“Sabaidee” (hello) from Laos

Our journey through the Indochinese peninsula took us to Vientiane, capital of Laos. After the density of Vietnam and the activity of Cambodia, Vientiane, with its 200,000 quiet inhabitants, is a really peaceful capital. A day in the city is enough to get around and visit most of the (scarce) highlights and even get out to the surrounding country side. One knows that a city is not the Mecca of tourism when the guide says that the most interesting things are the pleasant people and the beer factory. On the positive side (also according to the guide), the tranquillity of people hopelessly frustrated the Americans during the Vietnam War because they were so relaxed that they did not managed to get them to fight effectively against anyone. In return, Laos got the largest amount of bombs per square kilometre ever thrown in a country.
Today is our last day in Vientiane before starting our way up to the North of the country, from where we plan to cross to Vietnam. We will say goodbye to the city with a dinner in the riverfront, full of food stalls and putting a carpet to the Mekong in its way through the city. A Mekong that is in this area, as if marking character, much quieter than in Cambodia and Vietnam. Then, to bed before 23.30, curfew time in this city….