tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30120330352860938372024-03-13T21:24:17.876-05:00RNC PhotographyRalph Childshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885575902728814701noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3012033035286093837.post-70492115210637035042014-03-29T10:14:00.002-06:002014-03-29T10:15:43.742-06:00Retirement Musings<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It's been a busy two and a half years since I retired. Lots of travel and lots of photography. What could be better than that!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I've been on three cruises and to Asia twice. Lost some dear friends and have made some new lifelong ones. I've also re-connected with some old friends on Facebook and LinkedIn. Winter in Chicago seems to be finally ending and I am about to embark on a three week trip to Asia with my new Fujifilm mirrorless cameras (X-Pro1 and X-T1). Leaving the big pro Canons at home for the first time.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">2014 is going to be a great year!</span><br />
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<img src="webkit-fake-url://07A26538-0912-4DAD-BE6E-D6B7C9F4DDC1/imagejpeg" />Ralph Childshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885575902728814701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3012033035286093837.post-87982582523566600552011-07-03T16:19:00.000-05:002011-07-03T16:19:39.380-05:00Retired At Last!30 June 2011 marked the end of a 25 year career as a contract specialist. 01 July 2011 marked the first day of retirement and the first day that I began to pursue my passion for photography full time.<br />
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I am very excited that I will no longer have to say "I don't have time to do that" because now I do have the time.<br />
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I hope to continue my travels in Southeast Asia and to expand my work to include event photography and begin to put together some travelogues.<br />
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I had a great career and as General Amos of the US Marine Corps recently told his staff of current and retired personnel, "The juice was worth the squeeze." <br />
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I will be posting a great deal more and hope that you will enjoy the new adventures.Ralph Childshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885575902728814701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3012033035286093837.post-47770697754934431702010-08-16T20:03:00.000-05:002010-08-16T20:03:28.561-05:00Bali 2010 Photos - Kecak<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TGne6ZWe5bI/AAAAAAAAAIc/m7XQrMAkjSw/s1600/20100813-1B0K7690_R.Childs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TGne6ZWe5bI/AAAAAAAAAIc/m7XQrMAkjSw/s320/20100813-1B0K7690_R.Childs.jpg" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TGne8g708II/AAAAAAAAAIk/kCDOAI3DsHU/s1600/20100813-1B0K7762_R.Childs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TGne8g708II/AAAAAAAAAIk/kCDOAI3DsHU/s320/20100813-1B0K7762_R.Childs.jpg" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TGne-JMCxMI/AAAAAAAAAIs/dlkrTdCJlQ4/s1600/20100813-1B0K7790_R.Childs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TGne-JMCxMI/AAAAAAAAAIs/dlkrTdCJlQ4/s320/20100813-1B0K7790_R.Childs.jpg" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TGne_yx6D7I/AAAAAAAAAI0/Vn8oDCME7vk/s1600/20100813-1B0K7798_R.Childs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TGne_yx6D7I/AAAAAAAAAI0/Vn8oDCME7vk/s320/20100813-1B0K7798_R.Childs.jpg" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TGnfCIukiiI/AAAAAAAAAI8/PhA-7fqa9to/s1600/20100813-1B0K7806_R.Childs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TGnfCIukiiI/AAAAAAAAAI8/PhA-7fqa9to/s320/20100813-1B0K7806_R.Childs.jpg" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TGnfD5c3MRI/AAAAAAAAAJE/9vZcBjd3FRc/s1600/20100813-1B0K7868_R.Childs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TGnfD5c3MRI/AAAAAAAAAJE/9vZcBjd3FRc/s320/20100813-1B0K7868_R.Childs.jpg" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TGnfFVCnB1I/AAAAAAAAAJM/KaOlKVFFA8I/s1600/20100813-1B0K7898_R.Childs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TGnfFVCnB1I/AAAAAAAAAJM/KaOlKVFFA8I/s320/20100813-1B0K7898_R.Childs.jpg" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TGnfHqCxyuI/AAAAAAAAAJU/zuLtbTA97co/s1600/20100813-1B0K7917_R.Childs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TGnfHqCxyuI/AAAAAAAAAJU/zuLtbTA97co/s320/20100813-1B0K7917_R.Childs.jpg" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TGnfJFo-DyI/AAAAAAAAAJc/eB8vQD-bImI/s1600/20100813-1B0K7969_R.Childs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TGnfJFo-DyI/AAAAAAAAAJc/eB8vQD-bImI/s320/20100813-1B0K7969_R.Childs.jpg" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TGnfLVCYRpI/AAAAAAAAAJk/EFP05rhHYbA/s1600/20100813-1B0K7981_R.Childs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TGnfLVCYRpI/AAAAAAAAAJk/EFP05rhHYbA/s320/20100813-1B0K7981_R.Childs.jpg" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TGnfM_wf4NI/AAAAAAAAAJs/YutC9O91tfE/s1600/20100813-1B0K8062_R.Childs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TGnfM_wf4NI/AAAAAAAAAJs/YutC9O91tfE/s320/20100813-1B0K8062_R.Childs.jpg" /></a></div>There many dances in Bali but none as dramatic as the Kecak dance. It is taken from the Hindu epic Ramayana and tells the story of Prince Rama and his rescue of Princess Sita, who has been kidnapped by the King of Lanka. There is no gamelan music to this dance, only the chanting of 150 bare chested men. The culmination of the dance that we saw included the fire dance by a single participant who, while in a trance state, runs over, in, and through a pile of burning coconut shells and husks while barefoot. Ralph Childshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885575902728814701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3012033035286093837.post-43042662216958074822010-08-16T19:41:00.000-05:002010-08-16T19:41:53.779-05:00The Road Home - TokyoIt seems like just a day ago that I was sending a message from the lounge at Narita at the start of Bali 2010. One leg down, one long leg to go.<br />
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My takeaway for the trip home:<br />
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KFC chicken at MBK in Bangkok - $2.00<br />
Pink Pepto tablets bought for the trip - $3.29<br />
Having the Pink Pepto tablets in your carry-on luggage - Priceless!<br />
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A little of the Bali Belly prior to departure from Bangkok and finding those little pink pills was very soothing. Not only to my stomach, but to my peace of mind for the long flights home.<br />
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Which brings me back to the keywords. Here they are in no particular order of importance:<br />
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Bali belly, Bali traffic, Bali massage, Bali hospitality, weather, gecko, coffee, festival, odelan, barong, kecak, sarong, cremation, teeth filing, trance, rice, puppets, kites, father-son traditions, sacrificial offerings, cock fighting, bo, kim, penny, alia, chris, sandy, rose, django, tewfic, komang, ketut, daiu, dilla, the pond, rian, made hair salon, Bali Zen Spa, chaya, fbi, ducks, nasi gareng, school kids marching, lime juice, bintang, eating with fingers, authentic thai cuisine, tuk tuk, sweat, double decker pizza, propane taxis, propane water taxis, ice, patpong 1, ping pong balls, rambutan, nomad, paon, mosquito netting, pocari sweat, ANA.<br />
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Definite memory joggers for a trip that was packed with sensory stimulations of sight, sound, taste, and feel.<br />
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An hour until boarding so I will see if I can get a couple of photos onto the blog.<br />
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As Bali 2010 draws to a close, my special thanks to Tewfic El-Sawy, The Travel Photographer, who has made these adventures possible and who has taught me so much about style and humor. Thank you godo!<br />
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RalphRalph Childshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885575902728814701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3012033035286093837.post-69645952826560186042010-08-16T19:40:00.002-05:002010-08-16T19:40:38.556-05:00The Road HomeAs always happens, a grand adventure comes to an end and Bali 2010 is complete.<br />
