Oh, lots of stories, for sure. Being one of the very few foreigners around during the water festival meant is was 100% impossible to get home without getting utterly soaked, in the friendliest possible way.
And I remember clearly there was only one English sign anywhere in the Vientiane Airport, and it was a warning before the metal detector that said 'No Guns, No Knives, No Durian' in many different languages. More than one flight to Bangkok had someone casually cleaning their rifle to pass the time, and knives were shrugged at. They Meant It when it came to trying to take a durian on the plane, though!
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I would very much like to return and see how things have changed. Things haven't aligned to make it possible for me, yet, but it's on the list.
Here's a small gallery from the National Day parade in 1980, if you're interested: https://imgur.com/a/GRmSl
And I remember clearly there was only one English sign anywhere in the Vientiane Airport, and it was a warning before the metal detector that said 'No Guns, No Knives, No Durian' in many different languages. More than one flight to Bangkok had someone casually cleaning their rifle to pass the time, and knives were shrugged at. They Meant It when it came to trying to take a durian on the plane, though!
//
I would very much like to return and see how things have changed. Things haven't aligned to make it possible for me, yet, but it's on the list.
Here's a small gallery from the National Day parade in 1980, if you're interested: https://imgur.com/a/GRmSl