Big World Photo Blog

finding help in Japan

2011-02-10T23:48:00.000-08:00

If you are ever lost or need any help in Japan, look around for an elderly lady! If she cannot help you herself she will find some who can.

My Japanese is just good enough to get me in trouble. I can ask questions but never quite understand the answers. I was on a train from Nagoya to Ise, a tourist area with a national shrine out in the country. I kept fearing I was on the wrong train, it was getting dark and starting to rain. The train was full of commuters heading home but no one would even make eye contact with this strange foreigner so that I could start to ask for assistance. I spotted an elderly lady a few rows ahead. I approached holding my map and saying Obasan, wa doko deska- Grandmother, where is it? Well in half a New York minute she had several people gathered translating and assuring me my stop was coming soon. Its a good insider tip, don't forget it.

Carpenters in India

2011-01-29T22:48:00.000-08:00

This crew is milling boards for framing a roof from logs, without electricity. Truly a great art!

I have been a carpenter since I was young, 30+ years, I have always had shoes for work.

The fist time I saw construction workers in bare feet I was ashamed at my good fortune. These are all hard working men and women working here but the men make $2 or $3- per day and the women about $1-

I would support an equalizing of the world's wealth.

This is in southern India, Tamil Nadu

India; Americans need to see

2011-01-22T23:43:00.000-08:00

India; first impressions

Every American should visit India. The cultural contrast is so powerful that it is life transforming. No one can go to India and come back home the same.

I don’t think there are any atheists in India. The whole culture embraces spirituality, divinity and the existence of gods. There would never be an attempt to amputate the spiritual aspect of life out of personal life or social or political life. So westerners may be shocked, amazed or intrigued by this cultural contrast.

Also there may be a cultural time warp when entering India. The area I visited was southern India, Tamil Nadu. I felt I had entered the pages of the Bible stories, of Abraham and Sarah and their flocks of animals, of women carrying water from the well, of bare feet and open sewers. When I thought on the story of Jesus washing the feet of his friends, I understood the context better. I understood why in most ancient cultures removing shoes when coming into the house is crucial for cleanliness.

When Americans or people of other wealthy countries meet real poverty face to face it must sow the seeds of change. We see people that walk everywhere, and yet are content. For thousands of years humanity walked, and as they walked they prayed, sang a song or talked. I saw school kids who had dirt floors and no running water in their houses, but yet their loving mothers made sure they had clean uniforms and aromatic flowers for their beautiful hair. This must force me to examine my American obsessions.

Snow boarders controversy

2011-01-19T20:31:00.000-08:00

Boarders, love m or hate m! Most people feel pretty strong about it. I don’t mind em as long as I can get to the powder first.
Alta still does not allow them and Brighton was cold to them at first. The snow board controversy was and maybe still is based on the ability to mix the two groups, skiers/boarders when there are differences in the way they use the mountain. Boarders do make a mess of a slope with all that traversing. Sometimes boarders get a bad rep just because of the antics of that age group. But then when I was in high school we were just the same. So generally I really like em.
I was working at Solitude Resort in Big Cottonwood Canyon Utah on the Powderhorn lift the first time I saw a snow board. I think they were the swallow tail or split tail or something. The riders wore little tiny skis to load the lift and put their board on after unloading. But the next year they adjusted the rule and were loading with board only. This would have been about 1979-80.
I was working at the Millicent Chalet (Speedos) around 1985-86 and one snowy Saturday 4 young men wanted to hike the hill and board. They weren’t allowed on the lifts but they wanted to board in the safety of the resort. The patrol had to tell them to leave, insurance you know. Well about 4 pm those same boys were caught in an avalanche behind the cabins towards the Gaurdsman pass area. I think 2 of them died. It was a very sad day. The next year Brighton was open to boarders. I quickly made friends with them and these are some pics from that era.

Boarder Bob; Brighton's first board instructor

Ski Utah, ski powder

2011-01-18T22:52:00.000-08:00

These shots are from my days working at Brighton Utah. There are some great powder spots there. They do allow snow boarders so sometimes you have to be pretty quick!

Japan Photos

2011-01-13T22:05:00.000-08:00

Shinkansen

Japan Photos

Kobe Christmas light festival

Hiroshima bomb area

Hiroshima memorial park


East and West cultural icons

Country folk are very friendly

Ferry worker and friendly gull

Fuji

Tiger Woods in banner

Skiing Utah!

2011-01-12T21:46:00.000-08:00

Ski Photos

2011-01-04T17:49:00.000-08:00

All photos here are taken at Brighton Utah, USA from the years I worked there.

Copyright Seize the Moment Photo 2011