Alms Giving

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Geo: 19.8841, 102.142

Luang Prabang (LP) is a lovely city, with a nice laid back feel to it so it's nice to come here to chill out and just take it easy while I recover. I managed to find a room for only 45,000 kip a night (£3.75) which has a big comfy double bed, TV, ensuite with hot shower, fan, and is serviced every day, result! The staff are really friendly and concerned about me being unwell so much so that one of the guys checks on me as he's not seen me for a while which was really thoughtful of him, to be honest I had been sleeping for Scotland, well it's all part of the getting better, sleep is the best thing.


One of my favorite things is the market in the evening, although the road where it is held is spotless during the day, as soon as 5pm comes the road is closed as the market builds it's countless stalls for the evening, it's an impressive affair. I love all the colors in particular of the market, the colored lights hanging, hand-made art and craft goods, silver jewelry, local dress, pictures on hand-made paper in particular of the monks, beautiful sarongs and carved elephants the list goes on! Only problem is that I can't buy unless I want to ship things home, as I am on the bicycle I can't carry things so it keeps the purse strings at bay.


Down from the market is another night market which deals with food and I get into a routine of having dinner here normally from the BBQ or buffet, the prices are normally 10,000 kip for an 'all you can eat plate' or a piece of BBQ chicken or pork etc. but for some reason I have been off my local traditional food so it's BBQ chicken for me most nights. Having BBQ alone though means I'm not having veg at all but I guess I have been eating lots of fruit or yoghurt during the day, I'm sure it will all sort itself out once I'm feeling better and I'm back on track.


There are many sights to see here from the millions of temples to the joining rivers of the Mekong and the Nam Khan and is in fact a UNESCO World Heritage site with it's French colonial styles which are impeccably kept, it is (I think) the cleanest city I have ever been in. There is a large expat community here which mingles well with the locals and everyone on passing talks to you, although ‘where are you going?' is still the most common question along with ‘can I help you?', everyone wants to help you and it is genuine… it's really nice.


One of the attractions here in the early morning is to watch the monks receiving ‘alms' from the local community, this is lovely to witness. The local community makes sticky rice, local foods etc. and distribute it every morning to the monks who pass their area, although some have tried to turn this into a tourist occupation I tried to avoid those areas and stuck to nearby my guest house where the monks past every morning, and the owners were part of the community giving alms. The monks file round the streets near to their temple with their wooden food dish and accept their offerings, it's all eyes bowed and grateful and there is a real sense not only of care but of responsibility. One morning I witnessed tourists getting right under the monks noses and I couldn't watch, honestly these people give you a bad name, some behaved terribly with absolutely no respect, disgusting.


After an early rise I normally walk the nearby river areas grabbing breakfast on the way back before going back to bed for a lie down, I spent a lot of time in LP sleeping but I am feeling better for it. I end up staying a full ten days before I even think of moving on and in that time I really haven't gone too far, my day out at the waterfalls was the further away but after hurting myself there I kept a low profile, kept myself right and just tried to get better. I plan on heading south from here and instead of missing out Vang Vieng which is famous for it's tubing, caving, kayaking etc. I decide that it will break my journey to Vientiane in half so I make that my next destination. I won't be hurling myself down the river in a tube though, I've to look after myself so I will just be taking in the scenery.

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Photos

Umbrellas
Night Market

Beautiful trees
I love these

Alms giving
This tourist was right in their faces and even running after them, terrible... no wonder tourist get a bad name!

Flowers
Check out kettle on the pavement