Ray held dried opium poppies as he explained the geography of the region...

We briefly visited Ban Khoan, Laos, little more than a market on the river's edge.

Julie Moore and Ray sampled some of the local alcoholic beverages...

Weaverbird nests...

The Mekong River—the second-longest in Asia at 2610 miles—originates in China, near the Tibetan border. It flows generally south-southeast, passing through Yunan Province (China), forming the border between Myanmar and Laos (and ultimately flowing into Laos), then forming the border between Laos and Thailand, and finally flowing through Cambodia and Vietnam before emptying into the South China Sea in a huge delta south of Ho Chi Minh City.

Our first stop on Christmas Eve was a temple designed and built by a prominent Thai artist. White stucco buildings with mirrored glass decorations stand out strikingly from their surroundings.