Luther Bailey Travel Blog

Slightly Behind

2010-07-08T10:02:00.001-07:00

Hi Everyone!

I'm sorry that I've fallen behind on my Sydney postings. Something came up that I had to tend to. I will be posting more soon. Thanks for reading, and again...sorry for the delay.

Sunrise over Sydney Harbour (part one)

2010-06-20T11:48:00.000-07:00

Hands down, Sydney, Australia is one of my top 5 favorite cities around the world. Having been to Sydney before, I was certainly excited to be going back to this beautiful and thriving city that boasts such a diverse palette of life, culture and energy. It would be impossible for me to write everything that there is to do and see in Sydney, that is why there are many books on the subject. It's always humorous to me when I get emails from readers who remind me of the thousands of things I forgot to mention about their country or city, such as underwater basket weaving workshops and nymph hunting trips through the enchanted forests. Sadly, I just can't do it all. However, I am going to try to give you a visual and written sample of what I saw on this particular trip and hope that it inspires you go to there someday if you haven't had the chance. This is only part one of multiple posts that I will be writing on Sydney, so check back each week.

Sydney, Australia Harbour

I thought the best thing to do was to start off with a post on Sydney Harbour at sunrise. I love to be out on the water and the bay around this city is absolutely breathtaking, no matter what time of the day you're viewing it. However, the golden sunrise seems to add something special while the buildings and trees creep out from behind their shadows.

Sydney, Australia Harbour

Sydney has a wonderful skyline, along with other famous landmarks that are recognizable around the world. As I have explained in previous posts, it is quite common for people to think that Australia is merely outback and wildlife, but this is far from the case. Sydney, is a rather large city that spreads out over many miles. You can't walk it all, and it takes days to explore. There are lots of hills, trees, scenic views and modern development that keeps this city in the world's top destinations. I will show you many more photos in upcoming posts.

Sydney Opera House

The most famous, or I should say "recognizable" landmark in this city is the "Sydney Opera House". It's unique architecture has been the subject of multiple photographs and articles since it's creation. What surprises many people is that it's construction began in 1959. The design was such that it's been timeless ever since. My purpose here is not to give everyone a history lesson, so I will mainly just point out some interesting facts here and there.

Sydney Opera House

As I began to write about earlier, Sydney is not in a dry desert climate, but a city that sits by the ocean and enjoys endless fresh breezes, along with enough moisture in the air to create a humid environment. I wouldn't ever say that the weather is uncomfortable, but it can get hot during the summer months. I've been there in Spring, Summer and Fall, and the seasons do tend to be defined.

Sydney, Australia Harbour

One of my favorite views is of the Sydney Harbour bridge, which was opened in 1932. According to Guinness World Records, it's the widest long-span bridge in the world. You can view this bridge from many places around the waterfront, and it sits right across from the Opera House. I find the design to have that structural appeal of something that has been grandfathered down to us, that retains it's historical value, but can stand strong among the best of bridges in the world. There's an aged feel to it visually, yet it's endurance is a testament to it's well designed architecture.

Sydney. Australia Harbour

As you can see, the rising sun just brings this beauty to life. It's easy to sit here for a long while and just stare. The accessible wharf provides a place to walk up and get great views, along with being able to see it from the water if you're out on a boat or Ferry.

Sydney Harbour Bridge

Various buildings along the wharf are also quite beautiful. There is a mixture of both old and new architecture that fits quite well together. It is clear that the city has put some thought into it's layout and has pride in what it presents. These buildings never look out of date.

Sydney Harbour wharf

Many cruise ships come into the Harbour and port right here at the dock. This dock sits across from the Opera House as well and obviously provides some great views. The port building was designed well and gives convenient access to downtown. There is also an ATM machine there if you need one. You can actually walk from the pier to downtown, but depending on where you're staying, it's generally best to take a cab. My experience with cab drivers in Sydney has been good over the years, and I didn't find them overly expensive. In fact, the drivers were always quite friendly and honest.

Sydney Harbour Port

A number of lucky individuals get the opportunity to live right at the waterfront. I can't begin to tell you how jealous I am, nor would I even attempt to guess how incredibly expensive a flat in one of these buildings might cost. After living in San Francisco so many years, I know how unobtainable waterfront property can be.

Sydney, Australia Harbour

It's great how one side of the Harbour is filled with large skyscrapers, and the other side has almost a quaint feel to it, as if it was a small fishing village. The bay just wraps around for miles in both directions and blends into other towns. Most of these places are accessible by the various Ferries, buses and trains. I talk a little more about that in future posts.

Sydney, Australia Harbour

There is a small theme park that sits right across the bay, it's called "Luna Park". You can see it from the wharf. I've actually never been to it, but it provides slightly creepy imagery that reminds of something out of a Stephen King novel. Mind you, it's been there for many years and seems to thrive with locals and tourists alike. You should see it light up at night.

Luna Park on the Sydney Harbour

If you want a close up view of the bridge, you can walk underneath it on that side as well. Not only is the bridge a sight to see, but you can actually climb up to the top of it on a guided tour. Certainly not for everyone, but if you have an adventurous spirit, then go for it. They say it's amazing if you're not afraid of heights.

Sydney Harbour bridge

I took a number of photos of the bridge, so I hope you don't mind me sticking a few in this post. The picture above will you give a better perspective of where Luna Park is.

Sydney Harbour

On the wharf, there is a place where you can buy tickets for the various harbour cruises. Captain Cooke Cruises seems to be one of the more popular companies, even though they are not the only choice, and not the cheapest way to get out on the water. Many people take the Ferry across to the Zoo as well. I will show more pictures of the wharf later on to give you an idea of where to buy tickets.

Sydney Harbour

This is not a long post, but just a short introduction with some sunrise pictures that I hope you enjoy. I will be posting more on Sydney each week.

Sydney Harbour Bridge

There are a few more pictures of the harbour in my Flickr photo album HERE.

Hamilton Island, Australia...and the legal limits of adorable

2010-05-29T12:17:00.000-07:00

Okay, Australia... I'm on to you!! Here I am trying to innocently visit another one of your amazing islands, and you just have to pull out all the stops. Never mind that your country is already one of the most incredible destinations in the world, full of life, nature and down to earth folks. No, it's not enough that you find yourself often bathing in the joy of actually being exactly what you claim to be... a country that really reaches out and shakes your hand. Nope, instead, you coincidentally happen to have a few of these laying around.

Koala paw, Hamilton Island, Australia

While we will certainly come back to the subject of Koala's and Australia's shameless, if not barely legal cuteness levels inflicted upon unsuspecting tourist, I feel it is now necessary to go on with my Hamilton Island experience. After all, Hamilton Island is a wonderful place to visit.

Hamilton Island, Australia

It's important to note that Hamilton Island is part of the Whitsunday Island chain (74 Islands) at the Great Barrier Reef and a part of Queensland. I also feel that it's important to note that one of my all time favorite movies, "Muriel's Wedding" was partially filmed here as well. If you've never seen the movie, it's fantastic. You might be familiar with the stars Toni Collette and Rachel Griffiths, but enough about that.

Whitsunday Islands, Australia

Sailing through the island chain was quite beautiful. What surprised me was that it almost felt as though I was sailing through the Vancouver, B.C. area islands. I only mean that the trees and various islands had that familiar northern look to them. The weather was quite different though, being tropical and humid.

Whitsunday Islands, Australia

The morning I arrived, the sea was perfect. The Tender took us through the small islands as it headed towards the dock. Various buildings and houses doted the island, and I couldn't help but to feel jealous of those who were lucky enough to wake up every morning to such as view.

Hamilton Island, Australia

The many yachts at the small marina made it obvious that this was certainly a playground for the wealthy, or at least those who saved up a nice vacation nest egg. Once I stepped onto the pier, I could see the immaculately clean town that lined the waterfront.

Hamilton Island Marina

Golf carts darted up and down the small roads. It was explained that this was the preferred method of getting around the island, and they could be rented by the day or week. Although the island isn't huge, it's large enough that the many hills and trees make it seem to go on forever. The trees, coves and terrain make it feel like you've landed on Fantasy Island, instead of a typical tropical beach.

Hamilton Island, Australia

Even though there were people walking about, it wasn't crowded at all. This was a nice treat. We were told that a free shuttle bus was offered to take people to various stops around the island. It took a short while to wait on the bus, and after riding it up and over the hill...we realized that it would have been just as easy to walk.

Hamilton Island, Australia

Granted, the shuttle was comfortable and air conditioned. There are different routes for the shuttle, but the one that my travel partner and I got on, dropped us off at what looked like a hotel. There was a large, open air lobby that was quite beautiful. The trees surrounded the building and a nice ocean breeze blew through as we walked towards the swimming pool.

Hamilton Island Resort

Although I didn't take pictures of the whole property, it spread out quite a bit. Once we passed the pool, we saw the entrance to the beach. Wow...really beautiful! On this side of the island, the beach was in a large and spectacular cove. Again, not over crowded.

Hamilton Island Resort

It only took us a few seconds to find some white plastic beach chair to lounge in. We kept wondering when someone was going to run over and try to charge us for the luxury of laying there while gazing at the beach, but no one came.

Hamilton Island Beach

There was a small shack to the right of us, which house many types of water equipment for rent. Various surf boards and wind sails were laid out in the sand for those who so chose to participate.

Hamilton Island Beach

I couldn't believe how beautiful and relaxing this beach area was. I truly felt as though I had made it to the far side of paradise. As usual, it's nearly impossible to accurately capture the immersion of one's senses in a photograph.

Hamilton Island Beach

None of my pictures could do this place justice. Between the breeze, the smell and the sounds, it was perfect.

Mother and Daughter on Hamilton Island

There were two mothers and two daughters who sat next to us. They were very kind and friendly and seemed to be in the same intoxicated, blissful state of awe as we were. I took some photos of them to share.

Mother and Daughter on Hamilton Island

It was fun watching people play around with the water sports equipment. The boards with the sails on them proved particularly difficult for most everyone. We watched as a young lady tried numerous times to stand up on hers, while nearly braining (with the sail) anyone who happened to be within 10 yards. Finally, she made it up for a few moments.

After enjoying the wonderful beach for a number of hours, we decided to go see more of the island. We had only taken a day trip there and wanted to find out more of what Hamilton Island offered. After walking back up towards the information desk, we noticed that there was another large and elaborate pool. I have to say, this place was luxurious.

Hamilton Island, Australia

We really felt as though we were illegally crashing a resort. I decided to ask the young lady at the front desk about the cost of their hotel rooms. She gave me a puzzled look and said that they didn't have any rooms, since it wasn't a hotel. Hmmm...okay. So, after a few more questions and strange looks, it appears that we were simply enjoying what amounted to a all-inclusive resort. Apparently, if you pay to go to the island, then the resort is there for your use. Of course, this doesn't include the cost of food and certain equipment rentals.

Hamilton Island, Australia

Since the walk back to town was so simple, we decided to skip the shuttle and enjoy the short trek. Walking from the beach to the other side takes you on a nice, shaded road. There is a bit of a hill...and it's hot and humid, so it depends on whether you're up for that or not. As we began walking, we saw some really interesting and nice bungalows that lined both sides of the street.

Hamilton Island, Australia Bungalos

It didn't take long before we saw a small entrance to what seemed like a zoo. There was a small shop with the usual zoo items, but after looking around and asking, we found out that it was an animal park. The star attractions were....yep...cute and cuddly Koala. We gladly paid the entrance fee and walked up the short steps to the park. This would be my first time seeing Koalas in real life. Even on my previous trips to Australia, I had never taken the opportunity to see one up close.

Koala on Hamilton Island

The area where the Koalas were, was right at the entrance. I instantly saw a number of lounging around on the small trees with not a single eye open. It was nice being so close that you could almost...but not touch them.

Koala on Hamilton Island

Okay, I have to warn you, even the hardest of hearts would be foolish to try and resist the overwhelming cuteness of the Koala. This is Australia's trump card (well, one of them anyway). What you see here is simply a bundle of fur, eyes, paws and the occasional Koala yawn. Resistance is futile.

Koala on Hamilton Island

Now, it's time for some Koala education. This is going to be similar to revealing that there's no Santa Clause, because there's more to this little critter than meets the eye. First, Koala's are small, and some are tiny. When you see a photo of one, you generally imagine that they are a bit bigger than they really are. I'm sure that some do get bigger, but all of the ones that I saw there, were bite size...and you can imagine that this clearly has NO effect whatsoever on their adorable appeal.

Koala on Hamilton Island

Second, most photos of the Koalas that you see with wide-eyed stares are the result of someone sneaking up on them and giving them a good fright. Okay, that's probably not true, but let me explain. Most people know that Koalas eat Eucalyptus leaves...and that's pretty much all they eat, aside from the occasional snack of other tree leaves. Koalas rarely drink water, because they receive most of their moisture through the leaves that they consume.

Koala on Hamilton Island

Of course none of that sounds too bad, right? However, here's the clincher that would even temp Nancy Reagan to restart her "Just Say No" campaign. Koalas are constantly asleep, except for a couple of hours a day. Now, most people who do research on these animals will tell you that Koalas sleep because the Eucalyptus leaf has toxins in it that the Koala has to digest and process slowly and it takes a lot of energy to do so, therefore they have to sleep it off.

Koala on Hamilton Island

However, there's been a rumor going around for years that the Eucalyptus leaf causes a reaction in their stomach that is similar to a narcotic, therefore, they spend most of their time in a drugged out, addicted state. I should have told you to cover your children's eyes for that part.

Koala on Hamilton Island

I don't know what's really true, but I do know that I've seen stoned, and I've seen not-stoned and, well...I'll leave that conclusion to you. LOL

Koala on Hamilton Island. "Just Say No"

However, in all seriousness, these little guys are amazing. There have been issues over the years with development of highways and so forth causing many of them to die out. I am told that in order to get from one tree to the next, they have to crawl down one tree and up the next. They don't seem to move too fast and this makes them susceptible to predators. Development makes it difficult for them to get to the next tree and therefore an issue. I was told though that Australia is working hard to fix this issue by creating safe pathways for the Koalas to reach protected areas. I don't know much about it, but I know Australia takes pride in it's nature and animals and of course is doing all they can.

Koala on Hamilton Island

I have to tell you that the nature park where I took these photos, is quite small. In addition to the Koalas, it houses a few other small animals....including a very stuck up Kangaroo who apparently is really fed up with all the attention that they Koalas are getting.

Kangaroo on Hamilton Island

Don't get me wrong, the small size of the park is not a problem. I felt the experience was well worth it, and the staff were great. They don't give you a time limit on how long you can watch the animals, and the way the walkway is built, it's easy to see them from every angle. There are certain times of the day where you can pay extra to hold a Koala and have your photo taken with it. As I said though, Keep in mind that these little one are generally asleep and rarely move around unless they want to get more comfortable. I was only able to capture a few moments of movement here and there.

Hamilton Island, Australia

After spending a while in the park, we decided to continue heading back to the main town area. The main town is very clean and nice and consists of a few blocks worth of businesses. There is a small store to buy food items and drinks, along with a number of cafes and upscale places to eat.

Hamilton Island, Australia

We decided to try out a fish and chips place that was supposed to be all the rage. Had I know that I was going to be more comprehensive with this blog at the time, I would have taken more photos of these places. However, we found the shop and placed our order. The lines were pretty long and the prices were slightly higher than I'd have liked, but the results were great. I thought that getting one piece of fish and some chips wasn't going to be enough, but I honestly couldn't hold it all.

Hamilton Island, Australia

There's not much seating there, so we walked over to a grassy area a few yards away where the Palm trees gave some shade. I was amazed that there were a number of wild Cockatoo walking all over the grounds. I tried to get a quick snapshot while balancing everything else in my hands. Cockatoos apparently are not ashamed to ask for food...although I didn't share since I wasn't sure if it would be safe for them or not. However, they are friendly enough that you can sit on the ground and they will come right up to you.

Wild Cockatoo on Hamilton Island

Overall, Hamilton Island is amazing and beautiful. I could have stayed there for weeks. I wasn't able to see the whole island and I didn't even do a fraction of the hundreds of things to do there. This is a resort island that consists of hotel accommodations and condos. I would be lying if I said that Hamilton Island was for the budget conscious, because it's a bit pricey.

Hamilton Island, Australia

However, it's well worth that price. It's possible to get accommodations as low as $300 Australian per night, but the average prices is a bit higher than that, depending on the season. There are plenty of "Packages" offered to go there and some of them include breakfast, but generally you have to eat in the cafes, or buy your own groceries if you rent a place with a kitchen.

Hamilton Island Condos

The condos on the island are very, very expensive to buy, so you're not likely to get a good deal if you're in the market. There is an airport on the island, so you can fly directly in from other Australian cities (which is what many people do, unless you're on a cruise). There are also boats that you can take from the mainland, such as Shute Harbor (which is not really close to the major cities). There are plenty of excursions to the Great Barrier Reef from the island, if you want to snorkel or dive.

Hamilton Island, Australia

As with all Australian tourism, the people who work on this island take good care of their visitors. I found it wonderful that I could just use the resort facilities, pools, etc... just by being on the island. I didn't get the feeling that the island was full of rowdy college kids either, although I'm sure that changes during school breaks.

Hamilton Island, Australia

I would highly recommend Hamilton Island. In fact, I plan to go back there are stay a while at some point. There were many more things I wanted to do and I felt completely at home and safe. As usual, you have to take lots of sunblock, but at least you can generally find shade. There is a link to the main website HERE, which will help you find accommodations and information. My little report on my day there certainly doesn't do this place justice. There are also a few more photos that you can access on my Flickr site HERE.

Hamilton Island, Australia

Green Island, Australia...and the mysterious itch

2010-05-13T11:32:00.000-07:00

A lazy day on Green Island, just outside of Cairns, Australia. Sun, soak and sand. I know these first couple of photo seem boring, but this is part of my post where I reveal a tiny little secret about myself. I figure that I had better just get it out of the way. You see, it was a moment when I decided to walk into the wooded trail area of Green Island and take off my then wet and sandy shoes.

Green Island, Australia

I had been plodding along the sandy beach for a while and it was about time to clean out the mud before I explored the rest of the island. A wooden bench stood next to me and quietly called out for someone to sit on it.

Green Island, Australia

The shade from the trees was wonderful and along with the slight breeze, I began to cool off. I removed my small backpack, which housed my camera, a bottle of overpriced water, and then I peeled off my wet socks. As I stood there, I began giving my weary bones a good stretch upwards, then sideways. I closed my eyes to enjoy the slight bit of sunlight that cut it's way down through the trees and listened as the chattering of Mandarin approached from down the trail. At first I didn't notice the tingling on the top of my left food. I kept my eyes closed for the moment and then imagined that a small leaf blowing across the wooden planks had landed on my bare skin. Then another one tickled across my right foot.

