Sabaidee! Laos is a beautiful country. This brief trip was comprised of Vientian, Luang Prabang and the surrounding countryside of each. Laos is wonderful and begs the visitor to return for a more concentrated visit. The archetecture is colorful and graceful. The people are warm and welcoming greeting others with a smile, palms pressed together in a nop saying Sabaidee. Laos is the only land-locked country in SE Asia and about 80% of the people practice subsistence agriculture. In addition to the Buddhist culture and the colonial architecture there are ancient temples and gastronomic delights. Extensive efforts are being undertaken to clear the UXO (Unexploded Ordinance) that remain from the Vietnam War era still taking their toll on people in the countryside as they work the fields. Life continues to improve in this country that is simply beautiful.