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I am in the Bangkok airport awaiting my flight at midnight to take me to Tokyo and then I am Chicago bound. The road home will take about 23 hours and I arrive at about 10AM CST.<br />
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Bali 2010 may be in the record books but the memories will be lasting a lifetime. Was it a good trip? Definitely. Did I accomplish what I had hoped to accomplish? Yes. Did I learn new things? It would be impossible to interact with different cultures on a one to one basis and not learn new things. I experienced and saw things that opened my eyes to the differences between our cultures. It is important to keep an open mind about what you see and do to keep things in perspective. What is normal and acceptable for one culture, may be shocking to another. I will be writing about these experiences in the coming weeks. We saw firsthand the celebration of cremation in the Balinese life cycle. We saw firsthand animal sacrifice at one of the religious festivals. Did I photograph these events? Yes. Will I publish all the photos from these events? No.<br />
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As with every trip that I have taken with Tewfic El-Sawy, there have been what I call "takeaways". These are experiences that are special to me and will stay with me always.<br />
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I have a list of keyword memory joggers to help me recount everything that we did and saw. It is a long list and every word has a special meaning and associated memory. More on these later.<br />
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I will see if I can post a few photos from Tokyo. I have a three hour layover.<br />
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It has been another great trip and now the road home has commenced.<br />
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Thanks for following my adventure.Ralph Childshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885575902728814701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3012033035286093837.post-40774853696063565562010-08-10T19:49:00.000-05:002010-08-10T19:49:39.731-05:00Bali Photos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TGHyYs7Mr6I/AAAAAAAAAIU/64hsNotKE5A/s1600/Monkey+Forest+1B0K2243.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TGHyYs7Mr6I/AAAAAAAAAIU/64hsNotKE5A/s320/Monkey+Forest+1B0K2243.jpg" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TGHwmYDUrGI/AAAAAAAAAHc/iCUsgnXRwoQ/s1600/Balinese+Dancers+1B0K2428.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TGHwmYDUrGI/AAAAAAAAAHc/iCUsgnXRwoQ/s320/Balinese+Dancers+1B0K2428.jpg" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TGHw27G-EoI/AAAAAAAAAHk/IxxfohdeX1c/s1600/Balinese+Father+and+Son+1B0K2726.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TGHw27G-EoI/AAAAAAAAAHk/IxxfohdeX1c/s320/Balinese+Father+and+Son+1B0K2726.jpg" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TGHxWa_5erI/AAAAAAAAAHs/Bpe4ah7L-mk/s1600/Balinese+Festival+Umbrellas+1B0K2754.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TGHxWa_5erI/AAAAAAAAAHs/Bpe4ah7L-mk/s320/Balinese+Festival+Umbrellas+1B0K2754.jpg" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TGHxqkvBdSI/AAAAAAAAAH0/yc5QuVdNuoU/s1600/Balinese+Festival+Umbrellas+1B0K2756.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TGHxqkvBdSI/AAAAAAAAAH0/yc5QuVdNuoU/s320/Balinese+Festival+Umbrellas+1B0K2756.jpg" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TGHx0OV2rqI/AAAAAAAAAH8/O_h7zYjVu-0/s1600/Balinese+Offering+1B0K2557.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TGHx0OV2rqI/AAAAAAAAAH8/O_h7zYjVu-0/s320/Balinese+Offering+1B0K2557.jpg" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TGHx9f-TKMI/AAAAAAAAAIE/jOArUaGLkgQ/s1600/Balinese+Priest+1B0K2650.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TGHx9f-TKMI/AAAAAAAAAIE/jOArUaGLkgQ/s320/Balinese+Priest+1B0K2650.jpg" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TGHyRY52eEI/AAAAAAAAAIM/i0o8h7w0Vg0/s1600/Monkey+Forest+1B0K2198.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TGHyRY52eEI/AAAAAAAAAIM/i0o8h7w0Vg0/s320/Monkey+Forest+1B0K2198.jpg" /></a></div>Here are some of the photos that I have taken on the Bali 2010 trip. I hope that you enjoy them.Ralph Childshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885575902728814701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3012033035286093837.post-6874498520497716142010-08-09T01:30:00.002-05:002010-08-09T01:30:33.132-05:00On the Road Again - Bali Day 8Sunday, 08 August 2010 dawned clear and sunny with white puffy clouds.<br />
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In 2007, my favorite place that we visited was Tirta Empul and I was excited to be going back again, especially on a Sunday when it would be busier than any other day of the week. Tirta Empul is in the village of Tampak Siring and it is one of the most beautiful temples in Bali. It is a holy bathing place that is over 1,000 years old. Legend has it that the sacred spring was created by the god Indra. His forces had been poisoned by Mayadanawa, so he pierced the earth to create a fountain of immortality to revive them.<br />
An inscription dates the founding of a temple at the site to 926 AD. Ever since - for more than a thousand years - the Balinese have come to bathe in the sacred waters for healing and spiritual merit.<br />
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There are two bathing pools fed by natural spring waters that are said to have curative powers. The spring waters flow into the pools from seven pancuran and the water is very cold. On a very hot day, I am sure that it would not only be curative but also invigorating. The people pause at each one to pray and to receive the flow of water on their heads and faces. Balinese traditions are passed along to each generation and are followed by young and old. As in 2007, several of the young children were experiencing the cold waters for the first time. It was a delight to some and a freezing shock to others. A lot of laughter and a lot of crying but in every case, a lot of trust in the fathers holding their sons.<br />
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Overlooking the temple on a hill above is a modern building: the Government Palace, built in 1954. Originally a residence for Dutch officials, it was later used by former President Soekarno during his frequent trips to Bali.<br />
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As you leave the temple, you "run the gauntlet" of shopping stalls selling everything Bali. It seems that you can buy anything for "one dollar" unless you don't look like you are going to buy and then the price quickly drops to pennies.<br />
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The afternoon was spent in Semara at the market. Not many tourists and I got to photograph craftsmen shaping and polishing stones for the elaborate gold and silver ring settings at the open air shop. I chatted with one craftsman and one of his friends who spoke surprisingly good English. I found out why when he told me that his day job was as a policeman in Denpasar. We swapped stories and he assured me that when he was not in Denpasar at work, he was just one of the villagers. Quick with a smile and a laugh, I made a new friend.<br />
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One of the exciting aspects of being on the road again is that I get to meet and talk to so many new people. I hope to be receiving emails from these new friends. I have already received emails from Allan in Australia, Terje in Norway, and David in Bangkok.<br />
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As I said in my last email, I don't think it gets any better than this!<br />
