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November 2001

Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic

Jeremy Koh
2005-11-05 11:36:01

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on a Shoestring, Pg 362). The grounds are open to visitors from 8-11.30 am and 2-4.30 pm, Tuesday to Sunday. Admission is 500 kip, however since we didn't have any kip, we paid in baht.

Day 1-Patuxai

From the Grand Sacred Stupa, we proceeded on to Patuxai (Victory Monument) and bade farewell to our affable tuk-tuk driver. This large unfinished monument built in 1962 with a small park surrounding it, is reminiscent of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, which is unsurprising as Laos used to be a French colony. It is left in it's unfinished state when the French left the city and the Laotian didn't want to complete the structure. From the outside, it looks pretty impressive but on the inside, when you climb up a stairway to get to the top, you'll see bare concrete and unfinished walls. For a small fee, you can climb up the staircase to the top of the building where you'll get to see a panoramic view of Vientiane as there aren't many high-rise buildings to block the view. Halfway up the building, there are some shops where you can purchase some souvenirs at a rather low price. The Patuxai is open daily from 8am to 5pm and is a definite must-see on any trip to Vientiane.

Day 1- From Patuxai

From the Patuxai, we decided to make our way back to our guesthouse and have lunch around that area. However, it was no easy task as the streets were unmarked. We headed down Thanon Lan Xang but made a wrong turn into Thanon Bartholomie. However it wasn't too bad as we saw the That Dam (Black Stupa). According to an old legend, a seven-headed dragon protected the people of Vientiane from Siamese invaders during the 1828 war. This dragon is said to be hidden under That Dam, or the Black Stupa, and continues to protect the city to this day. After making many wrong turns, we finally found the Nam Phu (Fountain Circle) which is near our guesthouse. ...