My second full day in Vientiane got off to a good start, as I got a decent sleep, and started the day out at a reasonable time. Good thing I have eyeshades though because the corner windows in my hotel room only have blinds. They don’t block light well at all.
Went down for breakfast in the hotel. It wasn’t too bad. Pretty basic. I think cooks here may also be afraid to add salt to anything. I had to salt and pepper my omelette before consuming! The coffee isn’t great. I’ll definitely be finding some elsewhere. I did load up in fresh fruit! Must be mango season because they were really nice!
The cafe is pleasant though. The seating is comfortable and, considering my room does not have a desk, I will likely be working here.
I packed up my things and headed back to Cafe Vanille. I decided to see what it would be like to work there, and see how their coffee was. It’s such a pleasant environment in there. Not too bright, and it feels like I’ve gone back in time about a hundred years, ignoring the iPad of course.
While pleasant, the wifi was terribly slow. After I finished my coffee and a pastry, I decided to head back to the hotel cafe. The wifi was much better, and my photo editing was much quicker. It is a nice environment to do a lot of writing.
After I finished off a solid round of wordsmithing, my back reminded me I should probably go for another massage. I was still paying the price for my ride on the Thai Polar Express!
Instead of going down the road to the same place I’d gone to the day before, I decided to go to the massage shop right across from the hotel. I chose to go with a Lao massage again, but for two hours. The nice lady spoke pretty good English, so I had a good conversation as she attempted to give me a realignment. I also was exposed to a few more massage techniques I’d never seen.
Definitely feeling better after this round of massage, but I think I will need more before I head back!
I’ve noticed that there are many more people speaking English than in Thailand. Makes life a little easier here for those not speaking the local language!
Fortunately my hotel was a short hop across the road, and I decided that lazing around on my bed was a good way to spend the rest of the afternoon, and I even managed some sleep.
I’m bringing new meaning to the idea of slow travel, and Vientiane seems like a good place to do it. I don’t just want to check off bucket list items, but one bucket list item I do have? A good night’s sleep! How about that? No back pain? There is another thing to add to my bucket list!
Somewhat refreshed by my napping, I wandered the street looking to satisfy my hunger. I realized I had completely skipped lunch, and it’s better if I do that before a massage anyway. I ended up at a restaurant whose name escapes me, and had a bowl of Vietnamese bun. It was okay. I’d say it was better than anything I have had in Thailand, but not as good as what I’ve had in Canada. The best I’ve had was in Singapore. Hey, I may even try it in Vietnam this year!
I continued down the street to the local market and it wasn’t too eventful. Surprisingly I didn’t see much for street food. I sat and enjoyed the pleasant evening for a while, sitting on a park bench, contemplating the future. After that, it was time to head to the hotel.
It was a slow day, but a relaxing one. I have to say, I kind of like Vientiane! I like the vibe here, and the architecture. Lots of restaurants and interesting cafes. Given the French colonial past, there are a lot of bakeries specializing in French baked goods. I haven’t had the bread yet, but I will change that!
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