Laos: Vientiane

Last time we were in Laos, we stayed in Vientiane long enough to change buses, so I looked forward to seeing a bit more of the nation's capital this time around. Turns out there really isn't too much to see besides the standard temples, government buildings and the odd museum with a few cultural relics. It's a laid back town along the Mekong with a view of Thailand on the other side.

Soccer on the Mekong - Thailand in the background.

While in Vientiane, we mostly spent our days working at cafes (researching for PlanetEarth Works or applying for jobs) and evenings having long meals and cold drinks. Any free time was filled with walking and seeing what surprises were around the corner. FYI, it was usually a temple. My favorite parts of Vientiane: the riverfront and Indian restaurants. I love Thai, Cambodian and Vietnamese food, I really do, but the flavors in Indian food belong to a different realm and I was happy to visit it again. One benefit to being a capital city - a little more diversity in the food options. We did have one memorable experience at a food stall that had tables set up underneath lamps that seemed to have a special magnetic effect on all the bugs in the city. We fished little gnats out of our beers while having a snack and decided that it'd be less work to eat inside that evening. Thus, the discovery of Nazim's Indian Restaurant.

Street food stalls with buggy seating.

Our experience in Vientiane wasn't too out of the ordinary, but we met some very friendly people and enjoyed the slow pace of things around town.

Lots of cars in the capital city.

Night market along the river.

Laotian and communist flags along the river. 

Government building.

Temple across from our guesthouse.