Vientiane and 4000 islands

Vientiane is not one of the worlds more famous capital cities and for good reason there isn't alot to do here. It sits on Mekong (continuing my theory that all great cities need a river) and provides a taste of the French colonialism found in Luang Prabang but with more political steer. Every aid organisation you can think of has a base. The famous golden temple although iconic for the nation doesn't take your breathe away. I did though visit the government funded national museum. Laos has had a very traumatic modern history, the Siamese, Vietnamese, French and Americans have all dealt there hand at bombing this place. The Russians though left the biggest footprint through Chinese imperialism, Laos is a communist country and seems to yearn the time of Russian communist dominance with soviet flags still around, notably on the entrance to the museum.
The museum starts with a well presented Dutch exhibition who are believed to be the first Europeans to make contact in Laos. I was disappointed about the coverage of the Vietnamese war. I was expecting a heavily biased anti American feel but it wasn't really covered. Only a few pictures and inserts in Lao. It talked a lot about the post communist female movement ( this has been a reoccurring theme in communist and former communist countries)
There a very good part on the post war bomb and mine removal projects that are vital for countries like this. The US dropped more bomb on eastern Laos than any other country has ever received. The results in acre upon acre of uncleared agricultural land. I was glad to see USAID was a major contributor but 30 years after the war should it still be an issue.
This is one of the issues I think obama will struggle to deal with, history that he can't change, it takes generations to forgive these things not 4 years. Overall the museum has so much potential but maybe we have wait for change there.

I left Vientiane for Don Det in the 4000 islands.

Don Det is one of the 4000 islands on the Mekong.it has a few generators, several guesthouses and not a lot else. It is perhaps one of the chilled out places on earth. I would tell you all about it but I spent two days straight lying in a hammock in my beach hit reading 'when broken glass floats' the true story of a Cambodian girl during the Khmer rouge regime.

I would advise anyone to go to Laos, it reminded me of Mongolia, the chilled out vibe where nature still has control.