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#buddhapark |
@sikkim_photography |
Sculptural Serenity |
A sculpture park containing more than 200 Buddhist and Hindu statues, Buddha Park has been attracting blissed-out visitors for well over half a century. Despite its name, it's home to more than just Buddha imagery — everything from concrete humans and animals to gods and demons is on display. There’s even a pumpkin featuring representations of Earth, Heaven and Hell among the park’s more outré offerings. |
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Cope Visitor Centre | @truelies05 |
Coping Mechanisms |
No fewer than 20,000 people have been killed or injured by unexploded ordnance (UXO) in Laos since the Vietnam War ended. From that troubled history arose COPE (Cooperative Orthotic & Prosthetic Enterprise), whose Visitor Centre functions as a kind of museum of artificial limbs, wheelchairs and other walking aids. With multimedia exhibits, deactivated explosives hanging from the ceiling and countless educational placards, it’s an informative, essential stop — even President Obama paid a visit near the end of his second term. |
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#vientianenightmarket |
@bangkokphotographer |
Giving You a Night Call |
Hundreds of shops comprise the Vientiane Night Market, which tends to open from 6 to 11 pm nightly. Trinkets, clothes, food and a great deal more await when strolling alongside the Mekong, and it's wise to hop from stall to stall lest you pay one price for an item only to learn that a different vendor is selling it for less. The ambiance ranges from hectic to oddly charming, what with music blasting from nearby exercise classes, and if you aren't a shopper then the area still makes a great spot to walk through in the morning. |
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Pha That Luang |
@alinfederiga |
The Great Stūpa |
Last but not least is Pha That Luang, the most striking of Vientiane’s many landmarks and the most enduring symbol of Laos itself. (Also worthwhile: Patuxai, Wat Si Saket and Wat Si Muang.) Thought to date back to the 3rd century, this gold-covered stūpa consists of three different levels and features a reclining Buddha statue representing his final illness as he neared death. It's gated off in order to keep car traffic away, making any walk through Pha That Luang especially tranquil. |
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@madmondaine |
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"In Vientiane there are two main sights everyone should see. The first is the Patuxai monument, built as a memorial for the royal army. The second is the beautiful pha that luang temple with all the golden buddhas and of course the big lying buddha."
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