I got up and wandered, wandered downtown, nowhere to go but just to hang around

     Pakse is a compact city, making walking my preferred method of getting around. In the mornings, I like to walk through the big market. This is a market similar to the Seattle Pike Place Market, or your local farmer’s market. It is not a Safeway market, or a western shopping center. At this market there is a section with vendors selling vegetables. There are some vegies imported from Vietnam, but, for the most part, the availability is what is in season in Lao. This brings an amazing freshness, as the produce does not travel far from farm to market.

     There is another section of the market with vendors selling fruit. Again, mostly what is available, in season, in Lao. There is a huge variety of colorful, and flavorful fruit in Lao. I’ve sampled a great deal of what is available, and like them all. Well, all except durian. I found it interesting that some of the oranges have a green skin. The flesh inside is orange, however, and quite flavorful. There are no lemons, but some of the limes have a yellow rind, with a lime flavor.

     There is a section selling meat, similar to your local butcher. There are no prepackaged meats here. If you want pork, you go to the pork vendor and they will cut what you want, the same with beef, or chicken. All parts of the animal are sold and eaten, and I mean ALL parts, head, feet, tail, tongue, liver, and intestines included!

     The seafood section has many varieties of freshwater fish. Fish is the main protein source for the Lao people, and an amazing variety is available. There are frozen Vietnamese prawns and squid available as well.

     There are a large number of vendors selling prepared food in the market. Drinks, soups, rice dishes, meat dishes, and deserts. The prices are much less than the restaurants, but a bit more than the street vendors. Table and benches are set up to eat and drink.

     The largest part of the market has vendors selling a little bit of everything. There are vendors selling clothing, fabric, hardware items, cosmetic supplies, jewelry, electronics, kitchen supplies, etc. All the vendors will bargain, there are no set prices. I think this is what the vendors like, the interaction with the buyers. Buying a watermelon or a shirt, is not as simple as paying the listed price because there is no listed price. The buyer and seller take time to reach an agreeable price, and this can be quite fun!

     My morning walk takes me through this marketplace, and continues along the Mekong river, back to my apartment. Most afternoons I take a walk in the other direction, into the center of town. Here I buy street food, all delicious and inexpensive. The Lao businesses are all quite similar. A family will live and work in the same building, with a shop at street level, and living quarters upstairs.

     Walking is not something the Lao people do. They will use their moto to visit a friend two doors down. They will use their moto to go across the street. Thus, sidewalks are not used for walking. Sidewalks are used for parking their vehicles and selling stuff. When I walk, I have to walk on the street. Not what I prefer, but, when in Lao . . .