A very mellow city

Vientiane is apparently often called the most mellow capital in the world. I think I would have to agree. After delicious croissants for breakfast, I rented a bike from the hotel ($2 for the day) and set out to see the 5 important sites of the city. Here are only 3 main streets that run parallel to the Mekong River and it is very easy to get around. I decided to ride to the farthest point, one of the temple complexes that also had the oldest stupa and is considered the most important national monument in Laos. The legend is that Ashokan missionaries from India erected the stupa here to enclose a piece of Buddha's breastbone in the 3rd century BC. I of course had no idea about this as the translation on the sign was comical. I also saw several other temples,(see cool photo how they use banana leaves to make vases) climbed to the top of the Patuxal which is Vientiane's Arc de Triomophe, went to the night and day markets. Nice dinner at L'address, a casual French place.