Green Island, Australia

As I stood there, three Asian travelers walked past me and said "Hello" with a thick accent. I opened my eyes and responded with a smile as I saw the friendly man and ladies walk away. As the tickling began to bother me, I reached down to brush away the "Leaves", which unfortunately turned out to be rather large spiders that had decided to make themselves familiar. Within seconds I saw that a number of spiders had made their way up onto the planks and were both surrounding and crawling on my feet. Sadly enough, I screamed like a girl, yes, I admit it...and jumped 10 feet into the air. It wasn't my intention to scare the hell out of our Asian friends...but non the less, I did. My secret is that I have a fear...no...unhealthy terror of spiders. Add to this that I've seen way too many nature documentaries and the BBC has done a great job of convincing me that everything non-human in Australia is capable of carrying off a small mammal, making lunch of it in a dark hole somewhere.

Green Island, Australia

For the rest of the day, I had to endure the pointing and snickering from various Asian tourists as they mimicked my jumping into the air along with a look of sudden terror. Apparently, it translates into Mandarin quite well.

Green Island, Australia

So, let's roll back to the beginning of the day, and start from there. I was standing on the bow of the ship and marveling at the amazing scenery before me. The city of Cairns stood up against mountains that were blanketed with green trees and gave off that familiar tropical vibe that I had been encountering so far in Australia. No desert, no dust, just water and green. It was still early morning and the sun was coming down through some clouds and brightening the buildings of downtown Cairns. Our approach was beautiful and peaceful. I was quite happy that the port was right on the edge of the city.

Cairns, Australia

I was quickly running through my mind trying to figure out how I was going to spend my time. Even though I was traveling while Virgo, I am often quite spontaneous with my travel plans, thus forgoing the traditional pre-arrangements that would generally come naturally. I was impressed with what I saw of the city so far, it was immaculately clean and organized. After hopping off the ship... and proving to the port officials that I wouldn't even think about trying to smuggle bananas into this wonderful land... I found out where the nearest tourist office was, and ran.

Cairns, Australia

Luckily, it was only a few blocks away. There were a number of people already crowding through the doors and behaving in typical cattle-like fashion. There were pictures and brochures everywhere around the office. I listened as others were trying to figure out their plans and how much it would cost. Cairns, has a lot of interesting attractions. Aside from the fact that it's a great entrance to the Great Barrier Reef, there are also various land-based trips such as the Kuranda Scenic Train ride, white water rafting and a Skyway cable ride back down the mountain. I'll give you a bit more information on those things later.

Cairns, Australia Port Worker

As I finally made my way up to the tour desk, I quickly decided that I wanted to go out to an island and see part of the Great Barrier Reef. There were a number of options for day trips, diving, snorkeling, etc... I finally settled on a trip to Green Island. The cost for the day, which included lunch, the trip out there and snorkeling gear, was about $60... and it leaves in five minutes... of course. So, I paid and ran my butt off to the wharf. I finally found the ramp to the boat and was greeted by four very friendly Australian guides who ushered me onto the boat.

Cairns, Australia

The boat was the size of any millionaire's yacht and had three levels. I found a spot on the outside railing and leaned while watching the motors start up and push us off. Within seconds, the intercom of the boat was broadcasting Mandarin. I had just spent months in Asia and was wondering what was going on. As I looked around, I realized that there were about three hundred Chinese tourists throughout the boat, and they were all on a group tour to Green Island. After a few moments of the Chinese guide speaking on the intercom, an Australian bloke came on and began to speak about our destination and the rules.

Cairns, Australia Marina

In the best sing-song accent that my Australian intercom brother could muster, he talked about the safety of snorkeling and what to expect. After a few safety tips on equipment, the Chinese interpreter came on and repeated everything. Heads turned and passengers chatted in agreement. Australian guy came back on and talked about other Reef interests before finally getting to the subject of deadly Box Jellyfish and Sea Lice. My ears perked up. Huh? Yes, I had heard about the scary and infamous Box Jelly, but didn't really think about them being here. However, it became clear that these critters were not going to be anywhere near where we were going. I think it was a combination of season and area. Apparently they don't really go that far out into the ocean.

Cairns, Australia

I wish I would have thought to record this entire speaking ballet between the Australian and the Chinese interpreter. In typical Aussie fashion, our guide described the Jellyfish and their potential of completely obliterating the human race and your grandchildren with one sting... all the while keeping the biggest smile in his voice as if he was describing a Keg of Beer that just feel from Heaven. I understood the humor and laughed... but none of this translated into Mandarin very well. The Chinese translator came on and began talking. I watching as the Asian tourist listened... and listened harder... and then their eyes got big as saucers. A collective gasp of air... and then massive chatter. Apparently, Box Jellyfish sounds WAY scarier in Mandarin. It took a few moments of back and forth whispering between the guides before a proper interpretation was given to a satisfied crowd.

Cairns, Australia

I had a lot of fun with the Chinese group. The boat ride to the island took a couple of hours, so I had plenty of time to engage myself with the curious tourists. I volunteered to use a married couple's camera to take their photo for them. Then of course I did it forty more times in the duration of the trip. That will teach me. I had a lot of fun with the other tourists and many of them wanted to practice their English, so it kept me busy. However, at one point, an American couple came over and stood by the crowded railing. In no time, I realized that I recognized their accent. I said hello to the man and his wife. Yep, from Oklahoma???? I grew up in Oklahoma, and people from Oklahoma just don't travel around the world. Okay, obviously some of them do, but the people I grew up around... never. It was a retired Sheriff and his wife. Really nice people. I won't get into the intricate complexities as to why it was surreal for me to be talking to an Oklahoma country Sheriff in the Great Barrier Reef, but if you grew up there, you'd understand.

Green Island, Australia

We finally arrived to the island, it was beautiful. The water was so incredibly blue. The camera didn't capture that properly, but trust me, it was clean and wonderful. I could see so many fish swimming around. Hoards of birds would dive down and try to catch them on occasion. It was the most interesting, chaotic site. A long pier stretched all the way from where we dock to the island. I could tell from just getting off the boat, that the island was pretty small.

Green Island, Australia

There was activity everywhere. Sea Planes taking off, Divers going out to the dive house, Snorkelers everywhere and various other water activities. By this time, the sun was hot and bearing down. I couldn't get enough of the fresh ocean air though. It's like an injection of life when you get to breath that in.

Green Island, Australia

I made my way to the island. When you enter, you walk into the woods. The small gathering of buildings and businesses are all built into the woods. This was nice to help with the shade from the hot Australian sun.

Green Island, Australia

I decided to head off to my left. There were trails that went in three directions, but I was interested in exploring the island and it's beaches. I began walking through the wooded area, and of course got sidetracked by a bird. Well, there were lots of these birds walking all over the ground and through the woods. I have no idea what it was, but it made for an interesting picture.

Green Island, Australia (Edit: Recently informed that this is a "Buffbanded Rail")

Anyway, the wooded trails were supported by a nice planked walk. There were various signs pointing off into various entrances to the beach and other parts of the inner island. I made my way onto the first beach area and watched as tourists played in water. Green Island is a resort island and it's not a place where people live. It's simply a small island with some hotel bungalows, a small shop or two and a few small places to eat.

Green Island, Australia

Don't get me wrong, it's not insignificant, it's a beautiful place and controlled this way so that the guests can have a unique and wonderful time. A lot of people take day trips here to enjoy the island and the water sports, such as snorkeling. The reef all around the island is teaming with life and color. Guests who rent bungalows for the night are treated to a more upscale experience. Accommodations run about $560 and up per night, so if that's not your thing, then a day trip is perfect.

Green Island, Australia

I finally found a patch of beach that I liked on the side of the island. The island is not round, but long and narrow. I was surprised that the beach wasn't crowded, but I was told that they limit the number of non-overnight guests that can come to the island each day. I guess this makes it a bit nicer for everyone involved.

Green Island, Australia

I finally settled down by dropping my things off on a patch of beach and went into the ocean. Ahhhh...pure bliss. As I was saying earlier, the water is so clean that it's...strange. There is nothing like being out in the water and looking back at a small piece of land miles out in the ocean. I waded and swam for quite a while. I could hear the distant laughter of kids and parents, along with various accents and languages from around the world. I always find it great to watch people from all walks of life have fun and laugh.

Green Island, Australia

I know that you're still thinking about the two words that I casually mentioned earlier in my story and yet somehow managed to not elaborate any further on...."Sea Lice". It just twirls off the tongue. Okay, here's the skinny. They're in warm waters all over the word, including Mexico, the Caribbean and even some coasts of the United States, so don't go thinking that it's Australia's fault! Sea Lice are not actually Lice, but microscopic larvae of the thimble jellyfish. They are about the size of a flake of pepper, so you generally don't see them. They're not dangerous and they're not going to swarm you and kill you. Basically, what happens is that they tend to get into the folds of bathing suits and body crevices such as your underarms.

Green Island, Australia

Due to the squish or friction, they will create a sting, but you generally won't feel it while you're in the water. You'll generally notice it later that day when you're walking to buy a bottle of water... er... when you happen to be doing something else and all of a sudden it's uncomfortable in unmentionable places. You will generally notice a red rash, and it will feel as though your bathing suit has been rubbing in the same place for too long. Again, this is not dangerous, just slightly uncomfortable and a good shower and some dry clothes will often help. It may take a few days to go away. Because of this possibility, some people prefer to wear wetsuits while snorkeling. The tour companies that take you over for the day will provide these for a small fee. Don't let this scare you out of the water, it's really not a big deal and doesn't stop millions of others from swimming in it every year.

Green Island, Australia

After my horrific spider incident, I put my shoes back on and walked through the rest of the trail. I wanted to circle the island. There were a number of interesting signs along the trail that talked about the various wildlife and plant life on the island. I was impressed that they took the time to do this.

Green Island, Australia

As I came out on the other end of the island, it was pretty deserted. The shore there was quite rocky, or I should say solid with a hard rock like surface, so no one was laying out on the beach. What I found interesting, was another bird who happened to be completely unafraid of me. He was searching for food in the various tide pools along the beach.

Green Island, Australia (Edit: Recently informed that this is a "Reef Egret")

Some beautiful driftwood that had been almost bleached white was up on the shore from a previous storm.

Green Island, Driftwood

I spent some time walking around on that side, but decided to walk back through the woods instead of going all around the island. It was possible to continue around, but I was getting a bit burnt from the sun by then and decided that I didn't want to be exposed any more. The trail back took me to the center area where the food and shops were. The prices for something like Fish and Chips ran about $15 Australian dollars. However, my meal was included with the day trip and it was a buffet... consisting of mainly Chinese food. I guess they were catering for the large tour group. None the less, it was good.

Green Island, Australia

I walked around to the other side of the island where the bungalows were. They're quite nice and tucked back in the woods with a small gate at each entrance. I can see where staying here for a few days would be wonderful.

Green Island, Bungalos

I talked to some of the employees on the island and they were all quite nice and helpful. There is more than one company that sells day trips to the island, so you will see their information booths in the tourist center. There are plenty of showers for men and women, and there are plenty of lockers that you can rent for the day.

Green Island, Australia (Back side of island)

Overall, I loved Green Island, but it's important to know that your day trip can be either a half day (returning at 1pm) or a full day, which leaves at 5pm. You may want to take a book or rent some shade on the beach if you're planning on staying the full day. You can't really sit out in the sun the whole time.

Green Island, Australia

In addition to the water activities that I described, there is both a glass bottom boat, and a small submarine with glass windows. These are great if you don't want to snorkel and want to see the fish and plant life in the Reef. I took the glass bottom boat and it was pretty amazing to see the many sea creatures. They even feed some of the fish, which is fun to watch. I tried to get some photos of the fish through the glass bottom, but they didn't come out too well. The reflection, the dirty glass and the guide who kept telling me to sit down for my safety, prevented my success. LOL

Green Island, Australia...a refreshing bath!

Keep in mind that there are many other places to go around Cairns to see the Great Barrier Reef. There are also other day trips for snorkeling to other islands that are larger in size with more accommodations. Some of the boat tours though are not all covered, so always inquire about the type of boat if you don't want to end up sitting out in the sun for two or three hours each way.

Green Island, Australia

As I mentioned earlier, the Kuranda scenic train is pretty amazing. The train ride takes you up through the mountains to the town of Kuranda. There are plenty of shops and places to eat there. On the train ride, there is a waterfall that you will pass under, but it's not always flowing, depending on the time of the year. The train ride is great for those who want to see the tropical mountain regions of Cairns and it's a nice experience. The way back down the mountain is by the Skyrail. This is a one of those enclosed carts that take you by cable back down to the bottom. The tickets for the Kuranda and Skyrail combination run about $106 Australian as of now.

Green Island, Australia (Reef)

Most of the tours and activities can be booked through the tourist office which is right across from the Casino in town, or you can book them online before you arrive. If you happen to be going to Cairns by ship, then realize that you may have to fight for tickets to various sites if you arrive with a large group. Sometimes it's better to book ahead or just buy your excursions through the ship.

Green Island, Australia

I didn't spend much time in the city of Cairns, so I can't write a lot about it. From what I saw and experienced there, the city is quite clean and safe. The people are friendly and it's certainly a great place to spend a week or so. There are a few more photos of Green Island and Cairns in my Flickr album, which you can access HERE. The main web site for Cairns Attractions and the various things to do, is located HERE. If you'd like to have the link to the Green Island Reef tour that I was on, the link is HERE for Green Island Big Cat.

The Breathing Statue

2010-05-05T11:48:00.000-07:00

Before I continue writing about my trek through Australia, I thought I'd take a moment to post some various photos that I've taken over the years, of statues. Although the thought of that might seem dull to some people, I have found that the world's most historic (and newer) sculptures can be brought to life with just the right amount of angle, light and emphasis. Perhaps I should say that I try to make it feel as though I am being stared down at, if not questioned by the powerful presence of the sculpture.

Roman Statue

As a photographer and traveler, I photograph what I find to be interesting and beautiful, or even occasionally tragic. I don't confess to be an expert on history or the various things that may run across my camera. However, I hope to bring some works of art to the attention of people around the world who may not ever get a chance to see these brilliant statues. It's sad that it's not always easy to encourage people to get out and see what treasures our world has. Perhaps, if for a moment through a photograph, if I can attempt to breath life into a sculpture's magnificent work of art for a child who's never seen them, then I've accomplished something.

Roman Statue

So far, it seems that Italy has provided me with most of my subject matter when it comes to statues. Don't get me wrong, there are many more beautiful and unique statues around the world, but I've not had the chance to capture even a fraction of them.

Roman Statue

The original artists who created these statues spent tremendous amounts of time and focus to come up with the perfect pose, mythological character or historical figure. This sculpture of Neptune (aka Poseidon) was one of my favorites.

Roman Statue

I generally use black and white to photograph statues, I feel that it brings out the contrasting curves and dramatic poses. The statue of Dante Alighieri in Florence, Italy had such a dramatic impact on me. Even the Eagle at his side who looks up with so much to say in his expression, marks his place in this sculpture by Enrico Pezzi in 1865.

Florence Statue

However, occasionally the colors from aging and general wear and tear tend to emphasize it's long standing place in history. Maybe even a brilliant sunset that adds warmth to an Angel taking flight.
The statue below dates from the unification of Italy (Patriae Unitati - country united) And perhaps symbolizes with the angels single finger raised, the divine intercession that made that seemingly impossible thing - possible.

Roman Statue

I always wondered what King Victor Emmanuel II, as the first leader of united Italy since ancient Rome, was thinking as he sat on this horse, staring off into the distance. This is located at the massive monument to Victor Emmanuel II in the center of Rome. Multiple sculptors worked under the direction of Giuseppe Sacconi starting in 1895 to create this powerful combination of architecture and sculpture.

Roman Statue

There are a number of Angel statues watching over the city of Rome. The Catholic church had such a strong influence over sculptors and their choice of subjects - being for centuries the primary patron of artists in Italy.

Roman Statue

Imagine the passion that such images inspire. A victorious triumph of spirit is portrayed with a wreath stretched out towards the heavens. For those of us who don't know, we may think of this as either an Angel or the goddess Nike. As I photographed this, I wondered if the sculptor's intent may have been to inspire us all to excellence.

Roman Statue

This is one of several photographs that I've taken of this statue (Below). I am sure that my past Art History professor would want me to decipher and explain the various symbols and imagery that this intricate sculpture possesses. However, I chose to look at it as a dramatic moment in time which makes me mull over many questions. There is a specific reason and a specific purpose that the sculptor intended, but as an observer with a lack of historical reference, I feel that it is this is a clear example of sculpture transcending the artist's original intent.

Roman Statue

Barcelona, Spain offers many beautiful statues. Although I have many more statues to share, I thought I'd end this post with a look at this statue in the Placa de Catalunya. A horse rears up into the bright Spanish sun as the rider stands by his side. The sense of motion and muscular volume in the sculpture is breathtaking.

Barcelona, Spain Statue

Darwin, Australia...Snake lips and a side of chips

2010-04-20T14:20:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Australia! The home of the friendliest smile and G'Day you'll ever receive. This was not my first trip to Australia, but I can tell you that I was thrilled to be back. This trip takes me around to some new areas of this great country, which I will write about over the weeks. I thought I'd add some perspective as to where Darwin actually is, so here is a shot from Google Maps. My time in Darwin was short and sweet. There is much more to Darwin and the surrounding area than I had time to see or write about.

Location of Darwin in Australia

To say that Darwin is remote would seem somehow unfair. However, it is a long ways away from the large cities of Australia, and I'm guessing that it's not a place that many Australians have been to. This is not a criticism of the town or people, but if you drove from Sydney, it would be about 2500 miles through the outback. That being said, I was absolutely ready to kiss the ground once I stepped onto the Darwin Pier. After months of traveling through amazing and beautiful countries in asia, I was well ready for a familiar language and some familiar food.

Port of Darwin Australia

I thought about putting a footnote by the word "food", because whatever it is, if it's breathing... and they can catch it... the Australian's will make it into a burger. But first, let me go back to my moment of bliss as I stepped off of the boat and into the customs area of the port. Yes, I thought about kneeling down and planting a big one on the concrete flooring, but instead I spotted a local lady dressed in something akin to a Ranger's outfit, who happened to be holding onto an unusually colored snake. It was pastel green and wrapped around her arm. It was love at first site. Not the woman... the snake. I hurried over in my excitement and asked if I could touch it. I watched in amusement as a few other people from the boat began to alter their course of direction away from the snake as they became aware of it's slithering beauty. Now that I had planted the idea in my head, it was time to fulfill my ground kissing obligation, but instead... I let the snake plant a slithery kiss on my check. I have never seen so many women "Clutch Their Pearls" in horror as I saw that day. It was totally worth it!

