Laos: Are you Chinese or Japanese?

Bonus points to anyone that can name that reference...

In all seriousness, this is an absolutely fascinating place. Perhaps the average person that listened in history class knows (not me), but apparently the US military saturated northern Laos with bombs during the Vietnam war (their way of ensuring communism doesn't spread throughout the region). In fact, Northern Laos has the highest number of UXOs (unexploded bombs) in the world (more than Afghanistan and Iraq).

Having said that, words can't describe how beautiful and peaceful it is. We took a 2 day cruise down the Mekong River from a small border town called Houeisay to Luang Prabang (the 2nd largest town in Laos). We'll post pictures shortly, but suffice to say, it feels like you're in a movie. The landscape is completely undeveloped and unspoiled, and the people dirt poor but incredibly happy and friendly.

Luang Prabang is the town that time forgot. Worldwide economic sanctions from the 1970s through 2004 severely limited socioeconomic development in the country (in fact, its on the UN's least developed nation list). What it lacks in economy, it more than makes up for in old world charm. Laos was a former French colony (became independent in the mid-1950s), and it really blends both French and Lao cultures. Everything from the cuisine, to the language, to the buildings to the sports, are all clearly have both influences. The very cool part is the town in officially a UNESCO World Heritage site, which means it'll retain its charm for many years to come.