Alms Giving Ceremony: Luang Prabang, Laos

Douglas was thoroughly excited about sleeping in every day during our time in Laos. Who wouldn’t be? After all, it was a vacation! Before leaving Hanoi, I told Douglas about a practice in Luang Prabang called morning alms giving. Visitors go here to watch the monks receive their food for the day. Without having done specific research on the ceremony, I informed Douglas that it was a sacred ritual for monks and would be a good cultural experience for us. He seemed interested and asked what time it began. I hesitated a bit because I knew what his immediate reaction would be when he heard the answer – 6 am. I had hoped that he would mistake am for pm for some reason. Douglas’ entire demeanor changed at the thought of intentionally opening his eyes that early. He said, “So let me get this straight…you want me to wake up before 6 to get out of bed and get dressed to go see monks eat food?!” Sarcastically I replied, “Actually, they will not be eating…we will only watch them receive their food.” At this point, the possibility of hearing the word yes was about as thin as his patience. “So I am supposed to watch them receive food that they may not even eat?! Babe, I don’t want to get up to feed myself at that hour, let alone watch someone else get food!” This conversation is not going so well, I thought. “Uh, does this mean you don’t want to go?” The expression on Douglas’ face gave me my answer as he turned and walked away, peace sign in the air. Well, it was worth a shot.

Throughout our trip in Luang Prabang, Douglas must have been pondering the idea of going with me to see the morning alms. I assume he thought I may have felt bad that we were not doing this together. I was actually fine with him not going because I already knew he was not a morning person. But the night before I was scheduled to attend the ceremony, Douglas said the sweetest thing to me: “Babe, do I have to go?” I smiled and chuckled inside because I had no idea he was still entertaining my notion. I said, “No, you absolutely do not have to go. You should enjoy your sleep, and I’ll take pictures.” I must say, it did make me feel pretty good to know that he gave it a second thought just because I asked. I love my husband.

Every morning at dawn, the Buddhist tradition called Tak Bat is practiced among the monks. Tak Bat is also referred to as the Alms Giving Ceremony. Hundreds of barefoot monks dressed in beautiful saffron-colored robes emerge from temples all around the city to collect their food for the day from local people. They walk the streets in a single file line, starting from oldest to youngest. The monks carry a large bowl with a steel lid in which food is placed as they walk by. Almsgivers, or the people giving them the food, line the sidewalks, kneeling down after removing their shoes and wait for the monks to pass by. The people then offer the monks items such as sticky rice, candy, bananas, and money. However, the monks do not keep all that is given to them. Along the sidewalks are large open baskets that the monks use to discreetly throw away any items that are not appropriate for them to keep. Many tourists purchase sticky rice from street vendors in order to take part in the ceremony. Monks, however, only receive a specific kind of rice. If the rice given to them is not the correct type or prepared improperly, they will throw these items away. Tourists are advised to be cautious of where they buy their rice. Several vendors are simply looking to make a profit.

Tak Bat is a sacred tradition that is done in silence. The monks and the almsgivers do not utter a word to one another. The tourists that view this ceremony have begun to diminish this practice. While tourists are welcomed to watch and take pictures, they are encouraged to keep in mind that this is a religious ceremony, not a cultural photo opportunity. Photography is not prohibited, but several tourists go directly in front of the monks snapping photos with flash. This behavior disrupts the monk’s ritual and interferes with their meditative state. Visitors are asked to keep a respectful distance between themselves and the monks.

Also, tourists are often inappropriately dressed in shorts, sleeveless tops or mid-drifts. It is respectful to keep your shoulders, stomach, and legs covered when viewing the Tak Bat. The expectations there are no different than the ones found when visiting a temple.

To help raise awareness and better educate tourists on proper behavior and practices when viewing or participating in the Alms Giving Ceremony, leaflets have been created describing the dos and don’ts during morning alms. They have been disbursed throughout the city and posted in popular venues frequented by tourists.

The hotel shuttle drove me to the site only three minutes away. I saw the first group of monks receive their Alms at 5:40 am and returned to the shuttle by 5:55 am. It was short and sweet. I am glad I witnessed this ancient Buddhist tradition. I am especially glad that I did so in a civil and reverent manner. Again, while this is a tourist attraction to which Lao people welcome visitors to view and photograph, it is first a religious ceremony.

The trash basket for items that the monks cannot accept.

Leaflet posted throughout the city on what not to do during ceremony

The following are a few pictures I unknowingly took of inappropriate behavior performed by tourists. 

The man taking pictures directly in front of the monks.

The woman standing behind the almsgivers taking pictures of the monks.

 

This woman looks like she is at a professional photo shoot. Nothing about this behavior is okay.