Port of Darwin Australia

In addition to the snake, there was a baby"Croc" that was being held by another person. It was maybe a foot long. These things are as cute as can be, but very rough to the touch. After I got my fill of this little critter, I stepped out into the open air. The familiar heat and humidity struck me, but it was okay, I was happy. There was a man in uniform who was standing outside of the small building. As we were looking around trying to decide how to get to town, he was kind enough to step over in typical Aussie fashion and tell us that we could get there in about ten minutes by walking along the sea walk and following the signs.

Darwin Sea Wall

If any of you remember the movie "Australia" from a few years back, it's based on this town and area. However, they really only filmed a small segment of the movie in Darwin. The pier to the left, in this next photo, is where they filmed the scene when Nicole Kidman was leaving the boy behind on the ship.

Darwin, Australia

As my travel partner and I walked along the beautiful sea walk, the sign turned us left and up to a building that provided an outside elevator. The elevator took us up to a small bridge crossing and there we were, right in town within minutes.

Darwin, walking bridge into town

Darwin, looks nothing like it did in the movie. Of course time and the magic of film making usually does that to most movies. Before I went to Darwin, I was expecting a dry, desert outback kind of environment. I figured that dust would be blowing everywhere, while we fought off random tumbleweeds blowing by. However, Darwin was the complete opposite. It was a humid, tropical environment with lush green trees everywhere. I know now that if you drive out of town a ways, that all changes, but for the town itself, it was different than what I had expected.

Christ Church Darwin Australia

We began walking down the street and saw small town buildings, churches and the like. After a few blocks, I felt that I had been transferred back to a small quaint town in my native Oklahoma. I don't want you to think that Darwin is behind the times or anything, as it's really quite modern with it's lifestyles, homes, stores and people. The sidewalks were immaculate and well manicured. Darwin takes pride in it's town and it shows.

Darwin Australia

I felt completely safe walking around and there were plenty of friendly smiles as locals walked about. A small promenade area housed some tourist shops and places to buy artwork. Speaking of artwork, one of the galleries I happened into had some interesting pieces that were created by "Real Aboriginal" artists. Okay, I like Aboriginal art, some of it is quite nice, but here's where I get skeptical. The gallery is trying to sell very simple designs on canvas for the ridiculous example sums of $16,000. They try to emphasize that the content is gathered from the natives in the outback, and it most likely is. However, I have a hard time believing that the artists are actually receiving anything even remotely close to that $16,000. Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems that those poor artists are being taken advantage of. They wouldn't let me take any photos of it, so I can't show you.

Darwin Australia

Anyway, we passed a number of nice cafes and restaurants as we walked around. We went into a few shops here and there, and I have to tell you, Darwin is pretty expensive. Darwin is remote enough that I'm sure having anything shipped there costs them a bundle, and that cost is passed on. So, I can't really blame them for that. Later that day when it was time to eat lunch, we decided to stop into a hole-in-the wall cafe. A simple lunch with no drinks or frills was about $35 per person. Now, another option was a nice little "Burger" joint which had an unusual menu. Camel or Croc or Kangaroo burgers..and more, but don't fret, they all come with a side of Chips!

Darwin Australia

I don't have any fancy, exciting photos of the city area of Darwin. It's possible to walk through the town area in about twenty minutest. However, there are plenty of things to do and see throughout Darwin proper, that I just didn't have time to cover. After having our fill of shops, we looked on the city map and decided to walk to the Botanical Gardens.

Darwin Australia

Even though the weather was going back and forth between rain clouds and sunshine, it had decided to get sunny the minute we started our journey to the gardens. If you've never been to Australia, it's important to know that the sun is unusually strong down there. In fact, the UV exposure is much worse than what we get in the states. You can really feel the difference in the sun and even with sunblock on, I still got a bit burnt.

Darwin Australia

We walked past the golf course on the way to the gardens, there were a few people out playing here and there. The grounds were nice, but not easy to photograph due to the glaring of the sun.

Darwin australia

Once we got into the shaded areas, the trees were a welcome comfort. The old trees felt as though they had been there forever. There was a nice long path that continued on most of the way to the gardens. The Golf course ran the length of it also.

Darwin Australia

There were lots of ducks, ibis and wildlife running around in the small park area that lined the course. The birds were funny, I called them the "Fifteen Feet Fowl" due to their habit of not letting you any closer than 15 feet. I tested this as I walked towards them for the better part of the next 10 minutes.

Darwin Australia

What was funny, was this man who roared down the street and zipped into the park on his motorcycle. The whole time, his unusual passenger stayed in one position. I wasn't really prepared, so the shot's a little blurry.

Darwin Australia

Before we arrived to the gates of the garden, I happened to notice a Australian Rules game going on in a field across the street. I don't really know much about the game, but I stopped in fascination and pulled out the telephoto to get some shots. After I uploaded the photos, I couldn't believe what I saw. How fantastic is this? I always knew that Australian girls were kind of tough, but now I know why.

Darwin Australia Rules Game

The entrance to the Botanical Gardens is right across from the field. I can't really give you all the in's and out's of it's history, but I'll give you a link at the end of this post to read more about it. The color of the leaves against the green lawns was beautiful.

Darwin Botanical Gardens

The grounds are beautiful, and have many, many species of plants and trees. The walk from town is not difficult, and took about 25 minutes, maybe less. It's a fine walk if you're in good shape and don't mind a hike, but if you're not comfortable with a long walk and the heat and humidity, then there is a bus line from town that's easy and cheap.

Darwin Australia Botanical Gardens

This old house has some history, I thought it was interesting how well maintained it was. In fact, it was one of the only buildings that survived the 1974 Cyclone, which destroyed Darwin. As far as the gardens go, I believe they are about 130 years old, so the plant and tree life are mature.

Cannon Ball Tree in the Darwin Botanical Gardens

There were some oddities, such as the Cannon Ball tree. I don't remember where this one originally came from.

Darwin Australia Botanical Gardens

I didn't do a thorough investigation of the gardens, but there are some wonderful forest like trails that run through the grounds. There are different areas that are grown for specific species of the world. If you like plants at all, then it's well worth going there. Also, it's free. Can't beat that.

Darwin Australia Botanical Gardens

Overall, Darwin is not your typical big city mecca, but it's quite pleasant. It's seems that a number of people have retired there and enjoy a leisurely life by the ocean and not far from some amazing National Parks. Apparently, during certain times of the year, the area becomes quite busy with vacationers who like to relax at the beaches and enjoy the town. If you're there for a few days or more, then you can see the "Charles Darwin National Park", the "Litchfield National Park" and I suspect some nice fishing on some nearby lakes. There is an active sailing and water sports community there. You can even rent boats to take out on your own. Also, if you like museums, HERE is a link to find out more.

Darwin Australia

I have to tell you that out of the many months that I've spent and the many places that I've been to in Australia, virtually anywhere you go there, you will find the people to be quite wonderful. Of course there's always a nut or two in the big cities, but Australians, by nature, seem to have a respect for each other and life that shines through. These people are generally kind, helpful and will look out for your best interest if you have questions or need directions. Even in large cities like Sydney, people are warm and welcoming. And my favorite... Australians have the best sense of humor. They love to laugh and seem to come up with the most brilliant observations of humor.

Darwin Australia

I wish I had a lot more to say about Darwin, but it was a short visit, so I didn't get the proper time to fully experience it all. There are a few more pictures of Darwin in my Flickr album HERE, and a link to the information on the George Brown Darwin Botanical Gardens HERE.

Bali, Indonesia...the good, the bad and there's always a chicken

2010-04-09T15:19:00.000-07:00

Bali, is a large...well, an island that you can't just walk across. It can take hours to get from point A to point B...and not with ease. From what I've always read and seen, Bali is the magical, mystical island of enchantment. Go to Bali, and your life is complete, there's simply nothing left to live for. What more could you want? By now, I had spent a short while in Indonesia, and Bali seemed like a welcome dream that was coming up on my horizon. It was time to move from the hot crowded insanity of Java, the dry desert reptilian danger of Komodo..and onto a nice tropical beach.

Bali, Indonesia

I'm looking out of my boat and I'm seeing a lush mountainous terrain where a volcanic mountain is barely visible through the mist that magically appears... regardless of the bright sun that glares down from the sky. I loved it, breathing in lung-fulls of fresh air and watching as the seagulls fly past the small boat. It was nice that we were low enough that I could reach out and touch the clean ocean water as we speed towards the dock.

Padang Bai, Bali, Indonesia

There were a group of us exiting the tender boat and we all poured up onto the dock. As usual, the typical smattering of law enforcement was standing around on the dock and watching us as we began our walk up the pier, into town. Before I go on any further, I feel that it is necessary to mention that we weren't arriving to the typical Bali destination where thousands of Australian college students flock to on summer break each year. Nope... we were walking into the town at Padang Bai, miles away from Ubud and hours away other popular areas. Why? Well, that just happened to be the itinerary and I didn't have time to do any further exploring of Bali.

Padang Bai, Bali, Indonesia

My grand dreams of Balian paradise crashed into reality as we walked into the thriving mass of locals waiting for us at the entrance to the town. Unfortunately for us, we had to walk right through hundreds...yes, hundreds of local venders who decided that we were going to buy something from each one of them. I have to re-emphasize to new readers...I'm a nice guy, totally respect local customs, traditions and people when I travel...but the chaos of making your way through street vendors is never fun. It's so chaotic that I can never even pull the camera out and get a photo of it.

Bali, Indonesia

This time, I kept my hands on my pockets and held my backpack close to me. Why? Because there were stranger's hands moving all over my body and I was literally crammed into the middle of a crowd. I could barely move and what's even more fun is that sharp statues and fake plastic models of whatever nearby temple were being shoved into my face. The crowd was loud enough that no one could even hear you when you politely said "No thanks". A lady who was trying to give me a religious relic and was yelling at me about how it was "free" and would give me blessings...decided that scratching me from the top to the bottom of my arm was her best bet at getting my attention. AAAHHHHH!!! Okay, let's just say that for a fleeting moment...just a minuscule of time...I was ugly American, and got through the rest of the initial crowd rather quickly.

Bali, Indonesia

After dabbing blood off of my sweaty and stinging arm, I quickly walked off into the streets. The only thing that I could think of at the moment, was how sorry I felt for the locals who had to pressure-sell so much just to make a living. Going through that experience in these countries always brings up such a mixture of emotions to leave me dwelling on later.

Bali, Indonesia

The small town of Padang Bai, was...really small. There are a couple of little side streets which go off in either direction. One side moved off towards the hill and the other went into the few blocks of local businesses. As usual, it wasn't easy to walk down the street without having to watch for motorcycles flying by. Me and my travel partner walked up on the sidewalk and peered into the various shops as we passed by. Lots of glares and frowns. I smiled and nodded, but didn't have much luck with local hospitality.

Bali, Indonesia

There were a number of small temples that were built here and there. I found the carvings and structures to be quite fascinating. I was very respectful because a lot of people seemed to be meditating and burning incense at these various places. I had a feeling that the town was very religious due to the many Muslim clothes that I saw on lots of locals.

Bali, Indonesia

I stopped at a group of older Muslim ladies who were selling home made soap on the sidewalk. I looked at them and smiled and wanted to learn more about the soap, but their reaction was to pack up and clear out immediately, all four of them.

Bali, Indonesia

After walking away and trying to see more of the small town, my travel buddy and I ran into some friends who were on our boat. He and his wife had had the same unfortunate experience with the locals being either overly aggressive or very unfriendly. I often wonder if it's just me and that I'm expecting too much out of people, so to hear that other people experienced the same thing made me feel a little better.

Bali, Indonesia

It didn't take long to walk through the small town, so we decided to meander up a road that headed off into the hills. I was already sun burned from Komodo island, so I didn't want to find a beach to relax on. The humidity was pretty high, but manageable.

Bali, Indonesia Farm

We walked up the long hill, it was mainly just trees on both sides of the road. We finally came to a small farm entrance and saw a couple of cows hanging around. A young boy ran out and broke into a mischievous grin. He stood off to the side and was mesmerized at the strangers who were out at the road. His mother and sister were sitting off to the side.

Bali, Indonesia Moo Cow

The mom spoke up and offered to let us look at the cows up close for $5 U.S. Hmmmm...I grew up in Oklahoma...so although it was mighty tempting, I passed. The young boy was trying to ask us questions in English, but was almost too shy to be understood. His sister asked me to take his picture.. to apparently embarrass him...so here it is.

Bali, Indonesia, kid on the farm

As we walked on further, there was a man sitting on the side of the road with a small grill and some fish that he was cooking. It really seemed out of place, but I could see that there were some workmen around some hut type houses nearby and I figured that they were eating their lunches this way. The man smiled at us and then offered to sell us some fish on a stick. We saw some trash laying up against a concrete wall there at the place where the men were working. A completely horrified chicken ran behind it all and darted back and forth while we stood there. I had to photograph him sticking his little head out. No matter where I travel, there always seems to be a chicken in one of my photos.

Bali, Indonesia (Chicken in the clutter)

After walking up into the hills for a while, we decided that it was probably safer to go back to town. It became pretty jungle like at one point so we turned around and headed back down the hill. As we came back to the entrance of the small town, there was an interesting little side street which beckoned us in.

Bali, Indonesia

Maybe it was the wicker baskets full of chickens that were lined up against the wall. The alley was somewhat of a narrow path with houses that pressed up against it on each side. The alley echoed with the sound of clucking. While walking up the little street, we saw a small store front that seemed to be carved out of someone's house. There were chips, sodas and more for sell. We were quite thirsty at this point and luckily a small family came from the back.

Bali, Indonesia

They were all smiles, and so friendly. It was strange seeing a little store like this up an alleyway that was practically devoid of life. We bought some drinks from the sweet mother and talked with the family for a while. They asked us all sorts of questions about where we were from, etc.. A policeman who was a friend of theirs came up on a motorcycle and joined the conversation. With all the laughter and talking, people started coming out of the homes and into the alley.

Bali, Indonesia

After we said goodbye to the family, we passed another family of seniors who wanted to talk with us. The wife was too shy, but the two older men were apparently fascinated with my camera and wanted their photo taken with it. I guess after seeing us talk with the other family, they trusted us.

Bali, Indonesia

We talked more, laughed more and took a few more photos. After some more goodbyes, we headed back down the alley and towards town.

Bali, Indonesia

When we finally reached the town again, we walked along and looked at some more of the small shops. I loved watching all the women carry baskets and things on their heads. I can't imagine how they manage it. My vegetables would end up all over the ground if I tried that. They must develope great posture from years of doing this.

Bali, Indonesia

After a few blocks, we ran across a school that was bustling with energy as young kids ran all over the school yard and street. They surrounded us and in a very friendly way, began to talk to us in English. The teachers were sitting on the benches and I looked over at them to make sure it was okay. The group of teachers smiled and nodded, so we spent some time talking to the kids. What a bunch of little actors...they all wanted their photo taken and crowded around in groups. In the states, we call this "Hamming" it up for the camera.

Bali, Indonesia

The teachers let us spend quite a while with the kids. I guess it helped them practice their English, and helped them to have a healthy interaction with people from other countries.

Bali, Indonesia

It was interesting how friendly and fun the kids were compared to many of the adults in the town. I was so happy that we were beginning to see some of the warmth and hospitality that we had heard about before arriving to Bali.

Bali, Indonesia

These boys were required to take out the trash as part of their chores. They made such a production of it and of course, made sure they posed for each dramatic step.

Bali, Indonesia

The kids played on the slide and stopped at the stop for their pose. Not one single kid asked for money during the whole time we were there. I was happy about that. They seemed to really enjoy the visiting. People often wonder why travelers take photos of children when they go to other countries. The answer is simple. When you travel to a foreign land, children are generally the only people who don't care where you're from, or who you are. They generally are too young to have or to understand prejudice, and they look at you with the same honest and kind fascination that we should all have for each other.

Bali, Indonesia

I spent a lot of time trying to keep up with various kids yelling "Me", "Me"...and wanting another photo taken. The teachers were always too shy and just giggled as they covered their own faces, so I didn't pester them.

Bali, Indonesia

There was a mother and his son or grandson who were sitting outside of one of the little stores by the school. I took a couple of photos of them (with permission). We walked over and ended up buying a lot of little snack packets of various things. I had no idea what most of them were, but the lady would point and say "Spicy" or "Sweet" or "Salty"... we took like...thirty packet of them. They were quite cheap, but I have to say it was a lot of fun eating through them over the next week. Some of them were snacks made out of Tapioca. I am used to only having that as a pudding, not a snack cracker.

Bali, Indonesia

We spent some more time in the town and ended up buying some gifts from various vendors. It's possible to get a good deal on silks and things if you bargain. Beware though, they will ask for lots more than it's worth, so you do have to bargain.

Bali, Indonesia

Padang Bai has a few nice hotels and restaurants. It's possible to spend a lot of money there. I wouldn't suggest going to Padang Bai as a single destination, but Bali, in general is beautiful. There is a lot of poverty in Indonesia, so remember that Bali is not all resorts and Hard Rock Cafes. Those fancy places are an unrealistic image of the way many of the people have to live and survive there. Bali can be dangerous due to scams and the occasional religious conflict. I've spoken to people who had problems there. Overall, we were okay, but things can happen, so always be careful and wise when you travel.

Bali, Indonesia

To be fair, thousands of people go to Bali every year and love it. I didn't explore other parts of the island like the popular destination areas, so I can only talk about what I experienced in Padang Bai. Indonesia has an incredibly rich culture of music, food and art. It's islands vary greatly from one to the next in scenery and sometimes climate.

Bali, Indonesia

Due to the large amount of poverty, the overcrowded conditions and internal conflicts, it can often be an uncomfortable experience if you wander off the beaten path. If you ever visit Indonesia, I would recommend a tour. It's better to be guided by someone who knows the islands and highlights. Many of the Indonesian people were kind and wonderful. I have also befriended a number of them from various travel ventures and have gotten to know much about their lives and beliefs.

Bali, Indonesia

There are some more simple photos of Padang Bai in my Flickr album, which you can access HERE.

National Geographic and the Flying Fish of Timor Sea

2010-03-30T09:44:00.000-07:00

Every so often I capture a shot or two that I really enjoy sharing. I am jumping ahead here with my post, but I wanted to coincide with the April 2010 publication of National Geographic Magazine. Although I didn't get a full page or anything close to it (My Shot section), I am happy to say that the photo below this paragraph was chosen for publication in April's special "Water" issue of National Geographic.

