Vientiane–Laos

So we left Koh Samui, Thailand at 5am 5th July and arrived in Vientiane at 11.30am 6th July!!!  First impressions of Laos, not as third world as expected.  Found accommodation easily, really nice place with beautiful tiled floors and friendly staff.  Here are a few photos of the train, crossing friendship bridge (the bridge that connects Thailand and Laos over the Mekong River) and the border crossing…

    

    

Once we got settled in our accommodation we took a small walk around, and then got some well deserved sleep

    

Today we did some sightseeing.  Vientiane is famous for Pha That Luang (great sacred stupa) it is the most important national monument in Laos, an image of it is on the national seal.  Legend has it that Ashokan missionaries from India erected a stupa here to enclose a piece of Buddha’s breastbone around 3rd BC.  Construction began again in 1566.  First of all we walked around the temples as we had to wait for the stupa to open, here come the photos…..

                                  

We saw the most amazing gold buddha…

    

    

And a tree that had a plaque saying ‘supreme patriarch of Laos brought the Bodhi tree from India and planted at wat Thatluang Neua 2500 BC.  Can’t believe the tree can be that old, but it is way cool, with loads of golden buddha surrounding it

         

And finally into Phrathat Luang

                        

Through our wandering trying to find the famous day market (which we didn’t find) we did find That Dam, there are two myths associated with it. It is believed that it was once coated in a layer of gold; however, the gold is said to have been carted off by the Siamese when they invaded in 1827 leaving this black stupa (stupa means religious monument) behind to remind Laotians of this terrible act. On the other hand, many Laotians believe the stupa is inhabited by a seven-headed dragon who tried to protect them from the armies of Siam when they invaded Laos (but, obviously not protecting the gold).

Then we went for a walk along Mekong river to see the massive statue in a big park, the statue is of Chao Anouvong (1767 – 1829), led the Laotian Rebellion (1826 – 1829) as the last king of the Lao Kingdom of Vientiane.  The statue was erected in 2010, to coincide with the 450th Anniversary celebrations of Vientiane, the Lao government created the Chao Anouvong Park, complete with a large bronze statue of the locally revered King.  (Modern Lao nationalist movements, have turned Anouvong into a hero, even though his strategic and tactical mistakes combined with his hot temper led to the end of the kingdom of Lan Xang (Million Elephants,) destruction of Vientiane, and a permanent division of the Lao people between the country of Laos and the Lao-speaking provinces of northeastern Thailand.)