Nywoman goes solo in Laos
Oct 24th, 2009, 08:48 PM
#61
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Never got to do the write up. Am still in Vientiane, and am waitlisted for Bangkok, have found the greatest guide. I know you never thought you would hear that out of my mouth. He is fantastic and will post name etc when I get to write about my experiences here.
Seagypsy no linedancing, I am totally uncoordinated when it comes to that. Just good old fashioned bumping around.
Bob when I get to a proper fast computer will get to Africa Forum and read all about your trip.
Everyone keep your fingers crossed that next youy hear from me it will be from Bangkok.
Seagypsy no linedancing, I am totally uncoordinated when it comes to that. Just good old fashioned bumping around.
Bob when I get to a proper fast computer will get to Africa Forum and read all about your trip.
Everyone keep your fingers crossed that next youy hear from me it will be from Bangkok.
Oct 24th, 2009, 11:51 PM
#62
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Hi Nywoman. I'm really glad you liked Vientiane. I love being there although most people seem to think it boring - can't think what they do to think that! Its grown a lot over the years I've been visiting like everywhere in Lao has, but its still great. Did you get to Makphet restaurant?
Oct 25th, 2009, 04:17 AM
#63
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VIENTIANE
The Boat Landing was probably a novelty when it first opened up, and am sure that it still is in many ways. It is a lovely remote place, don't know how it was when the original owners and builders ran it.
Now it is as I wrote a place to chill out, or be picked up by a car for a trek.
Our flight was over an hour delayed getting into Vientiane, couldn't really see much as it was getting dark. Took a taxi to Mali Namphu guesthouse, on the recommendation of my friend Sue. The taxis are a fixed price from the airport $6 or $8 for a van.
The GH could offer me a single room for 1 night $22 which was fine, the next night I moved to a twin bedded room off the garden for $30.
The GH is very near to the main tourist drag and as I walked to an Internet Cafe, I see these buffet tables in the middle of the sidewalk. A new Cafe opened that day and anyone who walked by was invited to partake of the food and soft drinks being offered. There were quite an array of different hors d'oeuvres, some better than others. Quite the opening feast, which meant that I didn't need to have dinner that night. Internet here is very slow, but you can prepay 2 hours for a little less than $1 or pay 100 kip a minute which comes to about 75 cents an hour.
The front desk man, Phan, who checked me in wears many hats, he offered to take me on a guided tour the next day together with 2 Japanese gentlemen for $30. Since as a rule I avoid guides, from my less than wonderful experiences last year I was very hesitant to accept the offer. Now I am so glad that I relented, in the end, there is no way that I would have covered as much ground and seen as much on my own.
Phan's English is excellent and he is a very good guide, when he offered to take me to different markets the following day, his day off I didn't hesitate for a second.
We started out by going to Buddah Park, built by a religious fanatic in the late 50's. He apparently studied under a Hindu rishi in Vietnam, as well as being a priest and a monk. The place is absolutely fantastic and in many ways quite beautiful. There is a huge reclining Buddah and many, many other statues. The builder of the park was forced to leave Laos, and settled in the Thai town of Nong Khai where he built another park. We then went to see the Friendship bridge that connect Thailand to Lao. Stopped at the convention center, where a trade show was being set up, bought some drinks at the super market inside the center. Then came time for the real meaty stuff, I think we covered every temple in town. Phan really wanted us to see the Lao Nationa Museum but we were all sight-seeinged out.
Phan as out guide was called took us to a Lao restaurant where we had a delcious lunch of fresh and fried springrolls, as well as rice paper rolls filled with lettuce, mint, noodles and grilled pork, all of this was washed down with Beer Lao. Lunch for the 4 of us came to $18 including many beers and a large bottle of water.
