KO and the Turk: Monks and Mekong Make Laos Marvelous

Early morning in Luang Prabang. We left hotel at 5:50am to make it to the street where we would be participating in the Alms Giving Ceremony, one of the most sacred Lao traditions. Each morning, about 200 saffron robed monks silently walk barefoot down the main street while locals, and tourists, place gifts of food into their bowls. We were required to be barefoot, as are the monks, and to drape a cloth over a shoulder as a sign of respect. The food collected by the monks was meant to feed everyone in their monastery for at least one meal. Townspeople get up very early in the morning to prepare food specifically for the monks. They do not prepare extra of their own meals to give to monks as this is disrespectful.

our guide shows us how to do this

monks in long line arrive in waves and walk fast

this appears calm, but I was anything but

A nearby restaurant prepared sticky rice for us to give them. It was hot and sticky which created a rhythm and coordination problem for me. My fingertips burned as they dove into the hot rice and most of the time the rice stuck to my fingers as I tried to place it into the monk's bowl before the next monk arrived for his serving. It is inappropriate to sling sticky rice from ones fingers as a delivery method, tho it is more efficient. This awkwardness resulted in some monks receiving nothing from me, and a pile of sticky rice nearby where I missed the bowl.
We were told that this is a meditative experience for both the monks and the townspeople. I was not meditating! In fact, one monk stopped in front of me, looked me in the eye, and said in perfect English, ' its a beautiful morning'. Imagine my shock!
Monks that morning ranged in age from about 8 to 80. You can sign up to be a monk for any period of time as there are no requirements. We met many men on our trip who spent some time in the monastery as part of their maturing experience. Each person talked about their time as a positive and special experience. Yes, there are also women monks but they live is female monasteries.

The morning market in Luang Prabang is lively, especially after the quietness of the alms ceremony.

hand woven cottons and silks worn as skirts by the local women

fresh crabs

greens and knives

the free rooster was checking out his imprisoned buddies

one stop shop - a bit of everything: frogns, eggs, mushrooms, fish

peppers or all kinds, and some kind of flower to eat

fish heads of course!

breakfast ready to order

flowers for Buddha offerings

Side trips around Luang Prabang were fun. We learned about making silk and paper in one location, but the rice whisky village made the bigger impression.

happy silk worms eating away

silk worms make silk cocoons that are then twisted into silk thread

yes, I tried silk worm poop tea!

AND THE PAPER MAKING

wood pulp pulverized with log/stone device

fibers then rinsed and broken up in water over screen

flower petals, leaves selected

applying greenery onto fiber that will dry as paper

finished paper to be lifted from screen when dry

AND THE WHISKY BITS at Ban Xang Hai village

Manly whisky with snakes and things!

making whisky is same process no matter the country-but this is from rice

kids are the same everywhere

assortment of critters in the whisky

BOAT TRIP
Our day included a boat trip down the Mekong to the Pak Ou caves - one of the most respected holy sites in Lao. People have visited these caves for hundreds of years and have left over 4000 Buddha icons in the caves. The caves are a shrine to the Buddha and located where the Mekong and the NamOu River join. This is where the pha kwan arrangement from the Baci ceremony would be placed.

Mekong is busy with long boats

interior of our long boat, very comfortable

swarthy sailors

first view of the cave area

stairway to the main cave

Had to walk on this makeshift, rickety floating dock

a snippet of the hundreds of Buddhas in the caves

view from cave to the river

hanging out in the cave

Holly brings pha kwan flowers to the cave - a long day's journey for flowers!

Hollys wife Sara

new major bridge being built by China

structure looms over surroundings

Lao and French architecture - the palace

VISIT TO THE PALACES
The royal palace was built for King Sisavang Vong in 1904 when Lao was a French colony. After the revolution in 1975, the government took over the building.

in 2006 a temple was built, Haw Pha Bang, to house the most important historical object in Lao - the Pha Bang Buddha statue that is covered in gold leaf . It came to Laos in 14th century, is believed to be ancient, and the city is named for it - Luang Prabang.