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photographie-irie > Bicycling Parasol Girls, Luang Prabang, Laos      As with the prior image of a military pollce riding his motorbike one handed with parasol in the other, so do these ladies here travel on bicycle. His motor-biking version probably evolved from prior parasol use on bicycles before motorbikes became ubiquitous as they are as they are in present day Laos. With the easy going pace of life here, and the most basic economies and dependability that are part of bicycling, it is still a major transportation form in present day Laos as it is throughout SE Asia.
photographie-irie > Motorbike Parasol Soldier, Luang Prabang, Laos           There is so much I like about this subject here. A soldier of the perceived heavy handed and repressive Lao military cruising on his motorbike with parasol in hand to maintain his complexion as light as possible, and proudly advertising local brew along the way. I have mentioned elsewhere that light complexions are most treasured wherever I have travelled in SE Asia, and that as a result locals largely try to shield themselves from the sun. But in Laos, as with other finely developed local arts unappreciated by modern society elsewhere, the art of riding motorbikes with a parasol or umbrella is finely tuned and ever present. Whether guarding from sun or rain, one handed motorbiking is a given, in order to finely balance that parasol the with slight tilt forward, necessary so as not to catch the breeze, ruin a perfectly fine umbrella, and turn it into a disasterous space shuttle type drag chute. They have very nice umbrellas and parasols in Laos, and lots of them. I never witnessed a single local miscue in this fine art among the hundreds of single handed riders I would watch over a short period of time, downtown or on open road. And as with any finely practiced sport, they look good doing it, especially the cute girls. Note in the blurred background is another one handed rider with parasol in other hand.
photographie-irie > Little Hmong Parasol Smile, Coc Ly, Vietnam      This is the normal reaction I tend to get when offering to take a picture. Showing the result on the back of the camera can make you a big center of attention.
photographie-irie > Flower Hmong Girl Guarding Umbrellas, Coc Ly, Vietnam       Off to the side of the market was this girl appearing not too sure of me. With that bamboo staff in hand, I gave her gave her wide berth. Actually, after taking her picture she gave me a big smile upon seeing her image in the camera. Digital photography is a great ice breaker for the immediacy of the reward, especially with kids. But some isolated peoples without much alien contact are not quite comfortable with the concept, thinking you may be stealing a part of them in taking their picture. Others, although not many, wish to be paid. Common courtesy and personal respect is called for in getting some tacit permission to take pictures if they are so inclined, defering if they are not. My personal policy is not to set the precedent of paying to take a picture, but rather to attempt engagment in some other manner. In this way the actual process of photography can bring you closer to peoples and cultures that otherwise might well remain fascinating but much more distant.
photographie-irie > Ta Prom Umbrella, Angkor, Cambodia It's often very hot and humid at Angkor, but the shade of these ruins offers cool mid-day retreat from the hot, hard work of sightseeing. Umbrellas and parasols are commonplace in SE Asia as much to protect from the sun as rain, since fair complexions are most highly treasured throughout the area. Mid-day relaxation is also in good local form, doing the early morning and late afternoon thing to beat the heat.
Bicycling Parasol Girls, Luang Prabang, Laos     

As with the prior image of a military pollce riding his motorbike one handed with parasol in the other, so do these ladies here travel on bicycle. His motor-biking version probably evolved from prior parasol use on bicycles before motorbikes became ubiquitous as they are as they are in present day Laos. With the easy going pace of life here, and the most basic economies and dependability that are part of bicycling, it is still a major transportation form in present day Laos as it is throughout SE Asia.
photographie-irie > Bicycling Parasol Girls, Luang Prabang, Laos      As with the prior image of a military pollce riding his motorbike one handed with parasol in the other, so do these ladies here travel on bicycle. His motor-biking version probably evolved from prior parasol use on bicycles before motorbikes became ubiquitous as they are as they are in present day Laos. With the easy going pace of life here, and the most basic economies and dependability that are part of bicycling, it is still a major transportation form in present day Laos as it is throughout SE Asia.
Bicycling Parasol Girls, Luang Prabang, Laos     

As with the prior image of a military pollce riding his motorbike one handed with parasol in the other, so do these ladies here travel on bicycle. His motor-biking version probably evolved from prior parasol use on bicycles before motorbikes became ubiquitous as they are as they are in present day Laos. With the easy going pace of life here, and the most basic economies and dependability that are part of bicycling, it is still a major transportation form in present day Laos as it is throughout SE Asia.
See photo in original gallery.
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