Alexis in Laos: May 2011

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

I can see Thailand from my backyard!

As I am learning, in Laos nothing quite works the way that I am accustomed to it working. Welcome to life lived in a developing country. I so often find myself comparing Laos to Japan- the hot weather is just as brutal and there seem to be a similar number of squat toilets. However, there are many more differences, as I am quickly realizing. I have been sitting here for nearly 40 minutes trying to upload photos to this blog post. While internet in Vientiane is prevalent, it is also slow and spotty. I managed to upload these shots and I will try for some more later.

The Mekong River winds its way through Southeast Asia from Tibet down through Cambodia and, of course, directly through Laos. It is a source of food, transportation and power for the region and contributes to some of Vientiane's tourist "mystique." At Vientiane, it separates Laos from Thailand so one can literally Thailand from one's backyard (Sarah Palin reference, anyone?). We are just now entering rainy season so the river is low. The air is hazy (and hot and humid, as you would guess) so it lends a mysterious quality to the river.

Patuxai means Victory Gate and it is a looming monument in Vientiane center built in the 1960s and is quite reminiscent of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Interestingly, tt is dedicated to those who lost their lives struggling for independence from the French. The surrounding park is a popular place for jogging and relaxing.

Friday, May 27, 2011

L(a)ost!

Arrived safely in Vientiane after about 30 hours of travel. My coworker, Mr. Joy, picked me up and took me to the office and then to my apartment. My apartment is right across the street from the office and has all the amenities a girl could want- air conditioning, a tv playing ESPN (including all the baseball games I try to avoid in the US), a pool and a lovely lady who does my laundry daily, washes my dishes and even changes the toilet paper roll each day so that there is always a fresh one. Work seems great so far- there are finger scanners to get into each door; very James Bond! I took a little walk around the city center on Wednesday but other than that I have mostly been sleeping. I imagine I will get out and about this weekend and will certainly post some photos when I can.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Dad's Retirement Party

I write this post from the Bangkok airport, my home for the next several hours as I wait for my flight to Vientiane. I bit the bullet and purchased some internet so it seems the perfect opportunity to post some photos of the lovely retirement party that my Dad had on Sunday. My Dad has worked at CorpCare, an occupational health center in Connecticut for 15 years and this year he retired. We had a wonderful party on Sunday and many of his coworkers and colleagues came out to celebrate him, his work and his retirement. Congratulations, Dad!