2011-11-16
We took a boat up the river to the tiny town of Muong Ngoi Neua, because the ride was supposedly spectacular, but turned out to be less dramatic than advertised. Wandering around town, we came across a bunch of local boys playing barefoot soccer and I tried to join in, but they wouldn't let me play. It was still fun to watch. The stars that night were amazing. It's been months since I saw stars due either to city lights, clouds, or a full moon, but my luck finally changed and I was treated to a sky-full. Most people don't realize that all of the chemical elements that exist in the universe today other than hydrogen and helium were created inside stars and then spewed forth during supernovae. We owe our existence and everything we see around us to ancient stars long since extinguished. Stargazing always seems to allow my mind to escape from the details of everyday life.