cause for K’s lack of appetite became apparent – food poisoning. Somehow I slept through it all and only woke up at 9 the next morning. Slept so much I even dreamt about work and landing a last-minute assignment. Ha!
Couldn’t figure out what it was that caused the upset stomach given that we’d been eating the same food. He thinks it was probably food that was not thoroughly cooked at malee lao.
The breakfast spread here is more limited. K couldn’t eat.
Set off for pha that luang, laos’ national symbol. 20K kip for the tuk-tuk, 5K kip for the entrance. K went back to the hotel after a while.
Decided to walk to patuxai, the lao version of the arc de triomphe. Passed by wat phonxai. No lonely planet entry but I liked the circle of buddha statues seated under the banyan tree.
Also came across newly-built brightly-painted ornate pavilions.
Cursing lack of shades and cap when I remembered that I was lugging around an umbrella. Ah, blessed shade!
It might be the dry cool season but the heat was scorching enough to burn one’s scalp. No wonder all the monks carry parasols.
Tickled by disdainful honesty of sign at patuxai, something about it being a monstrosity up close. Paid 3K kip to climb the structure.
The inside of the patuxai housed… souvenir shops. View from the top only showed how flat the skyline was. But I like the broad boulevards, lined mostly by 2-storey shophouses, and traffic has yet to reach the stage of a tangled snarl.
Walked to that dam (black stupa). It’s next to the US embassy so you can’t take pictures from certain angles.
Lunched at soukvimarn (http://www.laofoods.com/). Had lao-style dried wonton noodles (12K kip), complete with raw bean sprouts and lime wedges, and fish soup (20K kip), which was light and tangy and appetising. Had another mixed fruit shake (8K kip) as I hid from the fiercest of the heat.
Went to the lao national museum (10K kip). Unexpectedly informative, especially with the meeting of 2 cultures exhibit on the travels of dutch east india company trader gerard wusthof.
Timeline of the museum’s exhibits actually started with dinosaur fossils. Got interesting with prehistoric culture with helpful english translations. Section on laos under siamese rule left untranslated. Section on savage and barbaric french colonialists was.
Lost interest with the modern history and communism section.
Walked past wat mixai, bangkok-style sim with 2 nyak (guardian giants) flanking the gate.
Then wat ong teu mahawihan, I think. Namesake is a large 16th century bronze buddha at the back of the sim. A lao woman sought her fortune suing the divination sticks.
Ice coffee and éclair stop at café croissant d’or (17K kip). Pastry could be softer but the filling was quite generous.
Went back to hotel. K feeling better but still no appetite.
Went by T’s around 6.30. dropped by monument books and bought a copy of the dutch trader’s account of his visits published by white lotus (US$13) and a bracelet trinket (US$2).
After some to-ing and fro-ing between T and her friends, ended up at nang khambang for dinner. There was american Tr, taking photos of UXO victims and working with a prosthetics aid organization; american Sh, who’s been there the longest and is with UNICEF; aussie J, who’s headed back home after a year here; M and So, who works at the vientiane times covering education.
Dinner was good. Fish tom yum (less spicy compared to the thai version), chicken laap and fish laap, deep fried pork chop, deep fried quail (?), beef, sticky rice and raw veggies. Ate rice with right hand. Most excellent when dipped into condiment of freshly cut chillies and lime. Beer lao all round. Came to 40K kip a person.
Drinks after that at rooftop bar and restaurant. The dodgy one with hookers, T had previously proclaimed, and they were there all right.
Décor was cheesy, a rattan/bamboo weave covered the walls and ceiling. There were 2 pool tables and tables on which sat a 2-litre(?) container of beer.
The vodka lime came with actual lime juice, though the whole thing was watered down.
Conversation meandered into lao porn, which apparently exists.