Nong Khiaw

Nong Khiaw is a beautiful place. Truly one of the most beautiful places we've been. Made even better by the friendly and generous people we met. You're going to see a lot of photos of very similar, if not the same, places. That's because each time you look at it you can't help but think it's more beautiful than the last time. My only regret is that I'm not a good enough photographer to capture the feeling of being there.

The first night we were there a couple a guys were singing karoke and drinking Laos Laos, basically rice whisky. They invited us to join them and befriended us for the remainder of our stay. On the second day they took us fishing. Here Kham Sok is finding our bait.

Our bait.

The pond is stocked, essentially meaning that they have a nursery in the pond. You pay for what you catch but not what you cook right there by the side of the pond. Traditional open fire bamboo cooking at it's finest. Everything from fish, to fire was pulled from the nature around us.

After fishing we went back to town for some bocce.

There were some boat races a few days later which bring in a lot of people from the surrounding area. This is the makeshift market setup to sell every kind of wares to the partiers. There were also some games, just like a fair back home.

Another bocce court, this one in slight disrepair but a lovely setting.

We were taken to no less than 6 different houses for to drink and eat. By the end of the day we were tired, full, and happy. This was the yard of one... I liked the umbrella.

Some kids who just stood and stared. You get used to the attention, especially when you go off the backpacker circuit.

The grandmother at one of the homes, just taking it in but not joining.

The granddaughter of the grandmother, she was our cultural liaison explaining what to do and not to do in Laos.

Kham Sok, who seemed to know everyone and introduced us to all of them. A gem of a human.

Jacqueline getting some Laos dancing instruction.

It's the rainy season here and while mostly sunny it becomes like this like the flip of a switch. Shortly it gets switched back.

Back to Nong Khiaw, we took a boat up the river and had a picnic with the couple running the boat. This is the trip and the scenery.