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All is well, feel great, and there is much more to come.Ralph Childshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885575902728814701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3012033035286093837.post-80780662651607033662010-07-31T19:24:00.000-05:002010-07-31T19:24:58.616-05:00On the Road Again - Bangkok Photos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TFS9gm80AxI/AAAAAAAAAHM/tf6vj2wXL9c/s1600/CR7F9872.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TFS9gm80AxI/AAAAAAAAAHM/tf6vj2wXL9c/s320/CR7F9872.JPG" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TFSxeHjzFiI/AAAAAAAAAGU/iV8TOKF8-n0/s1600/CR7F0106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TFSxeHjzFiI/AAAAAAAAAGU/iV8TOKF8-n0/s320/CR7F0106.JPG" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TFSyI0_BG4I/AAAAAAAAAGc/IEZnPcVZgbk/s1600/CR7F0112.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TFSyI0_BG4I/AAAAAAAAAGc/IEZnPcVZgbk/s320/CR7F0112.JPG" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TFSy1991p2I/AAAAAAAAAGk/okbvNZ3RgNc/s1600/CR7F0153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TFSy1991p2I/AAAAAAAAAGk/okbvNZ3RgNc/s320/CR7F0153.JPG" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TFS22GnLBVI/AAAAAAAAAGs/FVVxt7QLv18/s1600/CR7F0246.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TFS22GnLBVI/AAAAAAAAAGs/FVVxt7QLv18/s320/CR7F0246.JPG" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TFS5XZctsrI/AAAAAAAAAG0/SPXR0w8Dm6o/s1600/CR7F9831.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TFS5XZctsrI/AAAAAAAAAG0/SPXR0w8Dm6o/s320/CR7F9831.JPG" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TFS7oh9pZDI/AAAAAAAAAG8/vDoQo_c_dnQ/s1600/CR7F9838.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TFS7oh9pZDI/AAAAAAAAAG8/vDoQo_c_dnQ/s320/CR7F9838.JPG" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TFS8Sw6pFII/AAAAAAAAAHE/5lrOaLUXYe8/s1600/CR7F9846.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/TFS8Sw6pFII/AAAAAAAAAHE/5lrOaLUXYe8/s320/CR7F9846.JPG" /></a></div>Here are some of the preliminary photos from Bangkok. <br />
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When you look at the size of the longtail, and then add three of us into the boat, you can see why it was an interesting trip. I certainly appreciated the help up the steps at the restaurant.<br />
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The wats are beautiful although Wat Po was very crowded.<br />
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In Bali now and about to continue the adventure.Ralph Childshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885575902728814701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3012033035286093837.post-77474468556253574252010-07-29T02:03:00.000-05:002010-07-29T02:03:33.898-05:00On the Road Again - BangkokHottest summer that anyone can remember in Bangkok!<br />
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I can attest to that now that I have been here for almost 6 days. It is a 10 minute walk from the hotel to the BTS Sky Train station at Sala Daeng, and by the time I have walked up to the platform, I am soaked. Fortunately, the breezes have been blowing across the platforms and the cars are very nicely air conditioned. So just about the time that I am cooling off, it is off the train and back into the heat. Pants with zip-off legs have been a blessing so far.<br />
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I like staying at the Tarntawan Hotel because the staff is very pleasant, the rooms are nice, and it is an easy walk to get to almost anywhere, especially to the BTS Sky Train or the MRT subway. It is also very close to ground zero where the riots were last month. No signs of any more unrest so no worries on that issue.<br />
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Sunday was a pretty easy day with some shopping at MBK and Siam Paragon shopping centers. The girls at the embroidery shop, Seven Sis, remembered me and had my logo pulled up in less than a minute. Not bad since it has been two years since I last visited their shop. Two shirts and a hat were done in an hour.<br />
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I have been on three photo shoots so far in Bangkok. A klong trip into the back canals of Bangkok, a visit to Wat Po, and a general river trip. David, my photographer friend, and his friend, Chai, arranged the klong and river trips and my friend Tashi from Bhutan and I visited Wat Po separately.<br />
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The klong trip was truly an experience. As Bill, Makoto and Wayne will attest from our trip to the cooking school in 2000, traveling via a small longtail is definitely different. The longtail this year was even smaller than the one in 2000 and with two guys my size, Chai from Phuket, and the driver, it was a full boat indeed. The small boats are all fueled by propane. We were pretty low in the water and with a very shallow draft, sitting was cross legged or with your feet stretched out in front. It only took about 5 minutes and both legs and feet were asleep. We traveled the klongs, had lunch at a local restaurant, and saw the canal life in Bangkok. The wats (temples) abound in Bangkok and we were fortunate to stop at one of the larger ones. It is off the tourist trail and we found it easy to talk to the monks and people and were invited into several closed areas and allowed to photograph. I credit my time with Tewfic on earlier trips with giving me the ability to strike up conversations wherever we are visiting and taking the time to get to know the people we are meeting. So many new doors are opened in this fashion and the experience is much more rewarding.<br />
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We were certainly taking our time getting back out to the Chao Praya river and Chai asked the driver to go a little faster. There was a concern, according to the driver, that not enough tide would not have come in to allow us to get through the last small canal and back out to the main waterway. We stalled three times in the narrow, shallow canal and the driver had to get out of the boat to clear the propeller. There are not enough baht in the Kingdom of Thailand to have gotten me out of that boat and into the backwaters of that canal. At last he was able to gain some headway and once he was up to speed, we made it through the canal. With the higher speed, however, came the splashing water onto our faces. My heartfelt thanks to Chee, my co-worker, who presented me with a "buff" that I was able to hold over my nose and mouth while getting splashed. When the water dried on my white shirt, there were green spots everywhere. Talk about a canal teeming with all sorts of critters. Thanks again Chee!<br />
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Tashi and I set out the next day to visit the Grand Palace on our own. As luck would have it, the King was on the grounds and no one was allowed to visit. Normally if a tuk-tuk driver says that the Grand Palace is closed because the monks are praying, it is because they want to steer you to a tuk-tuk ride you take it with a grain of salt and walk right into the entrance and visit anyways. When the police advise you that the grounds are closed, the grounds are definitely closed and no one gets through the gates.<br />
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As an alternate, we set out for Wat Po to see the Reclining Bhudda. Wat Po was packed with the normal amount of visitors plus the splillover from the Grand Palace. We walked the grounds for a while and then took the boat back to the sky train and the hotel. I showed Tashi a bit of Bangkok after dark that night. A real eye opener.<br />
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On Wednesday, David, Chai, Tashi, and I set out from the Saphin Taksin river terminal and visited several local wats that are just off the Chao Praya river. At one of the wats, we encountered a collection of antique Bhuddas that appeared to be all museum quality. I will certainly be looking up the collection to see just what we had stumbled upon. Judging from the icy cold air conditioning in the temperature controlled room and the number of security cameras (counted 4 that I could see), the collection is very valuable and again, off the normal tourist trail. These are the finds that make travel so much fun.<br />
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For dinner last night, we ate on Kao San road, the jumping off point for most of the backpackers who are traveling in southeast asia. Great grilled shrimp, morning glory, fried salty cashews and ice cold Tiger beer.<br />
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Today is Thursday and we had planned to go to the Siam Water Park but I had had enough sun for a while and the water park will be saved for a future event.<br />
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It is off to Bali in the morning for a couple of days of relaxation before meeting up with Tewfic and the rest of the photographers in Ubud on 1 August. He is already there and says all is in readiness.<br />
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Good food, good friends, good weather, good photography - Does it get any better than this?<br />
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I hope to have some photos up on the blog later today.<br />
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RalphRalph Childshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885575902728814701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3012033035286093837.post-67758333326828344052010-07-24T01:40:00.000-05:002010-07-24T01:40:09.620-05:00On the Road Again!Well, another grand adventure is underway. <br />
