International Women's Day

In Lao PDR, International Women’s Day is a national holiday for women, and as March 8 fell on a Sunday, Monday also was a holiday.

I called my host sisters and suggested we do something, but not knowing how local women like to celebrate, I left it up to them to choose the destination. I offered to “rent” the MCC car and drive us to the chosen destination. I arrived at their home shortly after 10:00 a.m. With Pepsi, water and sticky rice in the basket, we were ready for our road trip adventure.

Nongseum restaurant, about 20 km out of the city, was the chosen destination. I had been there with them before and we enjoyed relaxing in our private gazebo, along the shore of a small lake, while we feasted on traditional Lao food. Because of its popularity, there was no room for us to celebrate Women’s Day there. We decided to go down the road a few kilometers to Seliphab restaurant. We pulled into the parking lot with a line of cars right behind us, leaving us “blocked in”. The parking attendants indicated the restaurant was full, but we wandered around the grounds ensuring all spaces were indeed full and then began the process of “inching” our way out of a full parking lot. This became a true test of my manual driving skills.


Finally free from the parking lot and back on the road, we decided to just stop and eat “foe” – rice noodle soup with vegetables and meat, enhanced with various combinations of fresh lime juice, sugar, chili peppers, fresh herbs, vinegar, etc. We ate and laughed about our road trip thus far. At least we had taken pictures of us all at a grandeur place. By this time, we had also picked up our “servant” for the day, my host sister’s boyfriend. He willingly filled his duties of photographer and general “gopher”.


With our stomachs full, they suggested we go to the zoo, a place they had not been for many years. This too was a popular Women’s Day destination. Upon entry, fresh fruit was purchased and we proceeded to eat and wander through the zoo stopping frequently for photos.



By this time it was mid afternoon, but knowing there was a large dam with a beautiful lake about 40 km down the road that no one had visited before, we ventured on. Occasionally we stopped and asked for directions, just to ensure we were heading in the right direction.

As we drove I was reminded of previous day trips in Ontario, Alberta and other great places, traveling with good friends, stopping for food along the way and just enjoying the experience of the day.

Upon arriving at the lake, we again took more photos; purchased the favourite Lao foods of BBQ chicken, papaya salad, and coconut-sweetened sticky rice roasted in bamboo; and enjoyed our impromptu picnic along the shores of the lake. Next time we would come for the day and rent a boat to travel to an island on the lake.


We returned to Vientiane safely, with good memories of the day. Perhaps the next road trip will include a stop for ice cream.