Sharon and I spent most of January in southeast Asia. It's a grand sort of a place for a vacation, especially if you consider that there were endless options for exploration. Some appealed greatly - and others not at all1 - and while there might not be something for absolutely everyone, anyone who has the inkling of an idea that they'd like to see the region will be able to make it a worthwhile trip.
And the opportunities for photographs... oh my.
So here are a bundle, with minimal commentary. I'm not quite sure how else to do this.2
That Luang
Vientiane, Lao PDR
That Luang, the Golden Stupa, the major symbol of Laos. The top alone is covered in - quite literally - half a ton of gold leaf.
The Buddha and the Phayanyak
Vientiane, Lao PDR
The Phayanyak, the seven-headed king of the nagas and both benevolent and vengeful spirit of the river and of water, protects the Buddha from the rain and floods as he meditates.
That Dam
Vientiane, Lao PDR
That Dam, the Black Stupa. Once covered in gold, now black after foreign armies plundered Vientiane.
Naga at Wat Si Saket
Vientiane, Lao PDR
The mighty naga, river spirit. Laos, a country deeply connected to the Mekong River, adores these spirits unlike anywhere else.
Buddhas at Wat Si Saket
Vientiane, Lao PDR
The only major wat to survive the last sacking of Vientiane, Wat Si Saket is as worn as one would expect from more than 150 years of use. And it is ever so beautiful for it.
Flowers for Fa Ngum
Vientiane, Lao PDR
Fa Ngum, founder of the kingdom of Lan Xang, of the Million Elephants, still receives offerings, some six hundred years after his death. Take that, whoever happened to be ruling bits of Europe in the 14th century.
Haw Phra Kaeo
Vientiane, Lao PDR
The Phra Kaeo, the Emerald Buddha, hasn't been here since being taken to Siam as a prize more than two centuries ago. Memories here, it seems, are long.
Buddha at Haw Phra Kaeo
Vientiane, Lao PDR
"Calling the Earth to Witness" pose.
Talaat Khua Din
Vientiane, Lao PDR
Sticky rice baskets. The price is what you're willing to pay.
Plumeria
Vientiane, Lao PDR
Plumeria flowers. Naturalized, not native, but the national flower nonetheless.
Karst
North of Vang Vieng, Lao PDR
Karst formations as seen from the road. Stunning, but difficult to climb, both on foot and by bus.
Mekong River
Luang Prabang, Lao PDR
The mighty Mekong. Massive, powerful, and deceptively calm.
Stencil work at Wat Xieng Thong
Luang Prabang, Lao PDR
Intricate, elegant, and just one of the many impressive works of art in Luang Prabang's Wat Xieng Thong.
Buddhas at Wat Xieng Thong
Luang Prabang, Lao PDR
Statues of the Buddha, beside the funeral cart of the last Lao king. The last one to get a funeral, anyhow.
Phou Si
Luang Prabang, Lao PDR
Most folks, given a strategic location with a steep hill alongside a major river and a significant tributary, would built a fortress. Instead, there's a charming wat here.
Lao chillis at Talaat Phou Si
Luang Prabang, Lao PDR
Lao food, generally speaking, isn't spicy. They make up for it by eating these little firebombs directly, like a throat-catching palate cleanser.
Ridgeline view
Near Luang Prabang, Lao PDR
It's a long climb up here. That's the Mekong in the distance, far down in the valley.
Lotus flowers
Ban Long Lao Kao, Lao PDR
Still, stagnant, ugly water; clean, beautiful flowers. It's no wonder the lotus is such a powerful symbol for Buddhist enlightenment.
Tad Kuang Si
Near Luang Prabang, Lao PDR
A mighty waterfall, in the midst of the Lao jungle, surrounded by calm, turquoise blue pools.
Sala Kaew Koo
Nong Khai, Thailand
The jaws of life, the entrance to the Wheel of Life at the Sala Kaew Koo sculpture park. It is, in fact, even crazier in person.
Wat Pho
Bangkok, Thailand
Large, brightly colored, even flashy. But somehow, Wat Pho doesn't seem terribly busy, at least not by Bangkok standards.
Animal statues at Wat Pho
Bangkok, Thailand
I'm guessing that they're stylized lions.
Chedis at Wat Pho
Bangkok, Thailand
Massive, covered in brightly colored ceramic mosaics, and restored every half-century or so.
Buddhas at Wat Pho
Bangkok, Thailand
Serene, secluded, and a fine place for relaxing or meditating on one's own in the very center of Bangkok.
Grand Palace
Bangkok, Thailand
Grand, indeed. Photographs can't begin to capture the overwhelming experience that is a visit to Bangkok's Grand Palace. And that's not counting the hordes of tourists and devout Thais all angling to get a look at the Emerald Buddha.
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1One of our favorite games during the trip was "Which Family Member Would Hate This Most?" Try it yourself sometime!
2This is, of course, a tiny subset of the whole mess of photos - and just of mine. Combined with Sharon's, edited, trimmed, and all that to fit onto a single CD, it's about 300 photos. This selection is halfway to random, because developing an actual narrative would veer a lot closer to 300 than 25.