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I am in the ANA lounge at Narita in Tokyo sitting at a very large bank of windows watching all the traffic. What a change from the Red Carpet Club in Chicago. Light, open, clean, and they have real food here! Now if I don't fall asleep and miss my plane to Bangkok, I will be in good shape. I did sleep for about 6 hours out of the 12 hours from Chicago to Tokyo. Another six and a half hours and I will be in Bangkok, arriving at 11:30 PM on a Saturday night. Not a bad arrival time when you are visiting Bangkok.<br />
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It is great to be back on the road again. 2009 was taken up with the big proposal and I was grounded for the year. <br />
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Logistically, this trip looks like this:<br />
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Six days in Bangkok visiting with old friends and meeting some new ones. I will be getting some shirts embroidered at MBK and there are two river trips planned for photography opportunities and possibly a trip to Siam Water Park. One of the river trips will be a half day into the back klongs and I am excited because I have long wanted to do that. Tashi, one of our guides from Bhutan, will be coming over to see me and we will go shooting . He is a great photographer and I am now godfather to his first son. I am sure we will be talking about that when he arrives on the 27th.<br />
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On the 30th, I fly to Bali before the arrival of the other photographers and will be on the beach. It will be the calm before the storm since we get pretty hardcore once the actual trip starts. Everyone is to meet at the pool at the Agung Raka Bungalows where we stayed in 2007. Tewfic and I have stayed in touch with our friends at Agung Raka over the years and they are excited about our return. I will see Suadnyana, one of our guides, and deliver his fishing line to him. He asked for 400 yards of 40 pound test line for surf fishing with his sons. The 1700 yard spool wasn't much bigger and I think he will be happy with the extra 1300 yards.<br />
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After two weeks photographing the festivals, temples, fishing villages, and people in Bali, it is back to Bangkok on the 15th for about 18 hours and then wheels up at 2355 hours on the 16th with an arrival back in Chicago on the 17th at 0820 hours. Back to work (at least in body) on the 18th.<br />
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I may be posting to my blog (www.RNCphotography.blogspot.com) or possibly to the World Nomads blog site for the rest of the trip. And there is always Facebook.<br />
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It is 92 degrees in Tokyo. I can't wait to get to Bangkok where it is supposed to be really warm! <br />
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I hope that you will enjoy my ramblings on this my fifth trip to Asia with Tewfic. If you get bored, send me an email and I will forever take you off the mailing list. <br />
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Time to double check what time it is. My watch says that it is 1:30 AM Chicago time and that should be about 3:30 PM local. Boarding is at 5:45 PM.<br />
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RalphRalph Childshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885575902728814701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3012033035286093837.post-26414582233065490482010-03-06T23:32:00.011-06:002010-03-07T00:34:35.861-06:002010 - Time to Shoot!It seems like a long time since I posted the Chicago Marathon! Lately I have been shooting our company's hockey team at 6:00 AM on Tuesday mornings. There are not many things that will get me up at 4:30 AM but photography will. Each Tuesday I have learned a little more about what to do and more importantly, what not to do. The lighting had me going for a while until I found a "Tips for Photographing Hockey" article written by Don Smith, co-team photographer, San Jose Sharks. He has been shooting NHL games for 16 seasons and the tips in his article are a must read. <a href="http://www.donsmithphotography.com">Don Smith Photography</a><br /><br />My company has also had me photograph several corporate events and that has been very rewarding.<br /><br />But most of all, the countdown clock has been started for Bali. I leave for Thailand on the 24th of July and arrive in Denpasar, Bali not later than the 1st of August. We will again be in Ubud at the <a href="http://www.agungraka.com/agungraka-bungalows/default.asp">Agung Raka Bungalows</a> for two weeks of photography. Tewfic El-Sawy, <a href="http://www.thetravelphotographer.blogspot.com/">The Travel Photographer</a>, is again leading the trip and I can't wait to be on the road again. I am looking forward to seeing all my friends in Bali.<br /><br />Here are some of the hockey photos that I like.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/S5NFmwc4SAI/AAAAAAAAAGM/B4U2P8Jrlmk/s1600-h/2010+02+15+ng+hockey3+export+jpg-055.jpeg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/S5NFmwc4SAI/AAAAAAAAAGM/B4U2P8Jrlmk/s320/2010+02+15+ng+hockey3+export+jpg-055.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445772906564438018" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/S5NFmd03cNI/AAAAAAAAAGE/T8RDYaKwswA/s1600-h/2010+02+15+ng+hockey3+export+jpg-014.jpeg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/S5NFmd03cNI/AAAAAAAAAGE/T8RDYaKwswA/s320/2010+02+15+ng+hockey3+export+jpg-014.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445772901564772562" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/S5NFmAz52XI/AAAAAAAAAF8/jRVvECEFJcA/s1600-h/ng+hockey2+export+jpg-105.jpeg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/S5NFmAz52XI/AAAAAAAAAF8/jRVvECEFJcA/s320/ng+hockey2+export+jpg-105.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445772893776107890" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/S5NFlzafzxI/AAAAAAAAAF0/VY6bWyiLoMs/s1600-h/ng+hockey2+export+jpg-033.jpeg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/S5NFlzafzxI/AAAAAAAAAF0/VY6bWyiLoMs/s320/ng+hockey2+export+jpg-033.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445772890179882770" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/S5NFlilJ61I/AAAAAAAAAFs/LUcU_4F6vls/s1600-h/ng+hockey2+export+jpg-017.jpeg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/S5NFlilJ61I/AAAAAAAAAFs/LUcU_4F6vls/s320/ng+hockey2+export+jpg-017.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445772885661182802" border="0" /></a>Ralph Childshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885575902728814701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3012033035286093837.post-76011221640165448532009-10-29T21:49:00.010-06:002009-10-29T22:12:34.890-06:00Chicago Marathon<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/Supl4-K_5TI/AAAAAAAAAFk/OBIfyl1frl4/s1600-h/1B0K3758.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/Supl4-K_5TI/AAAAAAAAAFk/OBIfyl1frl4/s320/1B0K3758.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398239132793169202" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/SuplwWvWOCI/AAAAAAAAAFc/o_Ns74gTQcg/s1600-h/1B0K3723.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/SuplwWvWOCI/AAAAAAAAAFc/o_Ns74gTQcg/s320/1B0K3723.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398238984769255458" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/SuplkPCQlWI/AAAAAAAAAFU/iyj9FDt1xlQ/s1600-h/1B0K4022.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/SuplkPCQlWI/AAAAAAAAAFU/iyj9FDt1xlQ/s320/1B0K4022.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398238776542664034" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/SuplVHhkENI/AAAAAAAAAFM/F7fn6ksyG68/s1600-h/1B0K3487.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/SuplVHhkENI/AAAAAAAAAFM/F7fn6ksyG68/s320/1B0K3487.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398238516828442834" /></a><br />I had a great time at the Chicago Marathon this year. I missed last year because I was in Bhutan. Here are some of my shots. They are teaser shots to draw you to my flickr site at <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/RNCphotography">RNCphotography</a> Daylight savings ends this weekend and there are only two months left in 2009. And only 8.5 months left until it is wheels up for Bali. It has been a good shooting year, although it has all been domestic. Cirque Shanghai this summer, the Chicago Marathon, Junior Diabetes Walk, and upcoming events that include the Halloween Parade on Halsted Street in Chicago, the McDonald's Thanksgiving Day parade, and three more corporate shoots.Ralph Childshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885575902728814701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3012033035286093837.post-29519208110163042412009-08-09T20:13:00.012-05:002009-08-09T20:57:30.563-05:00Back to the Blog<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/Sn955Sxuo4I/AAAAAAAAAE8/AGAQxhWpyVY/s1600-h/021L5301.