After a fairly painless bus journey it was hello to Vientiane and we were quickly checked in at our hostel right in the centre of town. As capital cities go it is renown for being one of the sleepiest and certainly when we arrived at lunchtime it seemed as though the entire population of 800,000 were all having an early siesta! There was hardly anyone about at all!
We set out to find some lunch and were expecting to find loads of French and Italian inspired restaurants intermingled with some Laotian restaurants featuring menus filled with local dishes served with a modern twist. What we found was so far from what the guidebooks portrayed that we thought we were in the wrong place! Pizza restaurants galore, burger shops, coffee shops and the odd bakery but unfortunately non of them particularly inspiring. We soon found a decent local place serving delicious fer (noodle soup) and were happy once again.
Having arrived early we had some time to begin our explorations of Vientiane and so set off for a wander. We soon came upon the Presidential palace and opposite that was the Vat Sisaket. We paid our money and went in and were thoroughly impressed by the artwork both outside and within the temple. It boasted a museum but we couldn’t find one but it was nice to walk around it anyway. As our walk progressed we found that the old town of Vientiane is quite a nice mix of guesthouses, shops restaurants and temples.
While it was great walking around the heat and humidity forced us back to the refuge of the hostel where we regrouped before heading out again.
The coming of dark and the coolness seemed to bring everyone out onto the streets and the place seemed transformed. There were street food stalls galore and a night market had been set up. We found a spot to enjoy a drink and watch the sun set over the Mekong. It was great sitting up on our 3rd floor vantage point and looking down onto all the action. There were plenty of people wandering through the market and beside them were groups of ladies doing their workouts to loud pumping music.
The atmosphere, as it usually is in Laos, was very soporific and relaxing. I am not sure anything is done very quickly here and the attitude is catching. We relaxed our way through the evening, had a brief stroll through the markets before going to bed somehow completely exhausted! T
All around the old quarter were temples and we weren’t sure which were tourist sights and which were just normal temples. Either way most seemed open and we could watch the monks going about their daily chores.
The Presidential palace.
Vat Sisaket and the surrounding courtyard. It was actually more impressive on the inside but unfortunately no photos allowed.
The surrounding courtyard was filled with loads of Buddha figures.
Around the outside of the courtyard were these fantastically ornate gravestones.
Another example of one of the small temples dotted around the city.
We didn’t know where we were going and stumbled on this place, Ho Phra Keo. Again ornate on the outside but this time the interior looked like it was either about to become a museum other had been one at some stage.
The view out over the Mekong with the night markets setting up.