Vientiane - a WHole New World

Let me begin be impressing on all of you the absolute glorious beauty of my new tattoo. It was well worth the brief the fainting spell and the constant application of a creme known here as "nappy baby bottom cream."

The next few shots are of Patouxia, the Arc de Triumph in Vientiane. This monument was constructed in the 1960s with concrete donated by the US for an airstrip. I'm not what the story is, but the plaque outside of the monument refers to it as a "monstrosity."

Francis and I made it over to the National Museum yesterday. There's an extremely impressive prehistoric exhibit. The Dutch trading exhibit was also well done. Then things got a little more bizarre as the tales of history became more recent. Although the US bombing raid on Laos (in the mid 60s to and 70s) was secret to the Americans for nearly 15 years, the Laos people were well aware of the presence of the "American Imperialist puppets" and the carpet bombs that destroyed much of their cultural sights including the ancient Plain of Jars and temples.

Here we have various shots of the city. How'd you like to be an electrician in Vientiane?I'll include more later, but technology is not my friend today.

We continue to encounter the strangest expats. I'll refer to our new friend as "S" because I'm pretty sure here's over here avoiding a tax evasion scandal as well as some potential other legal matters. He's been very friendly and generous with the strangest tales to be told. He claims to have served 7 years in prison for bank robbing (only got nabbed for 4 out of the 13 jobs), lost 2 million on technology stocks in the 90s, started up a balcony franchising venture in Britain. Who knows how much truth is any of it. But we've heard the same stories three times in pretty consistent detail (he repeats himself a good bit when he's drinky). So, he's either an honest fellow or a brilliant liar (likely a bit of both).

Vientiane has a bit of a wild west feel. It hasn't come along so far as Thailand, although I will argue that the plumbing seems to be better. It seems to be safe, but then we're usually sequestered in the hotel by 9 PM watching wretched America movies we'd never dream of seeing in the States.

We expect to be here for a few more days, then perhaps go 3 hours north no Viang Vang. There seem to be some impressive caves, and we're really for a bit more chilling out.