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Laos
Lao Mythology: The Myth of the Toad King
Bang Fai, otherwise known as the Rocket Festival, is celebrated every year in northeast Thailand and Laos. Ask anyone who knows anything about the Rocket Festival and they’ll probably tell you that Bang Fai are launched every year in April to bring rain.
This centuries old tradition is said to have its origins in an ancient story known as The Myth of the Toad King. However, what’s strange about this myth is that it seems to imply the opposite of what Bang Fai is all about. It says that rain brings the rockets. As presented by Yasothon and Nong Khai:
Launching Bang Fai in Laos’ Rocket Festival
The Bang Fai were being launched just as we arrived in Vang Vieng, Laos at the beginning of the rainy season. As it turns out, the dancing and singing, the floats, and the rocket-firing all worked their charms to convince the skies to cry for them. Colorful umbrellas dotted the riverbanks as contestants climbed up hand-made ladders and platforms to launch their home-made rockets.
Photo Moment: The Golden Stupa of Vientiane
The Golden Stupa (Pha That Luang Temple) in Vientiane is the most magnificent stupa in Laos and also one of the most recognizable. The ashes of kings of different dynasties and accomplished monks are preserved here, and it is believed to hold a relic of the Lord Buddha. It is the national symbol and pride [...]
Photo Moment: Cenote Swimming in Laos
Note to oneself: Cave-exploring in Laos has its benefits. We stumbled upon this crystal-clear fresh-water pool while wandering around the outskirts of Luang Prabang.
Photo Moment: Off the Beaten Path in Laos
This is what traveling is all about. A hiking expedition in Northern Laos brings us to a small mountain village situated along a peaceful riverbank.
Photo Moment: Portrait of a Lao Woman
While trekking through Northern Lao, we happened upon a village high in the mountains. There are still places in Asia where foreigners are a rare and unexpected treat. This was one of those times.
Laos’ Enigmatic Plain of Jars
Verdant green valleys and mountains were the first thing I noticed on our first morning in Xieng Khuang Province. The numerous bomb craters dotting the land were a close second. Traveling through this northern province of Laos, it was easy to see how it was utterly devastated by the Vietnam War. Between 1964 and 1973, almost every [...]
Photo Essay: The Hill Tribe Village Children of Northern Laos
A photo essay of some of the mountain villages we passed through while traveling along the mountain ranges of Northern Laos.
Photo Moment: Buddha’s Footprint in Luang Prabang, Laos
A three meter long footprint of Buddha on Phu Si Hill in Luang Prabang, Laos.
The Royal Palace Museum of Luang Prabang, Laos
The Royal Palace Museum of Luang Prabang provides a nice respite from the heat of the day.
