Savannakhet

I ended up staying four nights in Savannakhet, Laos.

I was actually surprised at how little there was to do. I mean, border towns aren't exactly known for being full of amazing things to see, but I mean, for the second-largest town in the whole country, Savannakhet felt empty and lifeless. There was nearly no traffic and most shops seemed closed down and abandoned. 

It almost seemed as if the chaotic Thai Consulate was the most happening place in town... which it might well have been.

I actually really like Laos. I've always been fond of this small, sleepy, southeast Asian country. The full name of the country is the People's Democratic Republic of Laos, and it's one of five remaining Communist countries in the world, although the joke goes that "PDR" actually stands for "Please Don't Rush". 

A few years back, my now wife and I spent a full month in Laos, exploring the tiny backpacker town of Vang Vieng and the sleepy holy city of Luang Prabang.

It's the most chilled out and relaxed place I've ever been, and the people are some of the warmest and friendliest I've ever met. 

Random people - shopkeepers, schoolkids riding their bikes, old men strolling down the quiet roads - would wave at me and shout "hello, how are you?".

While I was here, I mostly spent time in my rented bungalow.

Each morning, I went out to explore the quiet streets. There was actually a good deal of nice street art depicting scenes from Laotian life.

Even though there wasn't much to do in Savannakhet, I found myself starting to like the town. It was quiet, peaceful, relaxed, and boring in the best sort of way.

While my mission at the consulate was ultimately unsuccessful, I can definitely see myself coming back here. I have become fond of this quiet town, and in the short time that I spent in Savannakhet, I really started to learn my way around.

Nevertheless, I still expect that I'll be heading back to Phnom Penh later this year, as it's the Thai embassy that I'm most familiar with when it comes to applying for a new visa.

I had some good food while I was in Laos!

If you've been following my blog for some time, you will probably know that one of my favorite side projects is The World of Street Food, a blog that I keep all about the amazing food that I eat around the world. This blog has helped me to explore the countries that I visit and has given me the encouragement to step out and try new restaurants abroad.

While I was in Laos, I tried a few great new local restaurants in Savannakhet. One local restaurant was located near my guesthouse. I used my limited Thai to order a plate of kee mao moo, or "drunken noodles with pork".

Thai and Laotian are mutually intelligible languages (to a certain yet practical degree), and especially being near the border, I was able to successfully order a plate of these delicious, spicy, and aromatic noodles.

Another morning, I headed down to the riverside to visit Lao Dern.

This upscale restaurant was one of the top reviewed restaurants on Trip Advisor, and one of the only restaurants I could find reviews for online.

I entered the peaceful, quiet restaurant and ordered an iced Lao coffee.

I also ordered a bowl of chicken pho.

Laos is culturally and geographically situated right between Thailand and Vietnam, and the food reflects that. Coffee, baguettes, and delicious chicken soup are as much a part of Laotian culture as Vietnamese (due to their shared French Indochinese heritage).

Another morning, I also had a wonderful plate of garlic pork with rice at a small local restaurant. The menu was not written out in English, but I used my Thai to read it.

Thai and Lao are similar languages which share a common Pali-Sanskrit ancestry. As such, the alphabets are quite similar (Lao is "squigglier", but I can still make out the letters).

For example, the word "American" written in

- Thai is: คนอเมริกัน

- and in Lao is: ຄົນອາເມຣິກັນ.

I can read Thai quite well (I can actually read it even better than I can speak it, a very uncommon attribute amongst foreign learners), and I'm always proud of myself when I'm able to successfully order a meal from someone who cannot speak English.

On my final full day before leaving Laos to go back to Thailand, I returned once again to Lin's Cafe to have a breakfast of a baguette with butter and jam and an iced Lao coffee.

This French-inspired breakfast was really delicious. Though simple, it was a very nice way to start my day.

After breakfast, I took a walk along the riverfront.

I passed a magnificent shrine dedicated to the Naga, the snakelike water spirit from Theravada Buddhism.

I also came across a monument dedicated to Ho Chi Minh, the late leader of Vietnam.

Laos, like Vietnam, is a Communist country. During the Vietnam War (technically the "Second Indochinese War"), Laos tried to stay out of the fighting. Due to their alliance with North Vietnam, however, Laos was the target of the "Secret War". Because they were officially neutral, the rules of the Geneva Convention did not apply, and Laos and became the most heavily bombed country in the history of the world.

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Despite this, the Laotian people whom I've met have been nothing but kind, happy, and excited to hear that I am American. Like in Vietnam, there seems to be much stronger feelings towards the French than towards the Americans.

In both countries, I've never felt anything other than completely and warmly welcome.

My time in Savannakhet was coming to an end.

On Monday morning, I took the Thai-Lao International Bus back across the bridge to Mukdahan. We left Savannakhet bus station punctually and drive ten minutes to the border.

The process was similar to before, but in reverse. It was one of the quickest and smoothest border crossings I've ever made.

Foreigners are allowed to enter Thailand twice per calendar year visa free via land borders. This time, because I was not able to arrange the visa as I had hoped, I came back to Thailand as a tourist with a 30-day visa exemption stamp.

The Savannakhet border was super quick, easy, and friendly. It was far easier than the experiences I've had in the past.

I spent another comfortable night at the Hop Inn in Mukdahan, and took the next morning's bus back to Bangkok.