Why is it that you always find out really interesting stuff just as you are about to leave? In our Cambodian hotel reception and on the drive to the airport, Sam, our tour guide, was telling us about his family. His Mum and Dad are divorced because when his Dad was at war he was shot and taken into North Vietnam and everyone told his Mum he was dead. Six years later he returned but it was too late, she had already re-married. His Dad lives in a village and is a herbal medicine man. Sam has already helped his Dad to get a fresh water pump, build a vege garden for him to grow his own vegetables and also built a chicken coop. His next plan is to buy him 1 hectare of land to grow his herbs needed for the medicine and to be able to take tourists to visit. Sam showed us a recipe book written by his Dad for traditional herbal medicines which is 40 years old, and obviously very special to him as he carries it in his backpack.
We arrived at the
Inter City Hotel in
Vientiane, located on the Mekong River dividing Laos and Thailand. It's just a hop, skip and a jump across the river to Thailand but you have to drive 24 kilometres to get to the crossing.
The hotel reception is just beautiful, like an art gallery.
After getting set up we headed out for lunch. Dave, sour pork ribs.
I thought I'd try a traditional Laos dish of Papaya salad and man, do they grow hot chillies here.
Back to the hotel to settle the kids in front of dvd's Dave and I went on the obligatory orientation walkabout. With a French influence and most of the shops closed it seems that Vientiane is a very peaceful city.
Later, dinner and night market shopping where we've bought a fab painting of Buddha.
More photos
here.
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