Luang Prabang, Laos

October 11 – 14, 2019

With lucky timing, we arrived in Luang Prabang, Laos just in time to celebrate the Buddhist holiday Boun Ok Phansa, the end of “Buddhist Lent”. It marks the end of the monks living in their temples for the last 3 months during the rainy season, practicing meditation and learning dharma. Now they can return to their social duties and are welcomed with offerings of food and gifts.

The festival was celebrated over 3 days.  The monks decorate the temples by hanging lights, large stars, and putting paper lanterns with candles all around the grounds.  Visitors and monks light them up throughout the night.  John had so much fun lighting the candles with the monks. They gave him so many candles to light and kept leading him around the grounds to light more and more candles!  Sometimes they took breaks to play, take pictures, and play.

On the last night there was a parade through town.  The temples made large boats, typically in the shape of a dragon, decorated with candles then launched into the Mekong river.  People also launched floral arrangements with candles in the center into the river. The Mekong become a river of light for the night.  It was a beautiful sight.  

I feel so lucky for this an amazing experience. The temples were so welcoming and everyone in town were so friendly.  It was a fantastic start to our stay in Laos.