NICK PAPADOPOULOS PHOTOGRAPHS

Asia: Laos

A stunning glass mosaic of the 'tree of life' adorns the rear of Wat Xien Thong, Luang Prabang's most beautiful temple.
  
The idyllic town of Luang Prabang as seen from Mount Phousi. The town is located at the confluence of the Nam Khan and the Mekong River (seen here).
   
Wooden boats like this one are often used to ferry cargo and even tourists along Southeast Asia's largest river.
     
  
Impressive carvings and gold relief on temple doors adds to the beauty of the architectural style of the city's temples.
   
A local monk welcomes a foreign tourist.
   
Wooden boats like this one are often used to ferry cargo and even tourists along Southeast Asia's largest river.
     
  
The idyllic town of Luang Prabang as seen from Mount Phousi. The town is located at the confluence of the Nam Khan (seen here) and the Mekong River.
   
The rear of the city's most beautiful temple, Wat Xien Thong, which features a glass mosaic of the 'tree of life.'
   
An elderly resident in front of her ramshackle home.
     
  
A local delicacy.
   
The town's most impressive feature, excluding its magnificent temples, is its slower pace of life.
   
A hill-tribe village populated by Hmong people situated on the banks of the Mekong River, near the town of Pakbeng.
     
  
Monks and novices collect alms - handfuls of sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves, vegetables and coconut milk - donated by local residents.
   
Monks and novices collect alms - handfuls of sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves, vegetables and coconut milk - donated by local residents.
   
A street stall
     
  
Gold relief on temple doors adds to the beauty of the architectural style of the city's temples.
   
The Pak Ou caves, situated about 25 kilometres by boat from Luang Prabang along the Mekong River, feature hundreds of mainly standing Buddhas.