View thru My Global Lens

Happy Year of the Snake!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 18:00:00 +0800

Dear blogging friends and followers,

There haven't been enough hours in the day for me to blog much the past months, but I want to take a moment to wish you an amazing new year.

I am in Moldova, very engaged in an exciting start-up project. Still I plan to post occasionally in the weeks ahead to show you a little of this small interesting little-known country in Eastern Europe, as well as other places I hope to visit.

Stay brilliant!

Mariazell

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 00:55:00 +0800

One of our first stops on our two-day Styrian Alps road trip this past week (see previous posts) was the well-known old pilgrimage town of Mariazell.

I thought of James and his meme Weekend Reflections when I took this first photo; the town seen in a big red Christmas ball, with the basilica as an advent window on the building behind it. It's been a while since I joined this fun.

Austria, 2012

All the very best in 2013 to my blogging friends!
May only pleasant surprises come your way.
Thank you for the past year's fun
and wonderful sharing.

Skies over Austria

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 14:31:00 +0800

Last week my honey and I landed in Austria. Coming from the tropics, we've been relishing the white winter wonderland here. (See previous post.)

But I've also been reminded again how the sky can take on such different personalities in different countries.

These are a few captures from yesterday, starting with an amazing sunrise in my brother's back yard in the Vienna Woods.

These next two were take mid-afternoon on country roads outside Vienna looking towards the Styrian Alps.

Austria 2012

I hope my blogging friends are

enjoying fine skies with

warmth in their hearts and their homes

this holiday season!

Linking with Skywatch Friday.

Happy Holidays from Austria

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 22:41:00 +0800

To think that ten days ago I was snorkeling in tropical waters. It's a bit of a shock to the system to land in winter wonderland. But here I am, in Austria, enjoying the beauty of white landscape.

My honey and I took a two-day drive through the Styrian Alps this December 24 and 25. A magical white Christmas.

Austria, 2012

I wish you all the very best of the holiday season!

A big heartfelt thank you to my blogging friends
for the joys of sharing over the past year!

Kalinga - Part VII - Community Unity

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 4 Dec 2012 04:16:00 +0800

There is no shortage of community unity in Buscalan.

Tending their fields, raising their children, preparing their food, celebrating their rites of passage... most of these village activities are family and community affairs.

Dried tobacco leaves

Taddok dance

Boiled pork shared with whole village

Listen to the beat of the gangsa gongs as the women gracefully make the simple steps of the taddok dance. This video was taken by our travel mate Bruce.

This is the seventh of my Kalinga series from my recent visit into the Butbut tribal village of Buscalan, high up in the terraced mountains in the north of the Philippines. You'll find more about these former headhunters and their amazing tattoos in my earlier posts.

I link with Our World and ABC Wednesday, where the letter of the week is U for Unity.

Kalinga - Part VI - Portrait of a Proud People

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 03:21:00 +0800

I'm not yet done with telling visual stories of our amazing visit to Barangay Buscalan, high up among the rice terraced mountains of Kalinga province.

The people of Buscalan may be materially dirt poor, but that they are a proud people with a rich culture is equally apparent.

And, I must add here, their sincerely warm hospitality belies their history as ferocious head hunters.

Let my portraits do the talking.

Virgie was our able translator

Ti-A and her husband Charlie, barangay leader, were our generous hosts

Ti-A's mother kindly shared her home with us for the night

Buscalan, Kalinga, 2012

These portraits of a proud people are my contribution to ABC Wednesday where the letter of the week is P.

I am also pleased to share with you (with his permission) this superb video put together by travel mate Jeremiah (shown in Part II with Whang Od). Jeremiah and his three friends hailed from Cebu, and all of us met in Tuguegarao for the start of our journey together. See Part I.

Whang Od from djsparechange on Vimeo.

Part VII still to follow.

Kalinga - Part V - Children

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 18:50:00 +0800

This is Part V of my Kalinga series. The posts have been consecutive, so it's easy for you to find Parts I to IV, which contain more information about the province - its landscape, its people, and its history.

In this post I will simply share some of the adorable children I saw in the poor mountain village of Buscalan.

Our group came with presents for the children, useful things like toothbrushes and multivitamins, as well as some candies, a rare treat. These were handed out in small bags, one-by-one, so the children were asked to line up in neat lines.

Minutes later, it started to rain, so all the kids ran for cover and the lines were no more.