When we returned to the Guesthouse a large stage was being erected on the street with a sign “Luxe Grand Opening” there was this tiny little shop that was opening with such an extravaganza. After having rested for awhile, before joining the festivities, which I had been invited to partake in. I stood on the street and marveled at how the whole thing had been put together. The guests arrived carrying very elaborate flower baskets, hostess dutifully was photographed with each guest. The women for the most part were very dressed up. The show started with two women singing and dancing to a record, then a mistress of ceremonies and someone else came onstage and never stopped talking. The ribbon cutting ceremony took place while they were still gabbing on. Then came the highlight THE FASHION SHOW. Most of the things seemed to be made for Lolitas, thigh high stockings with shorts and ridiculously high heels, or long flowing night gowns with huge floppy strawhats. I am sure that it is very fashionable in Tokyo or Vientiane.
After a a couple of tea sandwiches decided it was time for dinner, this time I thought I wanted something Western to eat, and walked into a very busy outdoor restaurant, unfortunately didn't take the name down, it is past the Scandinavian Bakery close to Green Discovery. There didn't seem to be any tables available so I sat at the bar. Within two minutes a young German girl asked if I wanted to join her. Had one of the best Chicken Laab ever, nothing else appealed to me. Dagmar and I ended up having a delightful evening and she happily joined me in the following days schedule.
I had spent most of Saturday trying to get through to Lao airlines to change my ticket to return to Bangkok Sunday afternoon, was never able to get through. Sunday morning Phan drove me to the airport, where I was reassured that they “always” had no shows. After having spent most of the day visiting various markets including the Morning Market, which is a shopping mall, as well as the National Museum, and killing a few hours sitting by the Mekong drinking beer went out to the airport, and of course everybody had shown up for the flight.
Checked into the Lao Paris hotel which is quite lovely with a nice room for $25 and being picked up at 6 am for a confirmed flight.
The Boat Landing was probably a novelty when it first opened up, and am sure that it still is in many ways. It is a lovely remote place, don't know how it was when the original owners and builders ran it.
Now it is as I wrote a place to chill out, or be picked up by a car for a trek.
Our flight was over an hour delayed getting into Vientiane, couldn't really see much as it was getting dark. Took a taxi to Mali Namphu guesthouse, on the recommendation of my friend Sue. The taxis are a fixed price from the airport $6 or $8 for a van.
The GH could offer me a single room for 1 night $22 which was fine, the next night I moved to a twin bedded room off the garden for $30.
The GH is very near to the main tourist drag and as I walked to an Internet Cafe, I see these buffet tables in the middle of the sidewalk. A new Cafe opened that day and anyone who walked by was invited to partake of the food and soft drinks being offered. There were quite an array of different hors d'oeuvres, some better than others. Quite the opening feast, which meant that I didn't need to have dinner that night. Internet here is very slow, but you can prepay 2 hours for a little less than $1 or pay 100 kip a minute which comes to about 75 cents an hour.
The front desk man, Phan, who checked me in wears many hats, he offered to take me on a guided tour the next day together with 2 Japanese gentlemen for $30. Since as a rule I avoid guides, from my less than wonderful experiences last year I was very hesitant to accept the offer. Now I am so glad that I relented, in the end, there is no way that I would have covered as much ground and seen as much on my own.
Phan's English is excellent and he is a very good guide, when he offered to take me to different markets the following day, his day off I didn't hesitate for a second.
We started out by going to Buddah Park, built by a religious fanatic in the late 50's. He apparently studied under a Hindu rishi in Vietnam, as well as being a priest and a monk. The place is absolutely fantastic and in many ways quite beautiful. There is a huge reclining Buddah and many, many other statues. The builder of the park was forced to leave Laos, and settled in the Thai town of Nong Khai where he built another park. We then went to see the Friendship bridge that connect Thailand to Lao. Stopped at the convention center, where a trade show was being set up, bought some drinks at the super market inside the center. Then came time for the real meaty stuff, I think we covered every temple in town. Phan really wanted us to see the Lao Nationa Museum but we were all sight-seeinged out.
Phan as out guide was called took us to a Lao restaurant where we had a delcious lunch of fresh and fried springrolls, as well as rice paper rolls filled with lettuce, mint, noodles and grilled pork, all of this was washed down with Beer Lao. Lunch for the 4 of us came to $18 including many beers and a large bottle of water.
