The family who owns the Guesthouse took some guests to the city for the alms-giving ceremony.
About 200 monks walk through the town with a bowl and people put food in their, which they eat for breakfast and lunch. They ask tourists only to participate if it is meaningful to them. They also ask that tourists buy "good food" from restaurants. Monks apparently have gotten street food and got sick.
The guesthouse family brought baskets of sticky rice and biscuits. Each of us put on a sash, knelt down on the ground and took little punches of sticky rice out of the basket with our fingers (which we washed first) and then put them in the bowls. Women must be lower than monks (kneeling) though men can stand. If a monk touches a woman, he must spend days praying and cleansing himself.
The monks range in ages - some of them are so young! I found out yesterday, however, that you don't have to be a monk forever. My teacher at the weaving school was a monk for six years and then left Monkhood to go to college in Luang Prabang. Monks must go to special schools together and there is no "monk university" in Luang Prabang.
The ceremony was really cool and I wasn't expecting to actually participate, so that was an added bonus.
On a side note: a roach thing with wings crawled on my arm today by the bathroom sink. This was early on the morning. I screamed and like tossed things in the air. I am now afraid to go back in aforementioned bathroom. Ugh!! Between that and the millipede...though this Guesthouse was awesome, I just don't think I could stay here again! Too many bugs!!!
Also, I don't know what was going on this morning but at like 3 am people were ringing bells and pounding on drums. Roosters were cockadoodledooing....! The electricity went out and without the sound of the fans and things, I think it was just easier to hear more of the "atmosphere" around the river.
I fly to Chiang Mai today. There I'm staying in a real hotel with a front desk and things, so hopefully, I can calm down a little...
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