Southern Laos

Along a road near Champasak


Crossing the Mekong River


Outside of Champasak, I rented a bike and cruised a few kilomters to Wat Phou, ancient temple of the Khmer empire from the 10th and 11th centuries though it has been a temple site since at least the 5th century...


"Buddha's footprint" + elephant




At Wat Phou




Kid cutting up an ox head along the road in Champasak


Pakse


Calf in front of my bungalow on Don Det, part of the 4,000 Islands area of Southern Laos


Crazy dude on island of Don Khong

In Luang Prabang, Laos

Kaleidoscope of tree along the Mekong River


David playing in the mud




Before 1975, Luang Prabang was the capital of the Kingdom of Laos. The town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is packed with beautiful Buddhist temples and monasteries. Discovering the $1 aromatic steam bath popular with locals next to my guest house was a highlight. And the $4 Lao traditional massages were fantastic too.


On bikes...




Tree along the Mekong


Popular Kuang Si Waterfall destination outside town

Vientiane, Laos

There are over 6,000 Buddha images at Wat Si Saket, the oldest surviving temple in Vientiane, Laos's pleasantly relaxed capital along the Mekong River.


These novice monks came from different areas of Laos to live and study at Wat Si Saket monastery.


View from atop Patuxai or Victory Gate


Pha That Luang is the national symbol of Laos. This stupa is believed to house relics (body parts) of the Buddha.


Wat Ong Teu


Soccer game along the Mekong River, the natural border between Laos and Thailand...

Thailand and its fleeting cellphone towers lie just across the Mekong from Vientiane, the easy-going capital of Laos.