Savanakkhet to Vientiane

The overnight bus left us several kilometres out of the city and I decided on a taking a shared taxi (pickup truck with the back containing benches for people to sit on) to the centre. The first stop the taxi makes, in the market, appears to be the centre to me and I’m rewarded with a one kilometre walk for my eagerness.

After finding a guesthouse and taking a fifteen minute powernap, I take a walk around the city to take in the sights, meeting a fellow Aussie (Graham) to take in the sights.

Savan has its share of beautiful sights, however the national museum (opposite the above building) is something special. Many of the cultural relics such as the musical instruments are located in the hallways between the exhibit rooms as they are stocked full of photos of the Laos comrades, Lenin and Marx. Watch out for the following item on display.

The caption reads: This spring was used by comrade Kaysone Phomvihane in the gymnastic session during the elaboration of the plan to seize power.

The highlight of Vientiane is the Buddha park, a collection of Buddha statues not far out of town.

While some of the statues are your typical run of the mill Buddha statue, the brave explorer will discover the more disturbing statues in the collection.