Fruit Shakes and Bicycles

Or I could have called it "Fruit Shakes and Bicycles: The Underated Charm of Vientiane" or another one "Fruit Shakes, Bicycles, The Underated Charm of Vientiane and The Overated Power of Travel Guides...

Vientiane, capital city of Laos, a city which has lost most of the architectural and historical charm tourist love so much. Vientiane, with its focus on functionality and not necessarily on tourism. Vientiane, with its distinct multicultural-expat image and will for modernity. Hence, Vientiane, at the bottom of the list of cities to visit in Laos, way after World Heritage Luang Prabang and backpacker oriented Vang Vieng...off course, always according to my dear travel guide.

But for some odd reasons, Vientiane and I liked each other...For the few days I was here, I liked its slow pace cit life, its oblivion to my white "falang" (foreigner) state, the authenticity of its shops and food stalls. This is the city, not a touristy village, nobody wants to sell you crap, the goal as a business is to survive among the dozen selling the same exact stuff as you. After a month of travelling, I welcomed Vientiane's french cafes and terrasses. I liked its one dollar refreshing fruit shakes which I indulged on at a rate of two or three a day! I liked its thousand bicycles, this two-wheel traffic I mingled in with so much ease, discovering the beauties and oddities of this city.

But today, it is time to say good bye to the capital city. I'm heading back to Vang Vieng to volunteer at the Mulberry Organic Farm (http://www.laofarm.org/). Today was also time to say good bye to my neat companion of the last few weeks; Gabrielle has now gone on her own adventure, heading to the South of Thailand, to its warm and exotic beaches before heading back home.

Veronik