vientiane: where the heat is the main character
been in vientiane for a week now, and honestly, the heat is no joke. i just checked the weather and it's... well, you know, the kind of heat that makes you question your life choices. hope you brought a hat. the locals seem unfazed, which is either impressive or they're all secretly vampires. speaking of locals, someone told me that the night market here is a tourist trap, but then again, they also said the same about the beer. i say, try both and judge for yourself.
if you get restless, the thai border is a quick hop away for some spicy street eats. but for now, i'm just chilling by the mekong, which is surprisingly wide and calm. the sunsets are worth the sweat, i promise.
while i was wandering around, i found this little cafe that had the best iced coffee. the owner was this old man who just sat there, nodding, and making coffee like it was an ancient ritual. i also checked out the pha that luang, which is this big gold stupa that you can see from miles away. it's pretty impressive, but the crowds... oh the crowds. i heard that if you go early in the morning, you can get some decent photos without a million people photobombing you. check out the vibes on their yelp page
after that, i went to the COPE center, which is this place that deals with unexploded ordnance from the vietnam war. it's heavy, but important. the museum is small but packs a punch. they've got solid reviews on tripadvisor
and then there's the food. oh man, the food. i tried this place called 'street kitchen' that i found on yelp, and the laap (spicy minced meat salad) was fire. their yelp page is worth a look but i also heard that the real gems are at the night market, so i'm going to check that out tonight. wish me luck and pray i don't melt.
also, for all you digital nomads out there, there's this co-working space called 'impact hub' that's pretty decent. their website is here it's got air conditioning and decent wifi, which is a luxury in this heat. they also have events sometimes, so if you're looking to network, that's the spot.
so yeah, vientiane is... well, it's hot, but it's got its charm. it's not bangkok, it's not luang prabang, but it's got a vibe all its own. if you're looking for a place to slow down and just be, this might be it. just bring a lot of water.
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