Playing Tourist in Vientiane

With two years down and just a few weeks remaining, I decided it was time to visit two of the major tourist attractions in Vientiane. Wat Sisaket and Haw Pha Kaew are located less than a kilometer from my house and I pass them several times a week, but I had never actually gone inside--until today, that is.



Wat Sisaket was built in 1818 by Chao Anou and was the only major temple spared when the Siamese forces destroyed many parts of the city. Apparently over 2000 Buddha images are in the niches with 300 of the larger statues in the square cloister around the main hall. The temple is badly in need of the renovations which are underway, but unfortunately for me, the construction work detracts from the temples overall impression. I can imagine, however, than in its day when the murals were fresh and the grounds clean, it was quite awe-inspiring.






Across the street is Haw Pha Kaew. This former royal temple was reportedly built originally in 1565 by King Setthathirath to house the Emerald Buddha after Vientiane was made the capital of the Lan Xang Kingdom. The Emerald Buddha was ‘reclaimed’ by the Siamese in 1779 and installed it in Wat Phra Kaew of Bangkok. The current building was rebuilt between 1936 and 1942 after the original temple was razed in 1828. As wats go, the inside of the temple is quite unimpressive with plain white walls and ceiliings, although apparently if I knew more about Buddhist imagery I would be impressed by the rare Buddha poses. (As an irreverent side note, I was struck by prominent nipples on the statues and couldn’t help but wonder if he was cold). Others have said the external structure is equally unimpressive, but I have often found myself admiring the beauty of this temple, particularly when the flood lights illuminate the night sky. The garden is particularly nice and I enjoyed roaming around as the dark clouds rolled in and brought in cooler air. It made for a nice Sunday afternoon stroll.

Ways I Know I’m Not Asian: #1 I Don’t Avoid the Sun at All Costs

Why is it we tend to desire those things which we don’t have. If we have straight hair, we want curly hair; if we have curly hair, we want straight hair. If we live in the mountains, we want to go to the ocean; if we live on the ocean, we long for the mountains.

And, people who have pale skin covet dark skin and people who have brown skin, want white skin. While my weight means I’m not the picture of beauty here, my creamy white skin is envied by many Lao people. I’ve always said that I was born in the wrong century. If I’d been alive in the Renaissance, I could have been the pale, plump beauty reclining naked on the couch. Instead, I was born in America in the 20th century where pale and plump are not considered signs of beauty or wealth. But since pale and well-nourished people have adequate food to eat and enough means to be able to avoid slaving in the sun, I can see how they are desired traits in many cultures.

I guess it shouldn’t surprise me, then, that skin-whitening creams are all the rage here (and in many other parts of the world) and umbrellas are used more on sunny days than rainy ones. I gaze in amazement at the women wearing gloves and long-sleeved coats turned backwards while riding their motorbikes in 100+ degree temperatures. Sometimes, my view is impaired by the sweat running into my eye as I do this. When I first arrived in Vientiane, I wondered why motorbike riding induced backward jacket-wearing. Now, I have learned that it is to avoid sun-exposure to the neck and collar area. And it is not only the women who are obsessed with pallor. I have spotted many men sporting their ‘winter’ gloves on the motorbike as the sun’s rays beat down on the handlebars. Sometimes I wonder about Vitamin D levels.

How is it, then, that I have managed to make myself so ‘ugly’? People who know me, know I am far from a sun-worshiper and I generally apply sunscreen liberally and hang in the shade whenever possible. But, the rays in Laos are intense and I find myself getting darker with even brief periods out and about. Consequently, with all the biking, swimming and running I’ve done of late, my body is like a patchwork quilt of skin tones. My arms, which get the most sun exposure, seem to belong to a different body when placed on my abdomen, which never sees the sun. Yes, I put sunscreen on my face daily and sometimes remember to put a lotion with sunscreen on my arms, but I am still the most golden brown I’ve been since my swimming days. Too bad, it’s not a desirable thing here. But I’m just not ready to sacrifice comfort and convenience for freckle-free skin. (I don’t really tan, my freckles just get closer together.)

While the Lao women chide me for allowing my skin to get so ‘black’ there are some bright sides. After 5 years on the frozen Minnesota tundra, I have quit taking my Vitamin D supplement. And, I often have the pool to myself at lunchtime while the Lao people are hiding from the sun.