Vientiane, Laos is for Buddhas

We spent a beautiful evening Friday night for my birthday having beers at sunset on the Mekong River in Laos, then a taste-filled dinner with curries, fresh vegetable stir fry, drinks, wine, chile pineapples and coconut ice cream, and tons more. The five of us (Jackson missed it all. He fell asleep for the entire day at 2 p.m.!) had a really expensive meal for about $80 at a restaurant run by Quakers that trains Laos youngsters how to serve and cook.

Earlier in the day, we visited two of the best Buddist temples in Vientiane: Buddha Park (pictured) and Pha That Luang. Then we swam at Chris and Tania's swanky resort in the suburbs (we're staying at a less-fancy but nice place in town and right on the river called the Inter City Hotel).