Caves, Ruins and People in Southern Laos

Alex and I wanted to visit nothern and southern Laos; the south being the least touristic part. The big majority of backpackers usually only visit the north part and then go south from Hanoi to Saigon following the Vietnamese coast, forgetting the south part of Laos. We both have already been to Vietnam so we decide to visit the southern part of Laos that has many interesting attractions.

L'Alex i jo visitem tot Laos de nord a sud; la part sud siguen molt poc turística. Normalment, els altres motxil·leros només visiten el nord ja que és on es concentren la majoria d'atraccions del país oblidant-se de tot el sud. Després, baixen en direcció sud des de Hanoi fins a Saigon recorrent tota la costa de Vietnam. Nosaltres ja hem estat prèviament a Vietnam així que volem visitar el sud de Laos que guarda algunes joies que tenim moltes ganes de veure.

Following the Mekong in northern Laos

The Popular Republic of Laos, communist of course, is a country I was very excited to explore. Many people had been telling me amazing things about it and I had in my small book many things I was recommended to do. But Laos has a black history. The borders with the communists in Vietnam made it a target due to the Vietnamese escaping from the war and afterwards living in the country. So the American government decided to bomb Laos during 8 years! From 1965 to 1973. Millions of bombs, one every 8 minutes. Can you believe that? Many of them didn’t explode then but do today killing children playing in the jungle or woman planting the rice. The empty shells can be seen everywhere all around the country as decoration for gardens, terraces and restaurants.

La República Popular de Laos (òbviament comunista) és un país que feia molt de temps que volia visitar. Molta gent me n'havia parlat molt bé i tenia moltes recomanacions de coses a fer. Però Laos té una història negra. La seva proximitat amb Vietnam va proporcionar amagatall a milers de comunistes que s’escapaven de la guerra i les bombes americanes. Per tant, el govern dels Estats Units no va trobar res millor a fer que tirar varis milions de bombes en el seu territori. Des de 1965 a 1973, el EUA van tirar una bomba cada 8 minuts!!! Us ho podeu imaginar? Moltes no van esclatar, moltes encara esclaten avui i maten a nens que juguen a la selva i dones que cultiven el seu arròs als camps. Aquestes bombes sense esclatar o les carcasses ja buides serveixen avui per decorar jardins, terrasses i restaurants.