the mekong

Going through my photos from the Mekong river, I remembered
how there were patches of jungle that looked as if
they covered long lost ruins. But also vast tracts of
clear felled forest. The local people, I think, see little in return.

There are often small groups panning for gold.
We saw a big variety of rock types, there is bound to be a lot
of exploitable minerals (unfortunately). Ditto re benefit to locals.
The river itself is a kind of gold. I heard there is a huge dam
upstream from Laos..

good stuff here: environmental art blog