11 November, Vang Vieng
Mountain Riverview Guest House 100,000LAK

From the mid-14th century, for over 300 years, Lan Xang (Laos) was one of the largest kingdoms in Southeast Asia. Wikipedia: “The ‘million elephants under the white parasol’ of the kingdom’s name alludes to the power of the kingship and formidable war machine of the early kingdom.” In the early 18th century a weakening Lan Xang split into three regions and was subsequently overrun by Siam (Thailand). In 1893 the Siamese surrendered all territory east of the Mekong river to the French and Laos became part of French Indochine. In 1953 the French withdrew from Laos, which became an independent, constitutional monarchy. Localhistories.org: “However Laos in the 1950s was a divided country. Most was ruled by royalist governments supported by the USA while parts were ruled by the pro-Communist Pathet Lao assisted by their allies the Viet Minh.” In the 1960s Laos was drawn into the Vietnam war and from 1964 to 1973 was heavily bombed by the USA. When South Vietnam and Cambodia fell to the communists in 1975, royalists fled from Laos allowing the Pathet Lao to take over. The Lao People's Democratic Republic was founded on 2 December 1975. Localhistories.org: “A full Communist regime was introduced. However in 1988 the government of Laos introduced market reforms. As a result the economy of Laos began to grow rapidly. Today Laos is still a poor country but it is developing rapidly...”

Charl had the bikes washed and oiled, replaced yet another rear tyre and snapped spoke, and mended two tubes while I whiled away the time reading books and watching movies. 

View from our Vang Vieng hotel room