Chansamone

Mone worked like a lucky charm for me during my first months here in Vientiane. She is an intelligent, fun loving and charming person with an eye for the good things in life. She is well known around town and is quite the socialite; as she speaks French and English fluently, and of course her native Lao, she is never at a loss for words with anyone she runs into.

Mone grew up in Vientiane and though she has since married and moved to Switzerland, she regularly returns to catch up with her parents, five sisters, two brothers and many friends. I'm thrilled to have met her during her last visit as she provided many insights into the Lao culture and local social scene. I spent many entertaining occasions with Mone around town and at family gatherings where her and her family displayed the renowned Lao hospitality. Mone is always inspiring and consistantly has ambitious projects on the go. Despite keeping extremely busy with her two young children; cooking, designing, shopping and partying plans are never far from her mind. Her free thinking, outgoing and positive personality make Mone a joy to have as a friend. I look forward to hearing about the development of her cooking school/ catering business in Switzerland.

Kung's Cafe and Dream Kitchen Cooking Class

This is a great spot to kick back in...a little cafe set at the end of a laneway, under a big mango tree. It feels like a wonderful discovery because it is really tucked away. The laneway entrance is opposite the Ministry of Health building which is off Fa Ngum Road (turn left after the Dong Chan Palace Hotel).

Kung’s is open 6am-3pm for breakfast, lunch and excellent Lao coffee. It’s easy to pass hours sitting at Kung’s, amongst beautiful hanging orchids, at tables decorated with fresh frangipani flowers, watching the activities of the locals who live along the lane. The building is an old style wooden house which has been converted underneath to house the cafe, plus an area for teaching English to the locals - and most recently, to cater for a Lao cooking class. Daen is the organizer of the latter concept. Her parents run the cafe, serving up great, inexpensive Lao- Vietnamese food and each afternoon, Daen’s father teaches English to local students. Daen has created ‘Dream Kitchen' to teach the secrets of perfecting local dishes. After learning to cook from her mother and many years of serving up meals to discerning regulars at the cafe, Daen is well experienced in cooking techniques. With her warm personality and natural creativity she is a joy to learn from. The ‘Dream Kitchen' cooking class includes a visit to a local market to shop for fresh produce. That is an experience in itself as there is the opportunity to ask questions and learn about the variety of fresh fruit and vegetables on offer. Because Daen limits the group to about 6 people, there is ample time and attention given to individuals and she is happy to cater for dietary requirements. The cooking classes are well organized and beautifully and efficiently set up. Tea and organic Lao fruit is served in addition to the meals cooked by the students themselves. The ‘Dream Kitchen and Kung’s Cafe utilize fresh, organic produce grown by the family on their farm, not far from of town. A cooking class with Daen costs $US12 per head, which includes a trip to the market, recipe books and a Dream Kitchen apron.

Kin khao laew baw? (eat rice already, no?)

Sticky Rice is the staple of the Lao diet and its flavour and texture make it a popular addition to any meal. From the early hours of the morning -to provide to the Monks on their alms rounds- until the last meal of the day, hot sticky rice is being prepared. While it can be bought ready to eat in local markets for 1000 kip a serve (about 10cents), being able to cook good sticky rice is a necessary skill for living in Lao.

There are many varieties of rice grown in Lao as evidenced by the amazing displays in the markets. The sticky rice is distinctive by its cloudy white colour and particular shaped grains.To cook sticky rice, it is necessary to soak it overnight. Then a large cone shaped bamboo basket is lined with cotton (or a clean chux towel would do) and the rice put inside. This is put on top of a pot of boiling water -the level about 1 inch below the rice- to steam. It takes about 15 minutes and the colour changes from opaque to clear as the rice softens, ready for eating. The rice is served in a traditional bamboo basket and removed at the table as required by using the right hand and rolling into a ball. It is considered bad luck not to replace the lid of the basket after eating.

Just for Fun

You never have to look too hard for good food in Vientiane; there are endless options for enjoying Lao specialties...For a groovy, relaxed atmosphere and good variety of traditional Lao dishes( including vegetarian options), the 'Just for Fun' cafe in Nam Phu is a worthy choice.

