Hello All!
As I said previously, we arrived in Vientiane on Sunday, July 6. We spent July 4 with our friend Tom Kerr in Bangkok and it was such as welcome change from spending every night at a hotel or guesthouse. We could drink coffee in our PJs and eat a leisurly breakfast before leaving his house. We also realized that we spent last July 4th with him in New Orleans, as the second "Katrina-Tsunami Exchange Program" was happening. We are beginning to wonder if this will be a tradition...
We took the night train from Bangkok to Nong Khai and crossed into Laos in the morning of the 6th. We took a tuk-tuk to the center of town, walked to the Syri Guesthouse and checked in. Many things have changed in the neighborhood as some of the small French-Laos style houses have been torn down and 3-4 story modern condos and apartment buildings are being constructed. We saw Aire, the owner of the guesthouse and a friend from 2002, and it was very nice to catch up with him. He and his wife look the same, but the four year absence was demonstrated in the faces of his three children (only one of whom we met!).
Our friends Lolo and Pascal are not in VTE at the moment. Lolo is in France visiting Pascal's mother and Pascal is living in a city called Pak Lai (on the Mekong River north of here). They will be moving to Pak Lai and working on a farm. We don't know all the details, but it sounds like they will be raising cattle and poultry for consumption in Laos. More details on that as we get them... In the meantime, Bertrand, Lolo's brother, is living in VTE and working as a botanist for their business, Vientiane Orchidees (spelled the French way). We have never met Bertrand, but have enjoyed getting to know him during the past week.
Tom's work started right away, and things seem to be working out perfectly. Doing his research in Laos was always the number one option, and it looks like that is the way it will work out. I'll let him explain that in further detail. While Tom's been working, I've been taking long bike rides all over the city - and it has changed a lot! New construction is everywhere, petrol stations are in neighborhoods where there previously wasn't a need, and there seem to be more motorbikes and cars. In fact, there are car dealerships on the main roads! This is an expected change, but one that still surprises me to see.
We've had dinner with Bertrand and his girlfriend, Ni, a Lao woman. It is fun to see them because the conversation is a mixture of French, English, and Laos - and all of us are able to understand and communicate our ideas freely, in whatever language that comes out. We've also seen Aire for dinner - and it's just been so nice to talk to friends and have many different conversations with other people. Tom and I have been having a great time, but just interacting with friends is such a nice thing to do. So simple, but we all know how long it takes to make good friends, so it's just so nice to see them!
Tonight we will have dinner with a friend of Tom's from his first trip to Laos in 1998. Phet and his wife just got married in November and are expecting their first child. We have a lot to celebrate with them as well!
Tomorrow morning we leave Vientiane and travel to Luang Prabang, the ancient royal capital of the country and a UN World Heritage site. This is an amazingly beautiful place and we cannot wait to see the family we stay with.
We forgot until recently that Laos was the number one tourist destination in the NYTimes for 2008... and there are people everywhere. Hotels and guesthouses are full and there are many "farang" walking about. It is good for the currency, as the Kip is much stronger than our last visit.
Tom may be getting a cellphone here. If that is the case, you can use Skype to call us! I will hopefully have the information within the next couple of days.
Hope you are all doing well.
Love,
Steph and Tom
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