Short trip to Kerala in India

I went to a short trip to Kerala in India

we came across to a festival and had a chance to walk along with elephants 

Festival was held under a heavy rain 

The rain helped color to become brighter and showed elephants stronger

They were keeping a light under the umbrella and walked through the village

God was carried on the top of an elephant

Each house gave the offerings to elephants

A man in the dark

The next day festival inside a temple

Laos

Laos Trip

Went to a short trip to Laos 

I could see that many cultures have integrated and built today's Laos 

People were really friendly and I received heartwarming hospitality

 It was an interesting country to travel

I wish I could travel longer

Monks playing soccer
They welcomed us for their soccer game
(Phongsaly) 

A monk walking the Mekong riverside
(Luang Prabang)

Morning offering
Orange color of monks clothes was dazzling and strike my eyes
 (Luang Prabang)

(Luang Prabang)

I lost immersion by seeing many foreigners offering snacks and taking pictures
While I was walking in the morning, I was thinking how to keep a balance between original culture and tourism
Seeing the offering was definitely good experience but wondering how not to interfere their culture

Morning snack track in front of a school
(Luang Prabang)

 Several pictures from Luang Prabang 

One of the work
(Luang Prabang)

After school
(Luang Prabang)

(Luang Prabang) 

Toward the north

I traveled to north part of Laos by bused and by boat

It is interesting that each village has different atmosphere with different tribes and culture

The more I travel to north, the stronger Chinese culture became 

It seems people are eating quiet variety of things

For example, 

I found wild birds, squirrels, rats, frogs, crocodile and snakes in the market

Morning market
(Nong Khiaw)

People don't care whether there are dogs walking around or waiting for the meat
They don't chase off, they just accept their existence
(Nong Khiaw)

In Laos, I found many small kids working in the street
Adult people trust their kids and kids are feeling responsible for their job
(Nong Khiaw)

At a boatslip
(Nong Khiaw)

I reached this village after 5 hrs boat trip through Nam ou river
River was really clean and it looked really calm
But when I tried to swim across the river, I was almost washed away by the current
It is surprising that small kids are roaring boats and fishing just by themselves
(Muang Khua)

Small girls in a village
(Muang Khua)

Pongsaly is a province between Laos and China
It seems the village is on the height of cloud so most of the times was covered with dense fog
I walked for long time and visited small villages
People drink Pongsaly whiskey which has green color with strong alcohol
village people invited me for their drinking party
Village people were strong that  I had no way of winning

Telecom started from early morning.
All the village people seems to share the same information here
It seems even dogs and chickens know the village roles

High school
I get to know several high school boys in the bar so I visited the next day
High school was really interesting. What surprised me the most was students were carrying their own chair to school and taking class
(Pongsaly)

Village was like a maze with brick
And I really enjoyed walking and meeting new people
(Pongsaly)