Buddha Park

We took a tuk tuk today to the Buddha park that's located about 25 km from Vientiane. Set right on the banks of the Mekong, the park features a series of surreal statutes that combine buddhist and hindu iconography into a bizzare whole. We'll post pictures in a day or two, but for now, try to picture a three story tall apple shape, made out of concrete, with a gaping mouth at the bottom. Scoot into the mouth (about the height of half a door) and you find yourself peering through little windows at a mass of concrete statues designed to represent hell (What did the guy with the hoe in his head do to deserve that?). Circle round until you find the steep, asymetrical set of stairs, and go up. Now you're on earth, with crumbling statutes representing everyday life. Crawl up the even steeper steps, taking care not to hit your head on the overhanging ledge, and you're in heaven, surrounded by statues wearing pointy wings and sloppy grins. Lastly, crawl through the small hole onto the roof, and take in the rest of the garden, which features about 40 miscellaneous statutes of buddhas and other beings.