Qamera

It’s called a “Draw”

Michael — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 00:33:48 +0000

Which came first?

Yangon – Morning Market

Michael — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 07:04:09 +0000

This morning I had a few hours before heading to the airport, and took a stroll through some of the markets downtown. During this stay I was impressed by how happy the people are…

Sunset, Sunrise

Michael — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 06:12:18 +0000

This seems to be the “thing to do” – climbing a temple to gain a view across the Bagan plain, and taking photos of sunrise or sunset. Very few of the 2,000+ temples allow you to climb up them but I managed to find a small one yesterday for a few sunset pictures. This morning I got up early and cycled out to the “big one” – where everybody goes with their tour busses and tripods – to catch the sunrise. I made up for joining the crowds by then cycling over to the local ferry pier and taking in groups of local Myanmar pilgrims doing their own, much more down to earth, temple tours. One family asked me to join them for breakfast and I did, presenting the father with my treasured silk Chinese fan.

Sunday Among the Temples

Michael — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 06:03:58 +0000

My second day here, the sun came out and so did my hat as I rode along dusty paths from temple to temple, meandering like the nearby Irawaddy River. The temples were beautiful, especially taken as a whole dotted across the countryside; however I found the people to be even more interesting. I’m not convinced that some of them haven’t had lessons, or at least experience, in posing for cameras…

Michael — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 05:51:56 +0000

I arrived early morning from Yangon and spent the day on a bicycle; a little boy followed me and took me to a few temples until I got the hang of it and sent him on his way with a dollar…

A short (hot) train ride through the Burmese countryside

Michael — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 12:58:33 +0000

Yangon, like Tokyo, also has a ‘circle line’ commuter train that goes around through the suburbs. This train was a bit different than the Yamanote Line. It leaves once ever hour or so, and the 20 mile loop takes between two and three hours. Still, it was a good way to see a bit of the railway bazaar.

Farmer’s Day

Michael — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 12:46:12 +0000

Today in Yangon was a national holiday – Farmer’s Day. The markets were all closed, and the people were off the streets. Scary to think what it would have been like on a non-holiday.

The guy holding the pigeon, I paid $1 to let it fly free. Probably a homing pigeon.

An Afternoon at the Shwedegan Pagoda

Michael — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 00:06:10 +0000

This is the largest Buddhist temple in Myanmar and has got to be the largest stupa anywhere. The taxi driver informed me that there was a Buddhist celebration going on for two weeks, and that the streets surrounding the Shwedegan would be packed with stalls. He was right. My first impression of Myanmar – after just a few hours on my first day – was somehow a cross between India and Thailand. But then I realized, the country is sandwiched between those two.

Saturday Saigon Streets

Michael — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 00:02:07 +0000

I visit Saigon several times a year for my small iPhone App business. On the weekends, I try to get out to take some pictures of the city. Here are a few from this past Saturday.

The Desert

Michael — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 02:52:15 +0000

I love the desert.