An Evening Downtown

It's an absolutely beautiful evening with perfect temperatures (24 C) and a full moon.

December 2 is National Day in Lao PDR, and overall, it appears to be a very peaceful and restful holiday. After spending the day catching up on work activities that have piled up over the last three weeks, while I've been away from the office, I decided to celebrate with an evening foot massage. However, upon arriving downtown I discovered my favourite massage shop is closed, and so I'm left to explore other possibilities. I decided to eat dinner at a French pizzeria that I have always walked past. The ambiance is great; the staff are friendly; but, the pizza fails to pass the test.

Although Vientiane is the capital city, many would still describe it as a town. The main downtown area covers about 30 blocks. This is also the main destination for tourists and so shops, galleries, and restaurants cater to the tastes and interests of foreigners. Edmontonians might compare it to "Whyte Avenue".

In the last week many places have been decorated with colourful lights, perhaps in celebration of Christmas and International New Year, but more likely to make the city look beautiful for the South East Asia Games that start December 9.

With the added lights and perfect evening temperature, it was a delight to wander the streets and explore silk shops I haven't previously. New businesses are constantly emerging and tonight I noticed several that I have not previously seen. The new hamburger stand caught my attention, and so perhaps the next time I'm craving western food, I'll have to check it out.