Archives for May 2012

My least favorite part of the trip.

I’ve been procrastinating on this post because I didn’t want to sound like a cranky old grandma, but here goes…

I knew that if Mike and I argued on this trip, it would be in Vang Vieng. He really wanted to go (again). I really didn’t.

Vang Vieng seems to be one of those places that elicits strong feelings on both sides. Those who think it’s a backpackers paradise, and those who think it’s a… what’s a more polite word for sh*thole? (Ok, a sh*thole set amidst pretty scenery.)

Vang Vieng is a town dominated by tourism. The popular attraction is tubing down a river lined with bars, slides, swings, and ziplines. After a wild day on the water you can relax at one of the many restaurants serving sub par food and looping episodes of Friends or Family Guy. Drugs are either on the menu or easy to get. There are a lot of scantily clad people zoned out, lounging, or walking around. Honestly, the whole place is kind of weird (and sad).

Twenty seven people died in Vang Vieng last year. Mixing drinking, drugs, an unpredictable river, and rope swings tends to be a bad idea. Mike talked to one guy there whose friend had recently discovered a dead body in the water. That is traumatic.

Earlier this year an Australian died on the river whose father is a powerful player in Australia’s media. Due to the father’s impact and media efforts, many of the swings and ziplines were dismantled four days before we arrived. I don’t know how accurate that information is, but I do know that most of the swings, slides, and ziplines were gone.

I declined tubing having been warned about the potential for contracting infections (conjunctivitis and cystisis) from the water. Mike went for it and said it was not nearly the adventure it had been two years ago. Before it had been more of a water jungle gym with some drinking. This time is was heavy enthusiasm to partake in drinking games and… not too many people around to play them.

The town is also sad because of how the tourism has affected the locals. I suppose they don’t enjoy having to clean up the mess or witness the making of it. I’ve also read that some of the locals are wary of bad spirits near the water, since so many tourists have died in the river.

My actual experience in Vang Vieng wasn’t so bad. I didn’t tube or stay out until the wee hours so I escaped much of the debauchery. Unfortunately, the sky was hazy so I couldn’t see the beautiful surroundings that I was actually looking forward to seeing. Plus, the motorbike we rented wasn’t very powerful. It didn’t make exploring outside of town very comfortable. Mostly, the two nights we spent in Vang Vieng just felt like wasted time.

I’ve read about a bajillion articles, blogs, and forums about Vang Vieng but I think this one from the Guardian explains it all the best. It was written just a few days after we left.

I’m curious to hear what some of you might think. I met a Swiss woman who was planning to take her 13 and 15 year old tubing… I wasn’t sure if she was trying to be a “really cool parent” or was just wasn’t aware of the details. 

xo, jill

PS All of these photos are near our hotel. The party scene is up the river a few kilometers.

and the kids who stole my snacks.

Sometimes when you travel, you do a lot of searching. I’m not talking about the kind that involves your soul and gazing at your navel. I’m talking about the kind where you are speed walking down streets late at night in Bratislava on the hunt for tacos. Or getting lost in Vienna looking for that one vegetarian restaurant that Lonely Planet claims to be amazing.

After visiting Patuxai we found ourselves on one of these searches. Luckily we had the scooter to do all of the hard locomotive work. This time we were looking for something a bit more culturally relevant than tacos. Mike had heard about a seemingly magical place where you can enjoy a cheap sauna and message in a little forest on the grounds of a temple. Even using a GPS, we were having a difficult time. At one point we stopped to ask and were ushered onto the grounds of an International School. Maybe we should have stopped in for a quick interview?

Eventually we found it but not before I agreed to have a massage at a parlor down the block. I abhor confrontation so I stayed for the massage while Mike continued on until he found the actual place, Wat Sok Pa Luang. After my massage he brought me to the wat so I could see it for myself. Understandably, I didn’t take any photos as people were lounging around and sweating up the place. However, I did take one of the walkway in.

Later in the day we ended up once again near the Mekong. We stopped to snack on some steps and were instantly greeted by a few cute and very sneaky children.

It didn’t take long for one to get into my chips and another to walk off with my packet of crackers. I know it’s teaching them bad habits, but I didn’t chastise them. I didn’t know what to do (and I’m a teacher!). They were so cute. Especially when one accidentally let go of her helium balloon. Instead of getting upset she just waved and said, “Buh-bye!”

What do you do when you get scammed by super cute kids? 

xo, jill 

the Laotian Arc de Triomphe

Our second day in Vientiane started out with breakfast and another walk.

This time we were in search of the perfect scooter to take us around town.

Our first scooting destination? Patuxai, the Laotian Arc de Triomphe. Patuxai was erected between 1957 and 1968 as a monument to honor those who died fighting for freedom from the French.

It was a fairly hot day so while Mike elected to take the stairs to the top, I stayed down at the bottom. I hadn’t gained back my full strength from my little potential-dengue bout. Sitting on a bench at a prime tourist destination did give me the opportunity to partake in a university student’s tourism survey. I always like stuff like that.

Funny story. The cement that was used in the monument was actually intended to be used for a runway. In the 1960s, the United States gave Laos money to build a new airport, but the government had other ideas. Instead, they decided to build Patuxai.

It’s not for me to say if it was money well spent, but it’s definitely a lovely landmark.

xo, jill

Flowers and old building edition.

Here are a few more photos I took of Vientiane while we were walking back towards our hotel along the Mekong.

Vientiane is the most relaxed capital city I’ve ever visited.

xo, jill
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“Helping People Move On”

While in Vientiane, Mike and I stopped by the COPE Visitor Center.

Although not widely known, Laos is the most bombed country in the world. That’s thanks to the efforts of the United States during the Vietnam War. 

Of the 270 million bombies dropped on Laos, 30 percent did not detonate. Approximately 80 million bombies still remain and are known as unexploded ordinances (UXOs). This means that approximately 25 percent of Laotian villages are still contaminated with live explosives.

It is estimated that between 1964 and 2011, more than 50,000 people have been killed or injured in incidences involving UXOs. Appalling.

People who are simply digging in their gardens or children playing in the fields are dying or losing limbs when they unexpectedly come into contact with a UXO. 

The COPE Center is working to help people affected by UXOs move on from their tragedy. Through a number of programs, COPE provides prosthetic limbs, physical therapy, transportation, and financial support to those in need. In addition, COPE works to raise awareness of cluster bombs and ban their future use.

I was incredibly impressed by the COPE Center. The museum was carefully curated, the stories were powerful, and the overall atmosphere was one of hope and positivity. Nothing in the literature alluded to bitterness towards the US, and as you can plainly see, there is much to be bitter about.

To learn more about the COPE Center visit here.
To watch a very touching short documentary click here. I really recommend it.
And if you’d like to buy a leg, you can do that too. 

xo, jill

Statistics from posters on display at the center.