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 156px; height: 104px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/Sn955Sxuo4I/AAAAAAAAAE8/AGAQxhWpyVY/s320/021L5301.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368143306048840578" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/Sn96chGasnI/AAAAAAAAAFE/1bkqHk3gjS8/s1600-h/021L5634.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 126px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/Sn96chGasnI/AAAAAAAAAFE/1bkqHk3gjS8/s320/021L5634.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368143911189131890" border="0" /></a>It has been a long time since I have posted to the blog. I have been tangled with work and have neglected my writing and posting but not my shooting. I will be traveling again to Asia in 2010 to go back to Bali with Tewfic El-Sawy, "<a href="http://thetravelphotographer.blogspot.com/">thetravelphotographer</a>". If you haven't been to his blog, you should. It is quite informative, often opinionated but never dull. I will re-start the countdown clock as soon as we have the dates but it will be in late July - early August.<br /><br />My shooting of late has been local and filled with fun. I recently photographed the Chicago Dragon Boat Races (above) and the 2009 Great Circus Festival and Parade in Milwaukee (below). Both of these events can be seen on my flickr account <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/RNCphotography">RNCphotography</a>.<br /><br />Hope you like the shots. I will be writing more about each soon.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/Sn936nYS0GI/AAAAAAAAAEs/qtZwYUDfAc4/s1600-h/021L4168.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 222px; height: 148px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/Sn936nYS0GI/AAAAAAAAAEs/qtZwYUDfAc4/s320/021L4168.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368141129735917666" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/Sn94brNQUKI/AAAAAAAAAE0/sY3G6nO03Fs/s1600-h/021L4235.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 99px; height: 149px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/Sn94brNQUKI/AAAAAAAAAE0/sY3G6nO03Fs/s320/021L4235.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368141697699041442" border="0" /></a>Ralph Childshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885575902728814701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3012033035286093837.post-59933123345665354882008-08-29T21:43:00.009-05:002008-08-29T22:26:13.018-05:00On to Bhutan!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/SLi6aJIdvnI/AAAAAAAAADE/B8E7diYqhrM/s1600-h/IMG_0408.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/SLi6aJIdvnI/AAAAAAAAADE/B8E7diYqhrM/s320/IMG_0408.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240143124736360050" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/SLi5fsuVMPI/AAAAAAAAAC8/r-_4W-FRlH0/s1600-h/IMG_0392.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/SLi5fsuVMPI/AAAAAAAAAC8/r-_4W-FRlH0/s320/IMG_0392.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240142120678142194" /></a><br />What a roller coaster ride 2008 has been so far. Tewfic El-Sawy, www.thetravelphotographer.blogspot.com, announced that he would be traveling back to Bhutan in October, 2008. Having traveled with Tewfic to Bhutan in 2006, I immediately signed up for the trip but was worried because work in 2008 was supposed to be very hectic from June until the end of September.<br /><br />The work kept getting delayed and after a great deal of thought, I notified Tewfic that I would have to cancel. Two days later, the work was delayed yet another time and I received authorization to go to Bhutan this year! The scramble was on. Tewfic was able to re-instate my reservations and I have secured airfare at the last minute. <br /><br />And now, as with any trip, the lists start! <br /><br /> - Clothing<br /> - Equipment<br /> - Luggage<br /> - Trip insurance<br /><br />And many more hikes with a full load of camera gear.<br /><br />This will be my fourth trip with Tewfic and my photography experience grows with each trip I take with him. Several photographers from our earlier trips to Cambodia, Bhutan, and Bali will be traveling again and it will be good to see old friends. <br /><br />The countdown clock is ticking! 30 days to liftoff. This trip will see me flying from Chicago to Shanghai and then to Bangkok for a few days. From Thailand to India to Bhutan. The approach is magnificent as you wind through the mountains to the only location in the entire country that has a flat enough parcel of land to construct an airport. <br /><br />I can't wait to see old friends and make new ones.<br /><br />On to Bhutan!Ralph Childshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885575902728814701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3012033035286093837.post-70042889514033246752008-05-16T23:11:00.012-05:002008-05-17T13:10:12.824-05:00Wheelchair Racers<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/SC5yaEnEpEI/AAAAAAAAAC0/zjIvdYkhqDo/s1600-h/021L3411.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/SC5yaEnEpEI/AAAAAAAAAC0/zjIvdYkhqDo/s320/021L3411.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201220411899290690" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/SC5yUEnEo_I/AAAAAAAAACM/GF5k5DOhEbU/s1600-h/_B0K7472.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/SC5yUEnEo_I/AAAAAAAAACM/GF5k5DOhEbU/s320/_B0K7472.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201220308820075506" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/SC5yUEnEpAI/AAAAAAAAACU/pE_-LR7nPd4/s1600-h/_B0K7504.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/SC5yUEnEpAI/AAAAAAAAACU/pE_-LR7nPd4/s320/_B0K7504.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201220308820075522" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/SC5yUEnEpBI/AAAAAAAAACc/tEbrG8zts5s/s1600-h/_B0K7538.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/SC5yUEnEpBI/AAAAAAAAACc/tEbrG8zts5s/s320/_B0K7538.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201220308820075538" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/SC5yUUnEpCI/AAAAAAAAACk/oj4iVTj-HW8/s1600-h/021L3347.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/SC5yUUnEpCI/AAAAAAAAACk/oj4iVTj-HW8/s320/021L3347.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201220313115042850" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/SC5yUUnEpDI/AAAAAAAAACs/su5FvadCF60/s1600-h/021L3370.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/SC5yUUnEpDI/AAAAAAAAACs/su5FvadCF60/s320/021L3370.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201220313115042866" /></a><br />I had the fortune to shoot the Chicago Marathon in 2006 and 2007 at the FrontRunners water table location. It is always an enjoyable shoot but the weather can be quite unpredictable in October. In 2006 it was snowing when we arrived. In 2007, the race was halted due to the extreme heat.<br /><br />There is a group of marathoners that always impresses me. They are the wheelchair racers. The dedication shown by these athletes is an inspiration to me and I always enjoy photographing them. One athlete in particular, Joshua George, was recently featured in a New York Times article entitled <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/15/sports/othersports/15george.html?_r=3&th&emc=th&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=slogin"> A Blur of Hands, Spokes and Determination</a> written by Alan Schwarz. <br /><br />The article highlights George who will be participating in the 2008 Paralympic Games to be held in Beijing two weeks after the Olympics. I have been fortunate to photograph George and other wheelchair racers at the Chicago Marathon. I hope you enjoy the photos as much as I have enjoyed taking them.Ralph Childshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885575902728814701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3012033035286093837.post-68620395026870880392007-08-19T19:36:00.000-05:002007-08-19T20:56:01.833-05:00Sunset at Borobudur<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/Rsjy3D-9TZI/AAAAAAAAAB8/-JYZT6gGq0c/s1600-h/_21L3102.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/Rsjy3D-9TZI/AAAAAAAAAB8/-JYZT6gGq0c/s320/_21L3102.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100593605773184402" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/RsjumT-9TWI/AAAAAAAAABk/EjGyVi3CP-g/s1600-h/_21L3041.