places | Qamera

Kamakura

On August 7, 2010 · In places

I don’t remember the names but I’ll put them into the blog later. Spent the day with an old friend, Azby Brown. We took the train down to Kamakura from Yokohama and spent the day walking from temple to temple. The walks were almost as beautiful as the temples themselves. We ended the day in [...]

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Tokyo vignettes

On August 6, 2010 · In places

A few scenes from the world’s largest city: the greater Tokyo metropolitan area has over 40 million people in it. Still, there are a few pockets of calm… this is Arisugawa park, right in the middle of Hiro-o, one of the most upscale districts of the city.

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Morning Market

On August 5, 2010 · In places

Today our office is having a lunch party to celebrate the winners of our World Cup Football pool (any excuse for a celebration!). To help prepare, I accompanied our housekeeper Truc to the market to shop for the occasion. Well, she shopped and I took snapshots…

I’m not sure what it was, [...]

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Muine

On August 1, 2010 · In places

On the weekend I took a train to the nearby seaside resort of Muine (pronounced “Moo-ee-neh”). The main beach was full of wind surfers, mostly instructors looking for prospective clients. The entire 3 mile stretch of beach was littered with, well, litter of course, but also resorts of varying quality. There was a very large [...]

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To Victoria Peak

On July 25, 2010 · In places, things

I took a taxi to the Peak Tram, then rode it up the peak. The driver and I started speaking Mandarin and discovered that we had both moved to Hongkong in the same year – 1979. He was thrilled. I was less so.

The Siberian Fur Store has always been one of my favorite signs. [...]

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Midlevels Escalator

On July 24, 2010 · In people

Hongkong has a plethora of transportation types – many of them unique – including double-decker trolleys, a near-vertical tram to the top of the peak, subways, ferries and jetfoils. But perhaps most unique and interesting of them all is the Midlevels Escalator which runs from the waterfront all the way up through the different neighborhoods [...]

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Hollywood Road

On July 24, 2010 · In people, places, things, その他

Hollywood Road began as a few blocks of antique shops but recently has grown into the main east-west street that cuts across the Midlevels of Hongkong island, so-called because it is mid-way between the harbor and the peak. Here are a few snaps that I took on a walk along [...]

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Mendocino Light House

On July 17, 2010 · In places

That describes it.

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Monks of Labrang

On July 17, 2010 · In people, places

Labrang is the largest Tibetan monastery outside of Tibet proper. Located in the highlands of Xiahe, Gansu Province, just a half day’s bus ride from Lanzou.

Scanned from 35mm. Oh yea – that’s me. The one in the blue shirt.

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Frontier of the Empire

On July 17, 2010 · In places

This certainly symbolizes the western frontier of the Chinese Empire. Dunhuang, Xinjiang Autonomous Region, China

High contrast to reflect the subject of the photo itself.

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Hazel in China

On July 17, 2010 · In people

Those sunglasses are large enough that I can see myself in the reflection. And why did she pose for me, anyhow?

At the Forbidden City, Beijing

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Chinese grafitti

On July 17, 2010 · In people, places, things

If you think English grafitti is difficult, try doing it in Chinese characters, in cursive! Now that takes some skill…

Actually I’m pretty sure this fellow was actually spraying white paint to remove the graffiti. Still…

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Truth in Advertising

On July 17, 2010 · In places, things

Hong Kong taxi. I think the expression on the driver’s face underscores the meaning of the message on the side of his car.

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Billy Was Here

On July 17, 2010 · In places

At least, he said he was…

Empire State Building, Manhattan

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Meet the Pavement

On July 17, 2010 · In things

Here’s how they pave roads in the Mojave Desert

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Runaway Train

On July 17, 2010 · In places

The Van Golu Espressi, from Kars to Istanbul. Notable because it is about 2/3 of the way between Singapore and Narvik, which is the longest train journey on earth. Actually, 30 trains. One pair of tracks.

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Zurich Tram

On July 17, 2010 · In places

From the hotel window, overlooking Banhofstrasse. Again, funny what you can see without having to leave your hotel (here’s another one like that…)

Hand-held, jet lagged.

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Artisans, Cortisans

On July 17, 2010 · In people, places

Funny, what you can see without even leaving the hotel. Taken at the Shangri-la Hotel, Beijing.

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Sedona Vortex

On July 17, 2010 · In places

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Reflections

On July 17, 2010 · In people, places

Early morning, Green Lake pier, Seattle

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Karakorum Highway

On July 17, 2010 · In places

It’s not fast, but it’s high. Tops out at 17,000ft on the way from Chinese Turkestan over the “Roof of the World” to Pakistan. This place here is called the Gez Defile. It’s a gnarly gash that drops down from the Pamir Plateau into the Takla Makan desert, which means “you go in but you [...]

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