Isn’t Windows great?

At the checkin counter at Wattay International Airport, Vientiane, Laos

Lao’s national and most popular adult beverage. Notice the gecko?
Vientiane, Laos

… from Ban Pako Ecolodge to Vientiane.

Not quite like a Japanese onsen, which contains hot water, but very refreshing in the tropical heat.

At Ban Pako Ecolodge outside Vientiane.

About 30km outside Vientiane is the Ban Pako Ecolodge. Along the Nam Ngum River, it’s a wonderful getaway from the capital. It features bungalows with a river view, and you can swim, tube down the river, trek to a nearby village, have a sauna or bath in the jungle, get a massage, or just plain relax and enjoy the scenery. It also has quite tasty Lao and Western food. Plus it practices ecotourism, which means that all the materials and food used and served at Ban Pako comes from the nearby villages, and the electricty (only about 2 hours in the evening), is generated from solar panels. From Ban Pako’s website:

“To us ecological thinking and environmental protection is of great importance. All energy used at Ban Pako is produced by our own solar cell system, every building on our premises are built out of eucalyptus tree and bamboo from our own plantation.

Ban Pako runs its own developement program for the surrounding villages. We are helping them to raise their living standard without harming the natural forest by activities as growing vegetables, improving the small schools etc. As a guest you are a part of this by taking one of our tours since some of the money goes directly to our village fund.

In our restaurant you can among other dishes enjoy our famous red curry knowing that it is as far as possible produced by farmers living nearby. In this way we know that there are no unnecessary transports or chemical use and we also financially support the villages around us.”

Kudos to Frida Guldberg and Jesper Lejfjord, the current managers from Sweden, who are most hospitable hosts.

… back to Vientiane from the hinterland, as night falls.

We just happened to be in town for the inaugural train between Thailand and Laos across the Freedom Bridge over the Mekong River, which separates the two countries. While we checked out the brand, spanking new station (kind of out in the middle of nowhere on the Lao side), the very first train pulled up with a bunch of smiling Thai passengers who got out of the train, took a look at the station, snapped a few photos, and got back on the train to return to the Thai side, all in about 30 minutes. They were joined by a few Laos who also showed up for the occasion, but couldn’t ride the train over to Thailand. I guess since they were the ones who built the train, such a privilege was reserved for the Thais.
A bit corny, but still kind of fun to see.

Thanaleng Station on the Lao end of the Freedom Bridge, about 15km outside Vientiane.

Vientiane, Laos.

at Talat Sao market.
One of the biggest markets I’ve seen in Southeast Asia. It has everything from jewelry, CD/DVD’s, electronics, clothes, shoes, cosmetics, toiletries, and of course, lots of fresh produce, meat, and fish! Part of it is housed in a modern building, while the most interesting section is in the older maze of alleyways, where you can spend hours meandering and getting lost. It’s definitely your one-stop shopping locale.

Vientiane, Laos

… of our Lao Airlines flight from Bounneau to Vientiane.