FEEDING THE MONKS, EATING BBQ RAT AND VISITING THE VILLAGES, WHAT A DAY

The morning started at 5AM with feeding the monks. Who knew that the monks have absolutely nothing and no way to buy anything, so everything is given to them by the local people (Buddhists) who voluntarily take care of them. So every morning, rain or shine, people cook up their sticky rice at home and bring it to the sidewalk and the monks walk by with everyone putting a spoonful of rice in their bucket. Lunches are brought by locals to the monastery and they have no dinner. So here I am doling it out

It should be noted Buddhists are very nice folks. Our guide was a novice for 6 years, now his is a married father but still many days gets up at 4AM cooks the sticky rice, goes out and spoons it out, goes home and has breakfast and then goes to the monastery to clear his head for the day. Very peaceful people.
Now on to the eating of the rat. We ventured to the country side visiting locals. On our first stop they had just barbecued a rat and offered it to us. Only one other, besides me, tried it. It was really quite delicious even though it looked terrible.

We then visited a family of eight that lived in a very small (understatement) house (understatement) The couple was 17 and 16 with their one month old baby. He was raised in this house.

On to the next adventure, lunch with a family that gave us a taste of their homemade hooch, which tasted like Scotch, but was marinated, or whatever you call it, with a snake, also had one with a large scorpion. I have to say, the group I’m traveling with is not cut out for this kind of stuff, they would starve and be very sober if deserted in Laos.

On to a beautiful waterfall to end the day