We had a day off in Vientiane to look around. Compared to other capital cities in Asia, Vientiane is smaller and although there is still a lot of traffic it is not too crazy. This could also be due to the Lao character. I find the people here very gentle and patient. For example, it is rare to honk your horn, and a driver will wait behind someone for a while without trying to push past.
The day we arrived we had a snack at a restaurant run by a guy from Montreal, and we were joined by a Canadian friend of Denis' who lives here. I saw a fair number of tourists on the streets, and I get the impression there are quite a few ex-pats.
Vientiane is on the shore of the Mekong river, with Thailand on the other side.
There is a large night market beside the river, with food stalls and small restaurants offering grilled fish from the Mekong.
The morning of our day off we did a tuk-tuk tour of the major sights. The first stop was Patuxai, a monument built in the style of the Arc de Triumph to commemorate their independence from France.
Next was Pha That Luang, the most important Buddhist site in Laos. It was built in the 1500's, destroyed during a Thai invasion, the rebuilt. It is a large stupa surounded by temple buildings, one of which houses a research center on early Buddhist writings.
Next was Wat Si Muong, a smaller temple but very active with a constant stream of people coming to worship.
Wat Si Saket is a beautifal wooden temple in a unique style. While it was built in the 1800's, it is the only temple that has not needed to be rebuilt so it is in it's original form. It is also the oldest monastery.
Haw Phra Kaew used to be a temple that housed the Emerald Buddha before it was moved to Thailand. It is now a museum.
Finally, Chao Anouvong Park is a large park by the river, named after the last king of Laos before being taken over by the French. Behind the park is the presedential palace.
The day we arrived we had a snack at a restaurant run by a guy from Montreal, and we were joined by a Canadian friend of Denis' who lives here. I saw a fair number of tourists on the streets, and I get the impression there are quite a few ex-pats.
Vientiane is on the shore of the Mekong river, with Thailand on the other side.
There is a large night market beside the river, with food stalls and small restaurants offering grilled fish from the Mekong.
The morning of our day off we did a tuk-tuk tour of the major sights. The first stop was Patuxai, a monument built in the style of the Arc de Triumph to commemorate their independence from France.
Next was Pha That Luang, the most important Buddhist site in Laos. It was built in the 1500's, destroyed during a Thai invasion, the rebuilt. It is a large stupa surounded by temple buildings, one of which houses a research center on early Buddhist writings.
Next was Wat Si Muong, a smaller temple but very active with a constant stream of people coming to worship.
Wat Si Saket is a beautifal wooden temple in a unique style. While it was built in the 1800's, it is the only temple that has not needed to be rebuilt so it is in it's original form. It is also the oldest monastery.
Haw Phra Kaew used to be a temple that housed the Emerald Buddha before it was moved to Thailand. It is now a museum.
Finally, Chao Anouvong Park is a large park by the river, named after the last king of Laos before being taken over by the French. Behind the park is the presedential palace.
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