Ambassadeur Everlasting

Belur is a small town located on the banks of River Yagachi, in Hassan district of Karnataka. The main attraction is the Chennakeshava temple complex dedicated to Lord 'Chennakeshava' ( Vishnu) temple. The temples are exquisite. The four young girls dressed in their best clothes rest on the steps of the main complex. Sometimes India is just so colourful

China • Sichuan en Chongqing

Hey You!!

Chengdu - Her parents had already entered the temple but something or rather someone, (my husband) had attracted her attention, she is calling him, "hey. hey .........bable bable bable"' we couldnt understand what she wanted, but it seemed serious to her as she wagged her finger at him..

Vietnam • Mekong Delta

Life and vitality

With the rain pouring here in Vlaardingen a simple portret from the young lottery ticket seller in Hon Chong full of life and vitality to remind us it is spring.

Cambodja • Angkor en Siem Reap

The Music Makers

These kids were singing their hearts out outside Ta Prom, in the Angkor Wat temple complex. It was so nice just to sit and listen, they had nothing to sell and wanted no money, (which was a refreshing break after being "hassled" constantly by little kids wanting to sell, flutes, postcards, jews harps,etc.) they were just enjoying themselves. I wish you could hear them.

Cambodja • Noordoost Cambodja

Fighting Spriit

Endless hours of fun with simple toys. Play fighting in Mondulkiri village, toys --hands, sticks and plastic bottles, and having lots of fun. A region in Cambodia not so well visited

India • Madhya Pradesh

In the warmth of the.

A female langur with her offspring enjoy the warmth of the early morning sun after a cold night in the temples of Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh

Japan • Tokio

Sunshine girl

Harajuku is an area in Tokyo where young 'cos-players" gather with friends. Sunday afternoon is the busiest time - its the place to be seen. Cosplay, short for "costume play", is type of performance art in which participants don costumes and accessories to represent a specific character or idea. Characters are often drawn from popular fiction in Japan

India • Rajasthan

The Red Turban

Turbans or Pagadis are mostly seen in Rajasthan and Gujarat and reflect the cast, culture, and profession of the person. Plain and muted color turbans are worn during a period of mourning. At weddings it is an honor to present turbans to the brides father. If a community ostracizes a person then he has to cover his head with a white cloth to inform others about his status. Here is a list of types of turbans used by different casts in Rajasthan: Bishnoi community White Jat community safa white Raika community Red bright turban Langa Kalbeliya color checked Rajput Five coloured Ram snehi community White Kabir Community Red Sanyasi community Ochre colored

Blood-bath in Burma

A tranquil morning on Kandawgyi lake back in January, and I imagine the same scene most mornings, but last week a bloodbath took place here during the Burmese New Year festival. Three bomb blasts rocked the park as thousands of revellers celebrated an annual water festival, leaving nine people dead and at least 75 wounded, The casualties were rushed to Yangon hospital - I can only imagine the scene of carnage and the Inadequacy to cope in the hospital. I just want to imagine the tranquil scenes of this park and pray for the victims.

Too many ears

Two sisters sitting in one of the smaller shrinds in the grounds of the Shwedagon pagoda, where people not only come to pray but to exchange news of friends and family. And in a country where it is not always safe to talk freely, a place to be informed of other news, (the printed word is a rarity) and discuss issues in a relatively safe environment.

A Royal treat

One of the nicest and affordable hotels in Yangon is the Kandawgyi Palace situated on the Kandawgyi Lake. Shop around on the internet for the best rates. I normally pay around Euro 55 - 65 per night for 2 persons including breakfast. Of course, there are many cheaper hotels in Yangon, but the KPH, especially on arrival, is clean, quiet, has a swimming pool, free internet for guests, and the most magnificent garden. It was at one time during the time of the British the home for the botancial and natural history museum. A great place to overcome jet-lag and if you are awake early, the lake and its long wooden bridge comes to life way before dawn. With the rising sun and the mist floating over the lake its a perfect photo opportunity and you dont even have to move from your room. I may add that the Shwedagon Pagoda is 15 mins walking distance from the hotel.

Kandawgyi at Dawn

Kandawgyi Lake - literally "great royal lake", formerly Royal Lake, is one of two major lakes in Yangon. Located east of the Shwedagon Pagoda, the lake is artificial; water from Inya Lake is channelled through a series of pipes to Kandawgyi Lake. It was created to provide a clean water supply to the Cantonment (modern-day downtown) of Yangon during British colonial administration and it remains an oasis in a sometimes crowded city. One of the nicest and affordable hotels in Yangon is the Kandawgyi Palace situated on the lake. Breakfast buffet is a little more than eggs and toast and each morning you are treated to sunrise over the lake. Many burmese take their morning exercise by walking the long wooden bridge that spans the lake. (see tip)

In the eyes of the...

