Weekend in Vientiane and Visit to Phnom Penh

Charlene wrote:

I am writing today during our flight from Vientiane to Phnom Penh.  We will be in Phnom Penh for one week to visit the DDD’s office there.  I will also have the opportunity to visit homes of the young students and perhaps visit a local school.   Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, is 5 times bigger, and I believe it will be hectic in comparison to the quiet laid back atmosphere of Vientiane.  We will see.

Last weekend was filled with various activities.  Friday evening we met up with a distant relative of Ed’s, who has spent his adult life traveling the world, but mostly in Asia.  Admittedly, he has never held a long term permanent job; and works just long enough to survive on a few thousand dollars a year.  A pleasant evening, though I was a bit apprehensive when he said to Ed, “you will be surprised when you see me”.  That left of world of speculation for me as to what he and the evening would be like.  Other than never having worked, and never having owned a place of his own, I found him to be a very gentle guy who was both interesting and very bright; I enjoyed spending the evening with him and learning of his life’s adventures.

Saturday we walked through the morning market to do a little shopping.  What distinguishes the morning market from the evening market is exactly what it sounds like-morning market opens during the day and the evening market opens when the morning market closes.  The market(s) are a series of stalls selling everything anyone could want.  Clothes, books, souvenirs, dishes, etc.  The stalls are small and lineup around a city block.  The local developers are attempting to transform these traditional venues into multi story department stores, but I don’t think it translates to the culture of Vientiane.  There is nothing as simple and basic as going directly to the textile area, the shampoo stall, or wherever product group you want.  We wandered thru the morning market for a few hours, stopping to buy a few silk pieces and a beautiful hand carved wooden vase. 

Neither the morning market nor the evening market sells food.  Food is in another market area-“the open market”; Similar layout, with stalls wrapping around a city block, organized by food product.  Vegetables and herbs are gorgeous-fresh, brightly colored and plentiful.  Fruits are piled high-bananas-you can buy 5 pounds of bananas for a few dollars.  In the states, I think it would cost 10 times as much.  Pineapples, and tropical fruits are sold in the stalls, but you can easily buy them from street vendors who are everywhere. 

Dairy products are fresh, clean and plentiful.  Meats are a bit challenging for me, as it seems that meats and poultry are not refrigerated during the day and are left sitting on tables all day.  The butchers cut off the amount you want.  Fish seem to be fresh, as they are kept alive in small barrels of water.  Or sometimes they are kept in a child’s wading pool. So unlike the markets at home, the floors are wood or cement.  Sometimes there are major cracks in the floors-I am not sure whether the cracks are used as drainage or whether it is just old.  The ceilings are wooden framed, then covered with bamboo matting or vinyl tarps.  As we eat lunch and dinner meals out, I have never purchased food from the open market.  I do prepare breakfast, which is typically bananas and cereal, coffee and juice.  On the weekends, I have made omelets with toast made with fresh bread.   Our beautiful kitchen has 2 burners, but only one works.

Saturday evening we attended a celebration honoring the 55th year anniversary of relations between India and Laos.  The celebration included an Indian Elvis look alike-I actually thought his jacket was vinyl-and a cast of Bollywood singers and dancers.  As none of our Indian friends ventured to get up and dance, I was a bit disappointed!!!!  However, after the show we all went out to eat at an outdoor Indian restaurant.  We have eaten there a number of times; the dirt road leading to the restaurant is a bit dark and rutty, so you don’t want to go there without a group.  The food was amazing; Beer Lao was plentiful and cool.  The entire bill per person, including appetizers, breads, main courses and beer cost $3.50/per person. 

Sunday was a busy day, as we headed out early to play golf.  We went to a different golf course a bit closer than the SEA course; the unique feature of the course is that it surrounds a series of ponds.  Just like LCC, it loves golf balls.

In the late afternoon, we had drinks at sunset overlooking the Mekong River.  After the sun set, we headed to the local BOWLING center and played a few strings.  I think I sometimes forget my age, as all of the group are my kid’s ages or younger!!  Most are shocked that we ride motor bikes.  I don’t know why this is a deal.  It is easy.

I have truly enjoyed teaching the students and they are so eager to speak English.  On a few occasions, I noticed some of my Skype contacts were on line and I called them during class.  Thanks Chuck and thanks Veronica.  So if you are logged on around 9:30 pm to midnight (I won’t call during my afternoon classes 1:30 am-3:30am), you might get a call from me and the students.

Before our morning flight to Phnom Penh, we dropped off our motor bikes which we have used since we arrived in Laos.  I fondly named them #1 and #9- clever-because that is the identifying number on each bike.  There are a few pictures of us driving them to lunch the other day that were taken by a friend of ours.  I wish I could take a movie AVI while driving thru the streets, but sanity prevailed.  I thought it was too dangerous to attempt.  Riding the motor bikes is so much fun; I am looking forward to reviving Ed’s old Vespa that has been dormant in our garage for over 30 years.  We will see!!!

Another astounding fact that dawned on me today is that our stay here is nearly over-only 3 weeks in total are left.  We will be in Phnom Penh for one week and when we return to Vientiane, we will have only 2 weeks before starting our journey home.  So with the friends we have made, and the students I have been teaching, I know I miss them when we leave.  It has been a privilege to be able to share our time here. 

Ed wrote:

Phnom Penh is a big city with over 2 million people.  It is more than twice as big as Boston, and for a small town boy it is a little overwhelming.  The city has changed in the 4 years we have been away.  The center is clean and modern, with wide streets and large parks with monuments and flowers everywhere. 

The traffic is something else.  In turning left into a wide 6 lane street (3 lanes going each way), our tuktuk driver just cuts into the on-coming traffic.  Cars, but mostly motor bikes, flow around on both sides as we head into the on-coming traffic and we slowly make our way across the lanes to our side of the road.  Often,

this takes the better part of the block to get into the right lane.  No body honks and seems to think there is any problem.  The traffic is slow enough that folks can just stop or flow round you.   I have seen no accidents nor dented fenders, heard no horns and found no one cross.  It is just the way it’s done around here. 

By the way, So S’day is hello (or goodby) and Aor kun is thank you, if you ever find yourself in Phnom Penh.