Snake With Four Legs!

If you didn't know it yet, all things unusual and wonderful appear in Laos.  Snakes don't have legs, right?  In Laos they do!  Take a look at the footage, so to speak, of this newly discovered species from Vientiane Times.  These seemingly crossover species are fascinating.

Lao Word of the Day: Strong Strength

Vegan Lao Food - Vegan Lap

Who knew lap could be made vegetarian?  For something that's traditionally made almost entirely of meat, this is quite an interesting version.  Lap of course is one of Laos' national dishes.  It's a type of meat salad with herbs and bit of vegetables.  But the one shown below here in this video is all veggies!

Vegan Laab Herbed Salad, Specialty Favorite from... by VegetarianElite

Vegan Lao Food: Tofu Veggie Stir Fry

Traditional Laotian Tofu, Mushroom,and Tomato Sauté with Bean Sprouts (In Laotian) - Watch today’s top amazing videos here

LLR (book): Laos and The Laotians

Title:  Laos and the Laotians
By:  Khamchong Luangpraseut
Illustrated by:  Halinka Luangpraseut
Publisher/Year:  Pacific Asia Press, 1995
ISBN:  9781879600416
Price:  $10-40USD

Lao Language: Literature Related Words

The Good Old State Bookstore

Who doesn't love a good bookstore?  Hell, I even used to set up dates to meet at bookstores!  I always say you can learn a lot about someone from what they read (or don't read). ;-)

As you can see I was in a reminiscing kind of mood.  It got me thinking:  What was my most memorable bookstore in Laos.  First bookstore I ever visited in Laos is of course my memorable one - and it was the Lao State Bookstore/Bookshop aka Lao State Publishing and Books Distribution House.

Lao Word of the Day: Opportunity

Documentary: Human Trafficking in Laos

Human trafficking is a sad situation.  A French non-government organization called AFESIP (Acting for Women in Distress) is working in Laos to help combat the situation and to assist those who were affected by such things.  Although the subject is sad, the video is inspirational.

The below is a short documentary that they created.

Human Trafficking Public Service Ad (in Lao)

Human trafficking ad video was created by the UN Organization office on Drugs and Crime.

Lao Rice Noodles Soup

I love kow piak sin (rice noodles soup).  It was one of my faves when I was a kid and it still is.  And when I was visiting Laos I bought it often from a particular lady down the street from where I was staying.  My favorite is with tender pork meat.

It's a classic Asian dish.  Here's two vids on Youtube showing how to make it homemade Lao style.

Lao Word of the Day: Fun, Joyful

Google Translate Now Has Lao!

Google has added its 65th supported translation language - and it's LAO!  Click on the link to read more directly from their blog.

Bamboo Soup Crazy - 3 Videos

Lao Bamboo Soup (gang naw my) is a classic Lao dish.  Found 3 good videos online showing how they make it.  Play one or all - choose which one is your favorite.  I get hungry just watching them!

Lao Word of the Day: To Guess

New(ish) Lao Airline! Lao Central Airlines

Did you know Laos has a new(ish) airline?  It's called Lao Central Airlines (LCA).  Now you have an extra option while flying in Laos.  We haven't had the chance to try it yet, but competition is always a good thing.
Link:  http://www.flylaocentral.com

Meanwhile of course there's still Lao Airlines as well.  They do both domestic and international flights.
Link:  http://laoairlines.com/

Dam Problems! Sayabouri Dam Problems Being Reported

As Consultant Distances Itself, Cracks Appear in Laos’ Portrayal of Xayaburi Dam
August 9 2012 by Kirk Herbertson for International Rivers
http://www.internationalrivers.org/blogs/267/as-consultant-distances-itself-cracks-appear-in-laos%E2%80%99-portrayal-of-xayaburi-dam

The Mekong river - Lies, dams and statistics
July 26 2012 by T.F. for The Economist
http://www.economist.com/blogs/banyan/2012/07/mekong-river

Sizzle Baby! Kitchens at Lao National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Opens

The Lao National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality (LANITH)’s Kitchen Training Unit at Vientiane’s Lao-Korea Vocational Training Centre opens.
By:  Luc Citrinot, TravelDailyNews.Asia, September 6 2012

LANITH (Lao National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality)’s Kitchen Training Unit at Vientiane’s Lao-Korea Vocational Training Centre (LKVTC) is boiling over in action after its July 2012 opening, with instructors from the capital’s universities and technical schools immersed in an intense Passport to Success programme to give them hands-on experience they can transfer to their students. The fully equipped Lanith Kitchen Training Unit serves as Lanith’s Passport to Success’ main facility for its food preparation skills training programme in Vientiane Capital.

Lao Word of the Day: To Prevent

When you visit, Laos what do you like to bring?

We all have that "extra something" that we choose to bring when we visit Laos.  Here's a little list of items we bring.

Laos Controversial Dam

A short video on hydropower dams by Brendan Brady and Rick Valenzuela for Globalpost.
(Dams mentioned Nam Theun 2, Nakai, Sayabouri dam.)

Laos Controversial Dam

Laos Dam Raises Livelihood Concerns

Wayne Hay reporting for Aljazeera English.

Laos dam raises livelihood concerns - 13 Aug 09 by aljazeeraenglish

LLR (book): Contemporary Lao Studies

Title:  Contemporary Lao Studies - Research on Development, Language and Culture, and Traditional Medicine
Edited:  Carol J. Compton, John F. Hartmann, Vinya Sysmouth
Publisher / Year:  The Center for Lao Studies and The Center for Southeast Asian Studies (University of Northern Illinois, Dekalb), 2009
ISBN:  9781891134319
Price:  $28USD
Link:  http://laostudies.org/contemporary-lao-studies

Growing Animal Feed Plants in Laos

Money made from selling livestock is considered very good in Laos.  This video talks about the benefits of growing forages or animal feed to make bigger and healthier animals and thereby making more money when it's time to sell the animal or its meat.  It's a program that's being encourage by the organization CIAT (Center for International Tropical Agriculture).

Our take on this:  It's interesting.  However the only caveat and slight concern is that some of the people do this as substitute for growing food for people such as vegetables or rice which is the food staple.

Random Awesome Image #5

It's gold, baby!

Laos Fighting to Save Its Forests

Video from DW-TV and The Video News Portal about Laos dwindling forests and the aims to try to save it.

Laos – Fighting to Save Its Forests by tvnportal