Monk Watch – Luang Prabang, Laos

December 25, 2009August 28, 2019 | By Wayne Ng

For backpacking adventure types, Laos is the holy grail. Within that you have Luang Prabang, the UNESCO-ed historic capital of Laos, Land of A Million Elephants (now down to 2000 in the wild). It all sounds remote, exotic and largely removed from western trappings. But to say Luang Prabang represents Laos is like saying New York is the US, or Toronto is Canada.

Then you realize you are in one of the most devastatingly beautiful settings and delicious places in Asia, if not the world. It’s almost impossible to not be seduced by the allure and serenity of this tranquil setting.

But the monks could be no more pious and sanctimonious than their western brethren. They aren’t Dali Lama wannabees by and large. I’ve seen them smoke, chew gum, yak away on cellphones and overload motorbikes. They enter and leave the community at will, sometimes after months, or years, preparing for life. Some stay forever. Some move on to day jobs if they’re lucky to get one.

We used up our entire allotment of time in Laos here. We came to familiarize ourselves with the daily rhythms of the monks—morning temple drums, followed by the alms, the afternoon bells and chanting, chore times then free time.

Then the $5 massages and primo food and new friends (Mark from Germany, Kris and Ron from Portland) also got to us….we got very, very comfortable.

For Xmas, we participated in the dawn giving of alms. Locals and the odd traveller kneel as hundreds of monks silently walk along the road with containers which we fill with food, usually sticky rice. The locals see this as fire insurance should they not move on in their next stage of evolution. For us it was the perfect Xmas, removed from the trappings of the season, but still able to feel a sense of giving.