[Laos] Our TOP 10

Acording to the statistics, Laos is one of the poorest country in the world. Really?

We stayed over there only 2 weeks but for sure, we feel like going back. This time, we visited only north part of Laos and our TOP 10 is about that.

In Laos everybody says Baw pen nyaaaaaaaaaang!

Which means – NO PROBLEM. You are waiting second hour for your meal in the restaurant? Baw pen Nyaaaaaaaaaang my friend. There is no electricity at the border with China and you cannot process your visa? Baw pen nyaaaaaaaaaang! Already 2 hours in the bus waiting for the departure? Baw pen nyaaaaaaaang!

Beer Lao is everywhere in Laos

You repeat Beer Lao so often, that even when ordering a Lao Coffee at 8 am you say: Beer Lao. Here, Beer Lao taste perfectly! Especially after a day in full sun, or during a play in Petangue, or with the best laap (obergine dish)… Beer Lao. The biggest problem of Beer Lao is its price. It is too cheap. Everybody drink Beer Lao in large amount.

The roosters are everywhere in Laos

One morning (4:00 am) I woke up with the firsts Roosters-de-Ragamuffins when they start crowing. It was very laud, I was not able to sleep because of the noise. I started to account how often they crow… each 5 seconds. Moreover, instead of standard cock-a-doodle-doooooo, they sound like cock-a-doodle! In each 5 second I was waiting for this lost doooooo – what a massacre!

In Laos everything cost 10000 kip

(almost everything). Beer Lao cost 10000 kip. Laap cost 10000 kip. Boat ticket cost 10000 kip. Mango and maracuja juice cost 10000 kip. Once, we even found a home-stay for 10000 kip.

The looms are everywhere in Laos

In the front of each house you can find a loom. Laotian women are making a real pieces of art on them. More about weaving in Laos you can read here 🙂

You wait for your food in Laos

Always and long. How is the eating in Laos restaurant? There you go:

Hi, can we order a fish? Yes! Ok, so one fish please. Ok, fried or cooked? Cooked. Ok, no problem. Beer Lao? Yes.

And… the work starts. The lady starts the phone calls with a lovely smile on her face, repeating all the time – fish, no problem! Beer Lao arrives. We enjoy. After 15 minutes a boy is coming on his motorbike with a bag of fish. The fish are still alive. He says – fish, no problem! The fish are beautiful. And fresh 🙂 The lady strikes a bargain, pay to the boy and… she is going to the shop to buy vegetables, we guess. Fish, no problem! After 5 minutes she is back and she starts to cook. After one hour fish is ready! And with a portion of sticky rice is just DELICIOUS!!! Average waiting time for food in Laos is around 1,5 hours.

In Laos everybody eat sticky rice

Simply, you are getting a bamboo box full of sticky rice and using your hand, you just eat it. For the breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is obvious but has to be said – it is  delicious

Kids are everywhere in Laos

We noticed it at the very beginning. They are just everywhere. A lot of them. What we pointed also out, is that they are always close to their parents – at home, at work, outside, in the shop or the restaurant. Either they are hanging around and helping with some works, either they are carried by mums on the back. Laos kids are very curious and talkative.

Water and forest are everywhere in Laos

Most probably it is the  consequence of heavy rains. The river queen is Mekong. In the roles of princesses and princes, there are among others, Nam Ou and Ma. A so-called slow boats trips are very often another opportunity to look at this country, and in this same time very often the only, the fastest, most comfortable and safest way to travel around Laos.

Maren and Hans were in Laos

An exceptional couple from Hamburg with whom our roads crossed in Laos. The awareness of the proximity friends on the journey was invaluable to us. Thinking of Laos, maybe YOU we miss the most… we kiss you warmly wherever you are now.

W Laosie widzieliśmy mnóstwo uśmiechniętych, ciekawych i charakternych ludzi. Podziwialiśmy piękną przyrodę, pyszną i zdrową kuchnię. Laotańczycy nie wyglądali na smutnych i nieszczęśliwych. Czy jest to zasługa Beer Lao czy tego, że w Laosie życie nie jest takie złe, tego nie wiemy.

Ale może Wy wiecie? Byliście w Laosie? Jakie są Wasze odczucia?