Buscalan, Kalinga, 2012

Wonder where we were? Here's the map.

Today I link with Mosaic Monday and Our World Tuesday.

There will be a Part VI soon.

Kalinga - Part IV - Old Tattooed Women

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 01:08:00 +0800

From the mountains we derive our strength,

the rivers our peace, the valleys our hopes,

and from the skies, the wisdom of our ancestors.

~ Kalinga proverb

The last traces of a centuries-old tradition are soon to be lost to humanity.

The Butbut, when still a fierce warring tribe, celebrated the victories of its headhunting warriors with intricate and meaningful body tattoos. Since the heads of enemies are no longer hunted and it is considered an affront to the elder warriors to get tattooed without the bravery proven in tribal wars, very few men get the traditional tribal tattoos in modern times. The fully tattooed men of Buscalan have all died; and I've heard a handful of old men still survive in the province, but we did not meet them.

Besides the national treasure Whang Od (Part II), we did, however, meet the last old tattooed women of Buscalan, high up in the rugged rice terraces of Kalinga (Part I). The batok (tattoos) of these women were not only designed to enhance their beauty and confer status, they also symbolize their female strength and stamina.

These are my some of my favorite portraits.

This first woman was the oldest of the tribe, a young 103! All the rest were in their 80s and 90s. Several of them were blind or near-blind.

Kalinga, 2012

These old women readily removed their tops to show us their intricate tattoos. Sadly aware that they were the end of a tradition, they patiently posed for us to chronicle their beauty and grace with our cameras.

Today's younger Kalinga women have a different sense of aesthetic and few are willing to undergo the pain of the process of tattooing.

I end this post with another quote from Lars Krutak:

For the Kalinga, nature has always provided a kind of talisman against unbridled change and a link to ancient traditions because it is constant, perpetual, and eternal. Nature was the basis from which many Kalinga cultural traditions sprang and none more so than the ancient art of tattoo. Tattooing was a natural language of the skin that gave voice to the ancestors and their descendants who attempted to emulate them by sacrificing their own bodies to make them more lasting and sacred.

Sadly however, Whang Od’s generation may be the last to wear these indelible symbols so closely tied to nature, Kalinga identity, and the ancestral past. And like the marauding headhunters who once roamed the mountains and forests of Kalinga only a century ago, these elders are the last vestiges of an era that will soon fade away into memory; but one that will always remain in story, song, and above all spirit.

___

It's been too long since I joined the fun crowd over at ABC Wednesday! The letter of this week is O - and from me that's O for old.

Oh, and I'm still planning a Part V... stay tuned...

Kalinga - Part III - Burials

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 03:02:00 +0800

In this Part III of my Kalinga series I share with you a bit about the burial customs of these mountain people, the Butbut. Followers of my blog know I like to participate in the meme Taphophile Tragics when I can.

Yesterday I introduced beautiful Whang Od - the last tattoo artist - and showed the grave she had built for herself (last photo). I wasn't able to find out whether it was usual for tribal elders to prepare for their own deaths, but I suspect that it is as rare for the Butbut as for anyone else.

Yet she is not alone in her village in placing her grave close to home.

Kalinga, Buscalan, 2012

Walking around Buscalan a few weeks ago it was impossible to miss the graves placed right next to family houses. The dirt lanes between the raised wooden houses were narrow, yet I felt compelled to walk around the bare concrete structures flat on the ground.

I found it curious that although most in the village spoke only their native tongue, the wording on the headstones were in English. Also, although most of the Kalinga tribal groups are historically animist, the crosses on these graves indicate to me that Christianity is making inroads into their traditional belief systems.

For die-hard taphophiles, I include this rather lengthy quote about burial customs of the Kalinga. This comes from a fascinating paper published online by Aubrey Pagal.

The pakoy (death announcement) is done to announce that somebody has died in the community. It calls for the gathering of the clan to discuss things to be done during the wake. Close kin and neighbors are informed. It also signals people to will reset whatever celebration they had planned earlier to show sympathy and respect for the grieving family. It manifests the value of concern toward the bereaved family. The pakoy prods people to gather to build the bawi (shelter for visitors), helping build a community spirit of cooperation and assistance.

