Travel & Humanitarian Photos
It’s been over five years since I last came to Vientiane in Laos and things have clearly been changing.
The hotels are more in number and the new ones are modern and swish. The little JoMa cafe which was once a candidate for “Best cafe in the world” with its rustic charm, freshly-baked pastries and fine selection of teas is now a glass-fronted Starbucks imitator. The cakes are still great but it’s gone from being a delightful and unexpected treasure to just another street-side cafe. Such is the price we pay for finding these little gems appealing. We love the out-of-the way feel but by coming here we make “out-of-the-way” very much “on the beaten track” and so, inevitably, things are destined to “improve”.
Fortunately, the temples and shrines in Laos’ capital city retain their unique charm. Different in style from Thai temples, they seem even more laid-back, if that’s possible, and are a delight to wander around. These four shots came at the end of a long night and day travelling from Bangkok but, as you’ll see, I managed to get into town just as the best light of the day began to cast appealing shadows, bathing the yellow temple walls in warm, golden tones.
Brilliant! Wonderful tones & feel. What a pity that just by going there in order to savour those things, we contribute to the inevitable.
Wonderfully warm….
Is that the cafe by the (broken) fountain? Got stuck in Vientiane for a week await a visa and spent every morning there. Great baguettes, would be a shame if it’s gone.
Did you make it to the sauna near the monastery just out of town? Highly photogenic.
Ed, that’s the one although the fountain seems to be fixed now. I didn’t make it to the sauna but at least I now have an excuse to return to Vientiane. Thanks!