Flying Fish in the Timor Sea. Published in National Geographic Magazine

After I left Indonesia, I was sailing down towards Australia through the Timor sea. The sea there was the calmest I had ever seen in my life. The sun was shining and would create interesting light effects on the water, as well as the shiny surface of the fish. You can see the purple color throughout the water pattern of the fish in the photo below.

Flying Fish in the Timor Sea

The water, for the most part, was like looking into a mirror. This reflection would cause the sky and horizon to be one at times.

Flying Fish in the Timor Sea

Of course, sailing through the water would cause a bit of rippling and end up in my shots, but this added an interesting texture to the photos.

Flying Fish in the Timor Sea

These Flying Fish were incredible. I had never seen them in real life and it had taken me a few minutes to figure out what they were. The sound of their wings, especially when there were groups of them, was just amazing. What surprised me was how far they could actually fly before returning to the surface. I especially thought it was interesting how often the very tip of their tail was used for guiding as they skimmed across the water. The tail would leave a zig-zag pattern in the water that was mesmerizing. You should have an idea as to how fast they were actually moving by the frozen-in-time water pattern that was left behind in some of the shots. Droplets of water were still suspended in the air.

Flying Fish in the Timor Sea

The funny thing is that I was trying to capture photos of Dolphins...who happen to be hiding out that day. So, instead, I thought that it might be fun to photograph the unusual fish.

Flying Fish in the Timor Sea

These fish move extremely fast. It was ridiculous how fast. I spent quite a while leaning over the boat and waiting for each moment that a few of these beauties would fly out away from our wake. It wasn't until I looked at my photos later and up close that I noticed the various species. Often the color or pattern on the wings would vary.

Flying Fish in the Timor Sea

Due to the high speed and needed camera settings, a few of them came out a little grainy, but that's to be expected. The color of light and water would vary, depending on what side of the boat I was on. One side had direct sunlight and the other side had a shadow. I often ran back and forth since they would seem to change sides on occasion.

Flying Fish in the Timor Sea

NOTE: I get lots of email requests for prints of the Flying Fish photos. The prints are available for purchase by clicking on the following link. There are many options for prints (starting at about $12) or Framed and matted prints (with a choice of frames, mats, etc..) and even Canvas or Gallery wraps. There are also other good selling prints from my collection at the same storefront. The link is HERE.

Thanks! Luther Bailey

Komodo Island and the lizard ick

2010-03-23T16:26:00.000-07:00

My trip through Asia was mainly a combination of burn, sizzle, suffocate, drip... drench...drip, cough and the occasional mosquito bite. I can handle weather, and I can handle harsh climates, however, that theory was about to be tested when I ventured to the unusual island of Komodo. But first, let me give you some perspective in a nutshell about Komodo. Years ago, someone said.."Wow, there's like some really big lizards living on that island over there", and then someone else said, "Cool!, let's go look at them!". Our adventurous friends venture over to said island and spot large lizards. "Awesome, there's so many of them". said the first guy "Yeah, I think I'm going to touch one." Said the second guy.

Komodo Island, Indonesia

After burying the first guy, another group of guys said, "This place could use some homes, so let's live here". "But it's dangerous and these big lizards are everywhere, they could eat our children." said a few more guys. "Okay, let's just put our homes on stilts, what could go wrong?". After some rather shady and sketchy history of "Possible" deaths on the island, another guy said, "Dude, let's just charge money and bring tourist onto the island to see the big lizards." he grinned. "That can't be safe, couldn't they get hurt?" someone said in response. "Not if we charge enough and call it a 'destination'...", "Besides, we can just carry these long tree branches and it will make it look like we're protecting the tourists."

Komodo Island, Indonesia

Okay, here I go stepping onto a Tender and making my way towards shore. I am looking all around and Komodo looks absolutely nothing like Indonesia. In fact, as we approach, it looks like Palm Springs, California, with a splash of extra trees and all of it is sitting on various hillsides. I am furiously scanning the island as we get closer for any sign of the infamous lizard..er...Komodo Dragon. I recall reading the brochure and wondering if the trip to the island was a good idea. Here are the rules: 1. Women, if you're menstruating, you can't come onto the island, you will be hunted and eaten. (not making that up). 2. If you cut or scrape yourself, you must flee, or you will be hunted and eaten. 3. Don't flee from the Dragons, you will be chased and eaten. 4. Stay with the Ranger at all times, he carries a long twig which might or might not be effective (we'll never tell you). 5. Don't run from the Dragon if he starts to chase you, trust in the stick. 6. Don't wander off on your own, we're not responsible for any extra meals that the Dragons may encounter.

Komodo Island

Okay, so those are the basic rules. Sounds fun already? You can't...for any reason, go to the island unless you have a reservation with a Ranger. It's not like Komodo is the kind of place you would just show up to, but most people get there by boat, and if you're one of the people who thought you'd just "wing-it", without a guide or tour, then you're out of luck. After all, the Rangers only have so many sticks.

Komodo Island Ranger Guides

Once I made it to shore, I walked over to the small holding area where the Rangers were waiting for us...my eyes darting around on the ground. Then I noticed something immediately...it's hot...where did the breeze go? After a few moments, an English girl with orange hair and a nose ring decided to gather us together and be our tour "Briefer". So, rules 1-6 were repeated with the ever so slightly condescending, but giggly "I'd rather be anywhere but here" tone and she then shuffled us off to our various Ranger guides. Was Komodo island sooo frightening that the only English speaking greeter outside of a Walmart that was available... happened to be "Britney"...a punk rocker from the bad side of London? Okay, so she was nice and did her job well, but could anything have been more out of place??

Komodo Island, Indonesia

Off we go, and I run to the front of the line. There's a line because it's a small trail which winds off into the woods. Gee...it was so breezy on the boat, maybe the wind will pick up here in a moment. These trails are obviously man made, I guess they'd have to be. You wouldn't want various tourists wandering off into the woods, that would just add more rules. I'm behind our Ranger, he's kind of a small guy and I can tell he was very confident with his twig/stick/weapon that had some sort of strange Indonesian name that I'm sure translated to "Whackamadoodle" in English.

Komodo Island Ranger Guide

We were all quiet and looking everywhere. I swear I heard a Crow and kept thinking I was walking into a nightmarish version of an Edgar Alan Poe poem.....except with lizards. So, here I am with my camera..nothing but woods and more woods so far. I was anxious and trying not to trip up by the people behind me who kept scooting forward as if there was safety in numbers. I admit, I was a bit nervous, but it's not like we signed up for Jurassic Park or anything. Besides, there was an annoying little brat who was making a lot of noise as "Mummy" kept handing her chocolaty treats to satisfy her "I'm bored already" whining. I figured one good push in a general lizard direction would buy the rest of us enough time to escape if necessary. So I let her remain to my right.

Komodo Island Cotton Tree

I couldn't figure out why there was so much water pouring down my body. Oh yeah, it was HOT. This is another warning people. Komodo island is really, really HOT. When you trot off into the woods to have your little lizard sighting...there's no breeze. None. This means that essentially, you're standing in the middle of an oven and there is no relief. The good news is that there's only an hour of walking through the woods left.

Komodo Island Trees

It was thoroughly emphasized to us by our Ranger guide that a "Sighting" was not guaranteed. Are we "Snipe" hunting now?? After all, it was wrong of me to assume that traveling all the way to Komodo island and paying money to see a Komodo Dragon...would actually yield...a Komodo Dragon. By now, I'm just hot, sweating and really curious. Alas! What's that our Ranger sees?? Just beyond our steps seems to be a sighting of KD's!! We all bristled with tension as our Ranger put his finger to his lips, indicating that we stand silently (slightly learning forward...except for Ethel in the back who was ready to run). After some hand signals to the Ranger who was further around the trail, our guide led us forward.

More Komodo Island woods...yeah, I know it's repetitive

THERE!! I see them now!! (I thought that quietly of course with camera poised in hand). Here's the part I don't quite understand. I began walking towards to the Dragons....yep, right up to them. There were say...four of them lying silently on the ground...and not moving. Well, I like to say that they were silently preparing their attack.

Wild Komodo Dragon on Komodo Island

I figured that if I was going to get eaten alive, that I should at least leave behind a "Discovery Channel Worthy" closeup of Komodo Dragon snout. We were motioned to began quietly circling around the KDs and stare silently. So, out comes Bob and Gwen's video camera, Rick's snazzy Nikon D and a host of other point and shoot devices (just more roughage for the lizards).

Wild Komodo Dragon on Komodo Island, Indonesia

Bravely, I squatted down a bit and took a number of photos. There seemed to be a man made watering hole that was dug just for this spot. Now, I really didn't notice this until I got back and checked my photos, but it was really clear that each KD had already eaten. You see, I worked in a hospital for years and I've seen some pretty graphic stuff, but having a high resolution close up of lizard slimly drool, mixed with blood and god knows what...is just absolutely, 100% disgusting. Blaaahhhh!!! So, I thought I'd post the photos for your pleasure.

Wild Komodo Dragon (Blood Drool..et all) on Komodo Island

This is where my mind started wondering if all of this was more than just coincidence. I started thinking back about how we were walking down the trail and a bird call would echo through the woods and then the Ranger would start his speech about the "such and such" bird. Then a baby KD would scuttle across the path with breakneck speed. Was someone, somewhere pushing a button and releasing these incidences one by one? Maybe I'm just a skeptic, but at one point a large Boar ran across our trail and stood off the side just long enough for us to star and get a lecture. I'm just saying. A side note for those who are squeamish: The baby KD's, when born, immediately run from their mother and high-tail it up a tree to keep from being eaten by their mother. There is no nurture process. Since they are in the trees, many of them actually fall down on occasion...right where you're walking...I'm just letting you know.

Wild Komodo Dragon on Komodo Island (They're way more snuggly than they look)

Anyway, so maybe four perfectly full and content man eating lizards just happen to be laying in this perfect clearing...supplied with all you can drink watering hole. None the less, I loved seeing these amazing creatures in real life, in their real environment. As we walked further down the trail, another group had landed at the same lizard viewing area and I watched from a distance. We had momentarily stopped for questions with another guide who happened along from out of the blue.

Wild Komodo Dragon on Komodo Island

As he chatted on, I watched as a lady with an umbrella decided that she was going to open it to protect herself from the sun coming down through the trees. However, who would have thought that the clicking sound of an umbrella opening up would cause a Komodo to jump up suddenly and charge her? Perfect Youtube moment, and me without my camera going. Well, don't worry, the Rangers jumped into action and held the lizard at bay. It turns out those Whackamadoodles really do work!!

Wild Komodo Dragons on Komodo Island

By the way, did you notice how dry the Ranger's Skin and hair are? Not a drop of sweat. If you would have seen how drenched and homely the rest of us were, you would have been surprised. I guess the locals get used to the weather. Just to let you know that I'm not exaggerating about the heat and lack of breeze, one of our group members had a heat stroke on the path and had to be taken to medical care.

Komodo Island in Indonesia

As we continued on our path, it was interesting to look around at the landscaped of hills and trees that you could see through the clearings.

Wild Orchids growing in a tree on Komodo Island

Our guide pointed out some wild Orchids that were growing on one of the trees. They were bunched up with some branches and twigs, so it was difficult to get a good shot of them. The species seems different than what I've normally seen.

Ranger leading us through the woods on Komodo Island

After we passed over a small bridge, we saw a large Buck sitting on the side and watching us. He was literally feet away. I'm not sure if you realize, but this is highly unusual behavior for a deer of any kind. I took a number of photos of him.

Wild Deer on Komodo Island

When we finally eded our walk through the woods, we came back out to the beach area and some booths that were set up. Some girls gave us a Komodo Dragon toy that was made out of Coconut shells....and a much needed bottle of water.

Komodo Island in Indonesia

There is a small cafe on the grounds, as well as a T-Shirt shop and an outdoor crafts setup. Yes, most things were very overpriced. Even a T-Shirt was $25 and up...pretty high for Indonesia. Granted, they do state that all the proceeds go to the families on the island. There is a small community that lives there and they make their living from the tourist industry. So, by all means, buy something to help them out.

Komodo Island in Indonesia

The small community of houses is actually on the other side of the hill, so you can't really get to it. However, you can see from this photo how many of the homes and buildings are up on the stilts to protect them from the Komodo Dragons.

Komodo Island Homes on Stilts

I did notice a bunch of children were living there. Can you imagine how nervous a parent would be having their kid running around this place? Komodo Island is pretty big, with a lot of remote areas and a lot of Dragons.

Komodo Island Local Children

In case you don't know, a Komodo Dragon can kill someone, but it really doesn't happen as often as you would think. In fact, it's quite rare due to the precautions that are taken. KDs have a large amount of bacteria and other goodies (such as Venom) in their saliva, which will kill animals and humans over time, if left untreated. A bite would inevitably cause lowered blood pressures, stop blood from coagulating and even cause paralysis. There is far mar detailed information on the internet about the history and habits of these creatures.

Typical House on Komodo Island (Stilts for protection from the Komodo Dragons)

Overall, I loved my visit to Komodo. The beach was nice, but the Komodos even wander out on the beach, so you have to be careful. As I explained ad nauseum, it is very hot there and it's vital to take bottled water with you on your hike.

Komodo Island local having a bite to eat (and keeping her feet from dangling over the edge)

The park offers several hikes through parts of the island that range from an hour long walk to one that is quite a few miles. Believe me, don't take the long hikes unless the weather is good and you are really up to it. We took the shortest one and we felt just about dead afterwards.

Komodo Island in Indonesia

The amazing thing is that Komodo island (and an adjacent small island) are the only places in the world where you can see Komodo Dragons in the wild. There are a few in zoos around the world, but that's it. Their size is quite impressive, as well as their presence. You can tell that they are very confident lizards. There are some more shots of Komodo island in my Flickr Site, which you can access HERE. However, keep in mind that most of them are simply shots of brown hills and trees, not much to photograph there. Also, if you want to read a bit more about Komodo Dragons, this site HERE has a good amount on information.

Komodo Island Boat

Java, Indonesia and the amazing Borobudur (Part three)

2010-03-21T13:01:00.000-07:00

I was so happy that we were almost to Borobudur. The bus ride there took quite a while and I was a bit tired of looking out of the bus window. By now, the rain had been coming down long enough to make everything completely wet. The last small town we were coming into was a bit grey and overcast.

Java, Indonesia

The good thing was that within the next ten minutes, the rain had begun to lighten enough to make it feasible to walk around. I watched as more local police stood out on the streets and made sure we had a safe journey into the temple grounds.

Java, Indonesia

The grounds were beautiful and everything was so green. I was glad to see that there were not scores of people everywhere. I had half expected this place to be completely packed, but maybe the weather had kept some away. Once we stepped off of the bus, there were a couple of locals selling umbrellas. Due to the circumstances, they did quite well.

Borobudur in Java, Indonesia

The temple sat up on a hill and was visible through the trees. After climbing a few stairs, I felt like we had approached something akin to the Mayan temples, but on a far grander and more elaborate scale. I actually went on this tour not knowing anything about what I was going to see. I am very spontaneous that way. I thought I would end up seeing a few statues here and there on the ground, but I was wrong. Borobudur was a massive monument that soared upwards into the sky.

Borobudur in Java, Indonesia

The structure was made out of a stone that blended together in color. Not enough contrast, so taking a photo of it against the grey background made it nearly impossible to get a good shot. I tried to capture as many elements as I could instead of wide shots.

Borobudur in Java, Indonesia

Our local guide said a few words about the temple and it's history, but I was like a little kid just waiting to run off and climb all over the temple. So, that's exactly what I did. The carvings and statues were in such concentration, that it was not easy to take it all in. Level after level of carved eyes just stared at me as I photographed.

Borobudur in Java, Indonesia

I walked around one side of the monument and took various photos of the multitudes of Buddha statues that were sitting throughout. Rain continued to fall and fogged my lenses. I was soaked from head to toe, but I didn't care. Although keeping a camera dry in rain is not fun, especially when you have to change lenses.

Borobudur in Java, Indonesia

I noticed that some of the Buddha statues were missing their heads. I'm not sure if this was from vandals or simply the structure falling apart over the years. After all, this structure was built over a thousand years ago around 800 A.D. There is no real written record about the construction, but through research that estimate that it took about 75 years to build.

Borobudur in Java, Indonesia

I can't imagine the manpower that went into building this. The level of detail that can be seen up close is incredible. If I would have had more time and better weather, I would have photographed more of the unique carvings. The one below is just a small sample of the variety.

Borobudur in Java, Indonesia

There are 504 Buddha statues and 2,672 relief panels. Borobudur is more of a shrine than what you would consider a Temple. It's massive size and complexity makes it hard to define exactly. It didn't take me long to realize that really exploring this structure meant that I would have to go up to the top. The stairs upwards are in the middle sections on each side. As I neared the entrance to the stairs, I had a flashback to climbing up the stairs of the Great Wall of China.

Borobudur in Java, Indonesia

The stairs were pretty steep and awkward. I can't figure out why ancient architects felt that everyone must take very long and high steps to get anywhere. Some steps were narrow, some were wide. So, my journey up the monument became a step and rest kind of journey...well, sometimes two or three steps. I am just letting you know that if you plan on visiting here and climbing to the top, that it takes a little bit of work. There were a few seniors here and there at the top, so it's not impossible.

Borobudur in Java, Indonesia

Actually being on the monument made it all come to life for me. When you are standing back and looking at Borobudur from the ground, it is hard to take it all in. However, being on top and up close to each and every stone makes it feel very real. I finally made it to the top and wow...what a view.

Borobudur in Java, Indonesia

It is easy to circumnavigate the top of the monument and there is more than one level. The views stretch out forever and the mountains in the background were amazing with the mist and rainclouds hanging over them.

Borobudur in Java, Indonesia

There were quite a few Indonesian tourist at the moment. Aside from the group that I was with, there were not a lot of non-natives. I took a short video clip while on the top, from one side. I am posting it below so that you can get a sense of what it was like to be there.

On the top of Borobudur in Java, Indonesia

It was fun watching everyone's face light up in amazement at the thought of where they were standing. I'm assuming that not a lot of people from around the world actually venture here. So standing on the top of Borobudur felt quite unique to me.

Borobudur in Java, Indonesia

The bell shaped Stupas along the top of the monument are also amazing to see. I can't even begin to imagine how they managed to get each one so perfectly formed and structured to withstand a thousand years.

Borobudur in Java, Indonesia

What's amazing is that this monument sat completely covered in the jungle for hundreds of years before being rediscovered in the 1800's. While on this island, Thomas Raffles had heard about this place being found and hidden by the jungle.

