Vientiane

Vientiane has been described as the most laid back capital city anywhere,I find I can't better that description.It has graceful buildings of typical French Indo Chinese colonial style and a few wide boulevards leading to the Vientiana monument, a giant arc de triumph which is slowly decaying but serves as a useful viewpoint and landmark.

The tourist precinct is an easily walked few blocks from the promenade along the Mekong,hotels,guesthouses,restaurants and bars sit side by side with massage parlours and travel agents.Tuktuk drivers tout for business,though most everywhere of interest is comfortably walked or cycled.If it were not for the ubiquitous Republic of Lao and accompanying hammer and sickle flags one would not be aware this is a communist state,the police and military presence is low key all over the city,indeed the country.The one giveaway is the grandeur of the state ministries that people's republics seem to favor.

I made a point of visiting the COPE visitor centre which is within the large rehabilitation complex and has an heartbreaking exhibition of interview videos,photos and film of the ongoing carnage from the UXOs.This international volunteer organization do a fantastic job of providing orthotics,prosthetics  and rehab for mine and cluster bomb victims as well as information for those seeking it.

Like the worthy MAG people who actually coordinate and train the the disposal teams they are made up of  mostly British and southern hemisphere personnel.

Did I mention the USA,no,that is because they have already  provided the  2.5 million tons of ordnance to make possible this ongoing  multi generational do gooder enterprise.

All together now "the home of the free and the land of the brave".

Graceful Vientiane building.

My dinner cooking.

Street scene.

Monument.

Cluster bomb exhibit.