Sao Darly
Home away from Home
A few photos of the main post office in Vientiane, Laos. These photos were taken on May 26, 2010. This post office is located opposite of the Morning Market or Talat Sao. The small building you see on the right is where you would want to visit as a collector. The center part of the building is where to send or receive mails. The express service is located to the left side of the building.
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My relatives in Laos love plants and flowers and they are fond of cactus. Some of the relatives grow them in pots on their front porch and take them inside at night to deter theft. Why would anyone steal a cactus plant to begin with is beyond my wildest imagination.
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During my one month in Laos I never problem with getting up early in the morning. I slept better this time after a week or so and didn’t get sick at all unlike my previous trip to Laos in 2008. For whatever reason I was always the first one in the house to get up. It has always been like that during all my previous trips to Laos. It was as though I didn’t want to waste my time sleeping away and wanted to absorb as much experience of Laos as possible.
Getting up early and watching the run rising in Laos is something that I can’t never get enough off. Making a visit to That Luang ground and walking around at 6:00 AM while waiting for the sun to come up was a highlight of my trip to Laos.
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It was a smooth 45 minutes flight from Bangkok, Thailand to Vientiane, Laos. They gave out forms for us to fill out during our flight but they forgot to give us the Visa Application Form. When the plane landed and we all went up to the Immigration desk, we were told one form was missing so we all had to get out of line and went to fill out the form and get inline again. The process didn’t go as smooth as the last time because there were a couple of males from Nigeria and another African country with questionable documents and were holding up the line. These two individuals didn’t have any suitcase or a carry-on for that matter and just wanted Visa for just one day. Of course this raised some questions with the Immigration officer.
After some time the men were taken aside to discuss their Visa with another officer so the line can proceed. I asked for two months Visa and it was not a problem and the nice lady at the counter told me when my stamp expired in one month I can just renew it in Laos for $60.00 or cross over to Thailand via the Friendship Bridge and it would be only $35.00.
After that it was time for me to get through custom. The gentleman at the counter checked my passport and my Visa and told me I can just walk to Ban Akat because it is such a beautiful night. Adhering to custom, I invited him for dinner. Later at the luggage claim area, the young workers there told me to just go right ahead and pick any suitcase that I want. I told them I just want my own and went straight for my bright orange suitcase. When they asked me what village I am going to and I told them Ban Akat, one of them said that it is a pity that I was not Tai Tai (southerner) and there were more remarks and being a friendly person that I am, I stood there and we carried on a conversation. These guys really thought I was Khon Lao Nai (Lao inside Lao) until the gentleman who was holding my passport and checking the Duty Declaration said to the guys that I don’t live here but abroad. We all laughed and I thank the Duty officer when he told me I am cleared to exit the airport. What a nice welcoming home experience.
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Aunt Kian and Aunt Phone decided to build a new kitchen and a bathroom. The house was built in 2001 but was not quite complete with modern bathroom and kitchen with hot running water. When you do anything in Laos, it’s mostly done in cash. With my help they were able to start the new project in July. For religious or superstitious reason, they told me that you have to do it in the even month so July is actually the 8th month in Lao calendar.
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Sidney is at a stage where she doesn’t know how to stand still. She runs around and wants to do things adults do. Here she is trying out my old sunglasses.
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On her way home from Wat Nongbone, Aunt Kian made one last stop for me. She went by my former house to take some photos for me. She didn’t know whether or not she had the right house and asked a couple of people and they still remember my mother and also the death of my sister.
The old house is gone but the new owner built a new house on the same spot. I can still see the coconut trees that my parents grew for us. We each had a coconut tree to take care of and now they are all bearing fruits. I don’t know if the owner of the house is still the same one that my parents sold the house to before we moved to stay with my grandmother in Phon Tong.
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Laos is the top destination in Asia for ecotourism. There is plenty to do at the World Heritage Town of Luang Prabang as well as Wat Phu in Champassak province. Check out the two promotional clips from the Lao National Tourism Administration. You just might want to head down to the land of a million elephants.
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Matt Lauer and team made their way to Laos for the third day of Where in the World is Matt Lauer 2008. Here are a few clips from the Today show featuring the natural beauty of Laos, food and music, and culture. If you have never been to Laos, then this is a good time to make your plan before the country becomes too crowded with tourists. Laos is the number one destination for travel this year!
Laos on Today Show 1
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