Borobudur in Java, Indonesia

He sent a group of men there, and in over two months time of clearing the forest, they uncovered most of it. Further uncovering and a large restoration was completed over time. It would be best to read more about this HERE if you'd like to get the detailed history.

Borobudur in Java, Indonesia

The grounds that are there now are quite beautiful and manicured. A luxury hotel resides on the grounds. I had a wonderful meal there that was part of my tour. The Indonesian dishes were incredible, along with the selection of tropical fruit for desert. There are plenty of hotels in the area and most are quite affordable. Indonesia as a whole is affordable.

Borobudur in Java, Indonesia

The statues on the grounds were interesting. I walked around for a while, but eventually the heat and oppressive humidity got to me, so I took a break and found some air conditioning.

Borobudur grounds in Java, Indonesia

I would say that if you ever find yourself in this part of the world, then make it a point to visit Borobudur. It is well worth the extra time and effort that it takes to get there.

Borobudur Hotel on the monument grounds

There are more pictures of Borobudur and Java in my Flickr photo albums, which can be accessed by clicking HERE.

Borobudur grounds in Java, Indonesia

Faces and Places in Java, Indonesia (Part Two)

2010-03-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

The primary thing that sticks out in my mind on my long journey through Java, is the winding roads that were coupled with gluing my face and camera to the window. This made for a dizzying experience. The bus was well air-conditioned and pretty nice, so no chickens in the lap. Picture this: I'm trying to take pictures of the amazing imagery passing me by, so I'm looking sideways out the window. Add to that the frequent amount of traffic which is being shoved out of the way by our Nascar convoy.

Java, Indonesia

The roads would often get smaller and smaller so I had to battle between the desire to photograph... and watch in horror, as the tiny little cars would literally be hanging on to a sheer strip of gravel as they struggled to keep from falling off the roads into Java oblivion. I can't even imagine the warm feelings these poor drivers were having for us as we forced our way through their small towns and roads. But enough about that. I wanted to make this blog post about showing you the people and images of Java as we passed through towns and villages, so there won't be much writing this time... but I hope you enjoy the (blurry bus window) images.

Java, Indonesia

The first thing that I began to notice in Java was the constant use of pastel colors in painting homes and businesses. This also seemed to carry over into clothing. Also, while I didn't get a lot of photos of them, it seems to be common for most businesses to have glass containers for selling food products. If you look at the photo above, you will see an empty one that says "Beli Emas" (haven't a clue), but these were everywhere and usually filled with mysterious treats. Often times, when you are photographing people, the adults will look away in shyness, but kids will generally just stare you down and laugh or smile (although this little guy seems to be lost in thought).

Java, Indonesia

This was one of my favorite house pictures that I captured in Java. I realize that it's just a simple framed house, but there is something intriguing about the combination of pastel green (exact same color as the door in the first photo), the deep purple door and the lady sitting on the front porch. I also love the laundry hanging out to dry. Considering it was raining constantly, I'm not sure why she felt that her clothes were going to be doing any good there.

Java, Indonesia

These guys were funny. What an eclectic group of characters. They all have completely different expressions on their faces and poses. I love it when people look right into the camera, it captures much more of their personality. I grew up in Oklahoma. It was not uncommon for people to put anything and everything in their front yard, rather than store it in a proper place. I believe Jeff Foxworthy (Comedian) said that "You know you're a Redneck if...you have more appliances in the front yard, than in the kitchen". I'm mentioning this because it seemed to be the norm for people in Java to pile things out front and all over the place. I just find that funny since it reminds me of growing up.. and as a Virgo....well, why can't they just organize!!

Java, Indonesia

These little shops were always interesting. If you look to the left of the photo, you can see the gasoline cans sitting there. It was very common to see gallons of gas being sold like this. I assume it's more for the vast amount of motorcycles everywhere. My mother would have never let me near that many gallons of gasoline in such a state of boredom as this little one sitting there. But then again, I guess that's the difference between boys and girls.

Java, Indonesia

More kids running around everywhere, but not in school. Not that they should be, but I often wonder why half of them are in school and half are not. If I had to guess, it's probably the same system as some other countries where they spilt the day into two groups. Why couldn't they do that when I was growing up? A half day would have been just fine with me.

Java, Indonesia

I think that I'm being sneered at here. I'm wondering who's more curious about who here, but it's not my fault that they happened to be sitting in front of the perfect backdrop for a photograph. Not to mention the great Bell-bottoms, spiked hair on the one guy and I swear, a blue flower pinned to the shirt of the other. Perfect shot!!

Java, Indonesia

This is a literal translation of "Carrying around a spare tire" (yes, I had to go there). Okay, if I worked at a tire shop and I was bored, I'd put a tire tube around my waste also. What?? Is there really something else to do there?

Java, Indonesia

Something just dawned on this guy. I don't know what, but such a great expression. Every shop in Java is dedicated to motorcycle repair. Have a burger, get an oil change. Get your hair cut..new tires?? I don't know if this is a comment on how Indonesians are obsessive about motorcycle maintenance, or a comment about the lack of motorcycle maintenance.

Java, Indonesia

That's right, you're late for class..whenever that is. I have no idea what those shops are selling behind our galloping friends, but apparently you can buy a lot of it.

Java, Indonesia

Is it me, or would this make a perfect cover for a rock album? It seems like every album cover I've seen where band members pretend not to be looking at the camera with anything other than that "I'd rather be rocking" look. Also, they apparently found another use for the odd tire. That must be why the previous guy was holding on to his collection with such defiance.

Java, Indonesia

Need I say anything at all about this photo? I didn't think so.

Java, Indonesia

Seriously, what are these two up to?? Even the driver's hair is rebellious. Someone's mom is going to be really mad when they get home. Maybe it's the cops right behind us with their flashing lights on. Just a habitual reaction?

Java, Indonesia

Okay, this one's just titled "Obstinate Chicken". If you're going to strut away, you might as well make a statement. I'm sure the Rooster said something wrong...and has no idea what.

Java, Indonesia

I'm really scared of this guy, maybe that's why they're making him work alone in the field.

Java, Indonesia

This one's training for Cirque Du Soleil. Nothing like a little multi-tasking with a tiny bicycle and an umbrella.

Java, Indonesia

Some dudes, some wheel barrels and an embroidered Betty Boop bag (click photo to enlarge). Perfect place to end. This was all in good fun, no disrespect meant.

The unusual escorts in Java, Indonesia (Part One)

2010-03-14T14:42:00.000-07:00

When I arrived at the port of Semarang, I was a little apprehensive. Here I was, I had no expectations, traveling to a place that I had never imagined I would go to and yet my first view of Java seemed to be a letdown. I'm just being honest here. The first thing I saw seemed like a brown haze mixed with fog and a mountain just barely peeking out from under it all. Then the industrial mesh of cranes and rusty looking docks jetting out into the water. Granted, most ports are not that attractive to begin with, and I'm sure that this one was well functioning and perfectly fine, it's just not what I wanted to wake up to.

Port of Semarang in Java, Indonesia

In the grand scheme of things, I knew that the island of Java was huge. It was merely one island out of 17,508 that were owned by Indonesia (although only 6000 of them are inhabited). It is hard to fathom that there are over 230 Million people living in Indonesia...very crowded. So, I kept my hopes up that I would soon experience something more interesting than what I saw on my arrival.

Semarang houses on the edge of town

I knew that Indonesia was not really a prosperous country, so I wasn't expecting a slew of designer shops and movie theaters to be thrown everywhere, nor did I want to see that. From where I was, it wasn't possible to walk into the town of Semarang. I had spoken to a guide who told me that not only was the town of Semarang not possible to walk to, but it wasn't really a place to go exploring. I wasn't sure if his advice was sound, since everyone has different tastes, but at his insistence, I decided to try something else.

Semarang on Java, Indonesia

Little did I know that a tour through Java, would include a police escort. Not just one cop, but a number of them in patrol cars. I watched and interacted with a number of different uniformed officers at the port while they were inspecting everything and watching everyone.

Officers in Semarang on Java, Indonesia

A slew of men in uniforms scoured the area and even led a bomb sniffing dog around the bus (before we got on). You can imagine that I was feeling somewhat intrigued from all of this, but oddly enough, it didn't scare me like you would think it would. Although, these are the kinds of things that I would have never told my poor (recently departed) mother about my trips, who spent most of her time in sheer panic when I traveled.

Officers in Semarang on Java, Indonesia

I am sure that I could go into great detail as to why there would be all of this ruckus going on, but I imagine that most people understand the problems that Indonesia has and has had in the recent past and why a threat of safety would be a concern for the local authorities. The local police were very kind and friendly. It was such an odd sensation to be sitting in the bus and begin a long journey through Java with flashing lights of police cars in front and back to keep a watchful eye.

Officers in Java, Indonesia

What was explained to us, and I am sure is partially true, is that due to the long windy roads, traffic and small towns we'd be passing through, that it was necessary to have police escorts to be able to cut down on travel time. However, that doesn't explain the dogs and constant police presence at every single town we went through. In order to keep you from worrying too much (in case you plan on going there), we never had one single incident on our journey. As I explained, the police were great and fun to talk to.

Leaving Semarang on Java, Indonesia

I don't want you to get the wrong idea, as you can see in this photo, there is a normal city life there, but as we travel into the country, it is mainly small towns and villages. You will see more of that life later on. So, here we are, heading out into the mysterious island of Java. A small highway took us towards our first town. I kept my camera positioned at my window and snapped shot after shot. Unfortunately, the tinting on the window (and the driving speed) made most of my photos a bit grainy and blurry. I saw the usual poverty that I had been witnessing on my journey over the months and photographed in curiosity, not in judgement.

Homes on Java Indonesia

There were many homes along the inner waterways. There was a certain fascination and charm to them, and the small bridges that snakes across the water. A strange coupling of industry and poverty existed with little thought to layout. It seemed homes were erected wherever they would fit.

Java, Indonesia

It was explained that the expensive homes were on the adjacent hills and were occupied by the doctors, lawyers and government people (sounds very familiar). Now, before I go any further with my posts on Java, I want to explain that I had a great time. I was absolutely fascinated with Java and everything I saw. I just like to write honestly and post what I see, as it is. So, bear with me.

Java, Indonesia

As you've probably gathered from my other posts, I love to people watch. So, driving through these small towns and villages was a great way to photograph the lives and faces of the local people. Although this bus trip was hours long, it seemed that every town we went through was aware that we were coming through. Many people were outside and watching as we went by.

Java, Indonesia

I suppose the police escorts weren't too subtle, but it was great to watch the smiles and waves. I saw a group of ladies sitting in the back of this pickup truck. I'm not sure what they were doing, but what a great contrast. The fun part is always trying to imagine what's going on in people's lives. There is a large Muslim presence on the island, most of the women cover their heads. There is still a Buddhist population and it's generally easy to tell the difference with the locals in the way they dress.

Granted, not everyone was smiling as we passed, but it was interesting, non the less. I love the look on this guy's face (below). This happened a few times, but you can't really blame people. I don't like my photo taken either.

Java, Indonesia

There were so many fruit and vegetable stands that we passed. The most obvious fruit was the "Bread Fruit". This is a huge fruit which has a very light taste to it. I ate this a number of times on my trip. In fact, I ate multitudes of exotic fruits that I had never heard of or seen before. The sad thing about this, is that I found a couple that I loved, and can't get in the states.

Bread Fruit in Java, Indonesia

Many of the roads through Java were small roads which wound up and down hills and mountains, along with thick patches of forest. We saw quite a few farms and lush, beautiful pastures. It began pouring rain at one point and made it a bit more difficult to see.

Java, Indonesia

Java, has a haunting feel to it in the rain. Not in a bad way, but an eerie look to the older buildings and huts. There were so many that I couldn't possibly photograph them all. I felt sorry for the other people on the bus who had to listen to my camera clicking over and over again.

Java, Indonesia

We eventually stopped at a coffee plantation in the hills. They took us in and gave us fresh fruit and fresh local coffee. The aroma there was amazing. I'm not a big coffee drinker, but the combination of coffee, tropical forest and rain in the air was intoxicating. It seemed that everywhere you go in Java, there is a unique smell to that area. Sometimes it's just the burning of fields or tropical plants.

Java, Indonesia

There was a great old Banyan tree that was growing at the plantation. It's root system was beautiful and this photograph doesn't do it justice. It was much larger than it appears here.

Coffee Plantation on Java, Indonesia

There were some local ladies in a "Traditional" dress who were greeting and speaking to everyone. they were also very nice and had no problem with having their photo taken. If you're into handmade crafts, there were also plenty of those here to buy, and at good prices.

Java, Indonesia

There were interesting statues on the grounds, and locals selling packages of dried snacks and nick-nacks. The large pieces of dried breadfruit and beets were tasty. Since we were up in the hills, there was not much to photograph of the plantation. Mainly it was just a group of us and the cops enjoying our coffee and snacks.

Java, Indonesia Police escorts, giving me the "Thumbs Up".

After we filled up with coffee...and used the restroom from excess coffee drinking...we finally piled back in the bus and left. I will continue on Java Indonesia in a day or two.

Flowers around the world - Java, Indonesia

2010-03-13T14:49:00.000-08:00

Before I begin my posts on my trips around Indonesia, I thought I'd continue my "Flowers around the World" theme. I like to photograph the plants and flowers when I travel, so here is a beautiful flower I saw in the countryside of Java. I was notified by a nice reader that this flower is a "Plumeria".

Java, Indonesia

A moment at Hoover Dam

2010-03-06T15:52:00.000-08:00

I thought I would take a short break from Asia and post a few shots from a stop at Hoover Dam in Nevada. There is no story this time, just some basic information and photos. Having lived in the Las Vegas area, I have been lucky enough to visit here a number of times. The Dam actually sits right on the border of Arizona and Nevada, and is situated about 32 miles from the Las Vegas strip.

Hoover Dam, Nevada Side

The Dam is often crowded with tourist from all over the world who are there to marvel at it's engineering magnificence and massive size. It is impossible to really capture the structure with a photograph, as you can only fit bits and pieces of it into a snapshot. It would be necessary to fly over by helicopter to get a full view.

Hoover Dam Bridge Construction

Getting to the Dam is easy by car and there are also day trips that you can take from the strip, which can be purchased online or information can usually be gathered at the hotel desks. A bridge is being constructed (see above picture) which will make it easy for traffic to cross the river, without driving over the Dam. This will be ideal for cargo trucks, but also the large amount of traffic that crosses back and forth between the states. After 911, the Dam road was prohibited for cargo trucks and this forced truckers to have to drive hundreds of miles out of their way to Needles, California to reach their destination. This bridge is supposed to be completed as early as Fall of 2010. There is a website about the project which you can access HERE. There is a live webcam that can be viewed by clicking on the camera icon to the left of the article.

Hoover Dam Garage

There is a large parking garage which was designed to fit more attractively into the natural rock and surroundings. The warm color almost blends in with the side of the mountain that it resides in. A fee of $7 is required to park there, and so far, I've never had trouble finding a space in there. There are also elevators on each floor if you do not wish to walk down the stairs.

One View from the parking garage at Hoover Dam

There are actually plenty of nice views from the various floors of the garage and plenty of safe areas to stand and take photos.

Sidewalk heading back up to the parking garage. Visitors Center on the left

Due to the ongoing construction of the new bridge and the popularity of Hoover Dam, it is not uncommon to have to wait in traffic for a while before getting to the garage. The traffic was pretty light on the day that I took this photo (above) and it didn't take any time to reach the garage. If you were driving from the Las Vegas strip, you would be heading in from the top of the hill where you can see the garage on your right.

Sidewalk in front of the garage and heading towards Hoover Dam

The good thing is that once you park, it is easy to walk around the area and enjoy the view, along with the architecture. A number of Palm Trees line the walkway and the grounds are kept up quite nicely. Although it is extremely safe here, there is always a friendly police presence.

Tilted angle view of Hoover Dam

I used a somewhat wide angle lens to capture this photo (above) and it was still impossible to fit the whole Dam into the picture. There are a number of statues at the Dam, one of which is a statue of a worker (Joe Kline) that was sculpted by Steven Liguori. There is more information HERE about the art around Hoover Dam.

Statue of Joe Kline, a worker on the Hoover Dam. Sculpture by Steven Liguori

There are also the "Winged Figures of the Republic", which generally draw a large crowd of people, due to their unique design and beauty created by Norwegien born Oskar Hansen. There is a more detailed discussion on this art, at this link HERE.

One of the Winged Figures of the Republic, designed by Oskar Hansen

There is a Visitor's center which can be accessed by taking the escalators down (over by the parking garage) and walking across. The design of the center is also unique and modern. Designers took care to keep the colors in balance with the local desert surroundings and the copper colored glass reflects the sunlight beautifully.

Standing on the Hoover Dam. The Visitor Center is the copper building in the middle

There are towers on the Lake Mead side, and both have clocks that show the time of the state that it sits in. There is a one hour difference between Nevada and Arizona. So walking within a few feet on the bridge changes your time-zone. Not terrible exciting, but a fact, non the less.

On the Nevada side of the Hoover Dam. Nevada towers on the right, with Nevada clock

Although there is a lot of traffic driving over the Dam, they are directed to drive slowly and there are crosswalks that are safe for pedestrians. I've never had a problem walking from one side to the other.

The road that runs across Hoover Dam

There is also a cafe and gift shop next to the parking structure where you can sit down and relax. Keep in mind that depending on the time of year or day of week, it can be more or less crowded. The area is handicap accessible and would be easy for a wheelchair to move around.

Hoover Dam structure

There are plenty of interesting things to see and photograph around the Dam. The Visitors Center can provide a wealth of information about what, when, why and how. The link to the Visitor's Center and tour information from the local office is HERE.

On top of the parking garage at Hoover Dam

If you ever get to Las Vegas, then take the time to visit this amazing place. Be sure to take your camera and wear plenty of sunblock. It might be a good idea to take a bottle of water also. The desert sun can be quite harsh during the summertime. By the way, there are also public restrooms that are easy to get to.

View from the sidewalk on top of the Hoover Dam

Singapore and the chewing gum quandary

2010-03-02T05:30:00.000-08:00

Arriving in Singapore was a highlight. Singapore is an island just off the tip of Malaysia, even though it almost seems part of the mainland when looking on a map. There was clearly a tropical environment with heavy rain clouds threatening to burst any minute. After making my way through customs, I was happy to see such a modern facility at the Port. A large network of buildings which housed a mall and a train station made me more comfortable at making my way into the city. Obtain a proper subway ticket was slightly more complicated than I thought it would be, but eventually I figured it out. The machines gave out plastic cards that have to be filled and then deduct for a particular zone. Okay, so it doesn't sound so complicated when I write about it, but just wait until you try to buy one!!

