Dream Trip 2008: February

Great Travel Moment

A group of us planned to visit Luang Prabang for a holiday but for several reasons, I ended up going (somewhat reluctantly) by myself. Contrary to my usual custom, I purposely did not want to know or read too much about this town. I wanted to experience this remote place in the heart of Laos, flanked by two rivers, as a stranger. Its very name conjures endless exoticism. i heard about "tak bot", the practice of the local buddhist monks of getting up at dawn to "beg" for alms and food for the day from my innkeeper, a very urbane frenchman who wore prada eyeglasses. the local citizens line up to give the monks alms as a way to gain indulgences from the gods so it works both ways. I am not much of a morning person but I got up twice at 6 am to catch this humbling and very peaceful ritual. Sights like this are why I travel.