Morning Market

I spent my first two weeks in Vientiane looking for the grocery store. I am sorry, I know that I should have realized that Lao PDR is a least developed country and that I would not be able to go down to my local Shaw's to pick up my weekly groceries..... but I didn't. And, let me tell you, the markets are fun to walk around and stand in amazement of all of the things, both recognizable and not, to buy but it is daunting to do your weekly shopping at first. On Saturday, some friends from Lao language class went to the market with our classmate's wife, who is Lao, for some explanation.
The meat area of the market is basically a gymnasium sized open area hall with tables lined in rows. The tables are covered in cardboard and then any and all kinds of meat are lined up open area for inspection and purchase.
Whole chicken or partial disemboweled chicken for dinner? The half plucked chickens were dunked in boiling water right behind this stall, plucking was completed and then heads were cut off, guts were removed (or not) and it was all put on display. You definitely know it is fresh.
Crickets make a tasty snack.
All types of asian almond, uncured olive and other delicacies whose names could not be translated into English.
Flowers are sold as well.
The vegetable market
Veggies!

I later purchased some of my favorite- morning glories and tonight I plan to tackle preparing them with some garlic and chilis. I have never been known for my stir frying skills (I tend to make veggie-mush) so we shall see how it goes!

UPDATE (8pm):
The cooking went pretty much as plan..... which is to say, not well at all. I need to figure out the proper way to use this electric wok that everyone here seems to use. When I put the chilis in the oil, the air filled with spicy smoke (and I am still airing my apartment out). I definitely loaded up on the oyster sauce and I tried frying an egg after taking the morning glory out of the plan, which, needlless to say, ended up being gross. Disaster. It all went in the garbage and I bought 9 fresh rolls for $1.85 at the night market next door. . . .