Port of Singapore

It took a good 20 minutes or so to get into the city. I had decided to go to the Jurong Bird Park, first thing, so it took me about another 30-45 minutes to make my way there. I wrote about the park in the previous post, so I will just jump ahead here and talk about the city of Singapore. The train system throughout the network was clean and efficient.

Singapore Suburbs and urban sprawl

Out in the suburbs of Singapore, the areas were quite nice with modern apartment building and the occasional green park and sports field. Many of the single family homes I saw on the hillsides here and there were beautiful. It almost seemed that one would have to have a lot of money to live in Singapore. There appeared to be a lot of wealth there, with no shortage of luxury cars and real estate.

Singapore Suburbs

For the most part, Singapore seemed flat. No mountainous backdrops or dramatic landscapes. I suppose that from what I've heard most of my life, I expected Singapore to be such an exotic place, but so far, it was a modern and familiar scene. I'm not complaining though, it's just an observation. The subways were mostly crowded but air conditioned. I was surprised at the large number of Indian people throughout. I enjoyed looking at the various colorful clothes worn by the Indian women, but it makes one nervous to look because you don't quite know how other cultures may react to something so simple as looking. People seemed to keep to themselves.

Singapore City Central

When I arrived back in the city, it was quite a walk through the network of underground passage ways. I was trying to reach an area where I could pick up a sightseeing bus. Many countries have these buses now where you can pay a price and get on and off the bus all day.

Singapore

The sightseeing bus company in Singapore is called "Hippo Tours" (yeah, I know). After walking for a while and asking various people, I finally found the tour desk inside the mall. The main ticket office is inside "Suntec City Mall", and you can get to it via the "City Hall" subway stop. If I remember correctly, it cost me about $24 for a ticket to use all routes. You should go to the web site to get more detailed information.

Singapore City Central

I actually like to first see a city this way because these buses take you all the popular areas and allows you to make a choice where you want to get off and walk around. Later, when you're ready, you just hop back on and go somewhere else.

Singapore Skyline

As I explained earlier, the city of Singapore is mainly a large, modern city. When you see pictures of the exotic locations of Singapore on the internet, you are generally seeing photos that people took inside of the various areas, such as Little India, or China Town.

Singapore Chinese area

You won't really find the historical architecture and scenes that you might envisions. That being said, there are some very interesting things to see within these areas.

Singapore Little India

Little India has markets and restaurants that should be appealing to any tourist. There is an Indian Temple which is rather unique, but unfortunately was under construction when I was there. Other Indian temples are listed on the previous link.

Singapore Little India

The area is not huge, but large enough to spend an hour or so walking around. The subway stop for this area is at "NE7". However, central Singapore city is easy to walk around and if you decide not to take the tour bus, you can walk from one place to another if you have time.

Singapore Little India

In addition to Little India, there is Chinatown and an area called Kampong Glam, which is an enclave for the Malay and Arab community. I didn't really explore this area much, but there are also a number of restaurants, places to shop and an interesting temple.

Temple in Kampong Glam area of Singapore

Walking around the city of Singapore felt very safe and comfortable. It was easy to keep visual landmarks, so as to not get lost. At one point, I stopped and watched the "Dragon Boat Races", which were taking place on the river. I couldn't quite figure out who was winning, but it was interesting non the less. There was s drummer who sat on the front of the boats and beat out a rhythm that the racers rowed to.

Dragon Boat Rowers in Singapore

There were teams from all over the world there. The team was nice and would wave. It was funny how the Asian teams seemed so nice, and the American teams were walking around with their shoulders back and their chests puffed up...and no smile. Not a good way to represent!

Dragon Boat Rowers in Singapore

I didn't find Singapore too expensive, but it was similar in cost to Shanghai. There was plenty to see and do, but that means you have to leave the city center at times. The S ingapore Zoo, is one of the best in the world. I didn't visit there this time, but from what I hear, it's amazing and well worth going to. There is also a Night Safari, which is supposed to be good.

Food markets in China town

I have nothing bad to say about Singapore, it's a great place and worth the visit. However, as I said before, if you're looking for something completely exotic, you might want to try Thailand instead. Singapore is beautiful and they take very good care of their city, but it is mainly a large, modern metro environment. However, that may be exactly what you're looking for.

Downtown Singapore

I have to admit, I was a little nervous about going to Singapore. Here is a world renowned City/Country/Island that everyone talks about as being the cleanest, most sterile place on earth. They say things like "The streets are so clean that you could eat off them". Well, it's time to get some of the myths out of the way and point out some of the harsh truths. First of all, it's NOT illegal to chew gum in Singapore. However, it is illegal to sell it, spit it out anywhere or place it anywhere other than the trash can. You can not bring in large amounts of gum into Singapore. Secondly, you will not be canned for spitting on the sidewalk, but you can be fined. There are lots of things you can be fined for, but most tourists aren't really going to do those things.

Singapore river walk

Yes, Singapore, for the most part, is very clean. However, there are dirty spots, and you will see trash on occasion, along with a few run down buildings. Most of Singapore, in the city area, is quite pristine. Don't be foolish and drop your trash on the ground. It's amazing you even have to say that, but I see so many Americans throwing trash out their car windows in the U.S., it's just disgusting. Also, for those of you who can't be bothered with flushing the toilet, you'll be surprised to know that it's illegal not to. Yes, you can be fined.

Singapore Skyline

Canning is a fact of life there. You can be canned for really breaking the law. For instance, don't drive drunk. Not only is it really stupid, irresponsible and dangerous, but if you get canned once, you won't do it again. Don't believe me..go to Youtube and look up canning videos. Pretty horrific. The good news is that Canning is only reserved for males under the age of 50 and over 18, but the laws don't allow anyone to get by with criminal behavior.

Singapore skyline and construction

Also, if you have prescription medication of any kind that you must take into Singapore, be smart and either take a doctors note or make sure it's labeled properly. Drug trafficking in Singapore gets you the death penalty. No excuses. They don't mess around when it comes to drugs, so be smart. There are actually many more laws there that make things illegal which we might considered normal in the U.S., but most tourists won't be affected by them.

Singapore side street and cafes

There are some more photos of Singapore that you can access in my Flickr albums HERE.

Singapore and the Jurong Bird Park

2010-02-25T08:53:00.000-08:00

I love birds, I mean, I really, really love birds and I could spend the entire day just watching them, feeding them and generally being "One" with the birds. Okay...just being overly silly, but I was very excited to find out that Singapore has an amazing bird sanctuary full of some of the world's most exotic birds.

Scarlet Ibis

I have other posts to write about Singapore, but I thought that I would start here. The "Jurong Bird Park" is the largest bird park in the world. It's been open since 1971 and has over 8000 birds (600 species), spread out over approximately 55 acres.

Parrots

Jurong, is an award winning facility for their attention to conservation and care of these wonderful animals.

Jurong Bird Park

The environment that surrounds you in the park is one of tropical forest. Most of the paths meander through various mini-environements that generally allow for open air viewing of the birds, such as ponds and forest settings.

Jurong Bird Park

Some areas are enclosed with enormous environments that allow the visitor to walk in and not remember that there is an enclosure way above their heads. One such area is designed to mimic a rain forest. The high humidity and sounds of tropical birds are wonderful.

Jurong Bird Park

There is a large waterfall that is built inside this area and so many trees and plants that you almost feel as though you could get lost in it. However, there are short paths that make sure you know where you're going.

Jurong Bird Park

One of my favorite areas was where you could walk in to a large enclosure that housed hundreds of colorful parrots (and similar). For about $3 Singapore, you can buy some nectar to feed them. It is not uncommon for them to land on your arms and shoulders while you're offering. These birds are very gentle and small though, so they are very safe for children to be around.

Jurong Bird Park

There is a variety of species around the park. There are a few here and there that some would not call a "pretty" bird, but non the less, they are very interesting to watch.

Jurong Bird Park

There is more than one area for Flamingos, the most colorful ones are situated at the entrance to the park.

Flamingos in the Jurong Bird Park

There is an indoor area that houses some interesting and beautiful Penguins. It's actually quick refreshing to walk in from the high humidity and enjoy the darker and cooler experience.

Emperor Penguin in the Jurong Bird Park

There are some cages throughout the park, where it is more difficult to view and photograph the birds, but it probably has more to do with the safety of the animal and the guests.

Cassowary in the Jurong Bird Park

One bird, the Cassowary, is not in a cage, but in an enclosed yard which is only viewable by guests. The Cassowary would be dangerous for guests to physically interact with, so they keep you at a safe distance. However, he's an amazing bird to look at and read about.

Jurong Bird Park

Jurong also offers shows throughout the day in the outdoor amphitheater. The shows are wonderful and the trainers even let the birds fly through the audience. The park staff are very helpful, professional and friendly.

Jurong Bird Park

As far as cost, general park admission (as of today's date) runs $18 in Singapore dollars ($13 U.S.), Children are a few dollars cheaper. Keep in mind that this is a very large park, and it can take hours to experience, even if you hurry. So, if you're on a tight schedule, then it may not be a good idea to take a trip out here. I would say that you need at least four hours in the park and about an hour commute. The train stop for Jurong is at "Boon Lay" Station, then you have to transfer to a bus, which takes you directly to the park. The bus terminal is right outside the doors of the train station and the bus number is 194 or 251, I took the 194 and it dropped me off right in front of the park. The buses are reasonable, but try to have coins. The subway stop takes a while to get to from the center of town, I think it took about 30 minutes each way, so try not to cut it close. If you want more detailed information about how to get there from hotels, etc, then I will place the links at the end of this post.

Jurong Bird Park

Overall, Jurong is amazing and well worth the time and trip out there. This experience will allow you to see birds from all over the world which might be difficult to find in other parks. The paths are laid out well and are even handicap accessible (with a few small hills here and there). Be sure to take your camera and some extra money if you plan on eating or buying items from the gift shop. Credit cards are accepted with no problem though. Also, there is a monorail that rides through the park, which can be purchased separately for about $5 Singapore.

Jurong Bird Park

The main link for the park is HERE, and the "Visitors Info" link will give you directions. There is a link to the Train system HERE and the bus system HERE. There are also many more photos of these birds in my Flickr album, which you can access HERE.

Jurong Bird Park

bird perms in paradise

2010-02-23T16:02:00.000-08:00

Apparently, Bird Perms are the new trend. At least in Singapore. Finally tired of being made fun of and being the "ugly/cute" picture that is the must-have for bird watchers everywhere, the Emu has had it!! In an attempt at glitzing up the image and bringing Sexy to the world of flightless birds, the Emu has incorporated an uplifting, but not too-tight curl to it's hair. Yes, that's right, you may stare in awe and admiration. Have we been wrong all along and just didn't realize that such beauty was hiding underneath? Some colored contacts, a little teasing around the brow and....well, I'm just speechless.

Trendy Bird Perm on the modern Emu in Singapore

Although, after further investigation, it seems that this newcomer to all that's stylish and hip has miscalculated and left the Perm chemicals in just a bit too long. That's right bird, I have no shame in showing the world what happens when you have let your vanity go too far!!!. Not so sexy now, huh? Well, maybe this one time, we'll overlook it.

Bad Perm job on Singapore Emu

Besides, look at this guy below, he realized that it's all about the bird lips, not the hair. A pouty, in your face close up and that's what makes it on the cover of magazines. Don't give in to peer pressure next time, Emu, just say "No".

Non-coformist Ostrich who's working the beak in Singapore

Flowers around the world- Nevada

2010-02-22T14:20:00.000-08:00

Here is a shot which I took at home. I thought I'd post it before the season was out. My Amaryllis decided to do it's thing a couple of weeks ago, so I was lucky enough to capture these shots. I'll post these in their stages.

My Amaryllis

Full bloom, Single flower

My Amaryllis

Full bloom

My Amaryllis

Sihanoukville, Cambodia and the mysterious fried things

2010-02-21T08:56:00.000-08:00

I was really looking forward to Cambodia. How exotic it seemed to me, and I had heard that there was a lot of beautiful places to see. On this particular trip, I only had time and budget for one place, and that was Sihanoukville. Yes, a very strange name and one that I had never heard of, my spell checker just goes nuts on this one.

Sihanoukville, Cambodia

Cambodia requires a travel Visa and the ship was "kind" enough to get one for us (although they charge way more than what it's worth). So, here we go, off into this exciting foreign land. Our journey took us up to the coast line where our port was. As I looked off the boat, there were the most interesting houses lined up along a narrow line of rocks that jutted out into the ocean. This foundation was obviously man made and seemed to be a perfect place for people to have their fishing houses. At least I'm assuming that's what they were.

Off the shore of Sihanoukville, Cambodia

Our dock was mainly just an industrial port and was lined up with the same police presence that was common in many of the Asia countries. We were only allowed to leave this port by a bus that was provided by both the city and ship. It was explained that we were not allowed to walk out of the port at all. This disappointed me because there were some more homes off to the left that looked very interesting, but we were told that there had been "Issues" in the past and that it wasn't safe.

Outside of Sihanoukville, Cambodia

After boarding the bus, everyone seemed to be buzzing with excitement. The sun was shining and rather hot, but at least it wasn't raining. The port was not in town and it would take about 15 minutes to get to Sihanoukville. As we drove along, there was the occasional local standing on the side, watching the strangers ride by.

Outside of Sihanoukville, Cambodia

The countryside was somewhat interesting, but reminded me more of southern California, than what I would consider a tropical environment. It felt and looked different than Thailand on one side and Vietnam on the other. After pulling into town, it only took a moment to begin to see those smiles on my fellow passenger's faces, turn to frowns. I feel bad saying that, but that's what happened. As the town unveiled itself, it was simply not an interesting place. There was dirt and dust blowing up everywhere as if we'd come into a Western town.

Sihanoukville, Cambodia

There were buildings lining the street and people everywhere. Our bus driver, for some reason, decided to pull us into a parking lot where there were literally hundreds of locals who began to surround the bus. They began frantically pounding on the bus windows with their hands and shoving signs up at us that said "Tuk Tuk". A Tuk Tuk is a type of three wheeled motorcycle that has a of cart on the back for passengers. It is a taxi system.

Sihanoukville, Cambodia

Many vendors with jewelry and other items were also in the crowd. The door of the bus opened and the driver had to try and push the people back who were trying to enter the bus. This situation became quite awkward and unfortunately, about half the passengers on the bus decided not to get off. I wanted to see this town regardless, so I made my way out the bus door and through the insane crowd. Being a nice person or not, it's not fun when lots of strangers start grabbing you and your clothes. I finally made it through the crowd and as with Vietnam, I had to turn down constant offers for Tuk Tuk rides. It actually took me a while to get those chiming words out of my head.

Sihanoukville, Cambodia

My travel partner and I managed to get a short ways down the street. I love the different cultures, architecture and scenery of other countries, but this town didn't seem to have much of any of it. The poor buildings were run down and not built well, except for a few newer structures being replaced. I do understand this that it's a less prosperous country, and I don't mean to sound judgmental. We walked a few blocks in one direction, looking for an ATM.

Sihanoukville, Cambodia

We finally found a bank and was able to get some cash. It was possible to use U.S. dollars there, which was nice, but we had to change the money in the bank to get smaller bills. Even outside of the bank, people approached us.

Sihanoukville, Cambodia

Our aim was to have a nice meal, see the town and take some photos. We found a market area that contained many stands of fruits and vegetables. There was also a warehouse building next to it which was a type of "Flea Market". The interior of the market was dark, and at least cooler than it was outside. We looked around for items to buy and prices were okay, but not much of a bargain. For instance, they were charging $20 U.S dollars and up for T-shirts. Kind of high for that type of venue.

Sihanoukville, Cambodia

The vegetables and fruit stands looked great. After walking through the outside rows, we came to the inside portion of that market, which happened to be a place for selling meat.

Sihanoukville, Cambodia

All of the meat was laid out on wooden tables in the open. Pig's heads and raw meat everywhere. With such heat, there was a strong smell and we left pretty quickly. That is why I didn't take a photo in there.

Sihanoukville, Cambodia

As far as the locals go, they were not too friendly. I hear that the experience for people who visit Siem Reap is quite different. It's a few hundred miles away and a much different area. I suspect that the locals in Siem Reap are much more used to tourists. Sihanoukville, didn't seem to have that familiar comfort. I had to be cautious with the camera, to avoid the constant dirty looks.

Sihanoukville, Cambodia

Yes, some people are offended by having their picture taken, even if you're just taking a shot of a building and they happen to be in the way. Again, I kind of understand this and tried to be considerate. However, this meant that I didn't get many photos of the town. Also, you couldn't really stop for five seconds without becoming involved in a conversation with a Tuk Tuk driver who wouldn't take "No thanks" for an answer.

Sihanoukville, Cambodia

We did finally find a small cafe to sit down and have some lunch.We needed to take a break from the heat and the chaos. The service wasn't too friendly and an English man and woman who were just leaving warned us that they had just tried to overcharge them considerably.

Having a bite to eat in Sihanoukville, Cambodia

However, we decided to set down and have a lunch anyway. We ordered some fried rice dishes and a couple of sodas. The meal tasted quite good. Yes, it did end up being overpriced at $8 per dish and $1.50 for the soda, which was high for cambodia and this cafe. We just smiled and paid it without question, not that big of a deal.

Sihanoukville, Cambodia

As we enjoyed our food, we watched the many school children and workers walking up and down the streets.

Sihanoukville, Cambodia

As we left the cafe, I saw this man having a nap on some boxes. That's one way to protect the beer.

Sihanoukville, Cambodia

The highlight of this visit was when I saw an older lady sitting on the corner with a wok.

Local vender in Sihanoukville, Cambodia

She was frying something squishy, that ended up being a golden brown stick of about 10 inches. It looked, and smelled great. I smiled and indicated I wanted two and handed her a dollar. She tried to put 5 in a bag, but that was way too much to eat after lunch, so I convinced her I only wanted two and the dollar would be fine. I finally got a smile out of her. As we walked away my friend and I began to eat these brown crunchy things and...WOW, were they good. Banana...fried banana stick..thingy's.

Sihanoukville, Cambodia

Of course we realize how great these were after we had gone half way down the block. I could have sworn I wanted 5 of them in the bag, but hey...maybe she just didn't hear me. :-)

Sihanoukville, Cambodia

The day was long, hot and, well, uncomfortable. A few locals seemed to be laughing a enjoying the day, but the only smiles I found were on the school kids who were enjoying a bird in the school yard. The teacher actually smiled and allowed me to take this shot, so at least I had a couple of friendly encounters while in Sihanoukville.

