[Church:] Welcome back, everyone. A UNESCO World Heritage site that is all about good karma, the ancient town of Luang Prabang in northern Laos delights travelers from all over the world. But its core is devoted to the soul's journey. CNN's Amara Walker takes a look in our special series, "Destination: Laos".
[Amara Walker, Cnn Correspondent:] Gone in Luang Prabang the former capital of Laos. And the song of insects is interrupted by the ringing of the bell as the sky begins to lighten. A sea of saffron appears in the distance. This is tak bat a centuries' old Buddhist ritual of alms giving. Locals line up along the road to offer gifts of sticky rice to the passing monks while tourist snap photos on the other side documenting the living tradition.
[Unidentified Male:] For the alms giving, we do every day; every day even in the rainy season or the dry season. So seven days a week. This is the way how we believe, how we practice Buddhism.
[Walker:] As one of the most significant and ancient centers of Laotian Buddhism, the peninsula of Luang Prabang lies at the juncture of two rivers, the mighty Mekong and its tributary, the Nam Khan. In 1995, UNESCO listed the city as a world heritage site citing Luang Prabang's well-preserved architecture and culture nestled in verdant splendor.
[Unidentified Male:] In Luang Prabang itself, it has more than 32, 33 temples you know. And some temples very special like this one. Buddhism
[Walker:] At 6:00 p.m. some 12 hours after the alms-giving, the strike of another bell signals the evening's chanting.
[Unidentified Male:] It is necessary to do our chanting because it is our duty. It makes us feel peaceful and it's a way to show our appreciation to the lay people who support us.
[Walker:] As the drone of Buddhist mantra filled the evening in Luang Prabang, another day in the temple draws to a close. Tomorrow these same monks will wake up before the sun to collect alms, to nurture and perhaps defend an ancestral culture.
[Church:] Well, tributes are pouring in from all around the world for legendary French singer Charles Aznavour. The Eiffel Tower was bathed in light in honor of Aznavour who died at his home near Marseilles at the age of 94. Fans also left flowers and candles at his star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Aznavour was sometimes described as France's Frank Sinatra. He was famous for his haunting love songs, selling more than 100 million records in a career that spanned eight decades. Thank you so much for your company. I'm Rosemary Church. I'll be back with another hour of news coming up next. You're watching CNN. Stick around.