This is a close up of a local woman haul some goods over the bridge at sunset.
My guess is you can hang here more or less all day if you're buying beers.
Back streets of V.V via motobike view.
There was really, really great light this one afternoon I was in Vang Vieng. My camera was running low on juice, so I was turning it on and off after a few pics here and there. I kept waiting for the sun to get lower, to see how different the color would get. Actually, didn't get dramatically different - just stayed good.
I was envious of this guy. He *seemingly* had his own local hottie. Very cute. Not too many westerners hanging with Asian girls around here. Well done, sir.
We ate at the platforms on the left of the bridge.
My foot, my food. Had a BeerLao too, of course.
Al awaiting his food.
Western male pleasure seekers.
This was our DJ for the day. She played pretty good stuff, Shins, Interpol maybe, Stones, I think. Only problem was the bar/restaurant adjacent had a competing sound system pumping out Bob Marley's Legend. The cacophony was brutal. Ah, paradise.
I guess that is beads of sweat he's shaking out of his hair... sweat from wearing his motobike helmet.
The V.V. waterpark.
Heading to Tom Sawyer Island.
This guy, this experienced looking traveler guy, is asking us for directions in V.V. Good luck buddy. He must have imported his bike and gear. Cool way to go, but a lot of hassle keeping track of all your sh*t. Lots of lonely miles, too.
Volleyball played with a non-inflated wickerball - which bounces very well, and is very light.
The school the kids are playing volleyball in front of.
Us on the scenic bridge.
Close up of river action.
Some westerners riding ahead of us on the trail.
Local with umbrella. Always a great sight.
Al heading over the first bridge on our trip. Note the bomb tail fins on the posts at the end of the bridge.
War surplus.
Al on bike as we head to day trip around Karst formations.
Old commie stuff, not been updated in a long time, despite commies still holding on to power.
There were very FEW signs of commie propaganda in Laos. Not much more than a flag here or there. Considerably less than I saw in Vietnam in 2006.
A nice view of Vang Vieng along the river.
The above three shots are of the massive beer garden in Vientiane, Laos along the Mekong. While I was in Vientiane only briefly, this riverside scene seemed to be the cities greatest redeeming quality. However, for whatever reason, time of day-wise, season-wise, economic-wise, day of week-wise, this place was largely empty when I was there. Nevertheless, it was certainly a great place to drink beers and watch time float by.
By chance, though with the advantage of sharply honed travelers intuition on both sides, we meet at a corner restaurant in the heart of Vientiane within an hour or so of our both arriving in town
