Story to Share: In Search of Burning Bodies

My story begins very innocently.  I was visiting Laos for the first time and I heard that someone had unfortunately died in the neighborhood I was residing in.  In Laos the news (through word of mouth) of a death spreads faster than information on Twitter.

BBQ Little Bananas - Beeng Mak Guay

Proving that you can barbecue just about anything, in Laos they also bbq little bananas!  It's so simple yet so delectable.  I discovered these while motorcycling in Vientiane and found a street vendor selling them.  Until that point I had never even thought of bbq'd bananas.  I fell in love with these delicious little things - called beeng mak guay.

Lao Language Basics: Days ມື້ and Months ເດືອນ

Time to learn your days and months.  Try adding it to your calendar or agenda for practice.

LLR (book): Art et Archéologie du Laos

Title:  Art et Archéologie du Laos
By:  MadeleineGiteau
Publisher/Year:  Picard, 2001
ISBN:  9782708405868

Story to Share: Frozen Sphincter and Ethnobotany

I love the idea of ethnobotany.  I see the work of ethnobotanists as incredibly interesting.  I think of them as being on the forefront of discovering different medicines by way of finding medicinal plants that are used by different cultures but yet undiscovered by mainstream Western pharmacology corporations that manufacture the medicine.

Introducing "Stories to Share" Series

Introducing a new series of stories from our own experience in Laos (and perhaps we'll also hear from other people's experience as well).  It's a personal collection of insightful oddities good, bad, funny, and outrageous.  Rants and raves, banter and laughter.  Feel free to add your own comments and funny stories from your time in Laos too!

Stay tuned...

LLR (books) - Lao Art Revealed

Title:  Traditional Lao Art / Silapa Ly Lao / ​ສີ​ລະ​ບະ​ລາຍ​ລາວ
By:  Bounlerng Vernvilavong
Publisher/Year:  Vientiane Publishing Co., multiple years and editions

Lao Language: Medical Related Phrases

Some very important medical phrases to know, whether you're talking to family or if you're tourist in Laos.

LLR (book): Breaking New Ground in Lao History

Title:  Breaking New Ground in Lao History - Essays on the Seventh to Twentieth Centuries
Edited by Mayoury Ngaosrivathana and Kennon Breazeale
Publisher/Year:  Silkworm Books, 2002
ISBN:  9747551934

LLR (book): Buddhist Textiles of Laos, Lan Na, and Isan

Title:  Buddhist Textiles of Laos, Lan Na, and Isan
By:  Fredrick W. Bunce
Publisher/Year:  DK Printworld Ltd, 2003
ISBN:  812460250

 

Lao BBQ Fish - Beeng Pa - So Simple Yet So Good!

I love barbecued food.  Luckily in Laos, they do plenty of it!  And in particular I do enjoy the healthiness and deliciousness of BBQ'd fish (beeng pa).  It's often eaten with sticky rice or used as the primary meat in vegetable rolling (pun pa).  The Lao way of BBQ fish is simple to do as only a few ingredients are needed. 

LLR (book): ຂຸມຊັບອັນລ້ຳຄ່າຂອງລາວ / Treasures From Laos

Title:  ຂຸມຊັບອັນລ້ຳຄ່າຂອງລາວ / Koonsup ansumka konglao /
Treasures From Laos
By:  M. Derepas, P. Gay
Year:  1997

Lao Celebration: Visaka Busa

Lao Language: Pronouns and Referring to People

Some more useful Lao language basics.  Pronouns, referring to people and yourself.