"Live the Cover!" Contest: Maldives

Great Travel Moment

I met this lady in back of a church where she lived. She was slicing a fruit that resembled a fig but it was hard and solid. She said that she was drying the slices to use as medicinal tea later. Her teeth were stained with betel nut paste. The paste is made with betel nut, betel climber leaves, and raw limestone.It is believed that the paste has a pain-killing effect and perhaps could be addicting. This picture reminds me of the very friendly Vietnamese people that I met during this trip.