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| Patuxai Triumphal Arch is a tourist attraction in Vientiane |
1. The tuk-tuk took me and my compatriots named Quan around Vientiane. At my request, the car did not stop but kept going, passing temples, Buddhist architectural works, or symbols of the Land of a Million Elephants. The final stop was on the banks of the Mekong River, at sunset…
The streets of Vientiane are not noisy; there are no sounds of car horns, and it is rare to see jostling and disorder. The space and the scenery of the streets seem to flow slowly. At times, the orange-yellow color of the monks silently begging for food is seen. "People are too used to a slow and gentle life. For me too, now I integrate into the life of the local people," Quan said.
My imagination before setting foot on this nearly 600-year-old capital was very different. In my mind, the urban area would be more bustling. However, after a day of walking around Vientiane, whether in famous places or ordinary streets, whether at tourist attractions like the Patuxai Triumphal Arch or a street stall, what we all got were just many friendly smiles or deep feelings about the custom of tying a thread on the wrist, the blessing ceremony of monks for visitors ahead of That Luang Temple.
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| That Luang is renowned as an age-old Buddhist structure in Vientiane |
A quiet and gentle capital is without too many high-rise buildings, littering; beggars, lottery ticket sellers, and shoe shiners are also absent… In the afternoon of Vientiane, sunlight spreads down towards the banks of the Mekong River. How sparkling, peaceful, and poetic it is! Vientiane by night is even more ancient. The "Moon City" often goes to bed early; the temples are silent. "Although it is the capital of Laos, Vientiane remains wild. There are no skyscrapers like in big cities in Vietnam. Laotian are simple, honest, and content. Perhaps, Vientiane has many temples, so the scenery is peaceful and quiet", Quan confided.
As Quan said, there is one thing that is easy to feel when tourists reach Vientiane. Many of them, including me, are especially impressed by the ancient and beautiful temples, like castles standing behind the gates, and ramparts higher than human heads. Inside, the monks are quiet as if they were aimless, smiling whenever they see tourists.
After more than 10 years of living in Vientiane, Quan is well-versed in the customs and culture of the neighboring country. Quan said that life here is gentle and slow, but profound. People exchange love through gestures and actions, especially Buddhist worship. The whole city is surrounded by temples that make everyone feel peaceful. “One can kneel before a young monk without hesitation with endless respect. Tourists keep visiting the temples quietly without being scrutinized by any eyes," Quan revealed.
2. Laos has long been a "good" land for Vietnamese people. Not only Quan but also thousands of Vietnamese people have flocked to Laos to make a living. It seems effortless to meet Vietnamese people anywhere in Vientiane. Especially in the markets, people can use Vietnamese money to exchange, and trade… Going abroad to make a living, and a good many have become rich!
Quan led me to a spacious villa with fresh yellow paint, located on a large plot of land right in the city center. Quan said that this house owner was from Hue. After a while of greeting and getting to know her compatriot, Ms. Nga warmly invited the guests into the house.
She is from Huong Thuy and has started business in Laos for nearly 20 years. In the early days, she and her husband did all jobs to earn a living. "Some Vietnamese people here do business, some are carpenters, tuk-tuk drivers, and others open restaurants and eateries," Ms. Nga said. When I politely asked to know more about the job, Ms. Nga smiled with two fingers raised, "Reach Bung That Luong Market at 2 a.m., you will know." Her half-joking, half-serious words made me even more curious!
At 2 a.m. next morning, Vientiane was still in darkness, I stood ahead of the gate of Bung That Luong Market waiting. In the dim darkness, the petty traders were busy arranging goods on the shelves; some peeled onions and garlic, and others rearranged bunches of vegetables and fish. The scene was very urgent but strangely quiet. Ms. Nga drove the pickup truck that quickly disappeared behind the gate. 30 minutes later, more than 10 boxes of goods on the truck were soon arranged neatly at the counter by her and her husband, and then customers came to receive the goods in turn. Seeing me, she was amazed, "You said that, and you also came"…
After nearly 2 decades of earning a living, Ms. Nga is now the owner of a dry meat and seafood processing facility. She imports goods and raw materials from Vietnam, then processes and supplies wholesale to customers in Vientiane. This job, during peak times, helps her earn hundreds of millions of VND per month. According to Ms. Nga, in Vientiane, many Vietnamese families with 3-4 generations have been making a living for decades. The older generation has made a living, then guided and instructed the younger one. "Some families in Loc Bon (Phu Loc), and Thuy Phu (Huong Thuy) closed their houses in their homeland and came here to do business. They only return home once every few years," Ms. Nga shared.
At this Bung That Luong Market, both Ms. Nga and many Vietnamese traders are also earning a livelihood. About 200 meters from Ms. Nga's stall is the vegetable stall of Ms. Tran Thi Ni (Loc Bon Commune). The items are quite diverse with a huge variety of vegetables and fruits; at the same time, Ms. Ni also arranges an area to gather spices for selling wholesale to customers. “I have been in Laos for nearly 10 years. At first, I worked for an auto parts store. After getting married, my husband and I saved up to buy a stall to do business at this market. In general, doing business in Laos is more favorable than in Vietnam, and labor costs in Laos are also cheaper, so income is earned,” said Ms. Ni.
Leaving Bung That Luong Market at daybreak, after contacting Vietnamese people earning a living here, I felt the warmth of the new land surrounding and protecting them. Vietnamese traders at Bung That Luong Market are just a small slice of the Vietnamese community’s journey to earn their livelihood in Laos. And, although Vientiane is a foreign land, it is warm and sincere. There, you can find not only chicken sticky rice and papaya salad typical of Laotian but also Hue beef noodle soup and Saigon coffee if you roam the sedate city…