Too Loo - Nam Khan River, Laos

This spinning top comes from Laos, found during a quiet journey along the Nam Khan River which is 935 km long (581 mi).

As we were drifting on a small wooden boat, I asked our guide if it would be possible to find spinning tops in the area. He smiled and told me about a small Hmong village further along the river. That’s where we stopped.

What I found was not a crafted object in the usual sense—just a simple piece of wood, roughly shaped, almost raw. No paint, no metal tip, no refinement. And yet, it carries something more.

I bought it from a young boy. The moment stayed with me: his smile, his pride, the quiet exchange. I made his day—and in a way, he made mine too.

Sometimes, the simplest objects hold the strongest stories.