The sleepy city of Vientiane gets part of it's charm from the many wats (temples) found throughout the city. While the wats themselves are wonderfully intricate and stunning, I find myself curious about what goes on behind those walls that we don't see, the inner life of monk-hood, the precious care and respect for the structures, statues and grounds. As I dined at a restaurant along a small street behind Wat Ong Teu, I could look up at this monk's residence to get a small glimpse into that life. From another building a monk peered out a window back at me but I didn't have the nerve or disrespect to snap a photo of him. One thing you learn in this sacred environment is a sense of reverence that we as outsiders sometimes forget.