Photo Diary: Best of Vientiane, Laos

Curiously, I loved Vientiane. I loved it more than Luang Prabang, and more than many other cities in SE Asia. It's small, it's walkable, it has an unbeatable running path, and delicious food. What's missing? Not much. 

What Did I Eat in Laos?

I knew nothing about Lao food before entering Laos so this was my chance to discover something new. I ate many things in Laos, including a lot of western food, but these were my favorite dishes which I found were unique to the country. 

1. Food I wished I had but didn't:  traditional French cuisine
2. Food I had but wished I didn't: Bagette sandwiches. They were unmemorable. 
3. What should have been on the list: French pastries. They were incredible. 
4. Biggest surprise: Laos has cheeko (sapodilla) milkshakes! I haven't had cheeku since Pakistan! 
5. Most delicious meal: Larb from Lao Kitchen in Vientiane. 

Larb (also spelled larp)

Larb is basically a minced meat salad with mint, ciltanto, and chili. I also had this dish in Thailand, so I thought it was Thai, but apparently this is the national dish of Laos. The best larb in all of Laos is found at Lao Kitchen in Vientiane. 

Sapodilla shake

I first met Sapodillas in Pakistan, where they are called "cheeko." One of my favorite treat in Pakistan was a cheeko shake, which was a blend of sapodilla fruit and milk (or ice cream). I heard they grow all over SE Asia, but I Laos was the first place I saw them. Once I had one shake, I had to have more!

Papaya salad

Shredded, spicy green papaya is my favorite food. I ate tons of this in Thailand, but Laos has their own version which is unique.

Baguette Sandwich

I was expecting something like a bahn mi when I first ordered one of these in Luang Prabang, however., the Lao version is much more western. Mayonaise, ham, and cheese are some of the common ingredients. 

Sausages

Laos has their own version of pork sausage which is fragmented with many spices and herbs. I ordered sausage in many restaurants but the best place to get it is right on the street. 

Street Food

Luang Prabang has one of the most amazing night markets in all of Asia, and what makes it so is the long narrow ally of street food. I sampled many things on my walk through, grilled squid, stir-fried noodles, spring rolls, and that was just a fraction of what was offered. 

French Pastries

Vientiane is home to the famous Le Banneton patisserie, where I indulged in croissants nearly everyday there. 

Vientiane Instagram Diary

A Change of Pace: Thoughts from Vientiane

A beautiful abandon theater in Vientiane

Just moments ago a Mercedes and Lexus passed up down one of the tiny Rues. I have a good first impression of Vientiane, but not a powerful one. It lacks some of the odor of Yangon, the electric charge that sends shocks from the streets into my body. And it lacks the glorious view of other cities.  But I like it. All at once it is more and less developed than I imagined. Somehow,  I had hopes there would be sidewalks, like France maybe, but I was wrong. The brick sidewalk are narrow and often occupied by parked mopeds. Other streets have no sidewalks: the disintegrates into sand, an uneven shoreline bordering both sides of the street. It’s colorful and corroded. No building is shiny or glistening, but some have been painted over and cared for. Others are in ruins, their roofs like worn clothes, shoe patches of sky visible through moth-eaten holes.

We will be here seven more nights before going into Vietnam. I don’t think any guide book or tourist would  recommend such a long time in Vientiane, but we are unlike many guide books and tourists. In fact in Laos, I would prefer to do the opposite as what it recommended.

I took a nap today, and slept through the afternoon, which was neither particularly hot nor sunny. This house feels so wonderful. Like home. Like safety. Waking up from my nap in the quiet room, lit only by the rays of afternoon sun that managed to sneak around the palm trees. Even the act of removing my shoes at the door, and walking around barefoot makes me feel at peace. At all times I can hear the sound of running water from the pond by the deck. A cool breeze flows through the house from open windows on both sides. 

Tonight’s sunset was a powder blue sky speckled with pink clouds, like petals tossed across the surface of a glassy lake. 

Scenes from My Running Path: Vientiane, Laos

I loved Vientiane for many reasons, but the one that stands out the most is the river walk, or in my case, the river run. 

