Check back soon
Once posts are published, you’ll see them here.
Asian Adventure: Vientiane
- Ruby-Anne Birin
- Dec 22, 2014
- 2 min read
Day 10: Vientiane
Accommodation: Inter City Hotel
Contiki Guide: Emmo
Local Guide: Mr. Mei
Highlights: COPE centre, night markets
Vientiane is a relatively small capital city. With a population of just over 200 000, I laughed at the idea that in this city a traffic jam would probably be five cars at a traffic light. I am not ashamed to say that I was very wrong. With traffic to rival any capital in the world, Vientiane is a bustling city (that has streets harder to cross than Rome). Unpon arrival we stropped off at a cool, little restaurant called Joma, which offers both European and Laotion dishes.
After Joma we made our way to the COPE centre. Here we learnt about the tragedy of Laos’s recent history. During the Vietnam War millions of dollars a day were spent bombing Laos, making it the most bombed per capita country in the world. Thousands of cluster bombs and missiles that did not detonate upon impact leaving them to be found by people not even born at the time of the war. These bombs are found by accident after the monsoon season and by rural people scavenging to sell metal. Tragically these bombs can still detonate and create massive damage. COPE seeks to supply prosthetics, therapy and assistance to individuals who loose limbs as a result of these exploding cluster bombs. At the end of the tour we were given the opportunity to buy souvenirs (T-shirt’s, key-rings ect.) or a leg/arm for someone. For more information on COPE click here.
After our visit to the COPE centre we head onto a bus for a tour of Vientiane. We see the Golden Stupa and learn more about Laos’s more ancient history, who has controlled it in the past as well as how the government has worked in the past as well as the present. On our tour we see parliament from a massive replica of the arch de triumph (with an eastern twist) as well as other local landmarks. After our tour we head on to our new hotel.
Our hotel is located opposite the night markets as well as the Mekong River which in Vientiane acts as a border between Thailand and Laos. After freshening up we hit the night markets. Here I buy two traditional sarongs (see if you can spot me wearing one when we reach Siem Reap) as well as exploring stores selling a range of unique clothes and jewellery.
To end off our stay in Laos we go to nice dinner with the tour before heading back to our hotel to avoid the 23:00 military curfew.
Comentarios