WORLD WATCH
Amazing images that celebrate the beauty and diversity of the incredible world we all share.
Our collection of amazing images from around the world.
CHONBURI, THAILAND
It’s a familiar yet heartwarming sight around the streets of Chonburi, Thailand: the daily walk of the occupants of The Man That Rescues Dogs Foundation.
Mostly the victims of accidents, these stray dogs are nursed back to health by the devoted staff of the foundation, before being patiently taught how to use their new, specially designed mobility accessories.
Not only do these rescue dogs light up with love when given affection, cleaning and physiotherapy sessions by the foundation staff, they are eager to start walking and moving again once their devices are attached: living proof of the indomitable spirit of animals to survive and thrive.
“It’s almost like they have no idea that they have a disability,” says sanctuary official, Christopher Chidichimo. “Once you put them in the wheelchair for the first time, it’s like there’s no learning curve.”
The foundation houses some 600 rescued dogs and feeds another 350 on its regular feeding route.
The foundation’s creator, Michael Baines, first moved to Chonburi to start a restaurant. Yet the Swedish chef was so taken by a stray dog that visited his restaurant – and dismayed by the number of hungry dogs in the streets in poor condition – that he knew he had to help.
Caring for so many animals can be physically demanding and financially taxing: the foundation is funded entirely through donations. Yet for Baines and his staff and volunteers, it is a true labour of love.
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International Guide Dog Day is on 28 April. But how should you act around Guide Dogs? Keep this etiquette list in mind when you come across one of these furry helpers. mindfood.com/guide-dog
KATHMANDU, NEPAL
The writing is on the wall: excelling in education is a gift from the gods. Every year devotees gather to offer prayers to Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of education, during the Shree Panchami festival in Kathmandu.
Flocking to Saraswati temples, they scrawl names and numbers on the walls in the belief that the goddess will help them succeed in education. This year, hundreds gathered before dawn at Saraswati temple in the Swayambhunath stupa, which is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Watched by their parents, children chalk their names and their wishes. The walls are also covered with letters from the Nepali alphabet as well as slokas (couplets of Sanskrit verse).
Like school itself, competition is fierce, with some walls seemingly already covered in writing. Some parents put their children up on their shoulders so they can find a bare space to write. Some children might be writing for the very first time: the festival is considered an auspicious occasion to start learning , as well as beginning new projects.
“I wished my education goes well,” says eight-year-old Bishal Ghimire, as his parents watch on.
Numbers were down this year because of COVID-19, which also featured in prayers to the goddess.
“I wished this year brings happiness in everyone’s life, not like last year because of COVID,” says 22-year-old student Sushma Lamichhane.
The scrawled messages not only add colour to the temple: they offer a living mural of the hopes and dreams of generations of students and parents.
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Celebrated across India and Nepal, Holi is an ancient Hindu religious festival. Also known as the festival of colours or the festival of love, it is said to signify the victory of good over evil. mindfood.com/holi-festival
PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA
As anyone who has ever been in a crowded bar knows, holding a beer glass aloft without spilling a drop is a challenge at the best of times: sometimes becoming an act of supreme concentration.
Yet these participants at a ‘beer yoga’ session at the TwoBirds Craft Beer brewery in Phnom Penh, Cambodia seem to have taken that goal one step further. After the ending of a six-week lockdown across Cambodia, these yoga devotees celebrate their newfound freedom of movement by performing salutations, balancing poses, twists, bends and more with their beer glasses.
“For me, I do not like traditional yoga because I get bored after about 20 minutes, but I have more fun with beer yoga,” says one participant, 25-year-old Sreyline Bacha.
Popular poses in beer yoga include the Slurp Pose, the Chug Pose, the Hold My Drink Pose and the Downward Facing Drink Pose.
As for the most commonly asked question – ‘Can you make it easier for yourself by drinking the beer?’ – the answer is apparently ‘Yes’.
“We are with friends and say ‘cheers’ and sip beer and that makes me feel very happy,” says Bacha.
Beer yoga is said to have originated at the Burning Man festival in the US, before being seized upon by another beer-loving country, Germany. Now you will find beer yoga being performed all around the world.
Beer yoga might not help you reach a higher state of consciousness – but it will probably leave you with a fun buzz.
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We know we feel good after a yoga session, but what are the health benefits of regular practice? Yoga can be useful for everything from stress and insomnia to depression and indigestion. mindfood.com/yoga-benefits