Haircut

Barber Shop Ban Nong Tang.

Above is the place down the road that I went to most often. Creag was usually well behaved. It was also my chance to take a picture and have him sit still, that or get his ear cut off.

What you are seeing in the photo is this barber's entire house. There is a small bathroom off the back, and they cook in a pot outside the back door. Behind the cabinet that contains all of their earthly possessions, is a bed to sleep on during the day.


Finished Product

There is something universal about getting a haircut in a barber shop. Same set up everywhere and for some reason not much talk needed. You go in, sit down, notice who is there before you, get bored until it’s your turn, get up sit down, get cut, pay.

One time a few years ago, I stopped at the side of the road and was overcharged. There was a sign stating the price in English and Lao. My wife was with me and can read Laotian. I just paid. Kind of weird ripping someone off for fifty cents. He’ll probably come back next life as a head louse if not worse.


Osama's Barber

In mid February we moved to the other side of town, out past Ban Tat Luang, and I had to find another barber. We only went to this guy once and it looks as if he could have used the clippers on himself. I have no idea what the pencil sketch of Osam Bin Rotten, was all about.

I've tried to not use that most famous terorist's full name in fear that automatic web crawlers might filter out his name and put me on some kind of terrorist-watch-body-cavity-search-at-airport list. Phil if you are reading this please use your influence to get my name purged.