"Old City"

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Udon Thani, Thailand

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Vientiane

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Vientiane Capital of Laos Vientiane is the capital and largest city of Laos, on the banks of the Mekong River near the border with Thailand. Vientiane became the capital in 1563 due to fears of a Burmese invasion.                          The 2 flags of Laos          The Laos Flag & Communist Flag                          Vientiane's Arc de Triomphe  Officially called 'Victory Monument' and commemorating the Lao who died in pre-revolutionary wars, it was built in 1969 with cement donated by the USA intended for the construction of a new airport; hence expats refer to it as 'the vertical runway'. Climb to the summit for panoramic views over Vientiane. We stayed at the Riverside Palace Hotel - $28 per night including breakfast!             ...
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Phenom Kulen

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A day trip to Phenom Kulen outside of Siem Reap. Siem Reap is located in a flat valley but an 1 1/2 hour ride and you are in the mountains. Cambodians eat breakfast around 11 a.m so stopped while our guide Divit filled up. Now on to the mountain and Phenom Kulen which is where the Khmer Empire started. Phnom Kulen is the holiest mountain in Cambodia and a picnic destination for Khmer families. But few foreigners visit. On this peak in 802, King Jayavarman II declared himself a Hindu god-king and kicked off the four-century Angkor period of Khmer history that produced the Angkor temples, constructed of Phnom Kulen's sandstone. The Khmer Rouge used the mountain as a final stronghold for two decades after losing power in 1979 Also, on the mountain is a river that contains over a thousand "lingas" carved into the bottom of the river. The linga is the male fertility symbol which assures a good harvest and lots of children. I am pouring water over the linga and then you ...
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