A number of carabaos (water buffalo) and pigs are slaughtered, and are offered to Kabunyan, the supreme deity, and to dead ancestors. Coffins are made of quality mature pine or mahogany, without any metal or nails holding it together. If a wealthy person dies, each of the children butchers one carabao for the people gathered. The uncooked meat will be distributed to close relatives. Among Cordillerans, the extent of meat distribution is dictated by certain considerations. Those who are given the meat are immediate relatives, the abalayans (in-laws) and those who help build the bawi. People continue to follow this tradition, regardless of whether they are good or bad, useful or useless. The individual who goes against tradition often finds himself the object of severe criticism. Distribution of ilang (uncooked meat) lets the recipients know of the hosts' deep appreciation of their relatives' gesture of help and their attendance in the gatherings.

During the wake nearby relatives and neighbors perform the mankayakeg, butchering pigs or piglets or chickens for people from nearby barangay (village) who come to condole with the bereaved family and honor the dead man during the wake as a social obligation. Kachame is the practice of accompanying the grieving family during the night of the funeral to boost the morale of the bereaved. The practice insures kinship ties.

During death, as sign of concern and cooperation among kin and friends, assistance in the form of financial aid helps preserve these ties.

Achang is the mutual aid system where close kin, up to third cousins, and friends are morally obliged to help one another financially and share their goods. Donations depend on the capacity of individuals or families.

During the day of the funeral, utong will be provided for the people gathered. Most families observe three to five days of wake, depending upon the socioeconomic status or the traditional wake practices. This practice proves family ties and family social status wherein the number of pigs and carabaos butchered is indicative of wealth, more property for the family, and cooperation among the individuals concerned.

And also at the day of the funeral, bulong is donated by relatives to help feed the people who come. This fosters cooperative participation among relatives by consanguinity and affinity. The utong, the immediate post-burial slaughtering of animals, is performed to help the dead achieve well-deserved rest. The butchering of animals in utong results in the peace of mind and contentment of the donors, who are assured that each of the offspring has satisfactorily fulfilled the departed's final request.

In every neighboring house, when the corpse is buried, pechus is observed in order to prevent the entry of the dead ancestor's spirit. This ensures health among family members. Singising is also performed to help the bereaved family overcome grief and spare them from being disturbed by bad roaming spirits.

Seven to nine days after the burial, songot, or the practice of putting glutinous cakes on the tomb of the dead, is observed in to ensure the dead spirit does not return home and cause sickness to family members.

Specific burial grounds are chosen along farmsteads or within residential compounds, according to the will of the deceased. Often, it is a place that was meaningful during the departed's lifetime.

Stay tuned for Part IV!

Kalinga - Part II - Last Tattoo Artist

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 02:32:00 +0800

The mountain village of Buscalan in the province of Kalinga held moving and meaningful surprises for my honey and me.

A good friend had invited us to join a group of photographers on their trip and we had enthusiastically agreed without really knowing much about their mission. So it was to be an adventure without expectations; the best kind, in my book. And we were not disappointed.

Yesterday, in Part I of this series, I showed the majestic rice terraces we passed on our journey through the mountains.

Only when we reached Buscalan, historically a headhunters' village, did we learn we were to meet the last Kalinga mambabatok or tribal tattoo artist.

Let me introduce you to the poised and talented Whang Od (pronounced Fang-ud). She is in her 90s, was never married (lost the love of her life in a fatal accident when still in her 20s), and still works daily both in the rice fields and at her special art of hand-tap tattooing.

Whang Od herself is adorned with traditional tribal tattoo designs, as well as beautiful heirloom beads. (You can read more about Kalinga beads here.) I suspect some of these beads she would have received in barter for her craft.

Lars Krutak, the tattoo anthropologist of Discovery Channel's Tattoo Hunter series fame, describes her craft thus:

Whang Od keeps her tattooing tools under the floor boards of her stilted hut. Her hand-tapping kit is comprised of a coconut bowl to mix a pigment of soot and water, an orange thorn needle (siit) attached to the end of a small bamboo stick, and another short stick used to tap the thorn into the skin.

I've read that for many, once they get one tattoo, they can't stop themselves getting more. Vixienne came back to Buscalan for her second tattoo. She is grimacing from the pain here, but not long after she was all smiles.

Jeremiah is the proud new owner of a traditional centipede tattoo by the national artist with a steady hand. (See Part VI so see his video of this.)

Buscalan, Kalinga, 2012

In this last photo you see Whang Od standing in front of her humble home and also the tomb she has built for herself - the entrance is behind her legs.

Many are concerned that when she dies, her art form will die with her. We were told - and I later read - that she has been training her young yet enthusiastic grand-niece, but we did not see her.

