More answers and arrival in Vientiane

Quick responses. No, we didn't take the night bus to Vientiane, but a short flight.
One of my favorite dishes is Mok Pa - fish in banana leaves, with delicious spices. I also liked the chicken in lemongrass, and sticky rice, which is eaten with your hands. Of course, the panorama of exotic fruits that are on every corner is something I'll remember when I'm back in Chicago. This stuff is so tasty. The food is mostly sauteed, not greasy, or heavy, but very healthy and fresh.

As for the orphanage - this was something that we asked the hotel owner about, when we became aware of it. It was definitely not a touristy stop on a circuit. We felt honored and privileged to spend some time there. The Lao people have a lot to teach us. It's more - he is rich not who has much, but who desires less.
Yes, Betty, at first I was uneasy, and thought we shouldn't take pictures, but the kids wanted their pictures taken. They are kids, after all, and I really think that they liked it that we appreciated their beautiful gardens, and watching them play games, cook, and going about their daily activities. We asked questions, and Andrew translated. They were comfortable answering, No complaints here. No sad faces. I don't have experience with orphanages in the States, but I have a feeling it would be different. We were truly humbled by their attitude.

So now we are in the capital of Laos, Vientiane. Still on the Mekong (it goes thru 6 countries), it's an easygoing town, and our hotel is lovely, along the river, at the end of a dirt road. This morning we took a long walk through the city, stopping for awhile at the morning market, then hopping in a tuk tuk to have lunch at a French restaurant - our first French meal in Asia. These are the days following the Chinese New Year, so many other cities are quite chaotic. Our fellow traveler, Karen, is already in Siem Reap, our next stop, and she says that the chaos has been stressful at Angkor Wat. I think it was a wise decision to linger a bit longer in Laos.