Collecting Alms
I finally woke up early enough to catch a glimpse of the monks! I was on the main road at 5am; sitting, shivering, waiting for the saffron robes to be visible. At 5:45, I saw a procession up ahead, barely visible in the morning fog. I walked a bit closer, and finally saw them come out in full force. Most of the monks were young men, although there were a few near my parent's age. The monks walked with their heads bowed, carrying an urn in both hands. The townspeople knelt on small rugs along the street. As the monks passed, a small amount of sticky rice was put in their urn. Once they return to their temple, the food is massed together and everyone gets the same portion. If there are less people giving food away in the morning, the monks are a bit more hungry. This ritual & custom left me in awe. The monks were relying on the locals for offerings of food; the locals relying on the monks for spiritual guidance and services. This strong symbiotic relationship must have been forged over hundreds of years.
I finally woke up early enough to catch a glimpse of the monks! I was on the main road at 5am; sitting, shivering, waiting for the saffron robes to be visible. At 5:45, I saw a procession up ahead, barely visible in the morning fog. I walked a bit closer, and finally saw them come out in full force. Most of the monks were young men, although there were a few near my parent's age. The monks walked with their heads bowed, carrying an urn in both hands. The townspeople knelt on small rugs along the street. As the monks passed, a small amount of sticky rice was put in their urn. Once they return to their temple, the food is massed together and everyone gets the same portion. If there are less people giving food away in the morning, the monks are a bit more hungry. This ritual & custom left me in awe. The monks were relying on the locals for offerings of food; the locals relying on the monks for spiritual guidance and services. This strong symbiotic relationship must have been forged over hundreds of years.
I'm returning to Vietnam today - I've enjoyed my stay in Laos. The country is very peaceful, the countryside filled with so many different colors of green, and the people have surpassed my expectations of generosity & hospitality. From the moment that Phouvieng & Athith picked me up at the airport, I've felt comforted - it's almost like home. Luang Prabang was filled with a spiritual aura that I haven't experienced elsewhere. Young men come here from the neighboring communities to follow a path that is lit with their faith. It's hard for me to understand, because the religious people back home aren't this spiritual. Protestants (that I know) may go to church once a week out of routine (and perhaps some guilt), but they forget about the religious teachings as soon as they leave the church. The monks I see here act with the same integrity inside & outside of the wats. I would imagine that Angkor Wat feels similar to this, but with many more tourists.
Another part of Laos that I'll miss is the solitude. I could walk down the street and only be asked for money (or to buy something) once or twice. Vietnam's streets are much more visceral; it's an onslaught of beggars & merchants. I think one defining difference is personal space; Vietnam constantly touches you, pulling you into its world. Laos does so with more grace. This doesn't mean that I don't like Vietnam - I just accept it as a different place.
I desire to share these thoughts & memories with loved ones, but the reality is that no one has experienced what I've seen, felt, and tasted. They'll want to hear about the nasty things that I encountered, but I'll never be able to do a place justice by just talking about it. Those mundane, magical moments of travelling aren't interesting unless they are slightly embellished.
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