I'm not going to post loads of war photographs because, well, we've probably seen plenty of that in movies and such.<br/><br/>(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/80/Kuang_Si_Waterfalls_Luang_Prabang_Wikimedia_Commons.jpg/800px-Kuang_Si_Waterfalls_Luang_Prabang_Wikimedia_Commons.jpg)<br/><br/>Miscellaneous websites I've visited recently when writing for this game:<br/><br/>Hmong, Cambodian and Laotian names (http://www.johncooke.com/name/hmong.htm)<br/><br/>A few Laotian phrases:<br/>Sabaidee - Hello/How are you?<br/>Excuse me/sorry - Khaw thot.<br/>Thank you (very much)- Khawp jai (lai lai)<br/>Help! - Suay dae!<br/>Stop! - Yut!<br/>Nop - the Laotian word for the traditional Buddhist bow, with palms of the hands pressed together before the heart<br/>Samloi - Laotian bicycle rickshaw 'taxi'.<br/>Wat - A Laotian Buddhist temple (as in Angkor Wat)<br/>(http://www.shutterstock.com/subscribe.mhtml)<br/>Wat Phou (ruin in southern Laos)<br/><br/>Laos is a country with a strong Buddhist tradition which has shaped its customs and etiquette. Besides their religion, the family is central to the Lao people's lives. Shoes are removed before entering temples. Women must never touch monks and should not even hand anything to a monk, but instead place their offering where the monk can reach for himself. Monks are forbidden to touch women or even speak to them outside the safety of the temple or 'wat'. Laos is a conservative country and it is not acceptable in Laos for men and women to show open affection in public. The French colonists who occupied Indochina had a saying: "The Vietnamese plant the rice, the Cambodians watch the rice, and the Lao listen to the rice grow…" reflecting the calm, patient way in which people conduct their lives.<br/><br/>(http://www.thailandsworld.com/sites/thailandsworld_com/images/Laos%2FWat_Phat_Luang_2.jpg)<br/>Wat Phat Luang in Vientiane.<br/><br/>(http://www.thailandsworld.com/sites/thailandsworld_com/images/Laos%2FWat_Pra_Keo.jpg)<br/>One of the Wats on Setthathirat road (near where Michelle and Etienne met). The image is cropped rather closely to not show the neighboring modern buildings!<br/><br/>A few Hmong phrases:<br/>Nyob Zoo (Sawv Ntxov) - Hello (Good morning)<br/>Koj Nyob Li Cas lawm - How are you?<br/>Ua Tsaug - Thank you.<br/>Sorry - Thov txim.<br/><br/>When talking to a Hmong person, he or she may not offer direct eye contact. Traditionally, looking directly into the face of a Hmong person or making direct eye contact is considered rude and inappropriate. Hmong people tend to be humble and do not want to show or express their true emotions in front of other people. They will say “maybe” or “I will try” instead of giving a definite positive or negative reply. The Hmong in the 1960s are predominantly animists with Buddhist, Confucianism and Taoist elements.<br/><br/>A few Vietnamese phrases:<br/>Xin Chao - Hello!<br/>Chao buoi (sang/toi) - Good day (morning/evening)<br/>Cam dn - Thank you.<br/>Tam biet - Goodbye.<br/>Xin loi - Sorry.<br/><br/>The Vietnamese generally shake hands both when greeting and when saying good-bye. Shake with both hands, and bow your head slightly to show respect. Bow to the elderly who do not extend their hand. Vietnamese women are more inclined to bow their head slightly than to shake hands. The Vietnamese willingness to avoid unpleasantness can sometimes lead to great misunderstandings. "Yes" may not mean "yes." When the Vietnamese say "No problem," you can take it to mean "Yes, there is a problem." Double and even triple-check all commitments, and then monitor them closely.<br/>Making eye contact with people one is unfamiliar with is viewed as impolite/aggressive.<br/><br/>A Vietnam war glossary (http://history1900s.about.com/od/vietnamwar/a/vietnamglossary.htm)<br/><br/>Laotian involvement in the 1967 Opium War (http://www.akha.org/content/drugwar/mccoy/63.htm) Some ironic incidents (ironic when set against the backdrop of the war itself), including how a Laotian general became the most powerful opium warlord in the area, the CIA trying to coax him to tone it down a little, and incidents involving French and Corsican gangsters in Laos and Vientiane.<br/><br/>Wikipedia: The Laotian Civil War (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laotian_Civil_War) Including all the various French and American involvement, the Pathet Lao, the Vietnamese, the Chinese, etc. Very helpful in understanding how Laos was intensely involved in the war in Vietnam.<br/><br/>In the 1960s, upper and middle-class Laotians and Vietnamese are very likely to wear 'European/American' clothing, often including slacks, collared shirt and tie, but suit coats are reserved for formal occasions or worn by officials/elders.<br/><br/>Movies have made much of the stereotypical 'black pyjama' garb that is common in many parts of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, but different cultural groups often wear highly embroidered variations when they are not working. There is a large Hmong community known as the 'flower Hmong' for the vibrant colors and extensive embroidery they use.<br/>(http://media.lonelyplanet.com/lpimg/4237/4237-1/preview.jpg)<br/><br/>Laotian costume shows more influence from Burma and Thailand:<br/>(http://content.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/hb0d5n99q5/FID3)<br/>(http://images.travelpod.com/tripwow/photos/ta-00c7-f9a4-3ca6/traditional-clothing-that-the-people-wear-of-laos-paksan-laos+1152_12944215232-tpfil02aw-7455.jpg)<br/>The boys are carrying multi-reed pan-pipe flutes called kaen.<br/><br/><br/>A stairway to a mountain-top temple in Laos:<br/>(http://media.lonelyplanet.com/lpi/26711/26711-2/681x454.jpg)<br/>