While working on our photos we have realized again how many beautiful people we met during our travels in Southeast Asia in the last months. When I say beautiful I do not really mean the stereotypic European beauty, rather the friendliness, openness, kindness and some overwhelming purity that shines through the eyes of many people. I have captured women, men, children, younger and older people all radiating some kind of harmony, even though many of them seem to live lives that are less than easy according to our terms.
Below we have collected our favorite pics of people we have captured in Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia and Bali, Indonesia. We are happy about any comments or questions.
Faces of Asia:
This man was selling his pumpkins from his boat on the floating market on the Mekong River. He threw one pumpkin after the other (hundreds of them) to his client’s boat and the smile did not fade from his face for a moment. (You can read here about the floating market)
This young man was our driver on a boat trip in the Mekong Delta. During the trip he invited us to his family’s house for a snack. And even though he did not speak a word English, we had a wonderful morning with him.
This grandmother was selling lampions to tourists in Hoian with her little granddaughter. (You can read here about Hoian the city of lanterns)
Vietnamese farmer in the Hoian area. He could even convince us to pat his water buffalo and posed for us gladly for some photograph.
This girl practiced on her violin in the busiest market in Bangkok, and would not let the crowd and noise disturb her in playing her beautiful music.
One of the many people we saw on our journey traveling with amazing cargo on tiny little mopeds – and obviously having fun with it. (You can read here about the traffic in Asia)
This Pao woman we spotted on a day market at the Inle Lake in Myanmar. She was wearing her beautiful traditional headwear, like many women did on this market. (You can read here about our experiences at the Inle Lake)
In Cambodia people travel in the back of trucks and pick-ups to reach their far-away destinations. Even the smallest children are taken along, but taken good care of by their mothers and relatives.
Young monk having a laugh with his peers at the monastery they live and learn in.
This Burmese artisan showed us all the steps of preparing the beautiful shan paper umbrellas. The parasols are completely made by hand with astonishing ease: the paper, the bamboo handle and all parts of the wooden frame on which the paper sheets are stuck. We liked his proud presentation – and of course the umbrellas – so much that we could not resist, and one of them is now decorating our living room.
Little Vietnamese girl in Hoian, in the light of some of the thousands of lanterns that illuminate the channel at night.
This beautiful lady was part of the procession of the royal cremation ceremony. Regardless of the purpose, people were happy and vivid and celebrated as community. (You can read here about the spectacular ceremonies of Bali)
It happened several times that people came and asked to take pictures of us. She was one of them, and afterwards gladly agreed to be photographed with her son by us.
Myanmarese girl wearing traditional thanaka make-up. Besides decorative purposes thanaka also provides protection from sunburn and has other cosmetic effects.
This one-leg rower took his daughter with him to work. The little girl was extremely shy in the beginning, but soon started to enjoy the attention and played hide and seek with us – hiding behind her father’s fishing net.
Street vendor selling her fans to the visitors of the Royal Cremation ceremony in Ubud, Bali. An incredible crowd gathered to participate in the spectacular ritual and hundreds of vendors tried to use the opportunity to sell their goods to the people.
Cambodian girl hiding from the heat in the shady part of the garden.
Friendly one leg rower on the Inle Lake.
Balinese women hurrying to a ceremony with their offerings to the nearby temple.
This dancer at the Kecak fire dance ceremony in Bali was moving with such grace and perfection, that it was really a joy to watch her.
Vendor at the day market in the Mekong delta in Vietnam. When I asked her if I could take a picture she just started to laugh heartily.
