August 4,

We awoke, having our normal Javas and breakfast of Muesli yogurt. We did a load of laundry. Then got around to go out on the E-scooter. The morning sky was blue and almost cloudless! Unfortunately this meant hot, but it’s SE Asia!

Our first stop was at Pha That Luang Vientiane, a Buddhist Temple and Museum. We paid the seemingly regular fee of 30,000 Kip each ($1.39). This temple is stunning… all dressed up in gold. A very ornately topped/adorned Stupa. It supposedly has a part of a breast bone of Buddha. This Wat is a symbol of Laos – it is on their money and their country’s seal. We walked in the shade of a covered wall around the stupa. On display here were parts of discovered and recovered old statues. Then we went out into another part of the complex and found other statues including a larger lying Buddha with a “footprint”. There was also an odd statue with an assortment of gods- a naga, an elephant man and others. It was very colorful, but I’m not sure what it represented(?) No descriptive signage was available. We finished and bought a little cold water from one of the many usual stalls around these sites – loaded with tourist goods to buy.

On our scooter we went to our second stop, Wat Sisaket. We paid the same entry fare. This Wat has the normal Buddha statues all about, but what stood out to me were the tombs. It seems to be a graveyard?? Again, I saw no placards, so I don’t know, but I have questions. Then we found some placards inside the “Sim” or main worship/meeting area of this Wat. Signs here also said this Wat was the only one in Vientiane not razed by Siam, during this invasion. The Sim was also encircled by a shaded verandah. More signs told of this Wat being used as a Monastery for the Monks. We walked around under the verandah – it has many small nooks, holding so many little hand sized Buddhas nestled in them. There must be thousands of statues. We were able to go inside the Wat but couldn’t take pictures. There was a replica of a massive carved wooden candelabra that was worthy of mentioning. We finished and bought another small water, which we downed immediately. It’s HOT.🥵 We loaded up and left.

Our third stop was at Hoa Phra Keo Museum.This was more an outdoor museum. According to a placard it used to house an Emerald Buddha, but the statue is in Thailand now… Questions: with that, like during the Siamese invasion?.. Thailand won’t return it? Anyway, we paid the 30,000 Kip entry and went into the temple turned museum, again no photos. There was some interesting items, but could have used that emerald Buddha embellishment! Outside were some beautiful, intricately carved tree stumps, only protected with a tarp. That is a shame! They were gorgeous. We left here ready for lunch.

We tried a Laotian Restaurant but it was closed. A group (owners?) were inside eating, but they said it would not open to the public until the sixth.🙎🏻‍♀️ Sooo, we went to My Kitchen Indian, Delicious Food instead. It was delicious! We had Chana Masala- Chickpeas with many herbs in a masala gravy; Mutton Masala- Mutton with tomato, onion, ginger, and garlic in that masala ‘magic’ gravy; and two orders of Naan- one garlic and one green onion. Once we were served that deliciousness, we ordered one steamed rice due to both dishes almost being stews.😋 We also each had a Mango Lassi, which we haven’t had in forever. We genuinely forgot how much we’d enjoyed them.😋👍🏻

Now we went back to our place and returned the scooter. Then we cooled down and had a laid back afternoon. For supper we had pickled mango, the Naan we could not finish at lunch and chocolate. Then we packed. We leave here early tomorrow morning.