Laos Soup

I got beef Laos soup at market the other day (price 10,000 kip - about 80p). You always get a plate of greens to add to the soup as you wish (the fresh mint in the UK would be far more expensive than this meal is here). You wouln't believe the amount of condiments Laos people add to their soup (you can see just a small selection in this foto). All the greens they eat must be very good for their digestion and diet.

Mee Qwang - Laos style spring roll

Tett party - Pakse

The quality of these videos are not so good (poor lighting) - but I had to include them to give you a feel for Laos music

Night market Pakse

Tett - Pakse 26th Jan 2009

Little (and not so little) girls dress in red dresses today

Each commercial place gets its turn for the lion dance

(assuming they have paid of course)

The boys in the band

Posh hotel gets the treatment.....

Staff of the hotel (not my hotel)

Above and below - while I'm having my breakfast......

A stationary shop gets the treatment.....

'Dead' centre of town (Pakse)

60th Anniversary - 'Army Day' - Pakse

Some 'patter' for the female singer
Who say socks and sandals ain't sexy ???

(all the women wear socks and sandals in Laos)

Attentive audience
Stage being prepared earlier in the day

Stall marking 60th anniversary Laos People's Army founded on 20 January 1949

All the fun of the fair to mark 'Army Day'

For more info on Army Day see:-

http://www.vientianetimes.org.la/FreeContent/Free_Xayaboury.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_history_of_Laos

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laos

Pakse south Laos

Old Christian church
The mighty mekong river at Pakse

Wat Luang at Pakse

Wat Luang from French Bridge

Novie monk on his way to Wat Luang

Girl on French Bridge

View of Pakse from French Bridge

Mekong River at Pakse

Street scene Pakse - from my hotel