Lao P.D.R - Part 1

Yes, I just got back from super sunny Laos (now known as Lao P.D.R).

I really have lots to tell..but this is not the time..

Anyway, that I'll tell another day.


Today, I just wanna share my observations on the lovely city of Vientiane with you...

I was amazed with the almost lack of traffic jam upon arrival. It took us about 15 minutes to reach our hotel in the city. In fact, traffic has increased dramatically since 2004, but still the pace is super relax. Nothing like Bangkok or Ho Chi Minh.

Lao P.D.R is 40 years backward from Malaysia. So to speak, I had the chance to look at the Malaysia 40 years ago.

Though the people here are poor, they all have a home. There was absolutely no street beggars at all.

And crime rate was literally o%!
Many expats said this, "Lao ppl do not steal. You probably have to force them and give them your bags".

Look at these cute doggies. The owner of the bookstore just conveniently left them outside on the table. In Malaysia, these doggies would be stolen in 5 seconds left unattended.

I was strolling along my hotel on the last day (an hour before checking out). And I felt so homesick. Seeing these doggies reminded me so much of 4 the monster at home. I missed my doggies so much then.









These 2 doggies greeted me with lotsa love and affection during lunch on Day 3 (I missed my transport thanks to the blur sotong reporter from NST- elaborate more later). Thank God we (me and another reporter from Nanyang) had these cuties to teman us while waiting for our transport to come pick us up.





So cute!




Spent about 30 mins here with the super obedient lab (outside the restaurant where I was stranded with another reporter). We were waiting for our tour guide to come and rescue us.





Another cute shih tzu I spotted on the last day. He was jaga-ing the shop for his owner.





Well, whenever I travel be rest assure that I'll dedicate lots of spaces to blog about food.

The food I like.

French Baguette/Vietnamese Breadroll..

When I was told that they sell breadroll here by an expat, I kept bugging her to buy some back for me. However, due to our tight schedule, she wasn't able to.

Somehow, on the 2nd night, we had some free time after dinner at Mekong Deck. I decided to walk along the street to check out the location of the breadroll stall.

Who knows the stall might still be opened and I could grab one for supper.

By the time I found the stall, it was closed to 10pm and it was already closed. Therefore, I made up my mind to wake up at 6am the next morning and go get my breadroll/baguette from the stall at 7am for breakfast.

Found the stall the next morning and bought 2 breadrolls for breakfast. :)

In fact I love it so much that I went back the next morning and bought 3 more (1-2 for breakfast, another to eat on board).

5 breadrolls in 2 days ain't that bad. I only wish I found out earlier. Then I would have traded my continental breakfast for breadroll everyday.

You're probably wondering what's my fascination with breadrolls.

Well, that was my favourite food back in Australia.

I prefer Vietnamese breadroll as compared to a Subway sandwich. I reckon it is healthier than any other burgers or sandwiches around. And the bread and pate combo is da bomb!!!!

Day 3 - I bought 1 medium breadroll (2 pieces) for 14,000 kip.
1 piece of small breadroll is already 9,000 kip.

Day 4 - The kiasu me bought the large breadroll the next day for 16,000 kip. I expected to get 3 pieces of breadrolls but I actually got 2 pieces instead. No difference between medium and large I reckon, probably more fillings.

How to make yummilicious breadroll.

#1 Put the baguette into the oven to make the crust crispy.

#2 Cut the baguette into half (not entirely though).

She's holding a medium baguette.

#3 Smother the baguette with pate and mayonaise evenly.

#4 Add ham, bologna and cucumber slices.

#5 Add special soy sauce (some vendors add garlic to the soy sauce) and chilli sauce (the ones that I used to eat in Aussie had no chilli sauce but lots chilli pieces instead).

#6 Top up with coriander and spring onions! Viola!

I tapau-ed this back to the hotel as my breakfast.

I whacked 1.5 pieces of breadroll that very morning. What a pig hor?

Another yummy dish...

Beef Pho

Before coming to Lao, I actually thought that it would be very similar to Vietnam. However, I was later informed that it's quite different from Vietnam and Cambodia.

Lao has more similarities with Thailand than the 2 countries above.

The ppl here can converse in Thai (heck, even their no 1 - 10 is exactly like Thai), and they prefer Thai baht as compared to Lao kip, not forgetting the food as well.

Ppl were selling somtam (papaya salad) everywhere.

Only difference is that Thai somtam is much nicer than Lao's papaya salad. I think it has something to do with the fish sauce.

Also, Lao ppl eat their somtams with fried fish stomach.

BBQ pork knuckle?

Huge ass sausages!

Fantastic otak-otak

I think these are fried fish stomachs. It seems to be a local favourite here.

I love love love their desserts! Especially the ones with green beans paste inside.

The white coconut kuih was fantastic.
We bought it from a roadside vendor in chinatown. 10,000 kip for 3 pieces (about RM4).

Chinese doughnuts in chinatown (yau char kwei). :P

Food I didn't quite like.


On the night of Day 2, we went to Mekong Deck for dinner.

Our tour guide organised an additional 'gourmet' feast for us.

BUGSSSSSS!!!

There were 5 types of different bugs in here..

Left to right clockwise: Cockroaches, crickets, beetles (the size of red beans), and baby grasshoppers.
The white stuff in the middle were silk worms.

I was told beforehand that this was coming. And I was adamant NOT to eat no matter what.

However, our VIPs kept urging me on. And I had to oblige. -_-

Me eating my very first (also the very last) cricket. Nan was right, it tasted pretty good. Kinda reminded me of fried ikan bilis (anchovies).

In the end, I've tried everything except the cockroach, which smelled gross (according to those who tried it).

In fact, no one could swallow the cockroaches as it tasted horrible too.

The silk worm was gross as well, it was so squishy. yuck..

No I didn't try these stuff.
I think they're pretty lethal. But they're sold everywhere. Ewwww..

Drinks I like...

Beerlao

I had my first Lao Beer on the night of Day 1. I've wanted one since noon to quench my thirst and help with the heat.

Beerlao is super light. Kinda like Heineken. :)

I needed something more than beer as my stupid reporter went missing that first night. *stress gila*

Dao-Heuang Coffee

Dao Coffee is grown in the southern mountain plateau in Lao. Formed millions of years ago by volcanic activities, its soil is ideal for growing rare Arabica coffee varieties.

I'm not much of a coffee lover until I discovered Dao Coffee. Ever since then, I'm a convert.

Dao Coffee is definitely one of the finest around. I love it uniquely rich taste.

The very first cup which converted me into a Dao coffee lover.

Lao has less tourists as compared to the other Indo China countries.
Most of the gwailos here at expats, who love the relaxing pace here.

Interesting ciggies

L-R: Lao's local brand of ciggies, Capri, and Tycoon.
Have you ever tried Sweet Chocolate ciggies before?






The weather

It's the hot/dry season now.

The weather is hot and dry as compared to Msia's hot and humid.

It's so hot that the Mekong river is all dried up now.

You see those brown land?

That's the Mekong river, without water.

Come 8th April is the Lao New Year (very similar to Thai's water festival - where ppl will go around splashing water to bless others), which is also the hottest time of the year.

The locals will set up stalls or play games here on the dried up land.

Hawkers selling food along Mekong river at night.

Will continue with Part 2 soon.

Till then...

Muahhh xx