the Plain of Jars
For some reason I can’t explain, the UNESCO-listed Plain of Jars is somewhere I’ve long wanted to visit. Several thousand stone jars of varying sizes are spread over a large area in north-eastern Laos, their original purpose not really known although generally believed to be coffins, grave markers, or temporary storage for decomposing bodies. The province where they are located (Xieng Khouang) was one of the worst hit by the second Indochina war, and unexploded ordnance still poses a threat, but many of the 90+ jar sites are now open to the public. Now I had my opportunity and so I set off on a supposedly ten-hour journey by minivan from Luang Prabang, through twisting partly unsurfaced roads winding up and down through the mountains. Scenic but not so comfortable (many Laos take travel-sickness medication before the trip). The route is heavily used by big trucks, even though the condition of the road makes it difficult for them, and several times at some of the ...