Day 1017 – Vientiane, Laos

Day 1017 – 20th March 2008 +7:00 GMT

So we had a free breakfast at guest house then we walked to Lao Airline Office to confirm our flights for tomorrow then on to the presidential palace.

Lao Airlines Offices

The Presedential Palace

Unfortunately you cannot go in so we could just take photos from outside the gates. The palace is opposite a long road which is supposed to represent the champs-elysees and at the end has a Arc similar to the Arc de Triomphe. We then had a look around Wat Si Saket, by now I have seen so many temples so we agreed we would just look around the main one in the city.

Wat Si Saket

Wat Si Saket

We walked to the market which was huge, hundreds and hundreds of stalls selling fresh fruit and vegetables, local crafts and clothes.

Vientiane Market

We then walked to the Patuxai (victory gate of Vientiane) This was built in 1962 to resemble the Arc de Triomphe but was never completed due to the country’s turbulent history. We decided to go to the top and walked up the 205 stairs to get the views over the capital city.

The Patuxai

Me At The Patuxai

Ceiling Of The Patuxai

South View Of Vientiane

East View Of Vientiane

North View Of Vientiane

West View Of Vientiane

The city itself is relatively small and is not very aesthetically pleasing mostly full of modern concrete building with no character. We then took a tuk tuk to the Pha That Luang which is the biggest and most important monument in Laos. It is a huge golden structure, it is a symbol of Buddhist religion and Lao sovereignty.

Pha That Luang

Pha That Luang

Shrine At Pha That Luang

Me At Pha That Luang

We had a walk around and there is actually not to much to see when you are close up just a golden building. We had a look at a couple of temples next to it and then got a tuk tuk back to the guest house.

Pha That Luang

Pha That Luang

Pha That Luang

Pha That Luang

Pha That Luang

We had a couple of hours rest then walked to the Laos National History Museum. The museum was very good and each room was set in a different period of time started with evolution. They had a collection of dinosaur bones which were first discovered in 1939 and then the rest discovered in 1995. Recently a lot of excavation has been down in Laos and many ancient relics of gold and silver have been found but it seems when they are sent abroad for examination they are never seen again. That seems to be a problem for a country with such a history and no money to protect it. Laos used to be a French colony and was part of French-Indo-China, France lost Laos during the 2nd world war and tried to re take the country in 1946 and then America bombed Laos during the 60’s and 70’s as it did not want communism to spread. Laos finally gained independence in 1975.

Laos National History Museum

Prices in Laos are still very cheap. Most meals cost less than a pound and you can buy 20 cigarettes for only 23p, apparently the cheapest place in the world. Water is around 12p a bottle and beer 84p for a litre. After the museum we went out to dinner and then for a walk along the river.

Jill In A Dress By The Mekong

I then checked my e-mail and then we went back to the guest house. We had a massive thunderstorm during the night, Laos seems to have a lot of thunderstorms this is the 6 night we have experienced them, but this one was right over us with lightning strikes every couple of seconds. I managed to get some photos of the lightning striking the ground, eventually we got to sleep.

My Photo's Of The Thunderstorm

My Photo's Of The Thunderstorm

My Photo's Of The Thunderstorm