Wolfgang's photos with the keyword: Rice

Most the local citizen have their income by paddy cultivation. Its nearly unbelievable how much hard work is necessary for rice harvesting in this mountainous region.

The scenery of the Sa Pa region in large part reflects the relationship between the minority people and nature. This is seen especially in the paddy fields carpeting the rolling lower slopes of the Hoàng Liên Mountains.

Terraced rice fields in Sa Pa were voted as one of seven most beautiful and impressive ones of Asia and the world. We passed rice farmers and their terraced rice fields.

The word "Padi" is Balinese, the English word "Paddy" comes from "Padi". On the way from Singaraja to Pemuteran we passed this beautiful rice fields. Rice is the staple diet of the Balinese. The word nasi (rice) also means "meal". The Balinese cannot really conceive of a meal without rice. The rice growing in the field or rice that has been cut but not threshed, or cut and threshed, but not husked.

The picture has gone as farmers work on the paddy fields tilling with the buffalo in front. In modern times a powerful walk-behind tractor does the buffalos work.

Rice, to the Balinese, is more than just the staple food; it is an integral part of the Balinese culture. The rituals of the cycle of planting, maintaining, irrigating, and harvesting rice enrich the cultural life of Bali beyond a single staple can ever hope to do. At the beginning of planting time, after the water buffalloes walk the rice fields several times to prepare them, ceremonies are held to carry the young stems of rice that have been nurtured in a special nursery. On each section of the rice fields, the corner nearest to Gunung Agung will receive the honor to be the first place to receive the young stems of rice. The water level in each section is perfect; little streams of water effortlessly flow from the highest section up on top of the hill to the very bottom section. The planning and responsiblity of the irrigation and planting schedule are arranged through subak, a Balinese system that ties together rice cultivation with its water temple system. Historical evidence dates this system to around the 11th century, yet the yield per acre of a Balinese rice field is about the highest in the world!

Glutinous rice is the main rice eaten in Laos. The rice is is called kao neaw "kao" means rice, and "neaw" means sticky. It is cooked by soaking for several hours and then steaming in a bamboo pot.