Boi Luang festival at Wat Yang Luang
Mae Chaem, late April 2006
(dedicating of new temple hall)





















Lovely ladies in their 'tin jok' sarangs
















musical procession










































































































little novices





















the new temple hall
















procession around the temple hall








































































shaved ice dessert

















































































entrance gate to the 100+ year old teak temple








































































































































































































































flower and incense offerings





















carrying the offering





















Karen boys from the hills...

Mae Chaem trekking: Huay Ba Bah to Pokkalong village
late April 2006















monthly staff "meeting" in the villlage, planning our trekking route...
(some of us were actually awake for it)






















newly prepared fields ready for planting upland rice





















Pati ("uncle") took time out from planting to show us a nearby cave
















Pati's pumpkin patch



































































The trail through the 'slash and burn' field















Karen women in the distance clearing the field

























































Crossing the Mae Chaem river





















We had to ford the muddy, leach-infested river 3 times.





















Pokkalong villagers making a spinning top out of a tree seed pod





















Decha our field officer
















playing while preparing our lunch
















tired and HUNGRY !! (and a little grumpy)
















Much of this forest is still home to gibbons.
















Huay Ya's water-powered rice mill.
Installing a rice husk grinder.































Leaf or insect?



















































Sun setting over Mae Chaem valley






















take that you wankers!
(I'm sure he has NO idea what it says)
















a Karen wedding