Farflungistan

The little things do add up

farflungistan — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 13:50:34 +0000

Reducing, recycling, and reusing what we use on a daily basis are simple habits that help keep our environment clean. Saving water, eating a plant-based diet, being creative with what’s in the fridge and eating leftovers are what I do to live a more sustainable lifestyle. In short, I don’t waste food, use a metalContinue reading

Libya, Mali and Senegal someday :)

farflungistan — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 12:40:52 +0000

Recently, I have been drawn to the African continent. Simply put, there’s lots here to explore for those who are curious about cultures, geography and history. I have been drawn to the desert over the years because I currently live in a country made up of lands that have been reclaimed from underwater. It’s flatContinue reading

Amsterdam: April 2022 so far in photos

farflungistan — Sun, 10 Apr 2022 18:31:34 +0000

These are things that the cheery brochures will not show present day reality. Snow on April (fools) 1st, rain, sun, flowers, wild life and work being done around the city with no determined end date. Temps are steadily rising, flowers can’t be stopped and rain is more the norm this month. As the dutch sayingContinue reading

Travel back to Europe 2022

farflungistan — Fri, 18 Mar 2022 09:35:15 +0000

Come visit Amsterdam

The Man in the Middle

farflungistan — Thu, 03 Jan 2019 14:09:41 +0000

A scene from the Old City of Jerusalem on a Friday afternoon

Finding NEMO

farflungistan — Tue, 28 Mar 2017 17:04:15 +0000

Spring really has arrived. The sun is out and the temperatures are all of a sudden above 15C (59F). Time to explore the city and enjoy it all. The waterfront area on the eastside of Amsterdam Centraal seems like a good place to start. Today it’s about capturing the sunlit blue skyContinue reading

Spring Awakenings

farflungistan — Mon, 27 Mar 2017 10:23:04 +0000

Spring is here, cool winds are turning into warm breezes, and things are changing quickly in the great outdoors. Color is bringing life back into the landscape, days are getting longer, the sun is casting deeper shadows, animals and smiley-faced people are more present and active. Out with the grey and in with the colors of aContinue reading

Going public

farflungistan — Mon, 27 Mar 2017 09:44:11 +0000

A bicyclist flies by the front of the equally colorful graffiti mural by an Rotterdam based artist Ox-Alien in the side streets of Jordaan. A moment is recorded and an image is created.

Palace in the Sky

farflungistan — Sat, 04 Jan 2014 03:35:08 +0000

The muddy red clay trails leading into the park are quiet. It looks like the mid-day rain has kept people away. There are only a few obstacles to contend with here in Sigiriya this muddy afternoon. These include the slippery metal stairs, muddy trails and the small pest problem. Snake holes are everywhere, but signsContinue reading

Dreams of Gold

farflungistan — Tue, 31 Dec 2013 04:07:12 +0000

This time last year I spent my last remaining hours of 2012 at a hostel in the center of Kuala Lumpur. KL is nice, but this is my third and final visit in 2012. Sri Lanka is new and there’s so much to see. These pictures make me want to go back sooner rather thanContinue reading

Heavenly Site in Morelia

farflungistan — Mon, 30 Dec 2013 02:05:31 +0000

Pastel flower chandeliers, gold, pink, red, and orange dominate the massive interior of Morelia’s most vibrant church. Several European styles are at play here, but the color scheme is genuinely Mexican. Visitors arrive and pray for good health, fortune, and protection from evil in high hopes that the Virgin of Guadalupe is listening. It’s aContinue reading

12 Fiestas before Christmas

farflungistan — Sun, 29 Dec 2013 02:22:26 +0000

The church bells ring again at the Basilica de Nuestra Senora de la Salud in the former capital of the Purepecha nation. This time it is the signal for a group of women wearing embroidered dresses and fastened with long colorful braids to begin dancing in the center of the church courtyard. It is one ofContinue reading

The Sacred Tree

farflungistan — Fri, 27 Dec 2013 02:44:05 +0000

Many religions of the world use a “Tree of Life” symbol when depicting scriptures and teachings of their book of prayers. Tree-shaped clay sculptures, or the Arbol de le vida, represent the connections between the living and the dead, man and earth, and the heavens and the underworld in Mexico. The colorfully painted clay sculpturesContinue reading

House of the Wind

farflungistan — Sat, 21 Dec 2013 18:31:19 +0000

Tzintzuntzan is the former ancient capital city of the once powerful P’urhépecha people. Five semi-circular pyramids or yácatas sit above the quiet town center. The hill offers visitors panoramic views of Lago de Patzcuaro and park signs surrounding the site tell of a history of the area before the Spanish arrived. Many visitors experience aContinue reading

Beauty that must die in Tzintzuntzan

farflungistan — Fri, 20 Dec 2013 21:23:36 +0000

The fallen will always be remembered by loved one’s living in Mexican villages like Tzintzuntzan. Family and friends are free to fashion family plots as they see fit. Cemeteries here are void of high maintenance. There ar no green lawns, but instead there are colorful flowers, pictures, and personal offering left inside plots of theContinue reading

Patzcuaro: Pueblo Magico

farflungistan — Wed, 18 Dec 2013 03:06:01 +0000

The Mexican state of Michoacán stretches all the way from the Pacific Coast east through the colonial heartland of Mexico. Patzcuaro was once the capital of Michoacán and looks very much like it did after the Spanish rebuilt it over 500 years ago. The area, with its interesting history, diverse culture, landscape and geography, makes forContinue reading

Watch Your Step

farflungistan — Thu, 12 Dec 2013 22:33:24 +0000

Kashgar’s Sunday Livestock Market experience is equivalent to going back in time. Horses waiting for a test drive and Bactrian Camels seemingly striking a pose for the cameras are a couple of highlights for curious visitors. This place is all business, so in the very least try to stay clear of the path of gallopingContinue reading

Details just don’t matter

farflungistan — Sat, 22 Jun 2013 20:53:45 +0000

Take a close look at this picture. Observe the hindu symbols and how the Arabic script and short phases do not flow from tile to tile. They must not make any sense for those who can read them. The how ironic is this wall of tiles? The site is a beautiful and mysterious place toContinue reading

Princess of Two Worlds

farflungistan — Sat, 22 Jun 2013 18:56:47 +0000

The Apak Khoja mausoleum is where five generations of the Apak Khoja family lay to rest. One of them is the subject of two very different folktales. The Han cast her as a romantic Uyghur princess and she is known as the “Fragrant Concubine” who is a loving companion of a Han Emperor who unitedContinue reading

Getting Dusted

farflungistan — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 21:00:45 +0000

There’s only one road to get to the Afaq Khola Mausoleum after getting off bus no. 20 and it’s a dusty one. Walking would be pleasant if it wasn’t for the all the dust made by vehicles operated by senseless drivers. Getting a ride in a horse and buggy can be a good but budgetContinue reading