20th December – Pakxan to Vientiane (aka Viang Chan), the capital of Laos

Despite doing 190k yesterday it was a much easier ride (hardly any wind, good road, less traffic).   Mood decidedly brighter, felt refreshed and less exhausted by the journey. 

Got to Pakxan by 2.30 and met a nice American guy from Oregan, about my age, on the threshold of the Pakxan Hotel.  He and his beautiful Thai wife were not stopping but he told me they live on a farm in northern Thailand and, from the sound of it, live a pretty idyllic life.  The hotel was basic, functional but cheap.  I went for a walk around town, such as it is, and had a Beerlao at a bar on the other side of the river.  Had dinner in the hotel’s restaurant since there didn’t seem to be much else around.  The impressive-looking menu included:

Duck cooked as dog meat

Boiled beef muscle

Pig’s trotter cooked as a false dog meat dish

Steamed turtle with bananas

Pork braised as the canned one

Ear and mouth salad

Cattle stomach salad

Pork ear and mouth

Beef soup with bitter insides

Mixed fried internal organs of a chicken

Snake head fried and dipped in tomato sauce

Steamed iguana

Stir fried frogs

Steamed porcupine

And my personal favourite, Pork entrails, half cooked

Mmm, mmm.  I wonder if someone was having them on.  When I came to order I was told that everything on the menu I was pointing at was not available so it seemed to rather obviate the point of having a menu.  Anyway I ended up with chicken and rice, which probably should have been called ‘rice with bones of chicken’ for all the meat that was present.  Tasted pretty good though. 

Seeing as no breakfast was included in this very basic hotel I settled this morning for a very thick strong black tepid sweet coffee (not quite what I had in mind) before setting off at about 7.45.  Despite having put on several more layers still had to stop periodically to warm myself in the sun.  Again good driving conditions.  I stopped at a village and bought some delicious banana fritters from a very friendly warm woman who chatted away at me, despite me making it as clear as I could that I wasn’t understanding a word.  Weirdly pleasant though. 

My banana fritter lady

I got to Vientiane by 11.30 (150k) so that was pretty good going.  Vientiane is very grand compared with everything I’ve seen in Laos so far.  Very much a big city feel with lots of charming faded French villas between the tall office buildings.  Checked into the hotel I’d booked over the internet back in Thakek.  It’s great: very central, well-equipped, modern but pleasant and well laid out.  Safety deposit box in the room so don’t have to worry about leaving valuables.  Always good to have that shower after a ride on these dusty roads.  Went out into town and found the market.  Then on to two of the most important Wats in Laos: Si Saket which contains a huge number of Buddha figures set into the walls as well as larger statues around the pretty courtyard surrounding the main temple.  Virtually across the road I visited Haw Pha Kaew which was the royal temple and is now the national museum of religious art.  More Buddha statues everywhere, some really quite beautiful. 

Had dinner in a French restaurant nearby with the memorable name of That Dam Restaurant (That meaning a stupa or religious monument, Dam meaning black – the restaurant is right next to the very famous Black Stupa).  Anyway, I couldn’t resist and had a very good meal there – green garden salad, Mekong river fish steak with tamarind sauce washed down with a ½ litre carafe of (not bad) house wine.  All this for about £9.  Extravagant maybe, but nice for a change.