LAOS
The people of rural Laos have a refreshing
view on life. Instead of constantly chasing
money and possessions, a lot of them just
work when they need money. Working
unnecessarily is «too much headache».
Even on the busier Don Khon island,
shopkeepers and restaurant owners are
pleasant and easy going. The most eager
salesmen lean out of their stalls and
«bother» you with a friendly «sabaidee!»
After
experiencing
this
almost
indescribable place and culture, a lot of
backpackers decide to kick back for an
extra week or two. Thank the stars for the
cash machine on Don Khon!
The islands are almost free of grand
historic sites, but unusual <>
spread out across the landscape give
hints of an interesting past. In the late
19th century, Laos was enveloped in
French Indochina which meant France
needed to transport loot from and
through Laos, a country with no
coastline. The answer was to use the
Mekong to float the cargo downstream
much like the Laotians had done for
centuries with timber and traded goods.
Around Don Khon, the Mekong gets a bit
tricky with aggressive waterfalls and
sharp rocks. The huge metal, stone and
concrete remnants that are seen on the
islands today are parts of the old railway
and loading systems the French built to
bypass these troublesome waters. They
constructed loading docks, a relatively
huge bridge and a railway that traversed
the two islands. It is fascinating to see old
industrial era construc [ۜ