Vientiane - Coping with Summer Heat (Part II)

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Wednesday, 18th April 2012

Yes, the heat in the capital was unbearable at times during the day. But there were several cooling spots in the city worth checking out to combat against the harsh aggression of the sun.

A perfect spot was hidden beneath the Patuxai (Victory Gate), Vientiane's best answer to the Arc De Triomphe of Paris. Located at the far end of Lang Xang Avenue, construction of the Patuxai spanned 10 years between 1957 - 1968 to commemorate Lao's victory against the French colonialism.

With a small fee, visitors were allowed to climb up to the top of Patuxai which guaranteed a great view of the city across Lang Xang Avenue. This was one of the highlights of my trip in Laos and worth the extra efforts of getting to the top.

On my way back to Hotel Khamvongsa in the afternoon, I made a stop at the Lao National Museum along Thanon Samsenthai. Housed in a dilapidated 2-storey colonial building, the displays of the Plain of Jars in particular caught most of my attention. I wouldn't be making a trip to Xieng Khouang Province personally so it was a real treat to view the displays at the Lao Museum.

6pm - I was out again this evening to the Mekong Riverfront. A mere 5-minute walk from where I stayed, the riverfront was crowded with locals and visitors hoping to catch a glimpse of the daily sunset.

The pictures in this entry probably summed up my whole experience. I was fortunate to see the sun going down today as my luck ran out on Thursday evening.

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