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Yes, mom is close by, buying vegetables at a
little roadside market located close to the Phusi Hotel I was
staying at in Luang Prabang. I would always walk through the
market on the way to my favorite "Lao coffe shop" located
by the Mekong. There's so much to see and I often wonder what's
wrapped in some of the banana leaf concoctions. Here it looks
like sticky rice and doesn't that bike seat make a great table? |
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I did a lot of walking in Laos. I can't remember
the name of this particular Wat I wandered through on one of
the many days I explored around Vientiane. These boys began tagging
along with me testing out the little English they knew. They
were "hams" and I got them to pose for several shots
and this one I liked best because I think it captures their friendhship
and "dragon spirit." |
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Although it was the rainy season when I was in
Laos from June 6 - July 16, it rarely rained and many of the
days were quite pleasent. Enough so that Lao families, like our
families here in America like to take off for the day or afternoon
and enjoy a picnic at a local park or scenic spot. In this shot
this family is soaking up the sun and the cool spray of the Kwang
Xi Waterfall which is located about an hour's drive from Luang
Prabang. You have to walk about a quarter of a mile to get to
the waterfalls and there was a large grassy area out of sight
of the waterfall and that's where all the young Euros were soaking
up the sun. We talked to this family a little, I got their address
and will mail them this photograph. |
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This little Hmong boy was so proud of his wooden
rubber band gun. He was a good aim and willingly posed for me. |
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This is my good friend Thavivanh. He is a tuk
tuk driver, speaks excellent English and is professional and
friendly. I would never have met him except I unknowingly dropped
a lens cap on the street and when I came out of a shop he came
up and handed it to me. We got to talking and he ended up taking
me around Vientiane for a number of days when I was in Vientiane
and spent a couple of days teaching me Lao. He parks in front
of the Douangdeuane Hotel and I plan to stay in touch and use
his services when I return to Laos. He's the best |
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I really like this shot. I was with Chou and
My Kou exploring around KM 52 and when we wandered through one
village we came across a "relative" of Chou's. Amazing
how that happens. Anyways, these kids live across from Chou's
"nephew" and were so curious about this Westerner who
was sitting up in this Lao house that they gradually inched up
the stairs until I just had to take their picture. |
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I could take pictures of "markets"
almost forever. They are so rich in color and human interaction.
I miss not being able to speak and understand Lao, but try my
best to "see" into the Lao market goers thinking and
ways of being. What do you think this little girl is thinking?
Do you think she likes bamboo shoots and the mushrooms. My Lao
friends tell me that these mushrooms grown on ant hills and are
definitely not like anything we have here in the U.S. This time
of year I saw a lot more bamboo shoots being sold and as long
as they're not too bitter, I have grown to like them a lot. |
