Len and Terry's day tour of Vientiane.

 Now isn't that a nice motorbike?

 Now that's even better than the first one.

 The first thing we did this morning was go to a nice bakery for breakfast.  It's called JoMa Bakery and they're starting to pop up everywhere in this city.  They serve great coffee and scones, but never will they be as good as the ones my Nan use to make.

Whilst having breakfast there was small motorcycle shop, selling bikes of all ages and brands.  Being a mad motorcyclist for years I had to take some photos for your pleasure.

 I did come across an interesting sign out the front of a restaurant this morning.  I was really tempted to go and have drunken noodle prawn or drunken noodle chicken, pork.  Since I don't drink, I'll leave it for Len to give it a go.

Before we headed out for a day of sightseeing we had to clean our bikes.  I gave the chain a good clean and all the cogs.  They were so dirty just after a week of riding.  I put it down to all the dust in this part of the world.  After a good clean we were on the road heading to a famous landmark of Vientiane.

The pictures below depict the monument of Patuxai.  Vientiane's Arc de Tromphe replica is an imposing if slightly incongruous sight, dominating the commercial district around.  Th Lan Xang.  Officially called Patuxai, but often called anusawali by locals, commemorates the Lao who died in prerevolutionary wars.  It was built in 1969 with cement donated by the USA for the construction of an airport: hence it's sometimes called the 'vertical runway'.  A stairway leads through two levels stuffed with souvenir shops.  I also took some photos looking down from the top.

 Looking down from the top of the Arc de Tromphe.

 Looking down from the top of the Arc de Tromphe.

After climbing up and down too many stairs it was time to head out to our final sightseeing point of the day, Pha That Luang.  The photos below are of the the Great Stupa.

Pha That Luang is the most important national monument in Laos, a symbol of the Buddhist religion and Lao sovereignty.  An image of the main stupa appears on the national seal. Legend has it that Ashokani missionaries from India erected a thaat here to enclose a piece of Buddha's breast bone as early as the 3rd century BC.  Construction of the modern thaat began in 1566, but it was destroyed by treasure seekers after the Siamese razed the city in 1828.  It was rebuilt by the French in 1900. 

A high wall cloister with tiny windows surrounds the 45metre  high stupa  The cloister measures 85 metres on each side and contains various Buddha images.

 I took this photo because Len is in it.  We were waiting for the doors to open but his lady in the brown sarong wanted to have her photo taken with every man and his dog.  Talk about hogging the camera. 

Our sightseeing is now over for Vientiane and it's time tomorrow to start the long ride north to Vang Vieng.  Vang Vieng is the most northern point of this cycling trip and then after a 2 day rest, we will turn around and commence the very long ride back to Cambodia.  Of course via a different route to the one we took to get here.

Until tomorrow, safe riding.