Laos New Year

For Laos New Year, Khone and Koune drove us in their jeep to the Mekong River to get a boat across to the other side. We did this to make a sand stupa. Normal stupas are big cone shaped tombs that you see in temples but sand stupas are slightly smaller and Laos people traditionally make them next to the Mekong River for good luck at New Year. Another traditional thing you do after making a stupa is walk right into the river and wash away all your bad luck. I didn't mind walking into the freezing cold Mekong because I was already soaked from the jeep ride into town.
Nearly all over South East Asia they celebrate New Year with water fights! People start selling gigantic water guns and people line up on the roads with big buckets of water and soak everyone who passes by. It was a three day festival and I thought Laos New Year was the best water fight you could ever have.
We had a great two weeks in Luang Prabang.

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