 

Another woman standing on the street beside the monks taking pictures.

  

Kuang Si Falls - Laos

Ranked on TripAdvisor as number one out of forty-four attractions in Luang Prabang, I knew Kuang Si Falls was a place we had to visit. It is located approximately 45 minutes outside of Luang Prabang.  Our hotel arranged for a private minivan to take us to the Falls on the morning of Friday, May 22. The round-trip cost was $60; a little steep for Laos but well worth the freedom of not having to abide by a set schedule. Several reviewers recommended going early in the morning to beat the crowds. It was a good thing I followed the suggestions because we arrived at 10 am and people flooded the park by noon. Crowds can definitely alter an experience. 

 

There was a Bear Rescue Center located a few feet past the entrance. The animals are rescued from people who illegally poach them, trade them, or extract bile from their bodies. They are housed in a large enclosed area that looks comparable to a kids’ playground. Inside the space are toys, tire swings, a pond, and even a hammock. One of the bears stood up near the fence, looking at all the people standing on the viewing platform directly above the enclosed area. Its actions mimicked that of a dog or cat when seeking attention. I have to admit, the bears did look very cute…from a distance.

Not long after walking in the forest, we set eyes on a stunning natural pool. Behind a group of trees was a second pool. There were a few more as we moved further. The forest was packed with these natural beauties filled with pretty turquoise colored water. Signs were posted beside each large lagoon instructing visitors whether or not the area permitted swimming. Some areas were designated as sacred sites. Every bit of us wanted to immediately dive in and experience the beauty that had us in awe. We decided to resist the temptation and wait until we completed our exploration of the entire forest.

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diving section

We came upon the main waterfall not much further from there. I had seen it in a few photos on the internet, but no photo can capture the sensational feeling that permeates through your body while standing in front of such a breathtaking attraction. We took our time and marveled at its beauty. Since we were wearing our water shoes at the time, we walked halfway into the bottom of the waterfall to take pictures. Naturally, the girl who loves to have her photo taken went first. Douglas inched forward into the water, hoping to find a better angle to capture my photo. I quickly warned him to stay put, because the light brown rocks he was gearing up to tip-toe on were especially slippery. Douglas conveyed a look that said I got this. I shook my head with complete disbelief but decided not to press the issue. I shared my advice based off of me already standing on the same rocks he was about to step onto. However, I reminded myself that he is a grown man and sometimes even grown-ups have to learn their way (also known as the hard way). Douglas took no more than two steps out and proceeded to fall backwards onto the rocks. His legs and arms were pointed directly towards the sky. He then tumbled backwards over his head and landed flat on his left side. As I went to help him, I lost my balance on the rocks and also fell down on my butt. I didn’t feel any pain in the moment because I was still concerned about Douglas (and the camera too). 

I guess it’s true that when your loved one is possibly hurt, you can become numb to your own discomfort. I felt many things in those short few seconds. I was scared that Douglas had been hurt from the fall; I was annoyed that Douglas didn’t listen to me when I warned him not to step out there; and, as much as I hate to admit it, I was concerned that our expensive camera was going to slip out of his hands into the water. To my relief, Douglas kept his arm straight up, preventing the camera from making any contact with the water. And, he was not hurt, aside from a few cuts and scrapes on his arms. Thank God he was wearing a stuffed backpack that broke his fall. Otherwise, I cringe at the thought of what the outcome could have been. 

A woman standing nearby got the camera out of Douglas’ hand so he could lift himself up, and I followed behind him. Our clothes were soaked, Douglas’ arms were bleeding, and my white shorts were now covered in mud on my backside. Needless to say, this is not how we intended on taking our first dip into the beautiful lagoons. After my eyes gave Douglas the “I told you so” look, we dusted ourselves off and did the next best thing – jumped into the lagoon fully clothed! After that fiasco it was pointless to change into our swimsuits anyway.

Harmless fish at the edge of the water

...and we changed into our swimsuits for the ride home!

Prior to our fall on the rocks and dip in the lagoon, we’d experienced another adventure. As we were walking through the forest, we came across a sign that read ‘This way up.’ I was curious, so I suggested we check it out. The sign pointed to a trail that seemingly led to the top of the waterfall. The start of this trail was off to the side in a wooded area. It surprised me that I even entertained the idea of hiking a secluded trail in the forest. My mother has asked me numerous times to walk with her through the woods in the country where she lives. I have yet to ever consent to her request. Therefore, I could not believe what I was considering. Douglas had zero hesitation about this venture. He is from the South and is quite comfortable in the great outdoors.

