Around 4 AM the monasteries wake up and beat the huge drums in the wat. I dozed off and woke up around 5:30. Since I was awake I decided to seen the Tak Bat or the Morning Alms Giving. We'd seen this from our balcony in Vang Vieng but here with the large numbers of wats and monasteries, it is very large. However, it has also become a tourist attraction. Signs around the town report the problems of tourists getting in the way and distracting monks and alms givers with obtrusive flash photography.

The tradition is a very beautiful one. We arrived early and I really wondered if it had completely become a tourist thing since there were lots of vendors on the streets carrying baskets of sticky rice, bananas and flower offerings. We declined their offers and instead walked up the street. The noodle shops had big kettles simmering on clay fire pots. Shop and hotel owners were busy sweeping the streets and sidewalks in front of their businesses. The sandwich vendor on the corner of our hotel street had wheeled his cart in place and set out his sign. We walked back and forth. The sky began to become lighter but the clouds still kept the light level low. We saw the orange robes of a group of monks down the street. They disappeared into a back street and emerged closer to where we were. They waited then went up to a woman kneeling holding a basket of rice. She gave them each a bit and they continued down the street. Up the street we saw a large procession of monks-- perhaps from the monastery of Xieng Thong and the other wats in that area. A man came out of his house carrying a large basket of rice and joined a small group kneeling on mats. Some had flowers and candles lit.