Daytrip to Private Collection in Northern California

And here's a link to a PBS "Spark" special on the collector and the collection.

Image Notes

Gentle reader, to make this blog easy to use, when you click on the image or album link in each posting you will be directed to Picasa Web Albums. From here the navigation is just like any other HTML page. To view the images you have several choices. The first page that loads is a thumbnail page; from here you can choose a sideshow or select individual images to have a closer look. Selecting individual images is as simple as clicking on the desired image, from there, just above each image will be arrows allowing you to go forwards or backwards in the series. Alternatively, you can select to view the images in a slide show format. To do this, when you first open the link from the blog post, look above the array of thumbnails and just below the album name, you will see tab links for a number of options. Slideshow is the first one on the left.

If you find a photo that you would like printed, please contact me rather than going through Picasa. I have downgraded the images on the website and they are not suitable resolution for printing. Thanks and enjoy.

Sapa Viet NAM

Sapa Province in Northern Viet Nam. In some areas of these photos, I am less than 30K from the Chinese border. The stepped rice fields are practically symbols of Sapa. The farmers only get one crop a year of rice and they just cut the fields hence the coloration. Although, armchair ecologist that I am, the current drought in southern China combined with the El Nino year, makes me think the dryness is indicative. Enjoy the pictures.

Halang Bay Viet Nam

There are nearly 3000 islands in Halang Bay. The landscape is stunning, and the main reason for my venture to the north. Weather provided some incredibly poetic and introspective landscapes. Rorschach aside, my impressions are here.

Road from Dalat to Nha Trang to Hoi An

I took a road trip of sorts with a guide so I could snap pictures and enjoy the landscape. Something that is hard to do when you are driving through all conditions imaginable. This album gives a survey of that road trip. Except for Nha Trang, we rode the Central Highlands hitching up with part of the Ho Chi Minh Trail that has been converted into a national road. Several Vietnamese were on the road with us, everyone riding small bikes in the nieghborhood of 100 cc climbing huge mountains. It seems there is nothing you can't do on a motobike (scooter). Throughout my travels I prooved this by doing solo day trips on rented scooters. They are indestructible. Images here.

Dalat, Viet Nam

Dalat is unlike any other place in Viet Nam. The folks in the end of album are close friends that I stayed with for a few days, the wife was at work the day the picture was taken.

Hoi An, Viet Nam

Hoi An is a beautiful picturesque town about halfway up Viet Nam. Images here.

Saigon War Museums

Album contains images of the Independence Palace and the War Remnants museum. Map images are from the period of the American War in Viet Nam and depict troop movements from all sides. A few maps show the Ho Chi Minh trail across three countries, Laos, Cambodia, and Viet Nam.

Saigon, Viet Nam

I arrived in Saigon just as Tet (new year festival) was beginning. There is no way to describe the experience other than total madness. Businesses close for the whole month of February or at least for the peak week centered around the 14th. Prices are double and travel options are sold out. All of Vietnam is visiting other cities, and a significant number of overseas Vietnamese travel to the homeland. Those from the countryside who can afford it descend on the major cities for pleasure or business. This increases exponentially the number of moto's and bodies in restaraunts. Nightlife is insanity to say the least. These images attempt to show the peace and beauty of Tet.

life's a beach

Beach life images from and around Sihanoukville, Cambodia. The beaches here are being developed at a break neck speed even for Cambodia. Many of these places will be radically different within two years or less.

Khmer war Remants

Private collection of Weapons used in Cambodia during numerous wars. Most notable is the period of the Khmer Rouge. The collection is that of a retired Khmer General. The museum is located outside Siem Reap, the tourist town servicing the Angkor temple complex.

Northern Thailand Trekking

from elephant riding to homestay with hill tribes, the air was fine, and the view stunning. Images here.

Chiang Mai, Thailand

images from Chiang Mai

bangkok

maddness

Ankgor Wat, Cambodia

Album 2 of 2

Click here for the album

Ankgor Wat, Cambodia

This is the first album of two. There thousands more images, however, many are parts of other photographic projects and will be released at a later time. The images in the linked album are for general appreciation of the temples around Ankgor Wat. Wiki has an interesting survey of the history of Angkor, at one time the center of the universe in the Southeast Asia continent. A map of the entire complex can be found here. In three days, I bicycled through all temples. I can't remember the names of all of them, hence the map link. As always, higher resolution images can be acquired by contacting me.

enjoy.

Canyon De Chelly

Ok. so these pics are from about a year ago, but here is the link...

Link to road album