It was sunny then it became cloudy

That Dam, or black stupa, is located near Talat Sao (morning market) and the American Embassy on a calm roundabout. In Laotian, this refers to a structure with an inverted bell shape (or an unopened lotus flower) that commonly houses Buddha relics. According to legend, a seven-headed water snake known as a ‘Naga' previously resided here to defend the stupa, which was once completely covered in pure gold. The gold was pillaged and transferred to Siam, now Thailand, during the Siamese-Laotian conflict in the 1820s, leaving the black stupa as a memory. Many residents believe the mythological building known as the "Black Stupa" was previously inhabited by a seven-headed dragon (now dormant) who stood to protect the city from the threat of the Siamese. #templeblessed#ancienttomb#easylife#historicculture#summervacation#hikingtrails#urbanexplorer