Use the links above to see more photos.

In the 1960s, just before the "secret war" years, the US gave the Laotians tons of cement earmarked for a new runway at Vientiane's Airport. But instead they used it to build the massive Patuxay, the Lao's very own Arc de Triomphe. It lies along the wide (and paved) Lan Xang Boulevard.

There aren't all that many "cars" in Vientiane. Most who can afford four wheels opt for either a pickup, like this one, or an SUV. You see many of these around town, some emblazoned with the name of their sponsoring NGO. It's a wise choice. Many downtown streets are still unpaved - you can imagine what it's like in the monsoon season. The principal highway in the country, the 2-lane Route 13, which runs up into China, is not yet fully sealed.