Written 7th December 2012
We had one day in Vientiane and we decided to use it to go and see COPE centre museum. We walked there and stopped by a few other landmarks along the way.
It was really funny because when we were walking Bron walked smack-bang into this pole!
The centre was really worthwhile going to. It is all about helping people who are affected by unexploded bobs dropped on Loas during the Vietnam War. More bombs were dropped on Loas during that war than all the bombs dropped in World Wars 1 and 2!
I will copy what the Lonley Planet Guidebook says so you have a bit more information;
COPE CENTRE
An estimated 260 million submunition 'bombies' were dropped on Loas between 1964 and 1973. Sadly 78 million of them failed to explode. On the outskirts of Vientiane, COPE is an inspiring organization dedicated to supporting the victims of UXO (unexploded ordinance), providing clinical mentoring and training programs for local staff in the manufacture of high-tech but low-cost artificial limbs and related rehabilitation activities.Since the end of the war over 12,000 people have fallen prey to UXO (many of them children),rendering the work that takes place here among the most vital in the country.
Despite the dark subject matter COPE has a very sunny atmosphere, understandable when you consider people are being given there lives and pride back. The permanent UXO exhibition is fascinating with photographs portraying the salvaged lives of victims, as well as a bunker-style cinema showing an educational documentary.
The cinema wasn't working when we were there but the exhibition was really good. I was surprised that the centre was set up by two English guys and that America has hardly put in any money or done anything to help put right all the horror they have caused.
Despite the dark subject matter COPE has a very sunny atmosphere, understandable when you consider people are being given there lives and pride back. The permanent UXO exhibition is fascinating with photographs portraying the salvaged lives of victims, as well as a bunker-style cinema showing an educational documentary.
The cinema wasn't working when we were there but the exhibition was really good. I was surprised that the centre was set up by two English guys and that America has hardly put in any money or done anything to help put right all the horror they have caused.
These are peoples old artificial limbs, many of them made by the wearer.
This exhibit shows an example of the inside of a Loas home where many of the items are made from scrap from old bombs. It means that children are unable to identify bombs and that they are dangerous when they see them as they are used to seeing them as parts of many items that are familiar to them.
After the centre we caught a tuk-tuk to a few other places and then back to the hostel where we got ready to go on the sleeper bus.
We had dinner and then got picked up by a tuk-tuk that took us tot he bus.
In a sleeper bus you are actually laying down. Steve and I had a double bed which is just wide enough for two.
We were opposite Bron and Ryan.
The whole trip was 13 hours so it is lucky you can sleep a lot of it. At the end of the bus trip they tell you to get out and you get a mini van to 4000 islands.
Then you get a boat to Don Det. We walked around for ages with our packs on our backs in the hot hot sun before we found somewhere.
It was right on the water though. But after we had agreed to stay there we realised that the mattress on the bed was actually a bed base. You know how a normal bed has a base part that looks like a mattress that you screw the legs into and put a mattress on top. Well this lady had put the base in a bed frame instead of a mattress! It was so uncomfortable - after we lay on it you could see the wire marks on our backs. We all just had naps and stuff after we had food and in the late afternoon we got bikes and rode across to the other island to try and see the rare Irrawaddy dolphins which live in the river.
We rode home in the dark and Bron's chain came off her bike but Ryan was able to fix it. After dinner Bron found that someone had accidentally flogged her jandals (as everyone has to take their shoes off at the door). There were cute cats at the restaurants though. :)
This one had a different colour to each side of it's face.
That night Steve got bitten badly by bed bugs but luckily I didn't get too many bites because I was mostly in my sleeping bag liner.
We moved out of that place the next morning and found another one where Ryan and Bron were staying.
That day we decided to leave Asia early and go and visit Dad in Australia on the way home. So we spent the morning organizing changing our flights. Then in the afternoon Steve and I hired bikes again and rode back to the other island and caught a boat out to see the dolphins.
This is the local school.
We did see them but they were a little way away. We couldn't go closer because the boat guy couldn't cross the boarder into Cambodia!
When we got back Bron still hadn't found her jandals but at dinner time she found them.
We had dinner with some people that we met that morning who happened to come to the same restaurant we were in. And guess who else decided to drop by? That crazy Scottish fellow from the mini van from to Vang Vieng!!!
We were opposite Bron and Ryan.
The whole trip was 13 hours so it is lucky you can sleep a lot of it. At the end of the bus trip they tell you to get out and you get a mini van to 4000 islands.
Then you get a boat to Don Det. We walked around for ages with our packs on our backs in the hot hot sun before we found somewhere.
It was right on the water though. But after we had agreed to stay there we realised that the mattress on the bed was actually a bed base. You know how a normal bed has a base part that looks like a mattress that you screw the legs into and put a mattress on top. Well this lady had put the base in a bed frame instead of a mattress! It was so uncomfortable - after we lay on it you could see the wire marks on our backs. We all just had naps and stuff after we had food and in the late afternoon we got bikes and rode across to the other island to try and see the rare Irrawaddy dolphins which live in the river.
We were told it would take 20 minutes but like everywhere in Asia they told us a shorter time than reality so it took an hour and by the time we got there it was too dark to go! It was a really nice ride though.
We rode home in the dark and Bron's chain came off her bike but Ryan was able to fix it. After dinner Bron found that someone had accidentally flogged her jandals (as everyone has to take their shoes off at the door). There were cute cats at the restaurants though. :)
This one had a different colour to each side of it's face.
And this kitten was adorable! It wanted to sit on my chair with me.
That night Steve got bitten badly by bed bugs but luckily I didn't get too many bites because I was mostly in my sleeping bag liner.
This was the bed with the bed bugs.
This was the light in the bathroom. Typical South East Asian building. :)
This was the front of the place though. Right on the river.
We moved out of that place the next morning and found another one where Ryan and Bron were staying.
That day we decided to leave Asia early and go and visit Dad in Australia on the way home. So we spent the morning organizing changing our flights. Then in the afternoon Steve and I hired bikes again and rode back to the other island and caught a boat out to see the dolphins.
This is the local school.
And here is the boat we went out on.
We stopped and sat on a rock so we wouldn't keep drifting into Cambodian waters.
We did see them but they were a little way away. We couldn't go closer because the boat guy couldn't cross the boarder into Cambodia!
When we got back Bron still hadn't found her jandals but at dinner time she found them.
We had dinner with some people that we met that morning who happened to come to the same restaurant we were in. And guess who else decided to drop by? That crazy Scottish fellow from the mini van from to Vang Vieng!!!
After dinner The Cookie Monster decided he needed an after dinner snack.
I am lucky if I get 1 cookie when we buy a pack of these! Actually most of the time I get 1 but I AM very lucky if I get 2!!!
