Monday, March 14, 2005
Laos: The Capital
Vientiane is a small city of just over 200'000 inhabitants. It is nevertheless the biggest in Laos, a rural country the size of Great Britain with only 6 million people.
If capitals reflect nations' ambitions, then Vientiane says a lot about Laos...
The place is very laid back, with hardly the activity of a provincial town. Beside the unguarded official buildings, a relatively strong foreign presence can be felt through NGOs and joint venture companies. Hardly any bigger project (cultural, touristic, demining, logging, infrastrucuture construction, etc) in Laos seems to be running without some foreign investment.
The Patuxai (a half finished concrete "arc de triomphe") and the golden Pha That Luang chedi are the main landmarks of Vientiane.
The construction of the former was started by the royalists in the 1960's, but interupted by the war. The communists, who took the power in 1975, never bothered finishing it. But it is still makes an excellent viewpoint!
...a typical Lao standing Buddah with it's upwards curved robe:
Besides, a good selection of cafes and restaurants serving Laos specialities such as stuffed frog (bony but delicious!) and grilled Mekong fish, and an excellent traditional herbal sauna/massage hut in the Sok Pa Luang temple compound made our 3 days stay most enjoyable!
If capitals reflect nations' ambitions, then Vientiane says a lot about Laos...
The place is very laid back, with hardly the activity of a provincial town. Beside the unguarded official buildings, a relatively strong foreign presence can be felt through NGOs and joint venture companies. Hardly any bigger project (cultural, touristic, demining, logging, infrastrucuture construction, etc) in Laos seems to be running without some foreign investment.
The Patuxai (a half finished concrete "arc de triomphe") and the golden Pha That Luang chedi are the main landmarks of Vientiane.
The construction of the former was started by the royalists in the 1960's, but interupted by the war. The communists, who took the power in 1975, never bothered finishing it. But it is still makes an excellent viewpoint!
...a typical Lao standing Buddah with it's upwards curved robe:
Besides, a good selection of cafes and restaurants serving Laos specialities such as stuffed frog (bony but delicious!) and grilled Mekong fish, and an excellent traditional herbal sauna/massage hut in the Sok Pa Luang temple compound made our 3 days stay most enjoyable!