Before I left for SE Asia, I had this fantasy that I would be up at dawn every morning to run down the sidewalks of every city. Perhaps I was naive or in denial, because I have never been able to wake up before 10:00 am naturally, and I often found myself sleep in during my time in Asia. If I can't even be a morning person, how can I be a morning runner?
Secondly, this fantasy shows my ignorance of most cities in SE Asia. Few cities have paved sidewalks suitable for pedestrians. Temperatures during the day can soar to 40 degree C, and the dust, dirt, smog, and exhaust from cars can be overwhelming. Moped traffic rules the roads, and even if there are sidewalks, mopeds are happy to drive on them when car traffic moves to slowly. 
Going for an afternoon jog is nearly impossible almost everywhere. 
Everywhere but Vientiane. 

Along the Mekong River, the city built a gorgeous riverwalk. As wide as a road for car traffic, this river walk is blocked off for cars and even mopeds, so pedestrians can walk freely without fear. In the evenings, it is packed with local people dancing, playing sport, looking at the sunset, or picnicking, but it is so huge that you almost never have to cross paths with anyone. I saw plenty of other evening runners, many of whom were foreign. Taking advantage of the cool evenings, the beautiful sunsets, and the well-paved car-free path, I ran almost every single day in Vientiane.

The road is about 5 kilometers from start to finish, 10 K for a round trip. The best part of the path is alongside Chao Anouvong Park. After that the road continues to be well-paved but the view is reduced to boarded of construction sites. It ends, anticlimactically, at foot of the Indian Embassy. I don't really recommend running all 5K unless you are really trying to get a work out. If you just want to check out the scene and experience the river walk, you don't need to go further than Don Chan Palace (not actually a palace). 

Despite a few shortcomings at the end, the river walk at Vientiane is my favorite place to run in all of SE Asia. 

Cafe Guide for Vientiane, Laos

Vientiane, the quiet capital of Laos, gets skipped over by a lot of tourists. Most guide books tell you to go for a day or two, visit Patu Xai and walk along the riverside at sunset, then move on. 
I spent over a week in Vientiane and loved it. It was the only city in Laos where I felt like a human, as opposed to a walking wallet. No one hassled me for a tuktuk or tried to sell me things or begs for money on the street. I was also impressed by the great cafes in this city, with great coffee and pastries and wifi. 

I found a few of these places by doing an internet search, and some of them will appear on Google Maps, but most I happened upon by walking through the city's streets. downtown Vientiane is tiny and everything is easily reachable by foot. Most of these cafes are right next door to each other, or one block away. 

Little House

A Japanese owned cafe in a small wooden house, which feels very much like it belongs in a forest and not in downtown Vientiane. An atmospheric place to work, but the coffee menu is limited and there is no wifi. 

Location: Rue Manthatourath, Vientiane

Benoni

Fastest wifi in the city. Large, comfortable tables, a full menu of foods, and a great drink selection amek this place an easy choice. 

location: next door to Joma cafe

Comma Cafe

The most proper digital nomad hangout in the city. A very trendy but non-pretnetious place to work.

Location: Google coordinate 17.965760,102.605075

Naked Espresso

A chain cafe from Australia serving proper Melbourne coffee in Laos. Customer service is very good here, and the iced drinks are fantastic. Fast wifi as well. 

Location: across the street from Little House

True Cafe

A chain cafe I like better in Laos than in its home country of Thailand. True Iced Coffee is the best iced coffee in the world. Wifi is reliable and there are plenty of seats. However, the staff are not very friendly or well trained. They will make you a good drink and hand you back the correct change, but don't expect much more. 

Location: Google coordinates  17.965044,102.606505

Le Banneton

A proper French bakery from Vientiane. Its not really a place you come to work, but it is a great way to start the mornings. I had breakfast here very morning in Vientiane, always ordering a croissant and a hot latte. 

Location: Rue Nokeokoummane

Joma Cafe

A Lao chain cafe with branches in Luang Prabang, Vientiane, and the neighboring countries of Vietnam and Cambodia. I tried to like Joma. It has a western menu with western prices, and very classic Ikea decor, but I failed to love it. It's crowded and soul-less.

Rue Setthathilath, Vientiane

Parisien Cafe

A new addittion to the city that opened the week of my arrival. Part bakery, part cafe. Mostly specializing in cakes and not competing with Le Banneton. Seemed to be popular with well-to-do locals when I attended. The staff were very friendly and the wifi was good. 

Location: corner of Rue Samsenthai and Rue Pangkham

Photo Diary: Best of Luang Prabang

It's no secret that I hated Luang Prabang, so maybe instead of a "best of..." photo diary, it should be named, "not the worst of..."

But seriously, if you take the people out of Luang Prabang, like, all of them, this is a beautiful town.