This is a short - less than two minute - video of the perilous road to Buscalan and Whang Od at her tap-tap-tap work. It was not made by anyone in our group.

My post today is linked to the blogging communities at Mosaic Monday and Macro Monday.

Drop in for Part III of this Kalinga series. Maybe I can surprise you, too!

Kalinga - Part I - Scenery

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 02:06:00 +0800

It was only for two days, but it felt timeless.

From Tuguegarao, a town in the far northeast of Luzon, a group of nine of us left at the crack of dawn for the six-hour drive southwest across the Cordillera Mountains into the landlocked province of Kalinga.

Our destination was a small mountain village called Buscalan. To get there we passed through some stunning scenery.

Chico River

The final 1.5 hours of the trip were traversed on foot, down and up mountain sides, often at a 45 degree incline. Where the road ended we were met by "porters" - five women of the village, mothers of three to six children each! They nimbly carried our heavy bags and boxes of gifts for the villagers; while many of us, the visitors, unaccustomed to hiking at these heights, huffed and puffed our way up.

There were a number of spots along the way where I struggled with my vertigo, especially crossing this narrow bridge with no railings. Pity the photo does not fully show the long drop!

[More bridges can be found at Sunday Bridges.]

Kalinga, 2012

I link this post with Scenic Sunday. Stay tuned for Part II.

Cagayan Skies

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 4 Oct 2012 22:06:00 +0800

These inspiring skies I saw just a few weeks ago near Santa Ana in Cagayan, the northern tip of Luzon, Philippines, I share with you and the good folks at SkyWatch Friday.

“Be a rainbow in someone else's cloud.”

~ Maya Angelou

"My joy is the golden sunset giving thanks for another day."
~ Johnathan Lockwood Huie

"Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm,

but to add color to my sunset sky."
~ Rabindranath Tagore

PS. I have not been posting these past weeks because I am preparing for a significant life change. I miss blogging and the connection with my blogger friends, but I have had to rearrange my priorities in how I spend my time. So my participation will be sporadic. Just know that I am well and happy.

Kensington Market Mural and Artist

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 16:18:00 +0800

I've just returned home to Manila from a frenetic month in Toronto and Los Angeles. It was an unexpected trip, in countless ways terrific, especially for being able to reconnect with old friends and family long not seen, as well as to connect with new friends, including fellow bloggers Halcyon and VioletSky!

But while I did almost always carry a camera, I didn't have a spare moment to compose, post or blog hop these past weeks.

I accompanied my lovely friend and hero Ruth on a number of her exciting explorations for her calendar of free multicultural activities in Toronto and her blog. If you live in the Toronto area, these are quality sites to subscribe to.

On one of our excursions we dropped by Kensington Market, one of the city's most vibrant and multicultural neighborhoods. That is where I saw this artist painting on canvas on a mural-filled wall. Thinking that his style looked similar to the mural, I asked him whether he had painted the house and was surprised to hear him say no. So I can tell you no more about this colorful mural I post for Mural Monday.

Toronto, 2012

Reflections in Toogood Pond

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 11:43:00 +0800

Right next to the historic village of Unionville founded in 1794 (in the Town of Markham, Ontario) there is a 33-hectare park with a partially naturalized pond and a marsh. With a university pal I had not seen since 1979, I took a leisurely stroll around Toogood Pond today.

While we reflected on the years gone by, I also captured a few reflections for Weekend Reflections. A Great Blue Heron with three turtles on a log, a beautiful summer's day sky, and another turtle on a log surrounded by green foliage.

Markham, Ontario, 2012

Tony the Greek Mural

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 04:13:00 +0800

Meet Tony the Greek. (No, not the infamous contract killer turned snitch.)

This part of a brick wall mural is a commissioned portrait of Tony Kiriakou, owner of the building and a diner called Wexford on Lawrence corner Warden in Scarborough (now part of amalgamated Toronto). The diner was first run by his immigrant parents and has been open for breakfast since 1958.

Toronto, 2012

This post is not intended as a recommendation for the diner, which I did not even see, let alone eat in, when I drove by a few days ago. I got my mural details by calling a Lebanese bakery shown online as being at this address and the now former tenant was wonderfully informative.

It IS intended to join Monday Mural, where you'll find links to more fun and fantastic murals around the globe.

Breakfast

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 11:30:00 +0800

I consider myself having a rather broad and adventurous palate (up to a point). But even after 27 years of living here, I still cannot stomach the Asian breakfast.