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/RsjumT-9TWI/AAAAAAAAABk/EjGyVi3CP-g/s320/_21L3041.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100588919963864418" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/Rsjvej-9TXI/AAAAAAAAABs/Q607juRiqrk/s1600-h/_21L3074.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/Rsjvej-9TXI/AAAAAAAAABs/Q607juRiqrk/s320/_21L3074.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100589886331506034" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/RsjvvT-9TYI/AAAAAAAAAB0/cMtlJWaL-Kk/s1600-h/_B0K5250.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/RsjvvT-9TYI/AAAAAAAAAB0/cMtlJWaL-Kk/s320/_B0K5250.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100590174094314882" /></a><br /><br /><br />We took a day off from Bali and flew to Yogyakarta to visit the Buddhist monument, Borobudur. <br /><br />We arrived at Borobudur late morning when the sun was high and photography was difficult. After climbing to the top of the monument and being enlightened with the history of Borobudur, we departed for the <a href="http://www.saraswatiborobudur.com">Saraswati Hotel</a> for lunch. Lunch was wonderful in the cool refreshing dining room and we decided that poolside at the hotel would be our home until late afternoon when we would return to the monument for that golden hour of photography. These photographs were taken during this time and are some of my favorites.<br /><br />Our journey to Borobudur was a day filled with surprises and I am glad to have had the opportunity to see this magnificent monument.<br /><br />Thanks to Wikipedia for the following:<br /><br />“Borobudur is a ninth century Buddhist Mahayana monument in Central Java, Indonesia. The monument comprises six square platforms topped by three circular platforms, and is decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. A main dome is located at the center of the top platform, and is surrounded by seventy-two Buddha statues seated inside perforated stupa.”<br /><br />“The Buddha statues are in niches at the Rupadhatu level, arranged in rows on the outer sides of the balustrades. At the Arupadhatu level (or the three circular platforms), Buddha statues are placed inside perforated stupas. Of the total 504 Buddha statues, over 300 are mutilated (mostly headless) and 43 are completely missing.”<br /><br />“At glance, all Buddha statues are equal, but there is subtle difference between them in the mudras or the position of the hands. There are 5 groups of mudra: North, East, South, West and Zenith, which represent the five cardinal compass according to Mahayana.”<br /><br />Read more about <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borobudur">Borobudur.</a>Ralph Childshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885575902728814701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3012033035286093837.post-80280259604875869042007-07-31T12:00:00.000-05:002007-07-31T12:09:44.025-05:00Back in the USAlmost home! After about 26 hours of travel time we have landed in Washington, DC and I am awaiting my final flight to Chicago. Because of the free ticket, I am doing a little backtracking but being able to fly business class made the extra flight worth it. <br /><br />It is good to almost be back home again and it is definitely good to be back in the US.<br /><br />It was after my trip to Turkey in the 90s that I realized just how good we have it in the US and when the US Customs official says "Welcome home, Mr. Childs" I really do mean it when I say "Thanks, it's good to be home again."<br /><br />Off to the gate. The last leg is here.Ralph Childshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885575902728814701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3012033035286093837.post-35049718977880681442007-07-30T19:56:00.000-05:002007-07-30T20:13:24.946-05:00The Long Road HomeBali is in the history books and it was a fantastic trip. I saw many new things and experienced the charm of the people of Bali over the past two weeks. I can only hope that my photos have captured some of the emotion and vibrancy of the island and its culture. <br /><br />Now it is time to journey home. It will take about 28 hours including the layovers in Tokyo and Washington, DC. My travel companions have departed for various locations including London, New York, Florida, and Viet Nam. Photos from the trip will start to be posted after I get settled back at home. I have taken almost 4,000 photos and they became somewhat difficult to sort through on a daily basis. I have seen some that I am very happy with and there are a couple of shots that I particularly like, especially the sunset shots at Borobodur.<br /><br />My first leg home was on Thai Airways and Thuchawate and the staff made the flight very pleasant. Next up is the long leg from Tokyo to Washington, D.C. on ANA and the final jump is from Washington, D.C. to Chicago. It will be interesting to compare the service on all the different airlines.<br /><br />My special thanks to Tewfic El-Sawy for setting up a trip that was as enjoyable as my trips with him to Cambodia and Bhutan in 2006. You can visit his site at www.tesimages.com to see more of his travels. I learn more from him on each trip that I take and look forward to the next one, wherever it will take us.<br /><br />If there is a lan connection on the ANA flight I will add some parting thoughts. If not, I will be studying a presentation that I am to give on 01 August at work.<br /><br />It will be good to be home again.Ralph Childshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885575902728814701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3012033035286093837.post-73195571036305034322007-07-26T23:33:00.000-05:002007-07-26T23:38:06.561-05:00Free FridayIt is Friday morning in Ubud and we have a free day! <br /><br />Well, it might not be totally free since this is to be a shopping day and if there is one thing that abounds in Ubud, it is shopping. If it is art or craft related, it can be found in Ubud. There are very few shops that will not bargain, so how much you actually spend is somewhat dependent on your negotiation skills. Our general rule of thumb has been to start off at something around 60% of listed price and then you are off and running.<br /><br />There are several restaurants and shops that we have frequented that we have particularly enjoyed. Nomads is a restaurant that was founded a number of years ago and serves the most delicious food and desserts. For lunchtime, Café Moka can hardly be surpassed for its fresh French baguette sandwiches. The Dirty Duck restaurant is very popular and got its unusual name because just as the restaurant was completing construction, a family of muddy ducks walked through and left muddy foot prints on the floor. The workers all exclaimed “those dirty ducks” or words to that effect and the name stuck. They are famous for, of all things, fried crispy duck. <br /><br />We have also been a number of times to Dragonfly, a restaurant and wireless internet café. The breakfasts are wonderful, the staff is truly helpful to internet neophytes like me, and you are always welcomed back. Located on Jalan Dewi Sita road, I highly recommend it when you want to connect.<br /><br />The Agung Raka Bungalows have gone out of their way to make our stay pleasant and to provide us with guides and drivers that are both knowledgeable and helpful. I would return to stay here anytime. <br /><br />We went to see the Buddhist monument, Borobodur, yesterday in Yogyakarta. Imagine a temple that took 100 years to build, was actively used for 100 years, and then covered in volcanic ash for 800 years. It was re-discovered by Sir Thomas Raffles, the Governor of Java, and the volcanic ash was painstakingly removed from the entire site. Over 2,000,000 stones were then catalogued and moved to a staging site so that a firm foundation could be built on the site and the monument re-built, stone by stone. It was very impressive to see and as the golden hour of sunset approached, we went into high gear taking photos. A long day, we didn’t get back to Bali until 1:00 AM. <br /><br />http://www.pbs.org/treasuresoftheworld/borobudur/boro_main.html<br /><br />Thus, Friday off.Ralph Childshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885575902728814701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3012033035286093837.post-65121595609482487392007-07-21T22:28:00.002-05:002007-07-21T22:35:34.294-05:00Bali TimeIt is the 22nd of July, Sunday and we have the morning off for a change. We have just had breakfast at Dragonfly, one of the internet hotspots in Ubud. It is nice to have a morning off for a change. Usually we are having breakfast early and then off for a shoot.