SE Asia

Don Det, Laos

Our very special Lao Italian Christmas dinner, complete with traditional focaccia

bread and Beer Lao, "the taste of pure happiness."

New Year's on Don Det is not the same as New York. Lao people celebrate their New Year's in April, so January is purely for the tourists. George and I rang in the New Year with a rousing tie game of Yahtzee!

Don Det, Laos

And everyday another sunset...

Don Det, Laos

Fisherman walking across elaborate wooden traps.

Mr. Teh, returning with his catch (center)

Miss Nome and Mr. Teh were kind enough to invite us to their home to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Fish soup and sticky rice, the best meal yet! Mr. Boy (not pictured, but beared a close resemblance to a Lao Peter Lorre) enjoyed talking to us in Lao and got George to repeat many Lao expressions, much to the local children's delight. We're pretty sure they had him say "I'm a dumb American" or something to that regard, but with the local whiskey Lao Lao going around the table, it was all in good fun.

Don Det, Laos

George's handiwork

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Local fisherman gather around bamboo traps looking for fish. One man caught a catfish.

The rapids of the Mekong River on Don Khon.

Don Det, Laos

Banana leaf cigarette

Mr. Teh, local fisherman on Don Khon (neighboring island to Don Det), took George as a fishing apprentice.

See what a great fisherman George is? His job was to catch the fish when Mr. Teh threw them at him and then spear them through the gills and out the mouth onto a twig for safe keeping. Great job for a vegetarian!