Sihanoukville, Cambodia

I am glad that we hadn't decided to stay there, but I am thankful that I got to see a part of Cambodia. I didn't end up buying anything, and didn't really have good memories to take back with me. I imagine that my experience will be much better next time I go to Cambodia and visit Siem Reap. It's no one's fault that it was the way it was in Sihanoukville, just an awkward cross of cultures and a struggling town trying to make a living.

Sihanoukville, Cambodia

There are some more pictures of Sihanouville in my Flickr account, which you can access by clicking HERE. I had some camera (lens) issues in Cambodia, so most of my shots are not that good.

Koh Samui, Thailand and absolutely the last buddha (part eight)

2010-02-15T12:42:00.000-08:00

While finishing up our wonderings through the island of Koh Samui, it was inevitable that we would arrive at not only the last Buddha of our journey, but the biggest. I've seen so many Buddha statues, drawings, painting, rugs etc.. over the past couple of months, that I could free-hand draw one in my sleep. However, culture and education are the most important aspects of this particular trip, so I will march where I'm led....except up these stairs. Yes, I see you "Big Buddha" way over there with your golden, shiny arms outstretched. You're the biggest on the island and a main draw for many tourists, but this is as far as I go. No more step climbing for me. I learned my lesson with The Great Wall of China.

Big Buddha on Koh Samui, Thailand

You have to give me credit, I've been running around this island all day with a group of energetic and enthusiastic tourists from around the world. Eight of us just exploring every corner and rock on this island. I haven't even blogged about all the many things we've done so far, just a few. These girls were so funny, as they struggled to walk barefoot out into the water to get their photo taken in front of a huge statue.

Thai girls posing for picture in front of statue on Koh Samui, Thailand

This area where the Big Buddha sits is quite nice. There is a small peninsula which comes inwards and gives these homes a bit of protection from the currents.

Koh Samui, Thailand

Given that this area is so popular, it's amazing that they don't pave the rest of this road, which is only feet from the staircase to the Buddha. At the moment of this photo, I have wet hair, wet clothes (from a combination of sweat and rain/flooding) but who can tell what's what at this point. My shoes are now muddy and who can worry about shiny Buddhas when there's a wonderful fruit cart that is just beckoning to me over to the right.

By the Big Buddha on Koh Samui, Thailand

This kitty cat decided to come and sit at my feet for a moment. So, this is what a Thailand kitty cat looks like in case you were wondering. I want one.

Tropical Kitty on Koh Samui, Thailand

Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about my 7 other various travel mates. We're all just wondering around and laughing at each other. No one is pretty at this point, and my travel mate is incredibly incensed that the only english language that the local tour guide and his Koh Samui shop friends can muster are the words "Big Buddha", while pointing a finger from Billy to the statue. This coming after a fascinating discovery that there seems to be a similarity between Billy's bald head, over-fed stomach and the largest Buddha statue on the island. They're in hysterics. He's not. He's sooo sensitive (And no I'm not showing you a picture for reference. He reads this). Mmmmm...more fruit carts.

Fruit stand on Koh Samui Thailand

This house sat right across from the waterway. Someone needs to clean up their back yard. I'm such a Virgo that I almost swam across there to do it for them. What?? I was wet already!!

House on Koh Samui, Thailand

Some random Thai dudes just chillin' by the Buddha Thai shops. Such a great combination of "Construction Wheel Barrel and soft cotton, pink T's".

Thailand locals and some comfy chairs

Oh, and a random pink Bicycle, just because it was there (and I had a color scheme going).

Bicycle by the Big Buddah

There are many more posts about Koh Samui on my blog. You can find them with the drop-down menu on the sidebar. There are also more pictures of Koh Samui in my Flick photo album, which you can access HERE.

Koh Samui, Thailand and the technicolor temple (Part Seven)

2010-02-14T05:00:00.000-08:00

Okay, no harm meant by the silly title, but when we arrived at these temples, the first thing that came into my mind was...is this for real? It is certainly not unusual to have lavishly decorated and designed temples throughout Asia, but these seemed to be less of a serious buddhist experience than others that I've seen. I am not a Buddhist though, so I may be completely wrong. The type of Buddhism in Thailand has elements of Hinduism in it, as you can tell from the six-armed goddess (Kali) on top of this building. Their religion is very important to them and certainly I give them respect for that. This post is not about trying to explain the religion, so it's best to click here "Theravada" if you'd like to know more.

Wat Plai Laem on Koh Samui, Thailand

At the risk of sounding (but not meaning to be) inconsiderate, these temple buildings had almost a theme park flare to them. I don't know how much of this type of design is related to the religion itself, or if it's simply the vision of the architect(s) who created it. This location is called "Wat Plai Laem".

Wat Plai Laem on Koh Samui, Thailand

There were a number of tourists walking around and looking as though they were thinking the same thing that we were. Don't get me wrong, it's a joy to see so much color and such a unique structure that is not a common site for me. I have seen churches in the states that seem overdone for the sake of attracting people, rather than having spiritual significance, so that is why I am questioning this.

Wat Plai Laem on Koh Samui, Thailand

There was no guide or information posted to explain anything and our own driver couldn't speak enough english to explain either. I saw a monk here and there and this one was seemingly doing some garden care.

Monk on Koh Samui, Thailand

I think the over designed element of this temple area was fun, but I'm not sure that was the intention. As with other temples that I've been to in Asia, there was a table full of roof tiles that you could donate money for, and then write your name on the back of it. This tile will supposedly get placed on the roof of the temple for ever. I decided to donate a little since there was no admission price, but I didn't bother with taking a roof tile.

Wat Plai Laem on Koh Samui, Thailand

I did notice a number of local adults and children who were passing through the area. I thought that was strange considering it was off the main road. As usual in Thailand, people were friendly and no one asked for money or tried to sell anything.

I am sorry I can't provide more information about this stop, but it was more of a visual experience for me. However, you can click HERE to find out more about temples on Koh samui.

Wat Plai Laem on Koh Samui, Thailand

There are more pictures of Koh Samui, Thailand that can be view HERE in my Flick album.

Koh Samui, Thailand and the wonderful beach (Part Six)

2010-02-13T05:04:00.000-08:00

One of the highlights of my visit to this island was when our driver took us to a semi-secluded beach. By this time, we were on the opposite side of the island and have driven off the beaten path a little. Our Australian friends were dying to have a swim and so our Canadian guide had talked our driver into taking us here. I don't have a lot of story for this area, but I have some pictures to share with you.

Beach on Koh Samui, Thailand

We had plenty of time to enjoy the sun and relax. I was absolutely amazed with this place. Granted, the sun is still not out much, and I can't fully explain how beautiful this area was, but trust me, I wanted to stay here for weeks. There was a wonderful quietness with just the sound of the ocean waves.

Beach on Koh Samui, Thailand

It wasn't difficult to find a hotel right on the beach. There were a few small cabanas and hotels that were lined up along the sand. As I explained in my last post, hotels on this island can be had for very little money. Since these would be considered very desirable, some were considered cheap at $60 per night for simple accommodations on the beach and some where expensive, running about $260 per night. This place was a very nice resort with private cabanas.

"Sala Samui" resort on Koh Samui, Thailand

I enjoyed watching the locals walk along the beach, along with the few tourists who happen to be staying here. Everyone seemed extremely relaxed and didn't have a worry in the world. There was a man who was selling silk sheets and beach blankets as he walked in front of the people laying out in the sun, but he never pestered anyone. Usually vendors in Thailand will simply smile gesture politely with their product and nod politely if you're not interested.

Vendor on Koh Samui, Thailand

I tried to capture a good photo of the beach to show it's size and depth and beauty, but I guess I wasn't with it that day. A photo tends to capture everything, including the bits of palm husks on the ground, along with the odd piece of trash that has blown from a nearby guest. However, it was so nice there that I never noticed these things until I looked at the photos.

A beach on Koh Samui, Thailand

Another man was selling corn on the cob and was able to butter it for you right there. People love being able to stay in their comfortable chairs and be served various foods and drinks. I can't imagine why?? Even though the hotel prices are slightly higher here, it is easy to eat by way of vender more very little.

Vendor on Koh Samui, Thailand

We walked up and down that beach several times, just taking in the environment. I decided to chat a bit with some of the locals who worked there and took some photos of them. Very nice people. This man had an interesting look about him. I find that Thai people don't mind their photo being taken if you politely nod and smile while indicating your camera. Their society is certainly one of consideration for others, so a little kindness goes a long ways here.

Koh Samui, Thailand local

This youngster had decided to take a nap on a hammock. What a tough life!! His family members were working at the beach and were so nice to talk to. The Thai people are generally so kind and just wanted to make sure that we were having a good time.

Taking a nap on the hammock

After a dip in the ocean, the small group of us decided to sit down and have a drink at the restaurant that was open to the ocean breeze. We grabbed a table and ordered. The prices at this nice venue on beach were very reasonable. It was easy to get an entire meal for a few dollars (in Baht). One of my favorite things to do in tropical destinations is to have a fresh coconut cut open and then drink the water inside. It's very good for you and tastes great. It's especially good when you're sweating a lot, since it has a lot of potassium. Even in a nice place, it was only about $1.50, served chilled. They give you a spoon so that you can scoop out the coconut and eat it. These types of coconuts are not like what you see in the grocery store. The ones you drink from are called "Young Coconuts" and are still green on the outside and picked from the trees. The coconut is easier to eat and doesn't have to be graded or scrapped out like the older brown ones do.

Koh Samui, Thailand locals

Grandmother and baby were happy to be enjoying the beach and the cool breeze. They were part of the family that worked in the open cabana. You can get items for the beach, as well as being able to hire the Jet Ski for an hour or more. Although the weather wasn't perfectly bright and sunny, I thought I'd upload just a small clip of the beach and the waves that day. It's a nice relaxing sound and helps you to imagine what it was like there.

On the beach in Koh Samui, Thailand

Koh Samui, Thailand and the peculiar rock (part five)

2010-02-12T05:01:00.000-08:00

The rain stayed in the clouds as we continued our journey. The feeling of "wet" was everywhere, but the fresh air was amazing. We continued to have trouble with our truck as it tried to make hill climb after hill climb. It was easy to laugh it off at this point. I was surprised at how many small "towns" there were on this island. So many hotel signs everywhere, and many of them boasted rates at "$10 per night". They actually didn't look half bad as we drove past them. It's funny that hotels on the same beach can range from $10 per night to hundreds of dollars per night.

Koh Samui, Thailand local

I spied on a few more locals with my camera as we zipped down the street. Seeing their faces on occasion made it obvious that we stuck out like a sore thumb as the non-locals who were crammed into the back of a pickup truck.

Koh Samui, Thailand local at the fruit stand

Our next turnoff lead us down a small, cramped lane. It seemed that only one car could slide by at a time, unless you were will to scrape the side of your vehicle. Well, it seems that people were plenty happy with scrapping their vehicle, so off we went. After cringing at the sound of metal hitting metal, we pulled to the side of the lane and watched as a local parking attendant managed to tell our driver that the lot was full. Our Canadian guide in the front seat, jumped out and informed us that we would have to go at it on our own, while our driver would leave for an hour or so. Everyone seemed trusting to do this, so out we jumped and watched as our ride backed out of the small passage way.

Koh Samui,Thailand narrow road

Crowds of people were swarming everywhere, as this was apparently a popular place. There were shops lining the tiny lane and you could tell that the ocean was just a few minutes walk down the path. I wasn't sure exactly what we were supposed to see here, but I followed as we headed towards the water. It didn't take long to get to our destination and see what the big deal was.

Grandfather and Grandmother rock on Koh Samui, Thailand

I bet about now, you're wondering if you have a dirty mind or not. Well, you're seeing exactly what it is that you're meant to see. This unique rock formation is called "Grandfather and Grandmother Rock". Here we are in the middle of a spectacular view of water, rocks and ocean and yet...this isn't awkward at all. Everyone was smiling and laughing at the oddity (including myself). Clearly this was a proud site for the locals.

Grandfather and Grandmother rock on Koh Samui, Thailand

What's even stranger was when I was wondering why all these guys kept laying down on one of the smooth rock surfaces and then their wives would take pictures of them while laughing. I decided to walk over to the Canadian man who was lying there while his wife was giggling away at each snap shot. Okay, so once you're there in the right visual perspective...then it all makes sense. Remember all those "Leaning Tower of Piza" photos where people look like they're holding it up? Use your imagination for the rest. You can't expect me to photograph this thing and then not talk about it.

Grandfather and Grandmother rock area on Koh Samui, Thailand

I watched people climb around the rocks and enjoying the ocean breeze. I rested on one of the main boulders and took a few more snapshots here and there.

Tourist enjoying the ocean on Koh Samui, Thailand

As usual, the shop owners were so sweet. This lady and her children were fun to talk to, and each owner always had a warm smile. Two of my favorite things was buying the honeyed peanuts and the coconut taffy.

Local shop owner with one of her children making purses

Luckly, after enjoying this beautiful site for an hour, our driver showed back up and took us off to our next adventure.

Tourists enjoying the sites on Koh Samui, Thailand

As always, there are lots more pictures of Koh Samui, Thailand in my Flickr album which can be accessed by clicking HERE.

Koh Samui, Thailand and the torrential temple downpour (Part four)

2010-02-11T14:01:00.000-08:00

As we continued on our journey around the island of Koh Samui, we all sat semi-crampped in the back of the truck and watched as the scenery went by. We continued to get to know each other and about our recent journeys. We were glad that at least some breeze was coming in from the side windows, which were originally only covered with tarp. The warm and wet island breeze was acting as a perfect air-conditioning system as we drove along.

Koh Samui Thailand Local

Our truck moved through small patches of town and the occasional glimpse of rural jungle. I tried to read the various signs on shops as we drove past quickly. My camera caught the occasional side street or local person doing what they normally do.

Wat Kuhnaram on Koh Samui, Thailand

I didn't see a lot of tourists, which surprised me. Koh Samui does not have a international airport yet and so it probably sees very few Americans, and mainly Thai locals or Australians. It's funny how Australians seem to pop up in every odd corner of the world. They love to travel and it is almost always that case that you will bump into one when your overseas.

Koh Samui, Thailand Buddha

We slowed down and turned right into a parking lot. We immediately noticed the temples that sat on this piece of land. It is called "Wat Kuhn Aram" Beautiful architecture and colors were prominent in the stormy light. We jumped out of the back of the truck and began walking around.

Koh Samui, Thailand local praying at Buddhist Temple

You could get blessings by donating money to the temple (I didn't do it but watched as some of my mates did). There were some locals at the temple who were praying and we did our best to give them privacy.

Wat Kuhnaram on Koh Samui, Thailand

Not long after we walked around the small area, the sky began to open up and rain began to fall. We all scattered and ran back towards the pickup. I had to get the camera out of the rain. As I said before, I had worn swimming trunks and a T-Shirt, so I wasn't worried about how wet I was. The rain poured in through the side windows as we laughed and tried to pull down the tarp.

Koh Samui, Thailand Temple

A large puddle of water gathered at the back of our pickup truck. After a few moments, the rain stopped as the sky remained dark and threatening. A few of us jumped back out of the truck and into the puddle. It just didn't matter anymore. We were here to have fun. Our guide of course never said much of anything, as he was mainly just the driver, but that was okay. As long as kept delivering the good stops, then that's all that mattered. If you'd like to find more information and names of various Wats (Temples) on Koh Samui, you can click HERE.

Koh Samui, Thailand

Photos of the sea and free desktop wallpaper

2010-02-09T13:57:00.000-08:00

Just taking a quick break from writing about Thailand to offer some more free desktop wallpaper photos that you can download on my Flickr site. I took these shots while sailing in the sea from China, going south. There are four different shots with extra ones being tinted in case you like the different colors. These make great desktop wallpaper photos and can be downloaded at a high resolution. All you do is click on a specific photo and then on the "All Sizes" button at the top of the picture. You will then have an option to "Download the large size" BUT, you need to click on the high resolution version and right click to save it, once it opens up all the way on the screen. Please enjoy! Click HERE to go to the Flickr wallpaper set.

Photographed on the sea in Asia

Koh Samui, Thailand..tiny bananas, tiny elephants and the mothers who love them (Part Three)

2010-02-04T15:02:00.000-08:00

After our waterfall experience, we began our journey further around the island. As our faulty-engined truck puttered along quickly, we watched as the scenery passed by. The sky was still grey and overcast with storm clouds. After a short while of driving, we pulled off the small island two-lane road and headed up into the mountains again. The road there was a bit more sturdy than the last one, with the same palm trees and greenery surrounding us.

Koh Samui, Thailand

After a short while up the steep hill, we pulled into an area where there were large and small elephants looming everywhere. My understanding is that we were headed for another waterfall, but we pulled into the small parking lot. As we got out, a few employees walked over to us and offered a ride to the waterfall, and elephant ride or a Zip line ride down from the mountain. Sounds interesting to me, so we inquired more. Well, the Zip line was $50 U.S. dollars. Hmmmm...no thanks. Going to see the large waterfall was extra also, along with a $20 fee for riding an elephant.

Elephant on Koh Samui, Thailand

One of our group mates decided to head up to the Zip Line, so he left with the guide. I became mesmerized with the elephants and wanted to photograph and pet them (as much as one can actually pet an elephant). I still felt guilty about riding them, so I passed on doing that. The elephants looked kind of sad to me and I am too much of an animal lover not to notice.

Elephant on Koh Samui, Thailand

I watched a bit as elephant trainers helped passengers onto the elephants from the high platform designed to allowed people to walk up and step out onto the back of the elephant where the chair was. I suppose this made it easier for everyone.

A short video clip of the elephants on Koh Samui, Thailand

This was just a simple video clip. I didn't do much video on this trip, just a few seconds here and there to help people get a sense of what it's like in these places. It was mainly about photography for me.

Elephant Trainer on Koh Samui, Thailand

Since I decided not to ride one of these beautiful creatures, I thought it might be fun to feed one or two. There was a table where you could buy a bunch bananas (really tiny ones) for about 25 cents (U.S.). It was hard finding some that were ripe enough to feed them, so grabbed what I could.

Elephant and Trainer on Koh Samui, Thailand

I ran over to the baby one first. I decided to share my bananas with someone standing by, and take a photo while someone else was feeding him first. Once I started feeding him, I couldn't believe how fast he (or she) grabbed them out of my hands. I peeled off one at a time and the baby elephant instantly wrapped them in the trunk and engulfed. I went through a bunch of bananas rather quickly, save one.

Baby Elephant on Koh Samui, Thailand

Within moments, a very large, huge, elephant (mother) came over to me in that enhanced cinema slow-motion style and I began to get a little nervous. I reached out and handed a tiny banana to this monster- sized beauty as she grabbed it quickly. Mother elephant stared me right in the eyes without waiver and kept walking straight towards me. I couldn't tell if she was trying to push me away from baby and getting a banana in the process, or if she had figured out that walking over a visitor would produce bananas faster. As I was out of bananas now, I had to run to the table and buy another bunch quickly.

