The Anou Hotel was that odd mixture of Vietnamese, Lao, and French commerce. It was named for the last king of the Lao Kingdom of Vientiane, not to be confused with other Lao kingdoms, Luang Prabang, Champassak, and Xieng Khouang. The Anou cost more than the Nong Khai dive we stayed at the night before ($3.60 vs. $1) and had fewer amenities: The cold water shower was down the hall, and despite the ceiling fan running at takeoff speed, my room was hot, stuffy, and noisy.