The People's Public Security Museum

Seems like a safe place to visit. It's also called the Police museum and there also are displays of fire, rescue trucks. Maybe it's Civil Servants who Will Save Your museum? The museum is definitely a grab bag of curious.

Out front. "We come to bring peace."

First curiosity: an elaborate miniature diorama you peek into. Something about drug, leftist caves? Seized money. All about the Benjamins the world over.

Drugs and traditional textiles don't mix. Unless you want to hide the drugs.

More nefarious implements. Mounted guns and mounted pipes.

Back out front, various vehicles, ready to respond. Well, not these vehicles, they're now forever stripped and mounted. No worries, someone will show up when you need them.

Spying The Kayson Phomvihane Memorial, Part Two

Time to check out some of the many intriguing details seen at the Kayson Phomvihane Memorial. A great leader's life distilled down to objects.

Living room trophies. Killed, stuffed, varnished, mounted.

All shoes belong here. In the nightstand for polishing, on the floor for exercising and lounging. Stationary bike.

Phomvihane's closet. Winter coats for the big visit to Moscow.

Colognes and telephones.

At the nearby meeting hall, key props for a successful conference. Board for info, clock for expediency, Lenin statue for ideology. "Let's get down to building a nation."

Spying The Kayson Phomvihane Memorial, Part One

Starting in 1955, Kayson Phomvihane was the leader of the Communist Lao People's Revolutionary Party and he became the first leader of an independent Laos in 1975. He led the country until his death in 1992.

His post civil war offices and residence were part of a large former compound for CIA/USAID, affectionally labeled "Six Klicks City" because it was located six kilometers from the center of Vientiane. When civil war broke out, the Americans fled and easy, new digs were available.

Today, the house and nearby offices are a memorial. Much of Six Klicks City still exists and is part of the Lao military campus. Past and present history around the area is heavy.

View of one of the humble, cinder block houses. One can imagine the Americans quickly building a U.S. style, suburban neighborhood. Ranch design and cheap, a lawn, a bucolic headquarters as a base for havoc in Southeast Asia.

Front entrance and a library. Strictly utilitarian. Consider it Linoleum Floor Provincial.

Blue living room. Shag for groovy '70s, tusks for power.

Desk and bedroom. Are we in Vientiane, Texas? It's hard to tell by the interior.

Super important meeting room. The fate of a nation, decided in an American box kit sunporch.

Buddhas Everywhere At Wat Sisaket

About 2,000 worshippers could be at Wat Sisaket at the same time and still have their own personal Buddha statue to which to pray. There's a nice cloister surrounding the main temple and the cloister is lined with little alcoves filled with mini Buddha statues. And more Buddhas inside the temple itself. Everywhere a Buddha.

The temple, built in 1818, in the traditional style of the time.

The big Buddha, inside the temple hall. The surrounding wall, looking like a beehive filled with little Buddha statue honey.

One can take a breather and stroll the regal white stupas out on the lawn.

Back along the cloister, layers, levels of Buddhas.

Making room for more Buddhas. Construction and expansion at the complex.

Looking At A Leader's Life At The Kaysone Phomvihan Museum

When you're first, you usually get a museum to your big accomplishments. Kaysone Phomvihan was the first leader of Communist Laos. Boom, you get a museum!

Starting at the beginning. Little Kaysone was born in the humble village of Na Seng.

The revolution starts now. Guns and communication equipment, what any revolution needs to get its point across. A re-creation of a cave bunker in the jungle. Busts of Marx and Engels to brighten up the place. 

War room with maps. "Should we take over the world? It's what's on our map."

Green and bronze. A lot of green military might could get you some heroic bronze freedom one day. Don't forget your briefcase.

The requisite post-revolution monument with a gaggle of True Believers and their important props. All you need to know about the birth of a new nation.

Gold And A Big Drum At Wat Phiavat

Every wat in Vientiane, Laos, seems to have something unique. For Wat Phiavat, the highlight is eerily life-like gold sculptures.

The main temple, done up in traditional white and gold and red.

On to the interesting sculptures. Some of the flock, praying to Buddha. Relaxed guard.

Buddha with an umbrella and a giant leaf for a little shade and protection.

Woman with hair as a powerful weapon. Swat. That big drum, signaling prayer times.

The back of the temple hall has a nice mural, a full graphic novel dedicated to Buddha's busy life.

Monumental Sights At The Kayson Phomvihane Museum

Who needs to go inside to check out the impressive vibe related to the first leader of Communist Laos? In the front plaza of the museum dedicated to Kayson Phomvihane are a set of great, heroic sculpures with a revolutionary theme.

Don't forget the big leader. Phomvihane gets his due. "Hey, come check out my museum."

One of the monuments. Red flag, hard charging brigade. In it to win it. Statue detail. Man, woman and a big box of grenades. Lethal, down to the impressive, rope braids.

The other monument. A woman proudly bringing some wheat and a big sickle to the revolution. A tip of a Mao cap to the Soviet Union. The other woman with a chicken? Props to Frank Purdue?

More details. Boy with bird, man with chainsaw. Every archetype into the pool.

"Speaking of pool, does anyone know where I can put my big fish? They are thirsty."

Fun Figures At Wat Si Muang

Most Buddhist temple complexes in Vientiane, Laos, have a few sculptures of Buddha, maybe some other deities scattered around. Wat Si Muang goes all in with an army of interesting folks.

Three (four?) headed mustache man. He sees everything!

Women with long hair. Really, really long hair.

Humble little zebra, in need of a new hamstring.

Standing guard. Or, just standing and looking adorable.

Green parrot man. If the Hulk and the Fruit Loops toucan had a kid that grew up to be a sentinel?

"I brought a club." "I brought a hoe, let's get this rumble started."

Another interspecies mashup. Just throw an elephant and a bird in a cage, add a bunch of silver, maybe a little gold and....never mind, don't do that.