Vientiane - A Day in the Capital of Laos

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Day 47-April 21st: I got a good night's sleep and then set out on my day of sightseeing around Vientiane. I walked down the street and booked a flight to Siem Reap, Cambodia. It was only US$166, not too bad. Plus it'll save me a lot of time, which I am quickly running out of! After booking my flight, I wandered all over the city. Well, all afternoon anyway. Here's what I saw:

- Wat Impeng - temple at the end of my street
- Wat Ong Teu - there were musicians playing traditional music here, so I stopped and listened for a few minutes; it was lovely
- Mekong River - a dry riverbed which will be flowing soon enough once the rainy season hits
- Nam Phou Fountain - a lovely fountain which was not on during the day, but later in the evening when I walked by again, it was on
- Presidential Palace - very colonial-looking house/palace
- Ho Phra Keo - old temple with a museum inside, no photos allowed of the relics
- Wat Sisaket - I didn't pay to go into the temple, as I have seen MANY temples in Asia and I decided to skip this one, BUT there was a building along the outside wall, near the street, that used to house sacred Buddhist texts. it was VERY cool and felt/smelled really old. I liked that little building!
- Lane Xang Road - like a copy of the Champs Elysees in Paris, with an Arc de Triomphe-like monument at the end of it.
- Anousavari Monument - like the Arc de Triomphe, but not. I read that it was made from concrete leftover from when they built the airport runways. hmmmm.... anyway, I climbed the steps to the top for a panoramic view of the city
- That Luang - this temple complex includes the national symbol - a gold stupa that shines brightly in the afternoon sun. I got in just at closing time and wandered around. Plus there are two other wats on either side of the main stupa
- That Dam - this is an old black stupa on a side road near the US Embassy

I went to Kopchai Deu for dinner, down the street from Mixok Guesthouse, and sat at the outside bar. I chatted with a lovely French couple who had an adorable dog with them. I also chatted with an Aussie an a Brit who were traveling on business.

After dinner, I went to the internet cafe for a while. Then I went to bed in a smaller room (to save myself a few kip) and tried to get some sleep. I have a 4:30 AM wake up so I can catch my early AM flight to Cambodia! I tried to find a post office nearby, but wasn't able to. I want to be sure to send my postcards before I leave the country! Maybe there's one on the way to the airport....

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