This week the Twin Cities had a chance to say goodbye to the legendary Carolyn Bye after 14 years as the head of the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council. An amazing intelligence and spirt, Carolyn was an invaluable advocate and ally in building the arts…

Nowadays there are many entry points in to Laos. If you want to get directly to the Capital, you will arrive at Wattay International Airport.
If you haven’t already got a Visitors Visa for the country, you can get one at the airport on arrival (it is best to fill out the forms before you [...]

Two artists were visiting each other and working on new landscapes. One colored the bamboo red.”You should always use the color black for bamboo,” the other critiqued.”Have you ever seen black bamboo?” the artist replied, and went back to work.

Now firmly in the holiday season, it’s as good a time as any to remember Festivus!And yes, I do celebrate Festivus.

Walking from Ban Sop Houn towards the bridge across the Nam Ou to Nong Khiaw proper:

A path on the right leads to Nong Khiaw Riverside bungalows:

Ban Sop Houn side of the Nam Ou:

The backdrop of Sunset Guesthouse:

The mountain behind Nong Khiaw boat landing:

Karst on Nong Khiaw side of the bridge:

Upriver - Muang Ngoi Neua is somewhere beyond:

The cat wonders why - but

Cold season in north Laos - hills & mountains ‘photoshop-ped out’ by thick early morning mist:

Further down the path that leads from Sunset Guesthouse to the riverbank:

Mountains behind the boat landing are not scheduled to appear till at least an hour later:

Looking upriver in the direction of Muang Ngoi Neua:

Where will the water levels be in the future, when the four dams are

Drying the famous ‘towel that never dried’ (for those who have read about the cat’s 2005 Taman Negara trek) at Sunset Guesthouse in Nong Khiaw:

Held in place by file clips - one of the most useful things the cat always brings along on trips:

The cat has used them as/to/for…
clothes peg
money clip
clip up holes in mozzie nets & leaking tarpaulin sheets
hang mozzie nets (clip corner of net

I always have so much fun with Monique. We tried a few different areas with her just to get a feel for other things Jacksonville has to offer. We ran into the coolest and most huggable swarm of ducks! Aww, to that.

Thanks again Monique! I had such a great time. You totally rocked it!!! [...]

in case anyone is planning to catch the festivities this December…

By the way, I would like to invite you to come to see my Hmong New Year festival in this year. so, have you free time to come visit Laos again? Hmong New Year will be on 10th next monday-20th.

- Hmong friend in Luang Prabang

Small, Cozy and Very Clean are the first impressions that strike you when you arrive at Makphet Restaurant, a training restaurant that I had the pleasure to visit a few weeks ago.
After a warm welcome from the Students (under the watchful and smiling guidance of their Teachers), you know that you are in a special [...]