Yangtze River Valley Tradition

Reed Sandals, July 2009.

Shot outside an old house in the Yangtze River Valley in CheXi, Hubei Province, China.

suggestions for a lively October 25 (thinking ahead):

Find a chocolate festival. Preferably in Europe (you know, if you're there). Walk around. See the sights. Maybe sample some chocolate.

Perugia, Italy. Chocolate Festival. October, 2008.

One of the charming things about Italy is that each little town has a unique personality. Everyday practices, from what sort of food people eat to more seasonal customs, such as when festivals blow through town or the details of religious processions, find their roots deep in history. Witnessing these in a smaller community opens a different country than many visitors encounter when experience "Rome," (though this, undeniably, is Italy too).

Haitian girl learning to walk

Haitian girl. Ile-a-Vache, Haiti, 2007

Reality in one of the poorest corners of Haiti: if you are born with a physical disability your parents likely won't be able to care for you. Abandoned by her parents, this little girl is in the loving care of a nun (Sr. Flora) who runs an orphanage for the severely disabled. One day she may be able to walk on her own.

My reasoning to post this photograph now was quite purposeful. One of the most frequent Google searches that drives people to my blog is evidently, "Haitian girls." I don't know the motivation behind these searches but I lived long enough in Haiti not to ask. Still, one can hope, the searches are well intentioned.

Francesa, sea breeze child

Bald Head Island, North Carolina, 2007

It's been pouring and unseasonably cold in DC for the last few days. This photograph is like a breath of fresh, warm air. I need one! So I thought I'd share it with you too.

website update & fix

I noticed a lot of traffic to my blog was coming through my website (relatively speaking) so I finished some of the updates I have been meaning to make to it. However, I realized after posting the changes that some of the links on the "menu" need to be fixed and that there are some compatibility issues with Windows operating systems. I am working on these! Sorry for the trouble...

And, by the way, if you have feed back on anything, do not hesitate to contact me.

Andalucía to lose your heart

Door.* Barrio Albycín, Granada, Spain, 2009

In 2004, with minimal knowledge of Spanish, a carry-on bag and a small digital camera, I moved to Granada, Spain... and fell in love. Passion, mystery, effervescence, and sensuality intoxicated me, drew me in. I departed in tears a couple of months later with a copy of Cervantes short stories open in my lap (perhaps reading "La Gitana;" my Spanish had come a long way), determined to dedicate entire courses to learning about (Islamic) Spain during my last year of college.

In retrospect, I attribute part of my ability to engross myself in life in Granada, Summer 2004 to leaving technology and related trappings behind. As any shutter-bug will tell you, photographing life often means not taking part in it; and (painfully) I'd left my SLR behind that summer. Additionally, living alone with out a computer, Internet, television means you get out there. Meet people. It changes the rules of the game (back to the way they were). That one summer, I pretended - I lived - as though I were a "granadina." And - gasp - I learned Spanish really quickly.

Did I mention, too, that I fell in love with the place? That I learned every little pretty nook and best deal tapas place? That I had my favorite bars, cafes, churches, walks... and some good friends too. And I was there for about 8 weeks.

Sometimes your memory plays tricks. But to my delight, when I returned in 2009, even in the drearier winter months, my memories of beloved Andalucía proved true. On this most recent visit, I brought my camera. So finally I can share more about one of my favorite places.

*The door pictured is very typical of the Arab neighborhood that sits on a hill faces the famous Alhambra: the Barrio Albycín. The barrio itself is as magnificent in many ways as the old Moorish castle: beautiful to explore by day, mysterious to walk by night (with a friend). It's filled with wonderful charms around every corner, like this door: Doesn't it make you wonder what's inside? The metal workmanship - intricate and very typical of the southern Spanish region - at once seems to welcome the onlooker and yet firmly prohibits you from coming farther. It is just one of many subtle tributes to the coalescing Islamic and Christian cultures of southern Spain. Note, too, the green trim around the door as it contrasts with the bright Andalusian reds of the brick.

Tourism in China: Wish you were here!

Huangguoshu Waterfall, Guizhou Provice, China

At first, this photograph is about two things: aesthetics and a darn good back story. The massive waterfall (largest in Asia) in the background contrasts dramatically with the antics happening in the foreground. This combined with the vibrant colors really draw the observer into the scene (click the photo to see a larger version). Too, at a cursory glance, these folks seem like part of a show. But upon closer inspection (check out the man's pressed trousers and glasses), it's clear they are probably someone's grandparents - tourists! - horsing around in rent-able traditional garb.

Most importantly, (and this is why it's one of my favorites photographs) this photograph reveals some interesting characteristics about China that in the face of tire-tariffs and a weak dollar (well, even before that, let's face it) we neglect. It hints at a natural grandeur and beauty impossible to to imagine. At the same time, it expresses something intimate: a silly element to an older couple's sense of humor. I would venture to say I experienced this sort of refreshing joviality in my interactions with people throughout the country - this willingness to act goofy or make jokes at the expense of one's self for a laugh.

Importantly, the photo also gives a peep the thriving internal market for tourism, which includes path-side vendors who rent period costumes in which tourists can be photographed. (In addition to Ming-style grannies, I saw silk-robed teens and all manner of anachronistic ridiculousness... all over the place). However, in July on a Friday, hundreds of Chinese visited this waterfall; I didn't see any Westerners. China, despite its welcome capitalist market and vast offerings in the trade world (sure, it'll take our $ for investment and manufacturing) has yet to really profit from basic tourism. Yes, despite the Beijing Olympics.

The proof is in the pudding (no, not in a statistic put out by the People's Republic): try to find a postcard in Shanghai. I dare you. (And this with the World Expo 2010 coming up). All I'm saying is that someone's missing out...

**To read about my visit to Guizhou, see Wild Wild West of China. To check out links for tourism in Guizhou, go to China Tourist Maps and click GuiZhou. To be wowed by China's nature offering, check out BBC's documentary "Wild China" (awesome) at Amazon.