered with a layer of gold, but it was stolen by a Thai invasion in 1828.
After so much walking in the heat, I need a break. I get a fruit juice at Fruit Heaven (pear + melon + lime + mint – very refreshing) and a tasty pastry in a Scandinavian bakery.
I decide to walk around town and visit a few more temples and then, come back on the beach for another beautiful sunset.
I am starving. I didn’t even have lunch today. For dinner, I go to Ray’s Grille, who is known for making the best burgers in town.
I get the Aussie burger, served with beetroots and a fried egg. Pretty filling, but still not enough. So, I walk back near the river for more cheap street food.
First thing I get is BBQ squid, which tastes very different from the ones I have in China. In Sichuan, they’re all about the spices. Here, they barely put any on it and it’s still chewy and juicy when cooked. Maybe because they’re fresher.
I tried to capture the moon right on top of the temple’s golden spire.
After BBQ, I go for an Indian crispy crepe cooked out in the street. They can add different flavors. Mine was lemon+honey - finger-licking good!
But even after all this, I’m still hungry. I settle for some chewy BBQ meat (it could have been pork or rat for all I know) and some sticky rice.
Sticky rice in Laos is so good, I could eat it on its own as a snack. And it’s really sticky. They usually serve it in a small weaven basket, but since I didn’t want to sit down, I wrapped it up inside a banana leaf. Ok, I put a small stick through it for safety. But even without, held up upside down, the rice wouldn’t budge.
I finished the day by browsing through the Night Market, admiring the artists at work.
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