<br /><br />There are more than 15,000 temples on the island and we have attended a number of the festivals. It is imperative that you have a sarong if you are to be admitted onto temple grounds. I have been impressed with not only the number of festivals at this time of the year but also with the friendliness of the Balinese people that we have met and who have welcomed us. The festivals take a great deal of preparation by the villagers and we have had lots of fun seeing the villagers at work and at play.<br /><br />Work time for the festival starts at about 4:00 in the morning for the men who are preparing most of the food that will be used in the festival. To see twenty men sitting around wooden blocks chopping meat into a paste like consistency that will be used for satay is a sight. All of them carry two knives for the preparation of the meat. We are very careful not to offend any of them! Never, never, offend a man with a well used, razor sharp set of knives! Lots of chilies, garlic, shallots, and bamboo spikes and you are ready for cooking. We also have seen several suckling pigs being roasted over open fires, on long stakes turned by hand.<br /><br />When all is ready, the people get dressed in the most beautiful sarongs and finest clothing. I have been very moved by the interaction between the fathers and young sons as prayers are said and blessings received. The traditions are being passed along from generation to generation. <br /><br />The Balinese calendar is based upon a 210 day calendar year and the festivals are timed for that calendar. July is a big month for festivals and there are many each day. On two occasions we have been driving and have seen festival goers and actually stopped the cars to see where the festival was taking place. Imagine a busy highway (busy for Bali), and walking at the side of the road are approximately 1,000 people carrying banners, food, with a band and all dressed and headed to the temple grounds. Two cars pulled off to the side of the road and 8 doors flew open with 7 crazy photographers with cameras in hand trying to get to the head of the procession. It was approximately a mile walk to the temple grounds and we were allowed only into the outer courtyard because we were not wearing our sarongs. We shot for about ten minutes and when our drivers caught up with us we immediately got into proper dress. Tewfic had told us to always have our sarongs in the cars. Showing the respect to the Balinese people, we were allowed into the temple grounds to photograph the ceremony. <br /><br />Today, Sunday, we will be photographing Balinese dancers who will be performing for us in a private shoot. <br /><br />I will have some photographs posted soon! I promise! <br /><br />I am learning Balinese time very quickly.Ralph Childshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885575902728814701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3012033035286093837.post-87051848634742365862007-07-17T02:21:00.000-05:002007-07-17T02:47:28.688-05:00Selamat Pagi!Good Morning. It is 7:30 in the morning on Monday 16 July and I hope that this will become a habit. If I can type for an hour at this time before we start shooting, I will be able to share thoughts while they are still fresh. <br /><br />Early morning is, I think, a special time at the Agung Raka Bungalows in Bali. The air is clear, usually still, always humid, and generally all you hear is the running water from the rice paddies as they are irrigated. The Agung Raka is a group of “bungalows” that sit amongst working rice fields. I am in a bungalow that is the furthest from the entrance and I have an unobstructed view of the rice paddies from my lower deck area.<br /><br />The bungalows are two stories high with the sleeping quarters upstairs and the bathroom downstairs. We are fortunate to all have air conditioned bungalows and we have Tewfic to thank for that. He is the photographer who set up the tour and came two weeks early to check on all the arrangements. We were originally supposed to have only three air conditioned units and at the time I had opted to not take one. There are no screens here so to get any air at night would have meant being very sure that the mosquito net around your bed had no holes in it!<br /><br />My bathroom has one of the most original skylights ever designed. You look straight up into the open air and if it is raining very heavily, well, you are just going to get wet. I have made peace with the very large spider that was in the tub the first morning. Our accommodation is that, if he eats lots of bugs and mosquitos and scurries away when I am around, he will live to see another day and I won’t have a panic attack whenever I see him. He is still alive and I am still calm.<br /><br />Same arrangement with the 8” gecko that was on the wall of the sleeping quarters when I first arrived. <br /><br />The working day starts early here in the rice fields and I have yet to be up before they start. There are three plantings of rice in this area per year and we are fortunate to be able to see them preparing the fields for the next planting. Everything is done by hand and given the heat of the day, this is the “coolest” time to work. If you are prone to intense labor while wallowing in the mud and water, then this is the life for you.<br /><br />The first thing that we did before setting out to visit any of the festival sights was to purchase sarongs. Imagine seven of us at the market looking at all different styles and colors. There is everything imaginable and they are primarily one size fits all for the men. The cotton one that I purchased would probably wrap three times around most of the Balinese men here but it does fit me, so I am told. One day I may even decipher the methodology of putting it on correctly. It will NOT be worn on any casual Friday so don't anyone get their hopes up. Photos have been taken and will be printed upon my return. What fun to bargain with the locals at the market. Group buying got us from $18 US down to $9 US for a sarong and belt. I had fun taking charge of the bargaining and I am quite sure that the owner only made 400-500% profit from the sale.<br /><br />Our first stop in our new native costumes was to a cremation ceremony. We were welcomed into the compound by the family because we showed respect by being in native dress and our guide had a word with the son of the deceased man when we arrived. The ceremony was very elaborate and I have a number of photos. They will be on the next post along with a more detailed explanation of the ceremony.<br /><br />There are many temple festivals ongoing in and around Ubud. We have been to four temples that were in various stages of setup for the festivals and we will be attending our first one tonight. Last night we attended a dance festival and I was able to get a front row place in front of the dancers. Very colorful and 12gb of photos.<br /><br />I am getting the high sign that it is time for wheels up for the afternoon shooting so that's about it for this edition. <br /><br />All is well, the food is delicious, it is hot, humid, sunny, cloudy, and the photos are coming along nicely. It is also now the afternoon of the 17th of July.Ralph Childshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885575902728814701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3012033035286093837.post-46988157431579343532007-07-12T19:01:00.000-05:002007-07-12T19:24:07.457-05:00Wheels Up - Time to Go!The countdown clock has hit zero and the grand adventure to Bali has begun. I am flying All Nippon Airways (ANA) to Tokyo and then on to Bangkok. When I went to Asia in 2000 I flew Singapore Airlines and had a wonderful flight. In 2006 I flew Korean Air and thoroughly enjoyed the flight. Also in 2006 I flew United Airlines and there is really no comparison between the US domestic carriers and the Asian carriers. I have been fortunate to have flown business class on each trip.<br /><br />ANA is so far living up to expectations. One of the first and most lasting impressions on each Asian carrier is that the flight attendants truly appear to be glad that you are flying with them. That makes such a difference. As usual, I was asleep by wheels up and woke up about 45 minutes into the flight to find that there was a warm moist towel to wash my hands with and a cool glass of green tea to enjoy.<br /><br />I opted for the Japanese lunch and it was fantastic. The meal consisted of several courses:<br /><br />Zensai – Prawn roulade, baked golden brown squid, simmered whelk shell, smoked duck breast, and sweet corn terrine.