That damn black stupa

We had a fantastic day today, and it also just happened to be our 4 year wedding anniversary.

We had a good sleep in, helped by the fact that the only window in our hotel room is bricked over, so it's pitch dark, even in the afternoon. We then hired some bicycles and found a cute place on the river for a late breakfast. Muesli, yogurt and a caramel frappuccino, a nice treat! We rode through Vientiane and could not help but be reminded of Phnom Penh, as there are many similarities. We rode to 'That Dam', also known as the 'Black Stupa.' Built in the 2nd century, legend has it that a 7-headed dragon lives inside, and it came out to protect the city from invasion by the Siamese (Thais) in the Siam-Lao war in 1828.

Next we rode on to Patuxai, a monument dedicated to those who fought in the war for independence from France. Ironically enough, it looks a lot like Paris's Arc de Triomphe. But the details are very Lao. And we've never been to Paris, so we can't compare them. This is also sometimes known as the 'vertical runway' as it was built using cement supplied by the US to build a new airport.

We rode back to our hotel for a shower, then went for a few drinks at a cool place down the road. We sat out on the balcony, watching the sun set and the rain clouds close in. A few drinks later, we moved to an Italian place for dinner right on the Fountain Circle, called Le'Opera. We enjoyed a delicious fresh pasta meal before heading back to the same bar for a nightcap. We sat out on a balcony again and 'enjoyed' some live music. It is strange to hear Lao people sing popular western songs without an accent at all.