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Bookmark & shareA Top Day in Vientiane
Rising late for reasons which will become apparent later in the day, I usually make for the JoMa Bakery on Th Setthathirat for a morning muffin and hot chocolate fix and a flick through the Bangkok Post . Then it's time to hit the road by motorbike for a jaunt to the surreal statues in Buddha Park. I have a good laugh as I pass the Mae Thee Chit Residence just a few kilometres out of town, thinking the owners are being a touch too candid there. At Buddha Park, I climb the giant pumpkin to take in the spectacle, trying not to dwell on the cement scenes of hell inside. After a lunch overlooking the Mekong, it's time for town. Heading up Th Lan Xang, Vientiane's very own Champs Elysee, I come to the Patuxai Monument, its very own Arch de Triomphe (just to complete the analogy). Climbing the stairs, I take in the views over this garden capital. The striking spire of That Luang catches my eye, so I journey there for some photos in the late-afternoon light. Come sundown, there's only one place to be: the banks of the Mekong for a Beerlao. Choose from local stalls and little restaurants; all have perfect views as the sun sinks over the horizon. I linger for some local food and the river inspires me to choose freshly grilled fish. Now begins the nightshift. The black hole that is Khop Chai Deu - a cracking bar and restaurant that is always packed - sucks me in for a few small jugs of fresh Beerlao. Using all my willpower, I drag myself to the other side of the Nam Phu fountain square to Déjà Vu, a slither of a cocktail bar where the Japanese-trained barman mixes some mean flavours. Then it's time to take on the airport road, where Marina is the most likely destination. The nightclub out the back is one of the busiest in town, while the superbowl out the front is the only place that serves beer all night long. I return home in the wee hours, ready to start the day late again tomorrow.
Author: Nick Ray
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