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photographie-irie > Monks Taking Pictures, Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, Chaing Mai, Thailand      Near the top of Doi Suthep west of town is a towering temple complex with commanding views of Chaing Mai and the beautiful and popular temple grounds themselves. While wandering the temple, these monks cordially cornered me to practice their English a bit, and then reverted back to tourist mode themselves, snapping pictures as was everyone else in this busy and worthwhile tourist attraction and actively functioning Buddhist Wat.
photographie-irie > Monk Pair with Umbrella, Luang Prabang, Laos      Colorful monks everywhere doing all the things you or I might do, with umbrella. Luang Prabang is an upscale jewel of controlled development managed to preserve and heighten the charm of this splendid old capital city. Surrounded by green mountain peaks where the Khan River joins the Mekong, it is a place of natural beauty, more temples and monks than you can find in any similar land area, and UNESCO World Heritage Site status that preserves hope it will retain it's unique and relaxing charm through the inevitable development that is happening. What they are doing in the way of development now seems to be maintaining that optimistic mantra. Wonderful sights, great food, most excellent fruit shakes, and more monks and umbrellas than you can shake a stick at.
photographie-irie > Morning Monk Ritual, Luang Prabang, Laos       Luang Prabang is famous for it's many Buddhist wats (temples) and colorful, safron robed monks. A huge part of local culture, young boys traditionally become monks to study in the wat for at least three months. You then see them everywhere around town, with shorn heads and saffron robes using the internet cafe, taking a walk to appreciate the sunset, having a cigarette on the veranda. They are easy to engage, and look forward to the opportunity to practice their English. And every morning at the crack of dawn, these young monks and their elders walk the streets of town in single file, where along the way local patrons support the temples and monkhood through their daily contribution of food to fill the monk's orange bowls and bellies. Locals sit on the sidewalk to put offerings of sticky rice, bread and fruit into the monks passing bowls.
photographie-irie > Morning Monk Ritual 2, Luang Prabang, Laos      Coming and going, the single file line of monks is a colorful ritual very popular with the tourists that can arise early enough to enjoy. Their path though the city announces the beginning of the day for most, as restaurants open their doors for visitors needing that cup of strong Lao coffee that will keep them from returning to bed. As with most all of SE Asia where mountain climates don't temper the coming day's heat, early morning is the best and most productive time of day. So in getting visitors out of bed for this early morning spectacle, the young monks do us a great favor to help get us going.
photographie-irie > Bandana for the Tuk-tuks, outside Siem Reap, Cambodia       On my way out of Siem Reap in route to Phnom Kulen. Tuk-tuk part of the way, then drop the trailer to ride double on the bike through the tough stuff. Be sure to bring a bandana or three to protect from serious road dust around Siem Reap and in the Cambodian countryside. Or in Cambodia buy a krama, a traditional multi purpose garment worn by men, women and children to protect from dust and sun, carry babies, patch tires, act as tow rope, and a plethora of other imaginative uses. Parallel concept in Alaska might be duct tape, although maybe not as bandanna.
photographie-irie > Monks Strolling, Siem Reap, Cambodia      Brightnening most any scene, a trio of Buddhist monks in saffron robes stroll the pleasant Siem Reap river boulevard as they catch some rays highlighting their ethereal presence. Wherever encountered, which was most everywhere, monks actively engage visitors in conversation to hone english speaking skills and broaden cultural knowledge.
Monks Taking Pictures, Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, Chaing Mai, Thailand     

Near the top of Doi Suthep west of town is a towering temple complex with commanding views of Chaing Mai and the beautiful and popular temple grounds themselves. While wandering the temple, these monks cordially cornered me to practice their English a bit, and then reverted back to tourist mode themselves, snapping pictures as was everyone else in this busy and worthwhile tourist attraction and actively functioning Buddhist Wat.
photographie-irie > Monks Taking Pictures, Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, Chaing Mai, Thailand      Near the top of Doi Suthep west of town is a towering temple complex with commanding views of Chaing Mai and the beautiful and popular temple grounds themselves. While wandering the temple, these monks cordially cornered me to practice their English a bit, and then reverted back to tourist mode themselves, snapping pictures as was everyone else in this busy and worthwhile tourist attraction and actively functioning Buddhist Wat.
Monks Taking Pictures, Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, Chaing Mai, Thailand     

Near the top of Doi Suthep west of town is a towering temple complex with commanding views of Chaing Mai and the beautiful and popular temple grounds themselves. While wandering the temple, these monks cordially cornered me to practice their English a bit, and then reverted back to tourist mode themselves, snapping pictures as was everyone else in this busy and worthwhile tourist attraction and actively functioning Buddhist Wat.
See photo in original gallery.
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