<br />Kobachi – an assortment of simmered vegetables<br />Shusai – Sake-steamed cod with special sea urchin egg sauce<br />Sunomono – Snow crab and lightly vinegared mozuku seaweed, steamed rice, miso soup and assorted pickles<br />Desert – A wonderful parfait, mocha a la mode<br /><br />The cold sake was also very smooth and added just the right touch to a fantastic meal.<br /><br />This is the longest leg of the trip – 13 hours to Tokyo. I have watched two movies including “A Good Year” based on the book by Peter Mayle. Albert Finney stole the show in that movie.<br /><br />It is almost 9PM in Chicago and we have a little over 3 hours before arrival in Tokyo, then a 5 hour layover, and finally, a 6 hour flight to Bangkok.<br /><br />And yes, for everyone who reminded me, I am getting up every two hours and walking around for 5-10 minutes (when I am not sleeping, watching a movie, or eating). <br /><br />The 6 hour flight to Bangkok found me very tired and I was not only asleep before wheels up, I didn’t wake up until two hours into the flight. Another meal on the plane and this time I opted for the international cuisine rather than the Japanese meal. Somehow, grilled eel after having been up for about 20 hours was not my first choice. <br /><br />Bangkok is Bangkok. Hot and humid. I was lucky and it did not rain for the day and a half that I was there. I met up with some friends for dinner and then a little karaoke. I did NOT sing, it would have emptied the club and the uproar would have made CNN. I did do a little shopping and am ready for a 4AM wakeup for my flight to Bali on Thai Airways. Now the real part of the trip begins. It is a 4.5 hour flight to Denpasar, Bali and then a 45 minute ride to Ubud where we will be based for the two weeks. Unlike Bhutan where we were constantly on the move, we will only unpack one time in Bali.<br /><br />I was afraid that this blog would be impossible to create while on the trip because the edit page comes up in the language of the local country where you are accessing it. I made the right guess and the language screen popped up and I got it to English. Shame on Google for not making that choice a little clearer.Ralph Childshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885575902728814701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3012033035286093837.post-73245962089920701332007-06-11T22:36:00.000-05:002007-06-11T22:52:40.943-05:00The Faces of Bhutan<a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/Rm4YTAA6jDI/AAAAAAAAABU/b0lM1W5mI60/s1600-h/021L8159.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/Rm4YTAA6jDI/AAAAAAAAABU/b0lM1W5mI60/s320/021L8159.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5075020544793545778" /></a><br /><a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/Rm4YTQA6jEI/AAAAAAAAABc/tJTDuO1BunM/s1600-h/021L7612.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/Rm4YTQA6jEI/AAAAAAAAABc/tJTDuO1BunM/s320/021L7612.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5075020549088513090" /></a><br />While in Bhutan, I became enamored with the people that we met and the many faces of Bhutan. At the Prakhar festival we had the great fortune to visit with the monks who were dancing and also to photograph the people who were attending the festival. Two of the photos in this post reflect the faces of Prakhar.<br /><br /><a href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/Rm4XigA6jBI/AAAAAAAAABE/iqaxqfcp2Bw/s1600-h/IMG_7751.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/Rm4XigA6jBI/AAAAAAAAABE/iqaxqfcp2Bw/s320/IMG_7751.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5075019711569890322" /></a><br /><a href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/Rm4XigA6jCI/AAAAAAAAABM/ttJe7cqh0wU/s1600-h/021L6410.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/Rm4XigA6jCI/AAAAAAAAABM/ttJe7cqh0wU/s320/021L6410.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5075019711569890338" /></a><br /><br />Many of Bhutan's young men are novices studying to become Bhuddhist monks. This is a very honorable position for a young man and it was great fun to meet and photograph them both at school and after their studies had ended for the day.Ralph Childshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885575902728814701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3012033035286093837.post-22237525289644412822007-06-10T21:06:00.000-05:002007-06-10T21:34:08.511-05:00Bhutan - The Monks of Prakhar<a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/Rmy0SwA6i9I/AAAAAAAAAAk/r-J1RU8PSJE/s1600-h/021L7822.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/Rmy0SwA6i9I/AAAAAAAAAAk/r-J1RU8PSJE/s320/021L7822.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5074629114359090130" /></a><br /><a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/Rmy0SwA6i-I/AAAAAAAAAAs/fKj9jCNglqo/s1600-h/021L7844.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/Rmy0SwA6i-I/AAAAAAAAAAs/fKj9jCNglqo/s320/021L7844.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5074629114359090146" /></a><br /><a href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/Rmy0TAA6i_I/AAAAAAAAAA0/Zs0u65rCIt8/s1600-h/021L7734.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/Rmy0TAA6i_I/AAAAAAAAAA0/Zs0u65rCIt8/s320/021L7734.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5074629118654057458" /></a><br /><a href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/Rmy0TAA6jAI/AAAAAAAAAA8/KCpnYPrrxHk/s1600-h/021L7742.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/Rmy0TAA6jAI/AAAAAAAAAA8/KCpnYPrrxHk/s320/021L7742.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5074629118654057474" /></a><br />In 2006, I had the great fortune to be able to witness and to photograph the dancing monks in Prakhar, a small village in Bhutan. The dance festivals are central to the religious life of the Bhutanese people and are great expressions of art, dance, and are performed to honor Guru Rimpoche. The monks who dance in the festival are to me, some of the most gifted performers that I have had the pleasure of seeing. <br /><br />The costumes are very ornate, heavy, and voluminous. The monks were dancing in the courtyard of the monastery on a very uneven surface of cobblestones - barefoot! As can be seen in the photos above, they are world class and were breathtaking to watch. <br /><br />I hope that you enjoy these photographs as much as I enjoyed taking them and if you have the fortune to travel to Bhutan, a highlight of your travels will be to attend a festival.Ralph Childshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885575902728814701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3012033035286093837.post-77307061217194999692007-06-10T20:17:00.000-05:002007-06-10T21:01:16.981-05:00Wow! It's Here!<a href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/RmyqJQA6i8I/AAAAAAAAAAc/vqazSy6VAiY/s1600-h/74709600.NmjNwuFv.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_3kVj3wagpEU/RmyqJQA6i8I/AAAAAAAAAAc/vqazSy6VAiY/s320/74709600.NmjNwuFv.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5074617956034055106" /></a><br /><br />I am not sure if I fell under the spell of having the newest Canon on the block, but I picked up my brand new EOS 1ds Mark III last week and have been out getting familiar with it and the new 580EX II flash. The initial learning curve was pretty low and soon I was off shooting. As you can imagine, one of the first settings that I tried was the high speed continuous shot mode. I can now personally attest that 10 frames per second live is just as fast as it sounds in the marketing videos. <br /><br />After using the 1ds Mark II for almost a year, the controls on the Mark III are easy to use and very intuitive. I wish that the Mark III had been available last year when I was in Bhutan with <a href="http://www.telsawy.com">Tewfic El-Sawy</a>. The festival dancers that we captured would have made a magnificent flash show.<br /><br />The clarity of the image when matched with the Canon f2.8 lenses is just short of phenomenal for me and I know that I am going to really enjoy both the Marks when I am in Bali.<br /><br />I am disappointed, however, to find that my Apple MacBook Pro, Adobe CS2, and Adobe Lightroom do not recognize the Mark III raw file. My Epson P2000 reads a file in the raw image but the forums are indicating that it is actually reading the embedded .jpg file from within the .cr2 file.<br /><br />Do I like it? You bet I do. Does it shoot like a dream? So far. Have I read the horror stories in the dpreview forums? Yep - but it is a brand new model and there will always be some bumps. <br /><br />One definite drawback to taking the new Mark III and 580EX II flash to Bali - Two more manuals to read.<br /><br />29 days, 2 hours, 58 minutes until wheels up.Ralph Childshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02885575902728814701noreply@blogger.com0