Elephant Trainer on Koh Samui, Thailand

I feed her over and over again as she pushed me back and down the hill. One banana, two banana, three banana...four. Finally as I started to make noise (let's just stick with that), a trainer came over to stop her. I'm sure they thought that was just hysterical (considering the amount of laughing they did). Although I didn't want to get stepped on, I loved feeding her, such an amazing opportunity. Elephants have such a tight grip with their trunks, so I had to pull away hand, quickly. I was hoping that she wasn't going to decide "to hell with the bananas" and have California boy for lunch. There is a hairy, dirty and rough texture to them that feels quick strange. It's nothing like petting a kitten.

Elephant on Koh Samui, Thailand

It is amazing how much intelligence is in the eyes of an elephant. Like I said, I felt sorry for them though since they were kind of trapped, having to do this day in and day out.

Elephant Trainer on Koh Samui, Thailand

The elephant trainers were an interesting mix of people, but friendly. I saw this guy sitting on one of the elephants and having a break. Not sure exactly what he was smoking, but it makes for an interesting photo.

Elephant Trainer on Koh Samui, Thailand

It was curious seeing the different colors and patterns on the elephants. It was amazing to get this chance to spend some time with these animals. Typically, most people only get to see elephants at the zoo, behind a fence. It is an entirely different experience to be able to walk up to them and to be surrounded by them. You never really realize how massive they are and how much of a presence they have until you are in this situation.

Elephant on Koh Samui, Thailand

To Be Continued....

Bangkok, Thailand...and the salty dilemma (part five)

2010-01-31T09:59:00.000-08:00

On one of the many river stops that I decided to explore, I encountered an unusual spot to say the least. There were many people crowded around a small inside "Market" that was built next to the pier. After we jumped off of the river boat, I immediately walked inside the market area to discover tables of homemade breads and crackers. Vendors sat on small benches and sold their selection in plastic bags.

Chao Phraya River in Bangkok...heading towards the pier from the river boat

It didn't take long for me to notice a scurrying of sound in the water. It was actually quite loud and since I heard people laughing and behaving in a shocked manner, I decided to walk back over and see what all the fuss was about. As I was walking back over to the scene, a Thai lady tossed a piece of bread (I'm assuming stale) over her shoulder as she was filling bags full of bake goods. She didn't look in that direction as if she had done this a million times. I ran over to the small railing and found myself a space to lean up against and look down into the water. After I pulled my camera in front of me...THIS is what I saw... (you can click on the higher resolution option for shocking detail and clarity..LOL)

The next video is a little bit close to the water.

The funny part is that in my desire to capture some of the over zealous catfish eating bread...I had river and slimly fish water splashed into my mouth. Yes...disgusting. Imagine the combination of salt, fish, dirt, pollution, weeds and other secret ingredients becoming a flavor in a matter of seconds....time to process the information...spit...grimace...panic. Okay, not that I'm a wimp or anything, but the Chao Phraya river is not exactly the cleanest thing on earth. You can bet that I spent the next 24 hours wondering if I was going to come down with some sort of horrid parasite infection or at the very least, a terrible stomach ache. However, I managed to make it through without a hitch. Maybe I was worried for nothing? So, I guess the moral here, is that if you stop by the bread shop and see a mob of people watching catfish in the water...DON'T get too close.

To Be Continued....

Koh Samui, Thailand and the wet waterfall experience (part two)

2010-01-29T13:54:00.000-08:00

As the adventurous ride continued, I held onto the back of the truck and took shots of the passing buildings and people in the small "towns" that we rode through. The sky was still grey, but it added to the tropical feel of this place. There were motorbikes that came up close to the back of the truck, so they became victim to my camera (albeit a blurry and tilted attempt). I have to admit, those of us in the back of the truck were slightly skeptical as to what we had gotten ourselves into. Where was this man in an old pickup going to take us?

Koh Samui, Thailand. I was riding in the back of a pickup truck and wanted something to photograph.

Our two Australian friends were characters, the man, described as the closest thing to a Frat brother in the truck and the wife being the adventurous and beautiful mate. Our Hong Kong friends mainly sat quiet as the man pointed his video camera at both the nature out the back and the occupants inside. "Mom" with the tattoos and short grey hair, from Canada (who's husband was in the front of the truck, navigating and negotiating) was every bit as energetic and interesting as you would want in a tour companion. We all laughed and talked about the possibility of being sold into slavery or perhaps being robbed of every last dime before we were allowed to go home. However, deep down when knew it was fine and that the journey would be fun.

Heading into the jungle in Koh Samui, Thailand

A quick turn off of the main road began taking us up a hill into the jungle area. Green trees dripping with moisture wizzed past us. I heard the familiar sound of the walkie-Talky buzzing as Canadian husband told us that our first negotiated stop was to take us to the waterfall. THAT sounded like fun and an ideal first thing to do on an island. After ridding along for a short bit, we began driving up the somewhat steep hill. The truck puttered and sputtered as it shifted into low gear and worked extra hard to climb. We all stared in silence as we watched the hill behind us grown longer with each struggling foot.

Walking to the waterfall in Koh Samui, Thailand

Finally, we pulled into a small clearing. It was beautiful. There were puddles of water, a little mud and only one other vehicle there. We jumped out of the back of the truck and that's when I saw the Elephant standing off to the side. There was a riding seat strapped over it's back and a handler next to it. I love elephants and wanted to run over there, but my fellow travelers were headed off on the jungle path.

Elephant and handler at the waterfall in Koh Samui, Thailand (poor elephant)

I ran after them and was instantly surprised at the thick mist and moisture that hung in the in. Jungle trees hung over the path and little light got through. There were a few booths set up for refreshments, etc...but we blazed right past.

A vender at the waterfall on Koh Samui, Thailand

It didn't take long before we heard the sound of falling water. A few more paces and there it was. My first waterfall since the beginning of this trip. Granted, it wasn't huge or spectacular, but I was happy. It seemed the rest of our group was to.

The waterfall on Koh Samui in Thailand. Use the high resolution option so that it won't be so blurry.

One by one, we cautiously climbed down on the rocks and stared up at the falling water. You could feel drop after drop hitting your skin.

Waterfall on Koh Samui, Thailand

I was so glad that I had worn swimming trunks and an old T-Shirt. Getting wet and dirty became a non-issue for me, so I just enjoyed the experience.

At the waterfall on Koh Samui, Thailand

We each took turns taking photos and laughing at the constant threat of sliding off a rock and hitting our heads. I suppose we all just wanted to live a little. I later learned that it is nearly impossible to capture a proper photo of this waterfall. It was simply too hard to do it justice. You will have to trust me that it was wonderful. I saw a man and his wife on an elephant down the stream. I tried to capture them, but the photo came out a bit blurry.

Koh Samui,Thailand

Even though the intense humidity in a place like this can be overwhelming, I must say that your breathing is so wonderful due to all the moisture in the lungs. It makes you feel so healthy and alive.

At the waterfall on Koh Samui, Thailand

After getting our fill of the falling waters, we walked back through the short jungle path and to the small truck. I was surprised that our driver (who knew very little english) did not bother us at all about the time. I was a little impressed and I can say that as a group, we began to loose our trepidation about this experience. We all jumped back into the bed of the truck and exclaimed our happiness for this stop. I wiped my hand through my now wet and jungle-kissed hair and flung the excess water out the back of the truck. We began to drive rapidly back down the hill and onto a paved road, while headed to our next stop.

Just a short clip of us riding out of the waterfall area. Use the higher resolution option.
There are more photos of Koh Samui, Thailand that you can access HERE.

Too Be Continued....

Flowers around the world - Hong Kong

2010-01-27T10:19:00.000-08:00

One of the things I always seem to photograph when I travel, is flowers. I guess the combination of colors and nature get my attention, so I capture them whenever I can. So, I thought I would just post a photo or two here and there of different flowers from around the world for those who might be interested.

Casesalpinia Pulcherrima, photo taken in Hong Kong 2009

I took this particular photo in Hong Kong in 2009 and I was informed by a friendly lady on Flickr that it is called a "Casesalpinia Pulcherrima".

Koh Samui, Thailand...8 strangers and an Idea (Part One)

2010-01-24T11:22:00.000-08:00

Sailing to Koh Samui was such a spectacular experience. I remember looking down at the ocean water that surrounded the island and being amazed at how aqua colored and pure it seemed. We never had ocean water so clean in California. There were many storm clouds in the sky, but I had gotten used to this over the weeks of traveling in the tropics. It actually was kind of nice at times, to block out the searing sun that usually burnt me to a crisp. I tried to reach down and touch the water as we approached the dock in our small boat. Only a rope and a few feet were separating me and the perfect water.

Early morning, arriving by boat onto Koh Samui, Thailand

We stepped off the boat and you could see the amazement on everyone's faces. Mountains covered with mist in the background, along with a warm tropical breeze was all the greeting we needed. However, a number of local Thai people ran down the long pier in order to greet us, and of course, offer us various services on the island.

Early morning approaching the pier in Koh Samui, Thailand

As my buddy and I walked down the long pier into town, we decided to play it by ear. Where we went and what we were doing for the day was simply up to chance. It never hurt that I also say a small prayer before stepping foot into another country, simply for basic protection and hopefully an extra jolt of fun. It didn't take long before we saw the multiple cabs lined up along the small parking lot next to the pier. Drivers quickly rushed over to us and began offering tours around the island. Okay, I'll bite.."How much?", I asked. "$100" (U.S.) the driver said, (...LOL...I don't think so). This was one of those classic you have got to be kidding me moments. We walked away and headed for the shops that lined the street. The cab driver followed us quickly and knocked it down to $80 for the both of us. No way. You have to know that $100 or even $80 to be driven around on semi-small island in Thailand is WAY too much money. This was confirmed also by the other tourist who had just gotten off the boat and were trying to negotiate with the cab drivers. It was clear that a few of them had been here before and knew the drill.

At the end of the pier as we walked into the small town on Koh Samui, Thailand

There were a small group of use who began gathering next to a tourist shop which had flyers on the window. It was clear that most things they offered were elaborate trips to other islands, plane rides, etc.. I just wanted to simply ride around the island, see the waterfalls and so forth. Mr. Cab driver was still trying to talk us all into a ride, but no one was biting. I suggested to our small group of strangers, that we should get together and try to hire one of the vans for the day, it might be cheaper per person. We all looked at each other in agreement. I counted eight of us. A gentleman from Canada decided to take the initiative and go ask some of the non-cab drivers. To make a long story short, he ended up negotiating a deal with a man who was driving a small pickup truck, covered with a top and open windows.

A local in the small little town by the pier

Hmmm....we all looked at each other. There would be no air conditioning, no comfortable seats and what was the truck normally used for?? I was waiting to hear the over-the-top price that our friend from Canada had gotten for us....but I was shocked to hear that it was only $8 per person. Now THAT was a good deal, especially since it included a four hour trip around the island, along with stops. Okay, I have to admit, $8 seemed too cheap and I almost felt guilty, but heh, the driver seemed excited to get the business. Where it get's weird though is the driver had us sneak in the back, and wouldn't open the tarp windows until we were around the corner and away from the other drivers.

The only photo I have of our truck (which I took later during the day).

As I said, there were eight of us. The older Canadian man and his wife, The 30-something Australian man and his wife, the 30-something Hong Kong man and his wife and my buddy and I. Our Canadian friend quickly became our leader and decided to ride up front with the driver. His guidance and negotiating skills were quite helpful, especially since Mr. driver was trying to raise the price after we took off. The Canadian man's wife (sorry, forgot everyone's name) was in back with us and had a walky-talky to communicate with her husband. This couple was great, very bohemian. In fact, even though our little group was extremely diverse, it was clear that we were all going to get along well. Within moments of the truck taking off with us loaded in the back, we all began laughing as we realized that we were being bumped up and down harshly on the truck's metal seats. There was no tailgate, so it wouldn't take much for any number of us to be tossed out the back. However, I loved setting there and having a free view to the islands roadway as we bumped along at breakneck speeds. Oh, and the only sign we found inside the back of the truck was for a shooting range. P.S.: Don't be discouraged by the initial dim photos...this island is amazing! I will post more soon. Also, remember to use my "Search Google Maps" link at the top of my blog if you need help with figuring out where a country or place is that I talk about.

This is me trying to hold on with the video camera in the back of our pickup truck. No Tailgate, so I had to stop recording and grab the side.

To Be Continued.....

Bagnkok, Thailand. The never-ending lunch...like, for sure!! (Part Four)

2010-01-23T14:28:00.000-08:00

Each stop along the river became more interesting than the next. What began to take over, was the unfailing continuation of hunger pains. We are in Thailand, so it's time to eat as the Thai's do!! I began strolling down some side streets and along shops, trying to find a good place to eat. I have eaten Thai food many times in the states, but I wanted to experience the real thing, in Thailand. After about ten minutes of searching, I found exactly what I was looking for. An older, thin and weathered looking "Grandma" type was leaning over her somewhat overused Wok. The front of the small cafe was all open and a few rustic and cheap plastic table/chair sets were scattered about. There were a couple of local customers sitting and eating, but they stopped as they watched the two Americans approach the Wok station. The burner and Wok were almost out on the sidewalk, but elevated a bit by a makeshift counter. There was a hand written sign in Thai, which listed available dishes. I believe there were five.
Note: unfortunately, I didn't take photos of the cafe, so I just added some shots of the area to this post.

The Street where we looked for our cafe

Obviously, I couldn't read anything on the menu, and our little old lady of the cafe, didn't know English. However, all was not lost. I knew the magical words that all Thai food loving people know.."Pad Thai". Yes, my favorite dish of the Thai genre. I said these words out-loud and simply pointed to something on the posted menu, trying to look like an old pro. I could have been pointing at squid brains and pig's toes, but nonetheless, our friendly matron repeated those familiar words and pointed us to a selection of seating. She managed a slight smile as she began to rustle around in plastic bins and boxes. We managed to point to a bottled water and were served promptly. The locals continued to sip their noodle soup and looked at us every chance they get, without seeming obvious. I smiled and nodded.

The street where we looked for our Cafe

I only wish that I had taken photos of our eating place, but I think it would have been awkward under the circumstances. After all, we were really in a tourist area and I didn't know if it would be rude or not. So, after clicking and clanging on the Wok, the older woman brought over two wonderful, hot and steaming plates of Pad Thai. For those of you who don't know, Pad Thai is generally Noodles stir-fried in a Wok with oils, egg, seasonings and generally garnished with peanuts, green onions and bean sprouts. However, there are many types of Pad Thai and the recipe can change dramatically. So, as she sat the plate down in front of me, I took my fork and picked through it to make sure the recipe hadn't changed since I last ate it. Believe it or not, there was squid...but the kind I like.

Locals shopping on the street

This dish was amazing, I we ate our meals completely and quickly. We were still sweating from the constant heat and humidity that poured in from the open cafe, but the bottled water helped. I got up to pay and our friend wrote down a total bill of about $2 U.S. for two people with bottled water. Can't beat that can you? So, I gave her about five dollars worth of Thai money and she began trying to make change, but instead I bowed with a "Wai" (prayer formation which shows respect and thanks) and we left with a smile. See, I'm not so cheap all the time. LOL

Walking back to the pier after lunch

It took us a short while to catch the next boat at the pier. Finally it came and we rode up the river, but waited until another interesting stop, in fact, what caught our eye was a small cafe that sat over the water and people were digging into their meals as we pulled up and jumped onto the pier.

Cafe off of the next pier stop

"I'm hungry" I said to Billy, who immediately decided he was hungry too. Feeling like a piggish American, it had only been about 15 minutes since our last meal. However, Pad Thai was like mana from the heavens and in great abundance everywhere we went. We rushed in and sat down at an empty table. The warm sun was shining in through the open windows, but not uncomfortable. This time, our waitress was also an older woman. She wasn't in too good of a mood. I think it was family run, since there seemed to be a couple of daughters and one older female cook. She took our order of...Pad Thai...quickly and slunked off. I swear she rolled her eyes, but it didn't take long to figure out why.

Literally, right behind us, sat four blond valley girls...like whatever. Yes, they were loud, probably on their break from college and spending daddies money. Okay, I don't know for sure that it was daddies money, but they were drunk. "Another beer here!!" one of them yelled across the cafe to the waitress. Yes, it was definitely an eye roll this time. "I'll have one too!", another giggling girl yelled. Pad Thai and drunk Sorority girl was exactly why I came to Thailand (heavy sarcasm). Finally, the meal came and we ate and ate with joy. The food only seems to get better each time.

Another street in Bangkok

After finishing our meal, we sat at the table and watched as one of the girls got up to go to the bathroom. The bathroom was a small door which opened from inside the dining area. Valley girl #1 looks inside and says "ICK!!...I think I'll wait..till, like..we get back to the hotel". So Valley girl #2 rushes over and looks also..."OMG...that is...like...so nasty". Our waitress was not pleased and tried hard to ignore the insults. Billy, decides he's going to get up and use the restroom at this point, regardless of what was in there. He looks, closes the door and comes out a few minutes later. Valley girl #3 is now standing outside of the bathroom door and has to go potty. Too many beers to wait until she get's back to the Ritz. So, Billy proceeds to open the door again and shows her the small hole in the floor. In addition to the hole, there is a small wooden basin off water on the floor that has a hose trickling into it and a ladle for dipping. It was simple...squat, pee, ladle and leave. Apparently willing and able to follow these instructions, VG#3 rushes in and closes the door behind her. Billy and I paid our bill, walked out and began walking down the small street. "I'm hungry, are you?".

To Be Continued...

Ships, Boats and Barges of the worlld

2010-01-22T10:05:00.000-08:00

For those of you who might be interested. I have uploaded part of my library of various Ships, Boats and Barges from around the world. I have also added Industrial sites, Cranes..etc..

I do not know what type of vessels all of these are, but there seems to be a great interest in these types of pictures. If you want to see my photo library on Flickr, you can click HERE. Thanks!

Free Wallpaper of Hong Kong "Red Sail Junk" boat

2010-01-21T21:33:00.000-08:00

I have a few photos that I took in Hong Kong of a "Red Sail Junk" boat and I thought I would offer them as a free download for desktop wallpaper. There are 7 versions of the wallpaper on my Flickr site. Once you get to the photo, click on the "All Sizes" button on top of the photo and it will take you to the window where you can download a high resolution version. If you decide to link these photos to another website, then please let me know. You can access the photos HERE. Thanks!