Easy Lao Livin'

The 4,000 Islands was so relaxing that I actually spent 7 nights there...partly because on the day I was to depart my stomach was bothering me.  I took a long walk with friends, and perhaps got dehydrated a bit and drank some bad water, but all is okay now!  Don Det was very quiet, and after sunset the bars stayed open for awhile until everyone went down to the beach to make a fire.  When I finally left, I took the sleeper bus to Vientiane.  I have never been in a capital like this before!  For a city, it is not big nor hectic, rather quiet!  A capital city without honking horns and chaotic sirens?  YES, Vientiane!  People are also preparing for the Lao new year, so perhaps there are not many people here, contributing to the quiet atmosphere!  I have spent my time soaking up the sun on a bike and seeing the sites, enjoying the French influence and doing a bit of necessary shopping (my shorts had holes in them practically to the point of earning myself a ticket for indecent exposure in my home country, coupled with making it WAY too easy to rob me so I had to buy new ones :) ).  Cambodia and Vietnam too are former French colonies, but in Laos here and particularly Vientiane, there is much evidence of the French.  Aside from hearing French spoken a lot around here (by many French tourists, not so much the locals), you can also find menus in French and French food galore!  I have been LOVING the fresh baguettes, and a good coffee is not too hard to find either (although a bit expensive).

Tomorrow I will head to Vang Vieng for some tubing madness on the Mekong River!  More to come soon!!