PHOTO: Young Girl Serves Fresh-Baked Bread at an Ethiopian Wedding

This young girl was responsible for distributing fresh-baked bread to guests at an Ethiopian wedding in Lalibela, Ethiopia, to which I received an impromptu invitation when I walked by

The tiny village of Neakutoleab came into view as I left the Monastery Church of Neakutoleab. Music wafted down from the top of the hill. “Want to go see what’s happening?” my guide asked. “Absolutely,” I said. I struggled up a steep dirt path to a concrete house painted in brilliant primary colors and rounded … Read more

PHOTO: Priest at Monastery Church of Neakutoleab in Lalibela, Ethiopia

Orthodox Christian priest at Monastery Church of Neakutoleab in Lalibela, Ethiopia, shows me 500-year oldMiracle of St. Mary book, printed on goatskin

An Orthodox Christian priest at the Monastery Church of Neakutoleab in Lalibela, Ethiopia, shows me the 500-year old “Miracle of St. Mary” book. Both the text and illustrations were done by hand using plant-based inks on goatskin parchment. The Monastery Church of Neakutoleab was originally built inside a natural cave by King Lalibela in the … Read more

PHOTO: Thai Women with Paper Umbrellas at Songkran in Chiang Mai

Thai women dressed in Lanna attire carry traditional paper umbrellas as they bicycle to Thapae Gate in the Old City of Chiang Mai, Thailand, during the Songkran Festival

A highlight of the Songkran Festival in Chiang Mai, Thailand, is the cycling parade of parasol-carrying ladies dressed in traditional Lanna attire. From the top of their head to the tip of their toes, they exude elegance. Their long lustrous black tresses are swept up into elaborate buns and decorated with cascades of fresh flowers. … Read more