Douglas did not force or try to coerce me into taking this journey. He simply said, “It’s up to you babe.” I realized I would need to use my hands, as well as my feet, to maneuver along this trail – all while in my white shorts. It was clear that this city girl had no desire, nor was she prepped, to get dirty that day. I stared at the trail for a minute weighing each and every negative: It was a secluded area in the woods; the beginning of the trail was steep, uneven, and only had a narrow strip to climb; I had no idea how high up the trail went or how long the climb would take; I didn’t see any walkable path; there was no end in sight; and most importantly, I could die. Those were all the scary outcomes that could arise from me choosing to take this isolated path. The only thing that seemed certain was by taking this path, we would reach the top. Full of apprehension, I could not shake this feeling inside of me that wanted to do something different. I’d been having an itch to step outside my safe box for a while, so this was the perfect opportunity. In that moment, I did not want to live in fear of the unknown or base my decision on what I thought I could not do. I wanted to see what the top looked like regardless of the journey it took to get there. I turned to Douglas and said, “Let’s do it!”

The sign that started it all... To the top

With our backpacks and cameras strapped to us, I led the way on our climb to the top. It was terribly hot that day, but we didn’t feel the magnitude of the heat until after we started. Our bodies were covered in sweat. I really wanted to use my dirty hands to wipe the perspiration from my face. Instead, I brushed my forehead against my arm, only displacing the sweat from one part of my body to another. During the climb, I peered down at my recently manicured nails shaking my head at the dirt and green moss that lay underneath. I was quickly becoming one with nature.

The path became steeper and steeper with every corner we turned. I gazed down with a brief thought of calling it quits because I didn’t think I could get myself up the next set of rocks. The base of the rock was too high and uneven. But I’d come too far to turn back; besides, climbing down seemed just as challenging as going up. Instead of giving up I asked Douglas to give me a boost onto the rock. Once he did, I was able to pull the rest of my body up to continue the hike. 

The trail soon required us to get low and clamber up the next several feet that lied ahead. I kept thinking this is absolutely crazy! I am out here on my hands basically rock-climbing, and for what? This is not safe. There is not even another person out here. Perhaps I would have been comforted by a little more company on this trail. There must have been a reason why no one else was here. All these negative thoughts began returning to my brain.  I had to reassure myself that I was going to be fine, and that I was out here for a purpose, even if the goal of that purpose seemed unreachable. I was already on the trail and there was no room for doubt along the way. I said to Douglas, “If I die out here at least I will have died trying to get to the top!” Although that was said in jest, I was serious. I convinced myself to take one step at a time, to think positive, and do whatever I needed to do to move forward without worrying about my surroundings. Immediately the strenuous hike became a little easier. I now only wish I took pictures along the way, but snapping photos was the furthest thought from both our minds at the time.

As we turned what seemed like the hundredth corner, we saw a woman in a long white skirt standing alone. My face beamed with joy to see another person present. The woman explained that she was waiting for her husband who went to the top because the climb had become too steep for her to do with flip flops. Yes, this woman had on a pair of 99-cent rubber flip flops, not even the supportive kind (if there is such a thing as supportive flip flops). I wondered how she made it this far in those shoes. Whoever makes those flip flops needs to use a picture of that woman on the trail as their new advertising poster. They would sell quicker than chocolate on Valentine’s Day.

We wished her good luck and continued our way up the arduous path. We were exhausted both mentally and physically. I had only wished I knew where the trail ended. I thought somehow I would be comforted by knowing the approximate remaining distance. But knowing where the top was would not have changed the length of my journey, so why was I focused on that? After a few minutes we saw a man coming down the same hill. He told us the end was not much further. He was going back down to get his wife and escort her to the top. Douglas whispered to me, “Babe that could have never been us.” I said, “You’re right. I would have never stepped foot on this trail in any kind of open-toed shoes, let alone flip flops!” “True,” he said in agreement while nodding his head. Then he said, “Moreover, there is no way you would have let me leave you by yourself in the middle of the woods while I climbed to the top to scope things out.” If I weren’t concerned about slipping off a rock I would have turned to Douglas and slapped him a high five. I said, “You’re right about that. I would have been on your back before left alone!” We laughed at the thought.

Finally, there was a break from hiking when our feet stepped onto flat ground. We had reached the top of the waterfall. I looked around bewildered to our whereabouts and unsure of the next step, but I was going to take several minutes and bask in my accomplishment. A feeling of victory gradually flowed through my body. I couldn’t believe that Nicole Dorothy Bright-Hardee had this in her. In that juncture, I admired myself.

I was a sweaty hot mess! But, I did it!

