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an Asia that you won't be reading about in the guide books...

Laos' sleepy capital city hugs the northern bank of the meandering Mekong River and after such chaotic hell holes as Bangkok and Jakarta the weary traveller can not but appreciate the laid back, nay horizontal, nature of this town.

The impressive That Luang, a symbol of Laos' Buddhism that survives any transient political philosophy that might hold sway

Wat Si Saket was built in about 1818 and seems to have been left alone by the Siamese when they trashed the place a few years later. The cloister walls are jam packed with Buddha relics, this is one temple well worth 5000 kip to get in

Francois Garnier passed through Vientiane towards the end of the 19th century while following the Mekong upriver and the town still hadn't recovered since the earlier trashing by the Siamese. One of his colleagues, Delaporte, drew this temple, Haw Pha Keow, and depicted it given up to the jungle. It was from here the Siamese took the Emerald Buddha

Of course Communism ain't really communism without some naff old statues showing the solidarity of the peasants and the military. This delightful rock lies outside the oh so grand Kaysone Phoumvihane museum a few clicks out of town. Said Kaysone you see was the Party leader and now the victim of a typically Laos laidback cult. The museum itself is dwarfed in a pretty impressive building and is well labelled in the manner of the victor. Resistance, heroic, struggle, imperialist, you get the picture though judging by the comments book, Roger, USA, didn't. Loads of pictures of the great man, copies of agricultural plans, the place is wasted on him to be honest.

Wat Si Muang has an interesting story behind it. When the ground was first consecrated the townsfolk were all set to erect a symbolic pillar. Everyone looked on expectantly. As a sacrifice to the town's spirit a pregnant woman jumped in the whole and the pillar lowered above her. It is not recorded what her husband thought of this gallant act

Downtown Vientiane as the crowds battle to work in the morning

Looking inside Patuxai