This photo journal, in the Laos series, features Phonsavan, the new capital of the northern Lao province of Xieng Khouang, & the former capital, Muang Khoun, which was destroyed during the Vietnam War. I will devote another journal to the 2 'interesting' markets we visited in Phonsavan, plus another to the famous "Plain of Jars" area, our main reason for being here.
XIENG KHOUANG - This northern province, located 435 kms NE of Vientiane, offers the stunning beauty of high green mountains & rugged karst
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Vientiane's Wattay Airport terminal
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Boarding our Lao Airlines plane
for our short flight to Xieng Khouang airport near Phonsavan, in...
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Xieng Khouang Airport
This 'airport', which really is only an airfield, serves the northern...
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Map of northern Laos
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Our tour director Lah's wife
& youngest daughter were there to greet us at the airport. Lah grew up in...
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Our hotel in Phonsavan.
I can't remember the name of the hotel & didn't write it down,...
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The UXO tree in the lobby
There is a lot of UXO (unexploded ordinance) in this province left...
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UXOs are used as decorations
in this area, because there's a lot of it. Two million tones of ordinance...
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More on another shelf in the lobby
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The room keys are attached to old
cartridge casings.
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The ashtray in my room
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A "khene" on the wall.
This bamboo musical instrument is the Lao national instrument.
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Photo of a typical Luang Prabang
style Wat (temple). The difference between these wats & Vientiane wats is...
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My room was basic, but fine.
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The SOS Orphanage school
across the street, is part of the large orphanage 'village' located...
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View of the hotel compound
from my room. You can see part of the orphanage "village" in the...
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This Hummer looked out of place
in a country where most people use motorbikes & tuk tuks. Note the fairly...
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UXO in the tourism office compound
that was near our hotel.
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More on the other side of the compound
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MUANG KHOUN, the former royal capital,
is located 30 kms SE of Phonsavan. It was the royal capital of this province...
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The ruins of Wat Si Phum
The ruins of this wat, with its enormous sitting Buddha, are all that...
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Closeup
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A hole in the wall
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Notice the bullet holes in the head
& neck.
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Sand stupas next to the ruins
The building of sand stupas is a Lao New Year tradition. They are...
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Asia
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