Assorted Photos From Laos

Wat of unknown name, Udomxai, Laos.

There's a tongue-twister of a name. Luang Prabang, Laos.

Pha That Luang, a huge gold stupa, is the most important national monument in Laos. It is located in Vientienne (the capital), and appears on the national seal.

There's obviously no accounting for taste.

I arrived in Maung Sing just in time for the Rocket Festival. Local villages make bamboo "rockets" packed with black powder and send them off from a giant bamboo launch pad.

Here some young monks watch one of the few successful liftoffs.

A collection of some of the rockets.

Local women dress up for this occasion in bright dresses. Must be the big event in Maung Sing.

Travel in Laos is marginal at best. One guy was stranded for 4 days waiting for a bus.

In this case, we packed 37 people on a bus that seats 20. The capper of this 5 hour ride was the white bags you see in the isle. They were filled with live frogs, although they smelled like dead fish.

During the trip some of the frogs escaped, in turn releasing a leech on the floor of the bus. Nowhere is safe!

Dave Tapson and I successfully completed the first Palm Pilot business card beaming in Northern (and probably all of) Laos.