South central Laos - The Rough Guide to Laos - page 322

for ditching botched policies and initiating economic reforms, and by the time of his death
at the age of 72, Kaysone's Laos hardly fitted the mould of a typical socialist country at all.
Since his death , the image of Kaysone's greying hair and full face has been employed
by a party reaching out for symbols of nationalism. But more striking than the party's de-
cision to transform Kaysone into a “man of the people”, who relished simple food, are the
pedestals upon which his bust has been placed. Shaded by red and gold pavilions topped
by tiered parasols, Kaysone's monuments exude something of the regal splendour once re-
served for the Theravada Buddhist monarchs who ruled over the kingdom of Lane Xang.
The Old City
Savannakhet's townsquare was the heart of the French settlement, the surrounding neat grid
streets reserved for the villas of French officials and the shop houses of Vietnamese mer-
chants. One of the best areas for a stroll or spin on a bike to see old buildings is the district of
tree-lined streets and former French administrative offices south of the post office. The old
town also has several pleasant wats and a few Chinese temples worth a wander.
The Old French Quarter boasts some fine examples of European-inspired architecture,
though most of this looks much more ancient than it really is - it's doubtful that any of these
crumbling structures predate the early twentieth century. The main square is dominated by
the octagonal spire of St Teresia Catholic Church , built in 1930, its thick masonry walls
keeping the interior blessedly cool even on the hottest of days.
Vietnamese and Chinese joss houses and schools in the area attest to the wealth and influ-
ence of Savannakhet's merchant class, who came to the town in search of business opportun-
ities. They left after the revolution, taking their money and entrepreneurial skills with them,
and only recently have foreign investors begun to return.
Wat Sainyaphum
Tha He Road ∙ Daily sunrise-sunset ∙ Free
Just north of the ferry landing, on the road running along the Mekong, sits WatSainyaphum ,
Savannakhet's largest Buddhist monastery. Nearly all the structures at the wat, save for the
school building in the northwest corner of the compound, have been restored in garish, circus-
like hues. It is worth a visit, however, especially if you are looking for a serene, shady spot to
while away the afternoon.
Musée des Dinosaures
North of Wat Sainyaphum, on Khanthabouli Rd ∙ Daily 8am-noon & 1-4pm ∙ 10,000K
Set up with help from French paleontologists, the Musée des Dinosaures showcases finds
from digs around Savannakhet. It's a dusty, unloved little space, but the museum's latest dis-
covery is intriguing enough to warrant a quick visit. The bones of a huge crocodile-like spe-
cies named Laosakalumensis laosensis were uncovered around 145km southeast of the city,