Sabaidee – Vientiane – Wander Through Our Eyes

Sabaidee, the word you hear the most while wandering the streets of Laos. Such a simple word, yet so powerful and indicative of Laotian culture. It has several meanings, but basically amounts to “hello” and a general tone of relaxation and happiness. To be honest Laos was the country we were least excited for, maybe it’s because we knew so little about it before our trip and, as Americans, had rarely ever heard of it outside of reference to its famous neighbors (Thailand and Vietnam). But, I quickly learned that we had vastly underestimated how amazing this country would be.

Laos is the place to go if you want to just “be”. During our first few days in Vientiane we pointed out that there was something very comforting and welcoming about the city, but couldn’t put our finger on it. After having been here a week, I now think it’s just their way of life. Everywhere you look someone is napping on the street, on a makeshift bed in their business or in a hammock in a Tuk Tuk. No one’s in a hurry, there are no lines, no frenzy- just “being”. A stark difference to our home, New York.

The first thing that strikes you when you arrive in Vientiane is the communist flag flying high…everywhere. Wherever there’s a Laotian flag, the red and yellow hammer and sickle follows. As an American it’s a strange thing to be in a communist country- that flag evokes images of the Cold War, Cuba, McCarthy, and your high school self reading Orwell in class. On every corner there is a Ministry dedicated to some kind of public work- they all seem to be empty, but they’re there nonetheless just in case.

The people are incredibly kind and patient with us tourists. It’s one of the only places in the world (that I’ve visited), where you can make eye contact with someone on the street, smile, and have them smile right back and offer you whatever it is they’re eating. Do you dare taste the bright red spicy soup they’re slurping on…absolutely not, my taste buds are too fragile…but it’s the thought that counts. On our third day here, the woman sitting next to us on the bus immediately shared some of her lettuce wraps with us, and filmed us while we took our first bites and took selfies with me while I chewed. You could tell she felt so much pride in her culture and so much joy in being able to share it with others. It was a beautiful moment, and now we know that somewhere out there on a Laotian facebook page we’re the two tourists grinning like idiots and giving a thumbs up to our delicious little piece of Laotian culture. That is Laos.

I have also been struck by their spirituality. In Laos, Buddhism is more than a religion, it’s a way of life. Everywhere you look there is Wat, and monks roam the streets in their bright saffron robes and seem to almost outnumber the average Laotian. As you walk through the city you notice these small mini temples (spirit houses) on the corner of almost every business and home. At almost every Wat we’ve seen Laotians enter for prayer and leave incense, rice, orange flowers, and candles (among other things) as a gift to the Temple. Everything they do seems to be in line with the peacefulness and distaste for materialism taught by their religion.

Our first day in Vientiane we set about trying to visit the city’s most well known Wats- though they were all beautiful, one in particular stood out- Wat Si Saket. It’s the oldest Wat in Vientiane (built 1818) and has a fascinating history. Surrounding the Temple there are corridors housing over 6,000 different statues of The Buddha, and the temple walls are covered in these beautiful old murals that are currently being restored. As someone who is not deeply religious, it is strange to say that visiting this place was the first time in a while that I felt spiritual. Something about it invoked a deep sense of serenity and joy that cannot be explained. Am I being moved by the Buddha, or by this culture and how different it is from my own? Who knows, but it’s a wonderful feeling.