'Just for Fun' is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner 6 days (closed sundays). The restaurant is decorated with beautiful local fabrics and traditional handicrafts that are for sale. Also available are a variety of local gourmet products: teas, organic coffee and food items, such as violet scented rice from Northern Lao.
Tui is owner and cook -she prepares and cooks all the meals and receives help from her brother and sisters to manage the daily operations of the cafe.‘Just for Fun' is also renowned around town for its excellent coffee and Tui’s chocolate cake.
Straight across the road is a small noodle shop which has a good trade of regulars. Basic noodle soup and Lao coffee costs 9000 kip ( about a dollar).

The real "Cattle Class"

The bus system in Laos is a little different to the relatively efficient, air conditioned comfort of Malaysia and Thailand. It is also a hell of a lot more entertaining.

You buy your tickets on the bus, once they have tied your backpack to the roof. When the bus is full, it leaves, simple. Before departing from Vientiane, en route to Vang Vieng, theres a procession of girls selling freshly filled baguettes, pastries, water and soft drinks. Most of these "local" buses are held together by dirt and rust. They are filled with an array of goods, anything from sacks of rice, kids tricycles, dvd players, baskets of food, chickens, you name it. There are farmers, monks, old, young, a handful of travelers, all along for the slow, bumpy ride. Of course you can always take the "tourist" VIP bus, but when the price difference is enough for a nights accommodation, and no where near as fun, it's an easy choice. The 3-4 hour ride to Vang Vieng consisted of 1 near miss with a stray, bloody huge buffalo, a 4wd swerving to miss a herd of goats and many near misses with numerous motorcycles, school children and chickens. It was funny to see the older locals complete disregard for the "No Smoking" signs in the bus. The toilet stop was of course, communal, by the side of the road in the dirt. No need to be shy here!

3 Months in Vientiane

The frangipani lined streets, abundance of temples and river side position, give the capital of Lao a tranquil, laid back feel. Despite a turbulant history, the Lao people are welcoming, friendly and fun loving. Vientiane has managed ( so far), to preserve Lao culture and tradition, despite (a growing) multicultural population, ongoing development projects and influences from greater access to technology.

It has been a hectic time on the Lao social calander of late... As Buddists, most Lao people do not partake in Christmas festivities; however, there certainly seemed to be even more Lao dancing and singing and Beer Lao and Johnny Walker Red flowing than usual during this time. New Year had many locals out and about to celebrate, though they let loose at their own version ( Lao New Year) in April. November through to February is an auspicious and practical (dry season) time for wedding ceremonies.Though an official midnight curfew is in place in Vientiane, private parties often continue into the early hours and there are a couple of options in town for 'another one for the road'...Lane Xang Hotel is close to Nam Phu on Fa Ngoum Road and on the same road, but further out is the huge uninspiring Don Chang Palace, complete with disco.

The strong Lao culture dictates politeness and respect. These qualities are indoctrinated by the family and the arrangement of villages within the city. Each village has a head person who makes decisions for and oversees that community. They approve living arrangements and most other matters that concern the residents and are responsible for implementing health and safety strategies. The government rewards villages which provide and maintain clean and healthy conditions and encourage education and development programs.

The French influence of the past is still in evidence; it can be seen in the old style French buildings, French street signs and by the availability of French wine and cuisine. Many older Lao people speak French fluently and the French government invest money towards language schools and projects to keep the language alive here. However, with an ever increasing community of expats from all over the world and the developing tourism industry, the push is towards learning English. Language schools are big business here as students want to secure greater work opportunities.

Vientiane restaurants represent the diversity of the people living here. Excellent French, Italian, Indian, Chinese,Thai, Japanese and International restaurants abound. Delicious, healthy, fresh Lao food is a cheap and delightful option. Dinner from a street vendor can be about $US1 and you'll pay about $US9 in a fancy restaurant for a New Zealand steak.