The city is a UNESCO Heritage site so there is a ban on the big tour buses within the city. There is a mixture of cars, motorcycles, tuk tuks, and people walking moving about the downtown area. A bus brought us from the airport and dropped us off at a point outside of town where we climbed onto tuk tuks for our transportation. The colorful vehicles hold up to 10 people and are fairly quite motoring around town.
You could see terraced gardens along the Khan river as we came into town.
A footbridge across the river.
We enjoyed a wonderful lunch at a deli/bakery. The food was a welcome change from the regular Asian food we have been eating especially since it is Thanksgiving day back home.
After lunch we checked in to our hotel resort. This is a wonderful setting along the Mekong River.
There are some beautiful gardens.
We soon headed back downtown and it hit me Wow! I am in Laos. Never dreamed I would be here. Walking along the river banks of the Mekong River brought a mixture of feelings and excitement. This is a footbridge that the monks use to go to the temple on the other side of the river. The guide said that it gets washed away every year during the rainy season and the rebuild it.
Poinsettia blooming in the river park.
We then went to visit the Royal Temple Wat Xieng Thong, the oldest in the city.
Wat Xieng Thong is one of the most important of Lao monasteries and remains a significant monument to the spirit of religion, royalty and traditional art. There are large carved gilded wooden doors depicting scenes from Buddha's life. The outer walls of the sim depict Lao legends and the rear gable is decorated with a glass mosaic depicting the tree of life. The outer walls of the Sanctuary of the Reclining Buddha, also known as Red Chapel, are decorated with mosaics that tell moral fables.
Wat Xieng Thong was built 1559-1560.
The royal funerary carriage house holds the funeral carriage which was used for the last king to serve.There are various urns for the members of the royal family on the carriage.
A reclining Buddha in one of the temples.
Our next stop was to climb the 328 steps to the top of Phousi Hill which overlooks the center of town.
The stupa on top was built in 1804.
The climb to the top rewarded you with some fantastic views of the city and surrounding area.
The timing of being on top was perfect as I was given a wonderful chance to watch the sunset.
Back down on the street level, vendors were busily setting up their booths for the night market. It's amazing how the busy city center street becomes a massive covered shopping center for a few hours each night.
A monastery could be seen as a shining beacon over the umbrellas.
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