The Human Zoo
A very popular stop on the one-day Burmese circuit is this "village" where some entrepreneur has given some villagers free housing and food and then charges tourists to come in a take pictures at their leisure. We resisted the temptation.

What the Thais think of the Burmese
This greeting from the Thais faces the Burmese border

Off to the Mekong
After their dangerous visit to Burma, our intrepid travelers embark onto the mighty Mekong

Visit to Laos
If you live on danger and visiting Burma isn't enough, your brave guide offers to bring you to Laos. If you aren't concerned about not having a visa, you agree and then laugh at yourself when you find out your visit to Laos is this place. An island in the river, on Laotian soil, is set up to sell trinkets and let you mail postcards. Could I have drawn a better tourist caricature than a Japanese tourist mailing a letter in a tourist trap

Real Laotian snake whiskey
It tastes horrible

Welcome to Laos
Perhaps Mr. blueshirted, camera-holding, tucked shirt, baseball-cap wearing tourist could give the Japanese girl a run for her tourist money

Back in Thailand at the Opium Museum
Because each hill tribe is at a different elevation, the timing of their opium cycle varies. This very informative chart showed when planting, scoring, and processing occurs. The museum also had a fascinating display of implements, pipe and other paraphernalia. Unfortunately no free samples

Subtle message to the messengers of God
I should point out that on our visit to the Karen village on our trek we found many christian posters on arrival. Puzzled we found out that missionaries had converted the village years before. That night we were treated to listening to Karen villagers in northern Thailand singing church camp songs in their own language. Very disturbing

Roaches
In the market here was a much more tasty treat...ground fresh basil and peppers that you eat with roasted vegetables and real sticky rice. Very hot and very good.

Monk waiting for the phone
For some reason, when one arrives in SE Asia, they are seized with a insuppressible belief that a man in saffron robe doing any darn thing is worth a photo. Would I have taken a picture of a random Thai man waiting for the phone?

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