A quick summary of Vientiane's non-religious tourist highlights. The muddy square pictured here is Fountain Circle, which is more or less the center of the city. It's a good place to keep in mind, with a couple of French bakeries and the city's best restaurant, L'Opera. The colonial building with the truck in front of it is the National Library, and lastly we have the barnlike Central Market, crammed with hundreds of stalls all selling the same tourist trinkets.

I realize I haven't been here in many years and I was curious if the place has sprouted into something interesting while I was away. A quick check of Frommer's online reveals that at least they find it riveting, recommending a stay of at least several days to take it all in. But I couldn't see any new attractions or activities listed, so maybe they just have a greater cultural appreciation, or a very high boredom threshold.