Morning sun reaching over the hills and down towards Mai Châu
This page follows on from the one on the
village of Mai Châu,
with photographs taken in the fields around the village. They show some of the activities in the area set against the background of the hills that surround the community. These hills line the valley and its river which forms one of the main tributaries of the River Mã. The next page then continues down that valley following the river.
Paddy fields in the strath by the village of Mai Châu
These four shots were taken from the fields beside the village of Mai Chau. Above left, the town of Mai Châu can just be seen lying behind the trees about one kilometre away. Above right, trees sheltering the village. Below left, other parts of the village, which straggles some distance, can be seen emerging from the trees. And below right, the edge of the village nearest the town where the houses open directly onto the fields.
A traditional thatched Thai house just near the village with the customary heaps of accoutrements of country living; and a vegetable patch well protected from passing grazers
Four more views of the area beside the village. Above left, a field of flowers next to young paddy. Above right, the paddy fields near the houses before the next crop has been planted. Below fields ready flooded for planting.
A stream irrigates the fields by the village which not only grow crops but allows the breading of ducks and fish. It is easy to forget in the drier...
...winter months that rainfall can be heavy and fishermen need these protective huts
Maybe a humble dwelling; probably a store
The internet has the collective noun as a waddling of ducks. Exactly
The new rice is planted in shallow water in late January to early February. And a second harvest six months later. First the ground is ploughed. While mechanical ploughs are getting commoner, seeing farmers following buffalo (or other cattle) is still normal
Old stubble being turned into the ground
All jobs involving mud to the knees
Photogenic work maybe - but not an enviable life style
Setting up protective framework
Cattle here eat to work, or be eaten; there is no dairy farming
And then the mud and hard work is over and...
...the new green of the young paddy takes over the fields
A picture summarising the fields around Mai Châu. A Thai stilt house and the neat lines of bright green paddy seen in February with a backdrop of hills. The bamboo pipe in the foreground is transferring water between the fields
Trailers...
The next page
of this section continues down the valley from Mai Châu village following a tributory of the River Mã.
The next page
of the Mosaic Section is headed 'Horizon as Liminal'.
Or go to the contents of the Mosaic Section.
The last page introduced the dancers of Mai Châu
To a page on the area around a southern Indian village
To the country around a small Scottish town
...guide to this site