Vientiene's subtle charms - July 13, 2007

Minutes after my plane touched down in Vientiene, I could feel myself decompressing. In Phnom Penh, you have to arm yourself with patience and good humour to deal with the relentless harassment from tuk-tuk drivers, beggers and street children selling everything from Lonely Planet books, flowers and water. I love Phnom Penh but there is an undercurrent of violence and crime that forces you to always be on your toes. I never thought I would enjoy being ignored, but in Vientiene, it's been an absolute pleasure walking the streets with the locals barely batting an eye at me.

There is something about this city that forces you to slow down. For one thing, it's much smaller than most Southeast Asian capital cities and the traffic is steady but not chaotic -- you don't feel like you're putting your life in your hands when you're crossing the street. But it's more than lack of size or busy-ness that accounts for its laidback atmosphere. The Laotions themselves embody the national psyche of slowing down, not taking on too much stress... you can see it in the markets as shopkeepers huddle behind their desks to play cards or take a nap.

The city itself is an eclectic mix of architecture left behind by the various foriegn conquerers that have occupied the city. A heavy dose of French colonialism can be found in the wide, tree-lined boulevards, the baguette stands and the Arc de Triomphe-esque Patuxi monument.



The Siamese (Thai) influence is evident in many of the wats dotting the city, while the Laotions themselves have built some impressive monuments like the Pha That Luang.



And of course, what would a Communist country be without the socialistic, ulitarian charm of some truly ugly buildings?



Vientiene is not a city full of awe-inspiring sites and attractions, but I have found myself staying here much longer than I had anticipated. Perhaps it's the luxury of time that I am enjoying so much ... along with my nightly ritual of sitting on the banks of the Mekong River to watch the sunset and chowing down on ping kai (grilled chicken), sticky rice and a cold bottle of Beerlao.