© all rights reserved Laos has remained virtually unchanged for half a century. Rich in history and culture, Laos and its peoples, more than 47 ethnic groups, harmonize life to ancient rhythms and traditions that evoke timeless Asia. The vast majority of Lao people live in Laos is approximately 4 million. Laos is generally very rural areas, and Many Lao people support by agriculture, with rice being the most important crop. Women hold dual responsibility for farm at home. In rice farming women in Laos have a substantial role. Traditionally, men plough, make bunds and prepare seedbeds, and women do more than half of the transplanting of rice, weeding, harvesting, threshing and post-harvest operations. Aside from this enumerated work, a gender division of labour exists in Laos which assigns women the major responsibility for childcare and housework. As household size averages seven people these tasks require numerous hours of work each day in addition to women's work outside their home. Such hard life for elderly women where life expectancy is 59 years est. 2008. Although the trappings of the modern world are becoming increasingly visible, Laos remains the least developed country in Southeast Asia. Laos has enjoyed high economic growth, despite poor national infrastructure and a dominant, inefficient agriculture sector. It is also heavily reliant on international assistance programs. In 1998, Laos began formal negotiations with the World Trade Organization. In 2008 a 5.60 US$/day per capita. Along the way to Wat Luang temple in Pakse we met this old woman. She was sitting in front of her house busy with household duties. Lao women have played a central role in the national country's and household economies over the past two decades. Women's participation exceeds men's in the economically active population. Due to dual responsibility for farm and household they are usually overburdened with work. At home some of these duties include water collection, which may take two to three hours a day; husking rice for family consumption, which may require two hours of work; milling rice; and caring for the sick and the elderly. Girls assist their mothers with these chores and they are often made responsible for care of younger kids. In spite of their major economic contribution, women are generally not considered as workers. However, women, particularly older ones, do control household budgets and share in financial decision making. However, for some intangible reason, the Lao people are still wonderfully friendly, hospitable and passionate. They do not have much, but show it off with pride and wear warming smiles. Laos, is nog een van de weinige overgebleven communistisch regimes en is ook een van de armste naties van Azie. De huidige regering kwam aan de macht in 1975 en legde onmiddellijk een onbuigzaam socialistisch economisch programma op. Verandering begon in 1986 met de losmaken van beperkingen op prive-onderneming. Sinds dien heeft Laos een hoge economische groei, ondanks arme nationale infrastructuur en een overwegende, ondoelmatige landbouwsector. Het is ook zwaar afhankelijk van internationale hulpprogramma's. In 1998 begon Laos formele onderhandelingen met de Wereld Handelsorganisatie. De gemiddelde verdienste per dag is 5,60 US$ per hoofd. Opvallend is de sterke positie die de vrouwen binnen de familie innemen en ze doen zelfs het meeste werk op de rijstvelden. De natte rijstbouw is het voornaamste middel van bestaan. De vrouwen en mannen in Laos blijven ondanks hun moeilijke bestaan altijd vriendelijk en gastvrij. Ze hebben niet veel maar stralen altijd met trots hun warme glimlach uit.

the motion... when launching... letting-go of the rocket !!! you got to know how- and when to let go the fire rocket.......here..... and philosophical speaking (((: © All rights reserved ~ Ute Hagen ~ uteart@gmail.com - do not use this image on any media without my permission. ----------------- For 9 days, each day another trade/profession will pay for shooting off the hundreds of rockets. the first ones at 6am - then 12 noon - then7pm.... and the Rocket-Castle at 11pm at night. Saturday was the Bricklayer's turn, always the loudest day of them all!! I went to the yard behind the church from where they'll be launching the rockets. This aparently is not for the public, it's a dangerous undertaking and the gates were closed behind the coheteros. And i was locked in with them, nobody has told me to leave... they let me take pictures!!! All of a sudden i noticed 5 men were lighting up cigarettes, then the "supplier' brought bundles of rockets and the coheteros started lighting them with their cigarettes, one after the other, holding them between two fingers until they had catched fire before letting go. This is a dangerous and critical moment, because almost instantly after ignition, a huge fire beam would shoot from the rocket to the ground as the rocket was launched... hand-held!!! A total of 1300 rockets were shot up into the air, in a 30-minute time frame, accompanied by a concert of ringing church bells. Most rockets were launched, as you see here, bare handed!! Others were launched all lined up and stuck in some wooden- or metal frame support. Thus, by igniting the first one, some 50+ rockets would explode simultaneously... like machine-gunfire, Wow, what an experience!!!! - I took a few hundred shots (in brackets), just to catch that beam of fire, but neither the fire-beam, nor the explosions of the rockets up in the blue sky showed up much on my images taken in broad daylight, just a lot of smoke. I will look for a night shot in my archives, where the beam of fire is very visible and impressive. texture added - texture by Skeletalmess, Thank You!!!