You cannot visit Yangon without going to Shwedagon Paya, the most sacred of Buddhist religious sites in Myanmar. The golden spire of the main stupa at Shwedagon Paya is visible from most areas in central Yangon and draws you in. The solid cone-shaped stupa is built on Singuttara Hill 190 ft above sea level on a 12 acre platform and soars 322 ft above its base. The site is vast and fascinating and filled with devotees.We stopped at a pavillion with murals of Siddharta's (the first Buddha) life on the walls. In another area was a huge Banyan tree, said to be started from a slip of the original tree under which Siddharta sat to gain enlightenment. If you turn a banyan leaf upside down, its trailing point and heart shape resembles the shape of a stupa.

Novice Nuns

All Buddhist traditions have nuns, although their status is different among the various Buddhist countries. The Buddha is reported to have allowed women into the sangha only with great reluctance, predicting that the move would lead to Buddhism's collapse after 500 years, rather than the 1,000 years it would have enjoyed otherwise. As with monks, there are quite a lot of variation in nuns' dress and social conventions between different Buddhist cultures in Asia. In Burma the nuns wear bright pink robes and as with the young boys, shave their heads. Duriing their morning alms rounds they carry dark red parasols, the young boys dark red and gold fans.

A knowing look

While the younger women sifted throught he nets for shrimps, (see earlier upload) she stood and watched, pointed her finger and gave a few instructions. I am sure she had had many a day crouching over the nets but now she had another role as elder or as supervisor. She looked quite demure I thought in her matching cardigan and hat and although she didnt have any teeth she had a nice smile and a knowing look --- been there, done that :)

Sorting the shrimp

Ngwe Saung - After the fishing nets are pulled in the women begin the task of sifting through the nets for the small shrimps. These are left to dry and provide additional food duriing the rainy season when the fishing comes almost to an standstil.

Myanmar • Kayin

A Trio on a Rickshaw

Rickshaws (or rickshas) come in many shapes and formst: a runner draws a two-wheeled cart which seats one or two persons. A cycle rickshaw powered from the front or as in many places in Burma the seat is in the front and the bike behind. The word rickshaw originates from the Japanese word jinrikisha (???, ? jin = human, ? riki = power or force, ? sha = vehicle), which literally means "human-powered vehicle

China • Shanghai

Sleeping on the Job

Greetings from Shanghai. During a visit to the Shanghai Stock Exchange. I expected to enter a find a hive activity, young hypeactive brokers conveying the latest options prices on three telephones at once, semophoric signals being sent across the floor. I found, amongst a silence that resembled a chutch, a young broker alseep at his computer, either through sheer tiredness or boredom or had I missed the excitement? Its Friday - have a nice weekend!

Shwedagon at night

You cannot visit Yangon without going to Shwedagon Paya, the most sacred of Buddhist religious sites in Burma. The golden spire of the main stupa at Shwedagon Paya is visible from most areas in central Yangon and draws you in. The solid cone-shaped stupa is built on Singuttara Hill 190 ft above sea level on a 12 acre platform and soars 322 ft above its base. The site is vast and fascinating and filled with devotees. Each entrance has a long covered walkway up to the base platform. Pillars line both sides of the walkway behind which are shops selling religious icons, flowers to place at their favourite temple and other souvenirs. As foreigners, you need to pay an entrance fee of $5 each as soon as we reached the main platform. The fee entitles you to multilple entries on that day. The sight of the Paya lit up at night is majical and certainly worth a return visit.

Frankrijk • Corsica

Postcard from...Propr

Propriano. a port-town situated in the Valinco Gulf on the French island of Corsica. At the end of the holliday leaving the port on the night ferry to Marseille, a picture postcard - "Wish you were here"

Relaxing under the...

Waiting on the street corner for passengers the rickshaw wallahs take a rest, smoke, talk, eat snacks. Despite the multitude of electricity cable pictured here, blackouts and electricity rationing is common place in Mawlamyine. A few establishments have diesel powered generators but are only used some evenings, during emergencies or when there's an important soccer match to be seen on TV. I like the contrast here between the relaxed rickshaw wallahs and the chaotic mess of cables.

A blank canvas

I really enjoyed waking up early and walking along the beach in Ngwe Saung before breakfast. Apart from a few fisherman and women it was so peaceful, the morning mist hanging over the sea and land making everything appear colourless. A few hours later everything will be full colour but for now its a blank canvas waiting for the day to begin.

Myanmar • Rangoon

The Burmese Wave