Wk 10 and we're off to Vientiane

Week 10, we've made it through the first term already.  We've got the class preparation sorted now, and the lesson content isn't a problem, it's just getting used to the change is schedule that still brings us undone from time to time.  We still don't get to bed before midnight often enough through the week. I tried shopping for something to wear to a wedding but without success in my mornings off this week. It was exhausting and frustrating, everything is either made for the Asian sized frame or too tizzy.
No Monday walk this week, we have an early departure and with very light traffic at that hour the taxi took only 15 mins to airport. Felt like we were driving to Bangkok we taxied for so long before take off. We had less than 2 hrs in transit but I nearly missed the connection because I seriously underestimated the distance to the next departure lounge. My, how this terminal has grown in the 35 yrs (can it really be that long) since we were here last time with Billi and Stu Hassett from Butterworth. Eric was very stressed when I eventually got there as they had been announcing last call and he had even had me paged but I was 2 floors above and didn't even hear it as I was running through the crowds. He was thinking we would be staying the night in Bangkok. We were the last to board the last bus that then drove us out to the plane and again we seemed to taxi an awfully long way to the runway.  I didn't dare look at anyone else but I could sense the stares of disapproval.  They probably all thought I had been shopping but in fact I'd been reading the news online and all I had bought was a bottle of Mekong for old times sake.
Vientiane was only a 1 hr flight but it seemed to take that long again in the queue for the visa on arrival.  We got a taxi into town, the driver spoke very good English and the hotel looks good so were we're off to a good start.  Only disappointment we discovered was the hotel is not actually on the river as suggested, view from our balcony presents an excellent option for birds to roost though. The mini bar is stocked with Beer Lao which is not a bad drop.

After a short rest we ventured out into the streets.  To get to the river we need to walk 20 m to the end of the street and through the Buddhist temple.  The river is at it's lowest level as this is the end of the dry season and the public walkways along the bank are actually a long way from the water which is a little disappointing, it must be amazing in the wet season.  We can see Thailand on the far side.

We meander some of the streets not too far from home, there is a lot of development going on so it is quite dusty and noisy. Fortunately we stumbled upon a very pleasant beer garden. The menu looks great and as with all of Asia it seems to serve meals anytime of the day.  Grilled ribs with garlic, fish with kaffir lime leaves and a green papaya salad. Yum, but then the chilli sambol was a bit too spicy so we had to order fresh coconut ice cream!
It's been a long day so we head  home for a Mekong nightcap and in bed early.
Tuesday 13/3
After the self serve breakfast at our Avilla Phasouk Hotel we walked all over town visiting the sites of interest. We started at the morning market but found it rather gloomy and dusty in comparison to the lively places we've seen in other Asian cities.  Perhaps we didn't actually find the throbbing heart of it.
The city has many ancient stupas and temples, most of which have been damaged and restored after conflicts with the Khmer, Thais or French since the 16th century.  Only one temple has never been attacked and they believe it might be because it was built in the Thai style.  It is amazing with over 10,000 buddha statues in every imaginable pose and is now a museum.

We climbed up the Patuxay Victory Arch which was built to commemorate the overthrow of the French and ironically built to replicate the arch in Paris. From here you get great views up and down the length of the tree lined central boulevard.  The climb reminded us of the Penang Temple of 1000 steps because like there, at every opportunity, there was a stall holder with items of every description for sale though there is no pressure to buy. We also saw the magnificent Presidential Offices from here at at the far end of the boulevard is the Palace. Foot sore and hungry we had lunch in the bakery around the corner from our hotel and then went home to rest and read our new bird book.
In the afternoon we browsed the shopping options and visited the Carol Cassidy hand woven silk workshop where we were able to watch the weaving process and see all the traditional as well as contemporary designs.  She also has a workshop in Cambodia where all the workers are survivors of UXOs. I bought a scarf made there. The money exchange is quite confronting at first but mathematically quite easy, the exchange is US$1 = 8,000 Kip.
Wednesday 14/3
We had booked a driver to collect us this morning for a half day tour.  We started out for Buddha Park which is only 24 Kim's from town and I had thought of riding bikes out there.  So glad we didn't, the road is either in a terrible state of repair or in the middle of roadworks -hard to tell which , for a big part of the journey and the traffic is heavy.  Buddha Park was not a highlight, one eccentric man's vision to construct concrete sculptures of both Hindu and Buddhist icons.

We drove under the Friendship Bridge which links Laos with Thailand just over the Mekong River. Back in town we visited the Pha That Luang, the most important national monument, the symbol of both Buddhist and Lao sovereignty. One disappointing thing we found here was locals trying to get tourists to purchase caged birds so that they could be released. They picked the wrong people to tempt when they approached us.

Finally our driver took us to the Cope visitor centre which is a project to assist disabled people with orthotic and physio treatment.  In an effort to disrupt supply lines to the Viet Cong on the Ho Che Min Trail during the Vietnam war, the US is estimated to have dropped a plane load of bombs on Laos every 8 minutes for 9 years. Unfortunately up to 30% are believed to have failed to explode on impact so now the country remains littered with UXOs, estimated to be at least 78 million. 300 people die or are injured each year by disturbing them either unknowingly or in an attempt to recycle the scrap metal.  We saw an inspiring video featuring an real Aussie hero who is here training teams of locals in disarming the UXOs. The cope Centre provides free support to the survivors of these explosions and also sufferers of polio, club foot  and leprosy or road accidents.  It was a profoundly moving visit and we are proud that Australia is listed at the top of the international donors list.