Monks Bowl Village

 

It's less of a village, and more of a street corner. In fact, we almost walked right by it until one of the bowl makers saw two white people and practically flagged us down. Most monks bowls are manufactured, and there are only 3 families still doing it by hand in Bangkok. After examining the process, hammering a bowl, and learning that the Princess of Thailand (there were large photographs on display proving this) and Sean Connery had bought bowls, how could I not buy one too?

 

It takes two days to make one bowl. They are made of steel and copper, and you can make a musical sound by hitting the side of a completed monk bowl with a wooden mallet, and swishing it around the side. Although, I don't imagine the monks do that too often. They get the really big bowls, and carry them from house to house in the morning, collecting food each day.