Coss Posted August 16, 2006 Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 I awoke to Sunday in Vientiane. They used to say New Zealand closed on a Sunday, well Vientiane is not quite closed. I went for a blatt on the moto, with video cam firmly in hand, saw nice things like Siamese Fighting Fish in jars for sale by the road side. The Victory monument, is a great attraction. People come from far and wide, as evidenced by the many coaches, large, two story and multicoloured. They come to have their photos taken and their life force sucked from them by the unrelenting heat. But where was Nok? Gone, not in evidence. Must be a day off, I wonder if they have the six day work ethic here too? Had a beer or two with an esteemed board member and he let me know a couple of good, easily attainable subjects for my travelogue. But tonight I was determined to have a look at the night life. There were a few handy looking women at the Kop Chai Deu restaurant, so I decided that whilst they were every bit the part, I'd head off the the Hotel Anou Cabaret. I walked into the joint, the stage was the only lit part of the place, after a while my eyes adjusted a bit and I could still see nothing. I hit upon the novel approach of going up to the stage and looking back in the other direction, From this vantage point I could see that I was the only customer, and that in the vast depths of the place there were at least four individuals of a presumably feminine kind. I sat near the centre and managed a beer order with a vague dark shape that moved and spoke. It was then a lady, tall and graceful enquired of me, "You want sexy lady sit with you?" I spake thus: "I'm sorry I'm wet as a fish and I think I'll wait a little while." did I mention I'd moto'd through a downpour to get there? Soaked I was. And though the lady herself was pretty in a moonlit kind of way, I'd not been able to ascertain the attractiveness of the aforesaid "sexy ladies". As luck would have it, a party of other punters arrived and the four presumed feminine companions were quickly enjoined to that group. Oh well, there were now at least ten people there. The band was a professional looking bunch, playing a range of traditional Laos standards (well I assume they were standards, they did sound like stuff I'd heard before) with a new singer for every song. As i decided to leave, a very pretty singer launched into a Laos version of that terrible pop hit, that made the group "Three Non Blondes" their money. She did it with verve and yet decorum, quite a contrast, one minute belting out the refrain in true western liberated female librato, the next, sweetly singing the verse in subdued asian tones. On this performance I was moved to leave a tip for the singer. I might be back. And the rain, I returned to my stay, wet as wet can be, unsurprisingly, Nok was not in evidence, I should not become so easily smitten, maybe I am a masochist in that kind of way. On Monday I awoke refreshed, sent postcards, interrogated staff and found out that Nok had indeed had a day off and wasn't due to start until 2pm. Armed with moto, Nikon and Canon, I set forth to a market about forty minutes from town. Heat, repressing heat, sunburn, dehydration. When I got there I purchased a coconut, I was far enough from town to be in a refrigeration free zone, and though the coconut was at about twenty eight degrees C, it was surprisingly refreshing at that warmth. I took video of the frogs, bugs, intestines and live fish, crabs and snails. It was very dark, I hope to remedy that in edit. I then took some nice candid shots of the people, smiles abounding, one young boy doing his best "Rambo" impersonation. And one young girl who must be Nok's younger sister, shy, demure, embarrassed, smiling, sparkling. Back at the guest house, large white female whale, strode through the restaurant, accosted me, brandished the menu at me, in rising tones "It's not free, it says it's free, but it's not! I asked them and I have to pay, I just thought you should know!" She left the building and everything rose on the foundations, about a centimetre. It would seem she had yet to grasp the intricacies of paying for a room with, or without breakfast. I think I managed a withering scowl. And there is Nok, a quick smile and sparkle, and then she disappeared. No rain yet, so impressive humidity takes the water's place. I found a nice expensive restaurant to have dinner. Foi Gras in a soft Tamarind sauce. By soft I mean, when caramelising the sauce you can judge it so there is a slight bitterness in the flavour, I would call this hard, this sauce had no bitterness, and was subtly sweet. Down in middle earth, Fois Gras is rare if not impossible to find, the animal rights loonies will not allow us to let geese and ducks get a fat liver. So I enjoyed this dish immensely, as I knew loonies would be upset. Buffalo eye fillet, dijon and cepes, rare, beautiful. Melting golden chocolate, best described as a mousse in cake form, at once soft, creamy and luxurious, yet light and dry with no cloy. Followed by Martini Rosso, complete satisfaction. $34 and worth every Kip. I am writing this in my now favourite spot, at the table on the left next to the open guest house doors. And as usual I am the only customer, with Nok hiding until summoned, for another G&T and sparkle. And then, the street fills with chinese, men, women, children, the one with the clipboard, eyes the empty tables acquisitively, and then it's all on, they stream into the restaurant, Nok leaps about a foot backwards. I, relying on my commando training, grab laptop, G&T and accouterments and escape to the lobby next door. Then I discover that Nok is not shy, at least not shy of me, she's a shirker. Once the oriental guests have had their standard can of fizzy and food orders have been taken, Nok comes and sits quite close and in full view of me, smile, sparkle, smile. Glad to be out of the way of the customers she is, and before, as I was the customer, she was out of the way of me. I guess thirty odd chinese beats one Kiwi in the, who to hide from stakes. I think now, she redefines the concept of unobtrusive service. Coss in humid Laos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nervous_Dog Posted August 20, 2006 Report Share Posted August 20, 2006 Sweet - which was the expensive restaurant? Did you try the Novatel disco? DOG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coss Posted August 22, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 22, 2006 La caves des chateaux next to the fountain, No I didn't get to the Novotel. Next time a week or more, much better to investigate more. Cheers Coss Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dddave Posted August 23, 2006 Report Share Posted August 23, 2006 I did the "prix fix" special at LA CAVES a few years ago; salad, steak, some nice veggies, desert and a small caraffe of surprisingly decent wine. I think the whole thing came to about US $7.00: Nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coss Posted August 25, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2006 I miss Nok I think I'll be back, she's initiated an email dialogue... Cheers Coss Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dumsoda Posted August 25, 2006 Report Share Posted August 25, 2006 Be careful mate, you could end up like me !!! and I don't wish that on anyone. Great meeting up, hope that our paths cross again. You realise that the email thingo leads to monthly visits !! I've actually found that to be cheaper than phone calls.....well at least until you get there...lol.. Take care and have fun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coss Posted August 26, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2006 Yes, good meeting, but I've yet to meet a miss P for me ... Good luck and maintain a semblance of sanity... It's the Bangkok Blues for me and no visit for another year or two, sad, so very sad... Cheers Coss Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nkped Posted August 27, 2006 Report Share Posted August 27, 2006 Great posts. It has occured to me that Thais (and Lao) must wonder why we visit someplace so warm when we suffer so much from the heat. Did the guest house have industrial strength AC? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coss Posted August 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2006 No, average air con, but G&T somehow nullifies the heat. Cheers Coss Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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