There’s no need to be in a “stupor” over a nondescript brick “stupa” in central Vientiane—especially when that stupa has an interesting story to tell. Standing guard over the town’s center on Chantha Khoumane Road (opposite the U.S. Embassy) not far from Talat Sao, the imposing and mysterious That Dam (pronounced tawt dahm) is one […]
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Laos National Museum in Vientiane – A Little Short on Artifacts, but not on Scope
You’ve been in Vientiane for a day or two and you’ve already been to That Louang, Patouxai, Wat Sisaket and Wat Pha Kaew—where to next? If it’s too hot for any outdoor sightseeing or the skies have opened up with a torrential downpour and you want to fit in one of Vientiane’s “must-see” attractions instead […]
The Rock
Can someone please tell me what kind of rock outcrop this is? This rock formation is located north of Thakek on the way to Savannakhet; there are a few other similar formations, but there are no mountain ranges in the immediate area. I was lucky to snap this photo from a the moving bus I […]
Waiting for the ferry
Waiting for the ferry across the Mekong in southern Laos near Pakse in July 2007. And who’s the little boy in the back wearing the blue shirt? It’s Bia! Check out more photos of Laos and commentary on my upstart and exclusive Laos’ blog All Things Laotian.
Vientiane from the air
I’ve got a backlog of photos that I took on my last trip to Laos in December-January that I am still going through and posting here. Not exactly the best aerial shot of Vientiane (on the left) but you get a good idea of how wide the Mekong is in some spots. That sandbar at […]
All Things Laotian
My blog All Things Laotian is up and running. I’ve blogged a lot about Laos here but I wanted a special blog devoted exclusively to Laos including, but not limited to culture, food, and travel.
Help a school in Laos
I am starting a campaign to help a small school in Laos near the house that Aon and I are building in Paksong. It is also the school where Bia attends. This is a two-room schoolhouse, but as you can see it is overcrowded and has no electricity or running water. The school is very […]
When Dinosaurs Roamed Laos
There’s much to see and do in Laos-whether you visit historic and charming Luang Prabang in the north, enjoy eco-tourism in Vang Vieng, marvel at the Plain of Jars, or behold the Khmer beauty of Wat Phou in the south. In between, there’s plenty of sightseeing from historic temples and museums to vestiges of colonial […]
On the streets of Savannakhet — Lao Chaleun Movie Theater
I wonder what this movie theater in Savannakhet must have been like in its heydey? Built during the French colonial period, “Chaleun” is Lao for “prosperity”. Note the facade, which is in the Art Deco style that flourished around the world between 1910-1930. The theater is one of the main attractions on a walking tour […]
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