Alms Giving In Luang Prabang

Since Laos is all about giving, we decided to wake up really early and do just that.

Due to the ultra high number of temples in Luang Prabang, you can't help but miss the majestically flowing bright orange robes of practicing Theravada monks. Really they are all over the place.

--

No more stunning in the wee hours of the morning, at the crack of dawn, when all of the monks leave the temple grounds with bagging bowls in hand to make their daily alms round, just as the Buddha preached over 2500 years ago.

--

The locals set up mats along the sidewalk and bring sticky rice and fruit to make their daily offering. And so we too made our way out onto the sidewalk looking for a place to purchase rice before sunrise. We purchased two 1/2 kilograms bags of steaming-fresh rice and scouted out the best place for our offering. We decided on the not so auspicious spot right beside the local grannies. Surely these folks know where you can get the biggest bang for your alms giving buck!

--

Just in the instant of deciding on our spot, and at the very moment as the sun peaked into the horizon, the peaceful army of orange flooded into the streets. We scampered into position with sticky rice ready at our side. Then, led by a senior monk, a single file line of young novice monks marched towards us.

--

With as much reverence as we could muster this early in the morning, we plunked our sticky rice into their begging bowls.

--

Through this simple act of giving, we too were receiving. As the monks made their way back to the temples to continue their daily routines the sun filled the sky. We both felt a certain contentment as we started off our day.