Roger Arnold

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  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 3.jpg
  • Mediums in the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_30.jpg
  • An alter carriers shows his injury from a firework explosion at the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.  Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_24.jpg
  • Mediums in the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_11.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 55.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 45.jpg
  • Mediums in the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_48.jpg
  • Mediums in the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_41.jpg
  • Mediums in the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_32.jpg
  • Mediums in the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_22.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 36.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 35.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 28.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 24.jpg
  • Mediums in the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_53.jpg
  • Mediums in the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_51.jpg
  • Mediums in the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_45.jpg
  • Mediums in the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_18.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 46.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 25.jpg
  • Mediums in the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_54.jpg
  • The Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_40.jpg
  • A medium blesses a shop merchant in the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_17.jpg
  • Mediums in the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_12.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 6.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 51.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 41.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 4.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 11.jpg
  • Three of the 9 cups of tea on a store front alter at the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_13.jpg
  • Mediums in the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_06.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 58.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 54.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 48.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 42.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 39.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 31.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 29.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 18.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 14.jpg
  • Mediums in the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_46.jpg
  • Mediums in the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_44.jpg
  • Mediums in the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_39.jpg
  • Mediums and alter carriers run from huge explosions of fireworks at the entrance to Bang Neow Shrine at the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_29.jpg
  • Alter carriers in the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.  Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_25.jpg
  • A medium offers blessings and advice to merchants at a store front alter in the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_14.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 57.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 5.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 27.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 21.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 13.jpg
  • Mediums in the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_33.jpg
  • Alter carriers carry a medium in the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_28.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 53.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 52.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 47.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 33.jpg
  • A medium fire walks over hot coals at the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_35.jpg
  • The flag pole raising ceremony at Jui Tui Shine welcoming the Gods to earth at the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_03.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 60.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 44.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 40.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 38.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 32.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 26.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 23.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 19.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 15.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 12.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 1.jpg
  • Mediums in the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_42.jpg
  • Mediums in the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_36.jpg
  • A medium released from possession collapses in his handlers arms at the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_31.jpg
  • Alter carriers dance in explosions at the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.  Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_27.jpg
  • Alter carriers in the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.  Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_26.jpg
  • Worshippers inside the Bang Neow Shrine at the Phuket Vegetarian Festival, Phuket Town, Thailand.....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_23.jpg
  • Mediums in the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_20.jpg
  • A medium hacks himself in the back with a sword at the entrance to Jui Tui Shrine at the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_04.jpg
  • The flag pole raising ceremony at Jui Tui Shine welcoming the Gods to earth at the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_02.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 9.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 59.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 10.jpg
  • Mediums in the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_47.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 8.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 56.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 43.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 30.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 22.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 2.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 20.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 16.jpg
  • Mediums in the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_43.jpg
  • Mediums in the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_21.jpg
  • Mediums in the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_19.jpg
  • A medium hacks himself in the forehead while blessing a store front alter in the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_16.jpg
  • Mediums in the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_10.jpg
  • A medium exists the Jui Tui Shrine at the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_05.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 49.jpg
  • Golfers enjoy the outdoors and the opportunity to escape the city at the Kabul Golf Club, Kabul, Afghanistan.  The nine hole (18 holes if played in reverse) par 36 course is 5,522 yards of hard packed desert sand, scrub brush, ants, and persistent thorns.  The course has no grass. The greens are "browns," made from sand saturated with motor oil to keep them from blowing away.
    Kabul Golf 17.jpg
  • Mediums in the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Street Procession, Phuket Town, Thailand.....** The Phuket Vegetarian Festival celebrates the beginning of Taoist Lent, when devout Chinese abstain from eating all meat and other vices.  The festival takes place on the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  Everyone dresses in white and shopkeepers set up small alters with offerings of incense, flowers, candles, fruit, and 9 cups of tea to the 9 emperor deities honored by the festival. ....Mediums bring the 9 gods to earth entering a trance state and piercing themselves with all kinds of objects, climbing knife ladders, and walking on hot coals.  The mediums participate in daily processions through town where they stop at the store front alters, drink one of the 9 cups of tea, and offer blessings to the merchants.  The shopkeepers stand in prayer like fashion respecting the mediums that are temporarily possessed by the deity.  The self torture is done to shift evil from individuals to the mediums and bring the community good luck.....Young men carry alters of the deity images though town which culminates at central locations where merchants cover them with huge strands of firecrackers and larger explosives.  The louder and longer blasts are best to drive away evil spirits.  The experience is deafening and engulfs the men and alters in a painful barrage of fire and smoke.  ....Chinese tour groups come to witness since there is no record of this type celebration of Taoist Lent in China.  The festival is believed to have started when a Chinese theatre troupe fell ill for failing to honor the 9 emperor gods of Taoism.  They were quickly cured when they adhered to the 9 day ritual now held each year promoting inner peace, brightness, and proper hygiene.  ..
    Thailand Veg Fest Zuma_08.jpg
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