If you base yourself in Phonsavan there are many cultural and historical sites with easy daily riding distance, one of these sites is Tham Piu Cave which is a memorial site of the 374 civilians who lost their lives after an American missile attacks killed all the the occupants of the cave who had been sheltering the from the bombing on the 24th of November 1968.
More here http://legaciesofwar.org/study-trip/laos-trip/tham-pui-cave/
More here http://legaciesofwar.org/study-trip/laos-trip/tham-pui-cave/
On my way back from Sam Neau i called to visit as they prepared for the anniversary ceremonies, here are some pictures from the site, as you notice from the narrative in the small museum there is little love for what the Americans did.
The cave is located at N19.67364 E103.56833 and can be accessed via route 1C from the newly graded south road or the east.
The cave entrance, it is said to go back almost one mile.
View from the cave over the PDJ.
Small Stupa's created by visitors.
Pictures from the small museum, some of which are pretty graphic ( sorry about the poor quality of the pictures the late afternoon sun was streaming in the room).
This guy is pretty famous after claiming to have shot down a US aircraft with just one shot.
The bombed Wat at Khuam
If you're interested in aspects of the secret war this is a must visit place.
1 comment:
Numbing.
Humbling.
Moving.
True history, and not so long ago.
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