Leaving Laos
Final destination Laos…the capitol city of Vientiane. One of the first things we noticed when we arrived was how quiet it was compared to Chiang Mai. Considering it is the largest city in the country, there was very little traffic. It felt peaceful and calm. There was French architecture all around us, many good restaurants, and friendly locals. Our first impression was a good one. After checking into our room, we walked around getting the lay of the land. It was very hot, in fact it was the hottest we had yet experienced in Southeast Asia. I quickly bought myself an umbrella which is how many, if not most, of the locals stay in the shade. No matter where we ventured, finding our way back to the hotel turned out to be pretty easy because of a nearby landmark …That Dam Stupa. Stupas are monuments to Buddha…a common sight around these parts, but the name of this one cracked us up. “Dam” actually means black. Check out the “pot hole” in front of Jimmy. Another common sight around these parts. You’d be advised not to walk down the street and try to read a map at the same time.
We visited Patouxay Monument which was built in the late 1950’s. Although it looks similar to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, it was actually built as a war monument to those who fought in the struggle for independence from France.
It was a very interesting structure with a big park on one side and it was adorned inside and out with many Buddhist images including one of my favorites, the Kinnari… a half-female, half- swan creature. Unexpectedly, there was also a mermaid on one of the ceilings and it made me wonder how wide spread that particular mythology might be.
Afterward, we made a visit to a place called COPE, which stands for Cooperative Orthotic and Prosthetic Enterprise. Without going into too much detail (although I’m tempted to), this place was a real eye opener. During the time of the Vietnam War, the United States also waged a “secret war” against Laos. While there were rules about where (and who) they could bomb in Vietnam, those rules didn’t apply to Laos and they basically bombed the hell out of it with abandon. I don’t know all the numbers, but I learned that Laos holds the record as the most bombed country in the world. What’s even more tragic is that tons (and I mean that literally) of these bombs are still laying around unexploded. Many Laotians, often children, have been killed and maimed by unexpectedly coming upon these weapons. And many actually seek them out, risking their very lives, for the opportunity to sell the scrap metal. There were many interesting displays and a good video about the training and implementation of those attempting to disarm the bombs and protect the innocent.
Installation of a "cluster" bomb
The information was a little startling to me and very sad really, but I was so glad we went. The purpose of COPE is largely to help the victims with prosthetics and rehabilitation and it was good to know that despite the tragic scope of all this, there are people out there who care. If you’re interested in learning more about this, here are two websites you can check out.
http://library.thinkquest.org/trio/TR0110763/secretWar.html
Of course it wouldn’t be a day in Southeast Asia without seeing at least one wat! As night fell, we headed into the main part of town along the Mekong River. We chose an Indian Restaurant with an interesting menu and great outdoor seating. Approaching our table, we noticed something very familiar about the mural over the main entrance. What the heck? When I inquired about it, the owner seemed to think it was Bombay! Hmmmmm. I don’t think so. But there is an unidentified building right in the middle. Anyone recognize it? Perhaps we’ll never know.
So that was our big adventure in Laos. We headed for the airport and boarded a prop airplane to fly back to Chiang Mai. We had a great time and were also looking forward to getting “home.” And one final note, Jimmy tried to exchange our unused Kips for Bahts and the woman behind the desk laughed at the very idea. Anybody need a million kips?
