Nicole's travels

Today we were up at 5.30am for Alms giving to the monks. 60% of the Lao population are Buddhist. Lao people wake early to cook sticky rice and at about 5.45am they come to the street to wait for monks to give food. After offering they will pour water to trees for their ancestors and also leave three small mounds of rice, I did the same.

There will be about 150 monks passing through. Lao people do this for good prosperity and respect. Monks can not cook their own food and all other food they give to homeless.

Monks also only eat twice a day. 7 am and 11-12 pm. Females can not touch monks, or they will have to pray for two months, so we had to be careful when giving them the offering.

Two hours later, we went on a bike ride and stopped off at a temple, a clothes weaving place and a school where people learn English. We spoke with a monk in training about what he wants to be and what he likes. Cassie and I also had lunch at Joma, I had a mango salad which was delicious, given me ideas for when I get home.

Later on, we went to dinner at a place called Utopia which is on the river front and also went for unusual Tapas at 525 bar, giving Mayfair Jazz bar vibes.Read more