into the side of the mountain. At the top is the sanctuary which had
　　　　  once housed the idol of the cult. Here time has wrought wonders with
　　　　  the sandstone, and the sun and rain have softened the decorative
　　　　  instincts of the Khmers. Local legend has it that the Emerald Buddha
　　　　  which now sits in Bangkok is a fake and that the authentic one is
　　　　  hidden here.
　　　　  Behind the sanctuary the side of the mountain rises perpendicularly
　　　　  to the skies. From here it is easy to imagine the beauty of this
　　　　  site in its prime. The view spreads out harmoniously from mountain
　　　　  to plain. First the sanctuary, then the immense staircase
　　　　  interspersed by large terraces, the esplanade with the two
　　　　  rectangular temples, the artificial lake, the park, the forest and,
　　　　  beyond it, the course of the majestic Mekong flowing towards the
　　　　  horizon.
　　　　  By the time the party of visitors had climbed down the stairway and
　　　　  reached the forecourt, the day was waning. A group of boys strolled
　　　　  through the ruins. They had come to this once exclusive place to
　　　　  burn incense-sticks at a small Buddhist shrine made of sticks and
　　　　  paper. It was all that was left from a festival that had been held
　　　　  in the previous month. For four days Wat Phou had basked in some of
　　　　  its ancient splendour, with processions and fireworks and hundreds
　　　　  of people from the surrounding regions chanting and praying to the
　　　　  rhythm of the khen and the deep sounds of gongs.
　　　　  In just over an hour night would descend over the mountain
　　　　  sanctuary. The last rays of the sun lit up the growth of tropical
　　　　  vegatation, highlighting the deterioration of the buildings. The
　　　　  task of restoration is immense and greatly exceeds the resources of
　　　　  the Government of Laos. In associating itself with the efforts of
　　　　  the Laotian people, the world community will help to conserve a
　　　　  monumental site which is not only the work of a particular people,
　　　　  but also belongs to the common heritage of mankind.
　　　　  Photo: A legendary temple in a remote corner of Lao People's
　　　　  Democratic Republic . . .