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Funky Spirits In Ancient And Modern Laos
When the great Lao kingdom of Lan Xang was founded in the 14th century, its first king, Fa Ngum, brought the Buddhist faith from the Khmer court at Angkor, where he had grown up. But this was...
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Ancient Laos Develops Its Voice
The Buddha statue is one of the main art forms in Laotian culture. Graceful figures blend with the abundant foliage and with rivers, mountains and temples into a landscape that enchants every visitor....
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Ancient Laos In Full Voice; Part One
I had a wonderful time in Laos last year, and I’ve been looking forward to writing a series of posts on the Lan Xang kingdom. When its political power peaked in the 16th and 17th centuries, it was a...
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Ancient Laos In Full Voice; Part Two
When Laos’ Lan Xang kingdom’s political power peaked in the 16th and 17th centuries, it was one of the main states in mainland Southeast Asia. Its kings built monasteries and coordinated Buddhist and...
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Ancient Laos Lives
The kings of Laos’ Lan Xang Empire unified their realm by importing Indian traditions, like Buddhist monasteries and court dances that dramatized the Ramayana. But Laos quickly added its own cultural...
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Facts And Mysteries About That Luang; The Glory Days Of Laos
Many Laotians consider Vientiane’s That Luang their national monument. But the Insight Guide that the Discovery Channel published called it strange and exotic. We’ll take a closer look at it and delve...
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Facts And Mysteries About That Luang; The Glory Days Of Laos Part Two
Wat That Luang, in Vientiane, has a lot of enchantments besides its impressive outer form. Most visitors miss the its historical depths and the many beautiful art-works around it. We’ll explore them...
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Through Laotian Eyes; A Different Perspective Of The World
The play’s the thing. Hamlet said this as he concluded that the way in which his uncle would watch a play would show whether or not he was guilty of killing Hamlet’s father. In Shakespeare’s time, the...
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A Plea For Peace From The Middle East
I found the Middle East a dangerous place to travel in. The people are so warm, and the cultures so ancient, rich and diverse, that it’s an easy region to fall in love with. But it can also cause you...
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The Great Women Of China Impressed Me As Much As The Great Wall
I just realized that I haven’t shared this story before. I just told it to a new friend, so I’ll share it here, since it happened when my homepage photo was taken. There were a lot of local farmers...
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