When we returned to the Guesthouse a large stage was being erected on the street with a sign “Luxe Grand Opening” there was this tiny little shop that was opening with such an extravaganza. After having rested for awhile, before joining the festivities, which I had been invited to partake in. I stood on the street and marveled at how the whole thing had been put together. The guests arrived carrying very elaborate flower baskets, hostess dutifully was photographed with each guest. The women for the most part were very dressed up. The show started with two women singing and dancing to a record, then a mistress of ceremonies and someone else came onstage and never stopped talking. The ribbon cutting ceremony took place while they were still gabbing on. Then came the highlight THE FASHION SHOW. Most of the things seemed to be made for Lolitas, thigh high stockings with shorts and ridiculously high heels, or long flowing night gowns with huge floppy strawhats. I am sure that it is very fashionable in Tokyo or Vientiane.
After a a couple of tea sandwiches decided it was time for dinner, this time I thought I wanted something Western to eat, and walked into a very busy outdoor restaurant, unfortunately didn't take the name down, it is past the Scandinavian Bakery close to Green Discovery. There didn't seem to be any tables available so I sat at the bar. Within two minutes a young German girl asked if I wanted to join her. Had one of the best Chicken Laab ever, nothing else appealed to me. Dagmar and I ended up having a delightful evening and she happily joined me in the following days schedule.
I had spent most of Saturday trying to get through to Lao airlines to change my ticket to return to Bangkok Sunday afternoon, was never able to get through. Sunday morning Phan drove me to the airport, where I was reassured that they “always” had no shows. After having spent most of the day visiting various markets including the Morning Market, which is a shopping mall, as well as the National Museum, and killing a few hours sitting by the Mekong drinking beer went out to the airport, and of course everybody had shown up for the flight.
Checked into the Lao Paris hotel which is quite lovely with a nice room for $25 and being picked up at 6 am for a confirmed flight.
Oct 25th, 2009, 06:27 AM
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"After a a couple of tea sandwiches decided it was time for dinner, this time I thought I wanted something Western to eat, and walked into a very busy outdoor restaurant, unfortunately didn't take the name down, it is past the Scandinavian Bakery close to Green Discovery. There didn't seem to be any tables available so I sat at the bar. Within two minutes a young German girl asked if I wanted to join her. Had one of the best Chicken Laab ever, nothing else appealed to me."
That sounds like Khop Chai Deu, one of the most popular Vientiane restaurants.
That sounds like Khop Chai Deu, one of the most popular Vientiane restaurants.
Oct 25th, 2009, 04:46 PM
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NY woman, are you in BKK now? Without reading the last section of your trip report, I note that you were hoping to fly to BKK on Sunday afternoon.
Would love to meet, as I am in BKK right now, and will be here until November 3. I won't be here for the GTG later on in November.
Carol
Would love to meet, as I am in BKK right now, and will be here until November 3. I won't be here for the GTG later on in November.
Carol
Oct 25th, 2009, 08:14 PM
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Hi Carol,
Arrived in Bangkok this morning, Monday. Am free tomorrow early evening, I think, if that works for you. Am staying at a friend's house. Let me know where you are and I will call you.
Arrived in Bangkok this morning, Monday. Am free tomorrow early evening, I think, if that works for you. Am staying at a friend's house. Let me know where you are and I will call you.
Oct 25th, 2009, 08:55 PM
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Role-model, heroine, life mentor and scribe:
Vivat Vivat Nywoman! This post is an object example to all of us. I can't wait to see how this travel style translates to Burma.
All we can do is genuflect and marvel at the Power of One.
Vivat Vivat Nywoman! This post is an object example to all of us. I can't wait to see how this travel style translates to Burma.
All we can do is genuflect and marvel at the Power of One.
Oct 26th, 2009, 05:36 AM
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NYwoman, I'm off to Chiang Mai tomorrow (just for the day) but will be back in BKK very late in the evening. I am here for another week. I am staying on Sukhumvit soi 8 at the Adelphi Suites. When do you leave BKK?
Carol
Carol
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