Alexis in Laos: Vang Vieng

Lacie, my lovely friend that I met in Tokyo but who now lives in Baltimore, came to visit this week. She arrived midday Friday and after a short delay when I waited for her at the international arrivals terminal when she was really at the domestic arrivals terminal (yes, ok fine, I should have checked the flight info before I left the office), we were on our way! I showed her around the exciting sights of Vientiane- That Luang Golden Stupa and Patuxai Victory Gate. We ate at my favorite places- noodles at Kop Kap and dinner at Khop Chai Deux- and then we experienced all of the night life that Vientiane had to offer- Galaxy Bar for a 90s pop cover band and then about 10 minutes of Vientiane’s late night club at Don Chan Palace- before tuk-tuking it home.

Saturday was a day for shopping- at Talat Sao morning market and the textile shops that dot the city- it was a relaxing way to spend the day before I had my dragonboat racing practice. Yes, that is right- I have joined a dragonboat racing team and we practice twice a week, and now also on Saturdays. I am really bad at it but it is a lot of fun and having a friend watching from the sidelines meant that I got some photos! The rains came in on Saturday afternoon, rains that would last until Sunday overnight, so we just puttered around my apartment on Saturday night.

On Sunday, we were off on a bus to Vang Vieng, the notorious riverside party town. Vang Vieng is a beautiful place of nature set idyllically on the Nam Song River with karst mountains in the background but it has become overrun with 20-something backpackers who use it as a place for excessive partying. We did the Vang Vieng experience- the tubing, the painting, the bucket, the swing- without craziness. It was fun and no one got hurt- win win.