Saturday - exploring Vientiane

This morning brought an early start, with us up at 7:30am and going for breakfast in the quaint courtyard.  After the delicious pork baguette we headed out for the day to attempt the lonely planet walking tour.

First stop was the most important national monument in Laos, the Pha That Luang a huge gold coloured stupa, with several wats surrounding the perimeter.  We wandered around the complex trying to hide from the sun which seemed to be getting hotter and hotter.

Next we walked back towards the centre of town to visit the Asian version of the Arc de Triomphe, a concrete structure that towered over the surrounding park.  Funnily enough it was built in the 60s with cement that was purchased from the US, with the intention of being used to build a new runway.  It also states on a plaque at the bottom that at a closer distance it appears less impressive and resembles a concrete monster!  We climbed the stairs to the top and admired the views across the city.

Onwards we walked past the fortified US embassy, and onto the brick built That Dam - which was supposedly stripped of it's gold cover by the Siamese years ago. 

To avoid the full heat of the midday sun we headed back to the hotel for a nap and then back out again at 6ish for dinner - another BBQ feast by the river front, this time fish, chicken and spicy beef balls.