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We had a 5:15 wake up call so we could participate
in the ancient Buddhist tradition of alms-giving to the local
monks. Although it is the dry season, it started to rain last
night and continued all day today.
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We sat on small stools and were given baskets
of sticky rice to spoon into the monk's buckets as they filed
past.
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Each morning hundreds of monks file solemnly
and single file through the streets of Luang Prabang collecting
food offerings from the citizens.
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In turn, the citizens receive prayers for
their families and friends.
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After the alms-giving, we visited an outdoor
market for a typical Laotian breakfast.
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We were each given an ingredient to purchase
at the market using the Lao language.
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Ours was rice noodles. The ingredients were
used later at our home hosted lunch.
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We continued through the market looking
at all the native produce and food products and mingling with
the locals as they purchased their groceries for the day.
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We watched how people tried to keep dry on their motorbikes.
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We went by bus about 45 minute drive up
into the mountians to visit a village and school.
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They are stripping bamboo for various crafts.
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The chief of the village walked us around
the village. Here he showed us a teak leaf which when rubbed
produces a red stain that is used to dye silk.
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The village is supported by the Grand Circle
Foundation (GCF). The GCF built a pipeline from the mountains
so the villagers would have fresh water instead of having
to walk down to the Mekong River to get water.
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Typical village house with teak walls
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Cutting bamboo sticks to make fishing baskets
like those on the table.
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Picking lice?
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Our local guide, Cheers.
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School
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The teacher instructs the 1st and 2nd graders
on the Lao alphabet and pronunciation.
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We joined the students during their lesson.
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Barbara reads an English book to a student.
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The shaman from the local Hmong hill tribe
came to the school to tell us about the tribe and some of
his practices.
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He played a couple of the instruments he
uses.
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We left the school and went back to the
house of the chief and his wife. where we helped prepare lunch
with the ingredients we had purchased at the market.
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One by one we poured our ingredients into
a huge wok which was heated over a wood fire.
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Fred stirs the pot after adding our rice
noodles.
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David and Diane add their ingredients.
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The result was a delicious stir fry with
all kinds of vegetables and spices. But it was only the appetizer.
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The chief's wife had prepared the rest of
the lunch which included soup, fish cooked in banana leaves
and brown sticky rice. We came away very full!
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We spent our final morning in Luang Prabang
visiting the Royal Palace Museum.
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The museum was built in 1904-09 during the
reign of the last king of Laos. Today it is a museum where
we saw the royal throne and other artifacts but no cameras
were allowed inside.
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The other building on the palace grounds was a temple housing
a pure gold Buddha from the 1st century. Again, no photos were
allowed of the Buddha itself but it was a beautiful building.
It was built in 1969 and the Buddha moved there from the Royal
Palace. |
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This carriage is used to carry a monk during
the Lao New Year Parade.
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This carriage is used to carry the Prabang
Buddha from the Royal Palace Museum to the temple..
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Fred and Barb
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The pedestrian bridge over the Mekong was
damaged during heavy rains.
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We ordered a delicious lunch at a restaurant
run by a Canadian woman.
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We headed to the airport via tuk-tuks.
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Notice how he is on his cell phone!
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A Honda motor bike shop.
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A bike repair shop
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