on to Vientiane

After Luang Prabang, I flew to Vientiane. Many hours at
Wat Sisaket. The predominant colour is a pale saffron-ochre,
with many levels of age showing, wonderfully satisfying
proportions, numerous buddhas ~ really gorgeous.

I've altered the colour enough for you to see it, though the
effect on the ground is more faded & dusty & intensely textural.
But in a way that makes me stop until I can see the palimpsest
of centuries. Almost one can see events & people from other times.

An interview with Wong Kar Wai, a favourite director

yellow days

One day I was speaking with a shopkeeper who let me photograph
his great-grandparents; many shots like these don't work well
because of low light & glass. Very occasionally, out of focus
turns out better than expected.

Some days I see more of one colour than another.
Taking a lot of photos, I begin to see patterns & correspondences.
It's very interesting to me, how different our 'eyes' are.
All.. these .. different.. expressions...

across the Mekong

One day we took a boat across the river, & were adopted by some
young monks; they cross to Luang Prabang for english lessons.
It's as much a way to be educated, as it is buddhist training.
What happens for the girls, though? You can see how far the
tourist dollar goes ~ it doesn't cross the river. I think the fee at
many of the wats doesn't make it to the temples, either.

Did you know there are still millions of unexploded bombs there?

Lao people

I'd have liked to take more photos of the beautiful Lao people.
It feels so intrusive unless there's been some interaction.
In neighbouring Cambodia, the UN backed trials of some
Khmer Rouge officials were in progress . See the Big Picture

Last year I visited the museum in Cambodia that commemorates
those horrendous times, with rooms of photos of some
of the people the Pol Pot regime tortured & killed, in the same
building where some of those crimes took place, in the 70's.
A deeply effecting experience. As you can see, many were children.

light

Even doing much the same every day, it was possible to see
different things; morning or evening light, the monks would be
sweeping or gardening, laughing or studying, or invisible.
Walking around, enjoying it all. I missed a lot too.

Not much time on the net, here's a few links I bookmarked
earlier: gardens, landscape art, portraits. The latter's photos
remind me of that beautiful movie Since Otar Left.

produce market

This market (still in Luang Prabang) was early in the day, lots
of produce both vegetable & animal that was new to me.

Often, as a tourist, there's that strange discomfort of being really
interested, taking photos, & being aware of the market people
being a little tired of of us.

I need to get some publicity out there, about our book. Today I was
searching on suitable magazines ( any suggestions welcome)
& came across Intelligent Life: one article about a nun going to
art school after 50 cloistered years; another on a very interesting
subway artist. Not much progress on likely book reviewers.

restoration

For several days the small temple near the Phousi steps (still
in Luang Prabang) was always locked ~ I'd remembered the
paintings ~ then one day it opened. The light was very low,
didn't want to use flash, they are old. Beautifully restored, by
the Chiang Mai university, according to a most enthusiastic
ex-professor who also visited that day.
The fine arts department restored what was still visible,
& halted the decay in other parts without filling/guessing.
The artists show both delicacy & humour. I love them.

Far away in New York there's a sensational interpretation
of Bosch's great Garden of Earthly Delights.