Travel & Humanitarian Photos
Laos’ most important national momument is Pha Chedi Lokajulamani, “World Precious Sacred Stupa”, and representations of the golden stupa appear on the national seal, currency, postage stamps, Laos TV idents and countless other places.
The stupa is built on the site of a former Khmer temple which dates back to the 11th century and is now surrounded by a high cloister with tiny, floral-shaped windows. It was ransacked by the Siamese in the 19th century before being restored by the French in 1900. However, the Vientiane locals were not overly impressed with the French restoration which had given the stupa a south-facing entrance, out of sync with almost all other Buddhist buildings, which face east. So the French dismantled and re-built the stupa in the 1930s, leaving the imposing building that now graces northern Vientiane.
I had hired a bicycle in Vientiane and set out before dawn to photograph one or two of the main sights. Pha That Luang isn’t so far from the beachside hotel where I stayed but carrying a 20kg rucksack of camera gear with at least one steep hill, only one working gear on the bike and a fitness level just shy of Olympian I must admit to being very nearly out of breath by the time I collapsed dismounted beside the golden chedi.
Even at that early hour a street-side stall was opening up. Offering an array of neatly-stacked tomatoes, chillies and other vegetables, the stall was clearly a source of great pride to the family who lived there. I was able to buy a bottle of water and chat for a while before the mother came out to sweep the street around the stall. She placed a beautiful golden shawl around her shoulders, a consideration for the hyperventilating photographer who’d recently arrived no doubt.
The early bird… and all that.
Makes the effort of getting up before dawn and cycling uphill all worth it, when you get some good shots like these.
The silhouetted statue is marvellous, methinks.
Cheers Masher, it was really worth it actually. I’m not always enthusiastic about getting up early, until I’m out the door and then I love it. It really is the best time of the day and there’s something quite uplifting about seeing a new day start.
Congratulations on your recent Citizen’s Arrest by the way. Little tikes!
Love the little piles of chilli’s – reminds of seeing the same thing in the Seychelles, great for pitures!