Daily Life in Laos: Biking through the mountains of northern Laos is a good way to see rural people, their homes, livestock, rice fields, schools, and local shops. Markets are popular but there are stores, open to the street in a small villages.

The street front lingerie shop - bras and panties plus umbrellas and a host of other items. Not sure where you try them on for size. 

The local basket maker. He makes his baskets out of bamboo and you can see his bench out front where he works. There is also a fire pit with a pot of coals. Not sure what it's for but he was boiling water for tea on it just before I took this photo. 

Road side gas station 

Homes are built on stilts and underneath the family has room to rest in the shade (hammocks are often strung up) store items and livestock plus in certain areas of Laos the women weave and their looms are set up. The textiles in Laos are lovely and the women so talented. When a couple marry it is the husband's duty to build his wife a loom and then she weaves cotton and silk and sells it to make extra income for the family. The bolts of fabric are sold to a middle person who takes it to larger markets. Some non-profit organizations have stepped in and formed co-operatives with village women that help them get a better price for their goods. 

This young girl is twelve and she's been weaving for 2 years. She still goes to school and will continue until seventeen. Highly likely she will not continue her education beyond that. Marrying age is 18 and she will be able to chose her husband (with parents consent) have children, work in the rice fields, raise chickens, ducks, goats, cattle, water buffalo and weave. It's a busy life with a lot of hard work. Divorce is allowed but not common. Property and businesses can be owned by men and women. Widows can keep the family property and do not become a burden to other family members. One married child may stay at home to look after elderly parents. It's common to move out once you marry and set up your own home.