P is for People's, D is for Democratic, and R is for Republic.
This is Vientiane, the capital of Lao PDR.
But more than a couple of times while wandering in Vientiane, I found myself asking: "So, this is Vientiane....and where is the capital CITY of Lao exactly".
Laid-back doesn't even begin to describe Vientiane. It lacks the chaotic traffic of most south east Asian capitals, and the tallest building around seems to be the Victory Gate, no more than seven storey high. This is possibly one of the busiest junction in Vientiane (I kid you not),
...and here's the Victory Gate.
The Laotians do not seems to pay too much attention to tourists in their midst. Stalls and shopkeepers also aren't too keen to wave at tourists to take a look at the wares and offering, unlike in most other places. And that is not exactly a bad, I kindna like it this way.
Even this plaque found at the entrance to the Gate shows the 'uniqueness' of Lao amongst her neighbors. While not all countries go for the superlative when describing their national monuments, Lao has to be the only one that went for:"it appears even less impressive, like a monster of concrete."
And how should one read from this: that this is a gift from our friend, the Chinese, but, hell, it's damn ugly.....?
With the many buddhist pagodas and pagodas-stlyed building, Vientiane can sometimes be indisguishable from Thailand. And already there are hints of Chinese influences. Mixed with these, are the many colonial buildings.
The Mekong winds through the city. And as with the section seen over the Friendship bridge, it's looks to be drying up. This looks like a good 'dining concept', river-side dining by the Mekong. Except, the Mekong river bank seems to be turned into a massive construction site. One blow of evening breeze, and you could be chewing on Mekong river sands.
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