[monumentum]

 Roaming around Vientiane, 9May2012

Reclining Buddha within the courtyard of one of the minor temples located next to Phra That Luang.

 (Above) Google translation gone wrong.

 Within the compounds of Wat Sisaket (above). The oldest temple in Laos, presumably. But surprisingly well-preserved.

 Buddhas donning the different Mudras that surround the main hall of Wat Si Saket.

 That underexposed statue (above) is apparently NOT Souphanouvong. Another national hero?

 Phra That Luang is another not-to-be-missed site. The main compound of Phra That Luang boasts a towering yellow (supposedly golden) stupa which strikes a delicious contrast with the blue sky. It's one of the epitome of Laotian stupas, for one might notice the angular architectural approach as compared to a stupa of yet another Southeast Asian country.

 Mighty Garuda lifts the temple with his bear hands - one of the most fascinating religious sculptures that I've come across. They're actually present on all four sides of the building, making the feat quite believable. Hmmm.

 Phra That Luang at sunset (above).

 This is Malaysia's embassy. It struck me how rudimentary it could actually get for the embassy to consist of such a tiny Bungalow. Of course it's really something in itself for this tailor-made iron gate with the crescent moon & star.

 Patouxai Arch. The well-photographed little something that Vientiane has to offer. Not entirely packed with tourists during May, but that's perhaps attributable to the fact that it isn't the peak tourist season. That aside, the arch offers a splendid aerial view of Vientiane if one made an effort to climb to the top. Of course, the admission fee is 3,000kip, entirely worth its price.

 It's actually useful to learn to get used to these typical Laotian cuisine for they're served very widely throughout the country, even if all else isn't available. Fried rice & egg. Few would consider it a 'getting used to' task since, genuinely, they're majority quite delicious. No doubt they might look similar, but each place produces its specialty fried rice, so that's ok! (: