Celebration at the Library

Yesterday there was a celebration and a blessing for the library. Chantha had wanted to do this for a while and she finally got her chance.  There was a group of about 12 of us in one of the main rooms of the library all sitting on the floor doing prayers and listening to the monks bless the library.  Tom and I may not be able to walk for a week because we are just not built to sit like they do on the ground.  There were six monks and there was an obvious hierarchy.  The eldest monk sat in the middle then on either side of him were the next in line followed further out, and sitting minus cushions were the low men on the totem pole.  Near the end of the ceremony, after each monk was given his gift basket of assorted goods, there was a bucket filled with folded money and candy which was thrown by Chantha into the crowd.  The ceremony took about an hour and after we had a large dinner, drank beer and danced.  I know that the library and all of us will have good luck for a long time.

 Photo of us hanging around after dinner.

 Another view of dinner.

A photo of the chicken fight and Chantha's brother holding his winning chicken.