Mar
8
Last Morning in Laos
March 8, 2008 |
We woke up early and had a shower, then checked out of the hotel. Our luggage was only a couple of day packs, so no heavy luggage to worry about. First order of the day was to find breakfast. I did not fancy eating another rice meal.
But Vientiane have plenty of bars and small restaurants where european food is served. The choice fell on a small Italian place where Nan had some type of spaghetti with shrimps, and I had a lasagne that was not all that bad.
We then just walked the streets a bit and snapped some photos. Vientiane has a small town feel to it. And compared to other cities I have been to in this part of the world, virtually has no traffic. So getting around on foot was no problem. Just had to navigate around the many back packers complete with dread locks acquired at Khao San road in Bangkok no doubt, and with the Lonely Planet guidebook in hand, wandered around looking for the next cheap meal.
As we walked, Nan’s shoes fell apart. Not the first time that has happened, as she flat out refuses to get some comfortable, quality foot wear. Anything more than 2-300 baht is scoffed at. So now she was bare footed, passing by one shoe shop after the other…until we found a small market where she picked up a new pair. Along with super glue to fix the old.
Around 11 we had lunch, and then went to the embassy at noon. They would open the gates to hand back pass ports at 1300. We where early and among the first in line. But already 30 minutes before they opened, the line was stretching far down the sidewalk.
When they opened up, it took me five minutes to get my pass port with a double entry tourist visa in it. If I time my entries right, I can milk this visa well into the summer, before I have to get another one.
Visa obtained we saw no reason to hang around, and went back to the border,a nd crossed without incidence back into the Kingdom again. In Nong Khai we found a nice little hotel, and slept a bit before going out for dinner.
We ended up at “The Danish Baker”, a small restaurant near the market. Nan went for some Thai stuff I don’t know the name of , while I ordered Danish beef burgers, with boiled potatoes and fried eggs. And they tasted like heaven! Best western style meal I have had in ages. So that restaurant is highly recommended. Nan also totally pigged out on her food declaring her opinion on the cooks abilities totally acceptable by burping and patting her tummy.
After eating we went for a walk along the banks of the Mekong. Nong Khai sports a nice river walk, lined with restaurants. And some of them looked quite busy. But in the end, we just went to the hotel and slept again.
Early next morning it was the bus back home. And it was great to get home and know we have at least a couple of months before we have to go anywhere again.
That’s it!
Popularity: 27% [?]
Comments
6 Comments so far
“we have at least a couple of months before we have to go anywhere again”
Well, isn’t that a great goal to have when you hate the “W” word
Amazing isn’t it
I wonder, was the lasagna made with ketchup?
Are you insane!
Ketchup is for Spaghetti and Pizza!
CHRING (~(0)(0)~) Not Spaghetti too……
Yup, us Northern barbarians love ketchup with our spaghetti. Many just boil the spaghetthi with some margerine and salt in the water, then eat it with ketchup. Me I prefer to fry up some minced meat with some chopped up onions. But i f I go advanced, I’ll take a 3dl bottle of Ketchup, add about 1 dl of milk to the ketchup, + a healthy dose of black pepper. Stir it into the minced meat and onions and thats my spegetti sauce. Use the same recepee as a my pizza sauce. And Onkel Dag loves it
Go out on a limb, try something new. Just be aware, use Heinz ketchup, but it’s a bit more spicy, and not as sweet as hour Norwegian Idund ketchup, witch is the only brand of Ketchup that should be allowed near food. But out here I do not have a choise. So I hope the masses will be lenient with me and not flog me in public when I return home one day