50 something on her travels

I was really looking forward to returning to Vientiane after living here ten years ago. Whilst not the most exciting capital city it always had a great atmosphere with lots of great restaurants and bars. Alas the return was to a sadder place which is suffering badly since Covid.  The city has built itself up ready for the influx of tourists coming from China on the new railway.  Hotels have sprung up everywhere and the riverside has become a major entertainment and hospitality centre.  The once quaint handicraft night market is now sprawling with cheap designer fashion instead.  The railway launched a year ago, slap bang in the middle of restrictions. Since the lifting of restrictions the volume of tourists have not yet returned like we've seen up north.  So many local bars and restaurants have shut down and the Mekong River development remains pretty much untouched and looks derelict. The city is unkept and smelly with rubbish strewn around (no bins!).  Co...