On Khone Island, we visited remnants of the French attempt to build a railroad linking various islands in the Mekong River. The effort failed, and today little is left but a bridge and some rusting equipment. Historical relics such as this rusting boiler are also monuments of sorts. This old boiler represented the aspirations of another country, and as such is not honored but instead left to decay. I found a vantage point where the foliage seemed to overwhelm the rusting equipment and used the shade to create a mood that reflected the neglect. It is said that “history is written by those who win.” The French were driven from Southeast Asia, their dreams of empire shattered forever. This is how they are remembered in this corner of Laos.