October 26, 2024

Chenggang was abruptly awakened at 4:30 AM by loud music from the main street. Curious, Chenggang got up to investigate and discovered that an annual running race was scheduled to start at 5:30 AM—a surprisingly early time for such an event. As he wandered the streets, he noticed an endless line of empty small stools neatly arranged along the sidewalks. Vendors were persistently trying to sell him sticky rice and candy, which seemed odd at first.

It soon became clear that these offerings were for the alms-giving ceremony, a sacred tradition deeply woven into Luang Prabang’s culture for centuries.

By around 6:00 AM, the monks began emerging from the temples and nearly every stool along the street was occupied not by locals but by tourists—approximately 90% of them Chinese. Initially moved by what appeared to be a spiritual exchange, Chenggang soon felt disheartened as the ceremony unfolded. The monks, their alms bags and bowls quickly filled, dumped sticky rice and candies into large containers set along the street.

At first, the sight of food being discarded deeply upset him. Later, he learned that the collected food wasn’t wasted but was instead resold by organizers and vendors, a revelation that brought some solace. Still, the over-commercialization of such a sacred tradition left Chenggang with a heavy heart. The ceremony felt more like a staged performance than a genuine spiritual practice. As he walked back, he reflected on whether any truly authentic traditions remained in a world increasingly shaped by tourism.

Before returning to our B&B, we climbed Mount Phousi for a panoramic view of the city. Back at the B&B, the host had prepared a simple but satisfying breakfast. Outside, a bustling morning market offered an array of goods, from fresh seafood to vibrant produce, immersing us in the local culture.

Our day had only just begun as we joined a guided trip to explore a Hmong village, Kuang Si Waterfalls, and Pak Ou Caves.

At Kuang Si Waterfalls, we were enchanted by the multi-tiered cascades and turquoise pools. Though we had brought swimsuits, we chose not to swim, opting instead to hike up to the summit. There, we enjoyed a tranquil moment at the café, surrounded by breathtaking views.

Lunch was served in a serene garden café, where the simple, delicious meal was made even more special by the opportunity to feed bananas to an elephant. Playing with this gentle giant was a highlight of the day.

After lunch, we boarded a boat to visit Pak Ou Caves, limestone grottoes filled with thousands of Buddha statues. While the caves were intriguing, a brief stop at a whiskey factory afterward felt like a waste of time, as neither of us are alcohol drinkers.

The best part of the tour came as we cruised back to the city along the Mekong River. The setting sun bathed the landscape in golden hues, and we witnessed one of the most breathtaking sunsets of our travels.

Later, we wandered through the night market for dinner, but the food and atmosphere fell short of expectations, ending the day on a less satisfying note. Despite this, the mix of awe-inspiring landscapes and thought-provoking cultural experiences made for an unforgettable day in Luang Prabang.

2024年10月26日

清晨4点半，被主街上传来的喧闹音乐声惊醒。带着好奇心，成刚出去一探究竟，发现一场年度跑步比赛计划在5点半开始，有点早了。在街上漫步时，注意到人行道旁整齐排列着一排排小板凳，空无一人。而街边的小贩则不停地向他推销糯米饭和糖果，这一切起初显得有些奇怪。但很快明白了这些是为僧侣布施仪式所准备的。这是一项深深植根于琅勃拉邦文化、延续了几个世纪的神圣传统。

大约6点钟，僧侣们排着队从寺庙中陆续走出来，此时街道上的每一张板凳几乎都被游客占据——其中约90%是中国游客。坐在板凳上的施主们会拿一团煮好的糯米饭和几包糖果零食放在每一位从面前走过的僧侣的小钵盆和布施包中。起初成刚被这场景所打动，但不一会儿，僧侣们的钵盆迅速装满米饭，眼看着他们将米饭和糖果倾倒进街边设置的看似像垃圾桶的大容器中，觉得食物被弃置，太浪费了，他很失望也很难过。

在返回民宿前，我们爬上了普西山（Mount Phousi），俯瞰整个城市的全景。回到民宿后，主人为我们准备了一份简单却令人满意的早餐。民宿门外的街道上，一个热闹的早市正在进行，从海鲜到新鲜农产品，应有尽有，让我们沉浸在当地的生活氛围中。

今天我们参加了导览一日游，参观苗族村庄、光西瀑布（Kuang Si Waterfalls）和帕乌洞（Pak Ou Caves）。

光西瀑布以其层叠的瀑布和湛蓝的水池让我们赞叹不已。游客绝大部分都来自中国。尽管我们带了泳衣，却选择不下水，而是攀登到瀑布的顶端。在山顶的咖啡馆里，被周围的美景所环绕，我们享受了片刻宁静。

看完苗寨爬完山，午餐安排在一个宁静的花园餐厅。食物简单却美味，而更特别的是，我们有机会给花园里的大象喂香蕉。与这只温顺的大象互动是这一天中最令人愉快的经历之一。

午餐后，我们乘船前往帕乌洞，这是一座石灰岩洞穴，里面摆满了数千尊佛像。虽然洞穴颇具吸引力，但随后参观的一家威士忌工厂对我们来说毫无意义，因为我们都不喝酒。

这次行程中最美妙的部分是在乘船沿湄公河返回城市时，夕阳将沿岸的景色笼罩在金色的余晖中，我们目睹了旅途中最壮丽的日落之一。

回到市区后，我们再次去了夜市寻找晚餐。然而，夜市的食物和氛围都让人感到失望。尽管如此，这一天融合了震撼心灵的自然景观和引人深思的文化体验，仍然让我们对琅勃拉邦格外难忘。