Without basking in my success too long, I couldn’t help but think about the inevitable obstacle of getting back down. As we observed our surroundings, it only took a few seconds for Douglas and me both to ask ourselves, where is the water? We just hiked all this way and there was not a waterfall in sight. Humph. Not exactly what I expected. I didn’t give it much thought since I was more focused on getting back down anyways.

The other couple on the trail had now made it to the top. The man informed us there was another way down after crossing the large rock-filled lagoon that was in front of us. Douglas and I both had on sneakers. I cringed at the thought of wearing wet socks for the remainder of the hike. Fortunately, we did pack our water shoes. We slipped those on and proceeded to move forward through the lagoon. The couple we befriended chose to take a log boat across for an unknown amount of money. After the climb we just did, walking on those rocks in the water would be a breeze!

Ready to cross to the other side...

The log boat that the Italian couple opted to use to cross the water

The hike down the trail on the opposite side of the waterfall was not nearly as intimidating as the climb up. The path at least had portions that allowed us to walk instead of climb. We carefully maneuvered ourselves through the hanging tree branches and rope swings found in the forest. At one point we turned backwards, again clambering down the trail. Then we saw something that would have never made us smile before this laborious endeavor. It was a lengthy set of stairs. What a beautiful site that was to see! Any other time I would have sighed with distress. Instead, I sighed with relief; happy to walk down, and even up the stairs if necessary. Before we knew it there were picnic tables in sight. It was good to recognize our surroundings and return to leveled land. We had completed the trail.

 

I wasn't sure what was happening here...???

We'd never seen a whole fish grilled before.

When we returned to the hotel, the manager happened to be sitting in the lobby. We told him about our hiking adventure at Kuang Si Falls. With both eyebrows raised he said, “Oh, really! That is pretty dangerous you know.” Well now I do. I am certain that if he shared his opinion with me prior to our trip, I would have never elected to climb that trail. It was a good thing we left before seeing him; otherwise I would have missed out on a life changing experience.

Later that evening as I watched the sunset while in the hotel pool, I reflected on the day and suddenly had an “Aha!” moment. It was not by happenstance that we stumbled upon the trail. I believe God puts things, situations, and people in our paths to send us specific messages. This is always happening to us every day, but too often we are focused on the stress from our busy lives, the battle of weighing the odds, the time spent considering the doubt, the energy placed in focusing on the failure, the need to always have company, and the comfort found in being close-minded to stop and allow ourselves to see and receive the message. Therefore, we miss the message that was always present. On that day, I can humbly say, I got it.

I was afraid of what I could not see. I feared the possibility that anyone of those negative outcomes could have actually occurred. I simultaneously had a tiny feeling of capability. It was minuscule, but it was there. Although several times I contemplated going or not going, the fact that I was so drawn to the idea, I knew it was a feeling that could not be ignored. I then realized nothing was stopping me except me. The message was succinctly clear.

One: We say no way too often. As we get older, the concept of doing only realistic things makes the most sense to us. In my teenage years and in my early 20s, I was fearless. My feet were planted in my faith. I knew no matter the outcome, I was going to be okay. All I was left to do was focus solely on my current endeavor while living my life intentionally. However, with age and an increase in responsibility, we can start placing a ceiling on our visions and begin living more cautiously. We subconsciously tell ourselves no by thinking: that is not realistic; that is too risky; that is not affordable; there is not enough time; that is not a priority; that is too hard; that is impossible. The list can go on and on with the things we say no to without even realizing it. I believe if we say yes more often, we will unleash our own potential that once sat dormant inside of us.

Two: The convenient path is not the only path. I believe we are born capable of doing many things. But at some point in our lives, we allow negative and cautious thinking to lead us down a common and secure path that is overcrowded with people who find solace in settling with what they know. I believe the Universe is constantly trying to show us other paths, but we’re too afraid to blindly take the road that appears desolate and difficult beyond reach. The paths that we travel the most are the ones we need to take the least.

Three: I don’t have to rely solely on myself to get to my destination. Being independent is seen as strength. But I would challenge someone to expand their perspective on that notion. I believe there is great strength in displaying the ability to not only do your part but also ask for help along the way. No successful person, in their personal or professional lives, reaches the top without some type of assistance. My husband aided me with a boost onto a rock that I could not reach on my own. A spouse is not our only source of help though. We don’t need a significant other, parent, relative, or friend to be our support system if they are not present for whatever reason. When we look closely, we can see there are countless people and situations in our lives that exist purely to help us along our journey.

The answers we are seeking surround us in everything we do. I believe we simply have to open our hearts and minds to receive the message that comes in so many different forms. In that moment, we will have freed ourselves from residing in our own negative captivity and begin embracing the paths that are completely unknown. You never know what is waiting for you at the top until you decide to make the climb.