Gate of Triumph inside the Patuxay Park in Vientiane, Laos

A trip to Vientiane, the capital city of Los, would not be complete without a visit to Putaxay (or Putaxai) Park where the Lao version of Paris' Arch of Triumph can be found.

Compared to other parks in most capitals in the world, Putaxay Park is small but it has grandeur because of the Arch of Triumph.

The Arch was built as a proud remembrance to the patriotic history of the Lao people who fought French colonizers.

When you look up inside the arch, one can behold the intricate design in the ceiling. I learned through this visit
that elephants were a big part of Lao culture like those in neighboring countries of Thailand and Burma.

People from all walks in life enjoy the park on weekends. When I visited the park during the night there were a lot of runners
and joggers.

This is the view of the Lao city government building from the park.

Right at the heart of the park is a fountain.

At the other end of the park is a huge gong donated by the Indoensians fo the Lao people

Visitors to the park can also go up in the Arch and view the city from above.

A reminder about vandalism inside the Arch.

People tired of walking can seat inside the dome of the arch.