THERE GO THE BOATS

Dark brown is the water.

Yellow is the sand.

It flows along forever

With trees on either hand.

                         --R. L. Stevenson

This week was a festival for the Boat Races.

We were lucky enough to get an invitation to sit here under the tent on the front row. The government was very generous to us.

This is the area where we were seated. Glenn is standing right behind the seats we were sitting in. I don't know why he didn't take any pictures of us. How will you believe that we were there? Maybe these pictures will help.

A look to the left along the banks of the Mekong. See the booths set up for games and selling food and goods.

 This was floating out there at the finish line. We are in Laos but you can see the banks of Thailand on the other side of the river.

 Two of the smaller boats on Saturday.  There was a large and small boat division. 12 people were on the small boats.

A little closer look at the small boats.

This makes the announcer at Santa Anita Racetrack sound like he's on Valium.

 I loved the long boats!

 This was at the conclusion of the race as they headed to the bank near us to pay respects to the judge who was standing in a boat at the finish line just below us.

 And now they bow to the judge before they splash water on themselves to cool off.

 Awww the life. A floating hut.

 Another boat.

And this was our walk home after we went to the festival that night.