Filipinos typically start their day with a plate of tapsilog: meat/fish with garlic rice and a fried egg. Favorite meats include tapa (cured beef), corned beef, spam, longganisa or chorizo sausage, and tocino (bacon). Fried marinated bangus (milkfish) is popular,too.

Manila, 2012

This restaurant - Big Plate - is currently offering a special: a standard range of tapsilog versions with a cup of coffee for just over US$2 - all day. I wonder whether the brewed coffee is the native grown kape barako.

They make it look appetizing. But no meat or fried before noon for me! I'll stick to my organic cereal or oatmeal with fruit. And of course, coffee!

How do you break your fast?

Linking with Signs, Signs.

Reposo Mural: Hermes Alegre

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 9 Jul 2012 15:38:00 +0800

Hermes Alegre is an artist who likes his women... to paint them, that is.

This internationally recognized Filipino talent is known for his sultry and exotic women surrounded by lush fantasies of tropical foliage (click to see more of his wonderful work).

In 2006 I chanced upon Hermes contributing to the Reposo fine art wall (featured earlier on my blog here, here and here). Although most of his canvasses are a delicious profusion of colors, this spot on the wall seems perfect for this black and white portrait.

Manila, 2006

I recently drove by the wall and was saddened to see that new construction had all but demolished most this amazing fine art. I'm so glad I have a digital record of much of it.

Joining the community at Monday Mural.

Brown Deer

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 7 Jul 2012 22:50:00 +0800

Almost two years ago I showed you some white deer in a private zoo quite near my home. Yesterday when we drove by there was a new herd of deer, this time mostly brown.

Since I know as little about animals as I know about flowers and plants, I'll refrain from trying to guess what species of deer these are. But they sure are cute Camera Critters!

Manila, 2012

This last one, better viewed enlarged, is for the meme Mosaic Monday.

We're solidly in the wet season now, but you can see from the dried out vegetation that it's been a long dry summer in Manila.

Just A Pair of Sunsets

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 6 Jul 2012 03:04:00 +0800

Brilliant sunset skies captured in the past two weeks. The first pair were taken near my friends' homes in Hong Kong, while the second pair are near our own home in Manila.

Hong Kong, 2012

Manila, 2012

In the distance I spot a plane and feel the peace of not wanting to be on it.

For sky-watchers at SkyWatch Friday.

Flowering Ornamental Foliage

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 5 Jul 2012 23:15:00 +0800

I found these deliciously bright flowering plants in the garden around my friend Lily's home in the countryside of Hong Kong. On a wet, gray day the vibrant purples, reds and greens jumped out at me. I don't often see them in bloom.

Hong Kong, 2012

Solenostemon scutellarioides is a species of perennial plant, commonly called Coleus or Painted Nettle.

I am linking with lovers of flowers at Floral Friday Foto, Flowers on Saturday and Weekend Flowers. Thanks to the hosts of these memes and all the participants for all the lovely eye candy.

Court in Session!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 5 Jul 2012 02:34:00 +0800

Dapitan, 2008

One of my pet peeves about living in Asia is the incessant and often futile use of horns. Motorcycles, cars, buses, trucks; one louder than the other. The noise pollution can sometimes get under my skin.

Mostly to no avail, I've seen prohibitions against using one's horn around schools, hospitals, even just residential areas. So perhaps I'd be forgiven if I thought this sign told me I couldn't honk near a court house.

How fun to learn that the only court on the block was a tennis court!

This is for Lesley's Signs, Signs.

A Grand Armchair Grave

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 3 Jul 2012 16:32:00 +0800

On our way home to Manila from Wuchuan ten days ago we passed through Hong Kong and again stayed with our friends in the countryside of the New Territories. It's a lovely secluded and green place to live, but as guests without a car, getting in and out is not always most convenient.

I wanted to visit a cemetery for Taphophile Tragics, but my honey and our hosts were not at all enthusiastic. Not only was it a work day for my friends, it rained most of the day, so it was not a good time for either an outing or photography.

Truth be told, Chinese in general regard cemeteries with mixed feelings. While on special days in the year they meticulously go through the rituals of ancestor worship I described before, they otherwise see cemeteries as places for powerful spirits both good and bad, places to be avoided. In sharp contrast with the West, Chinese do not regard cemeteries as positive urban spaces. To illustrate, I was told we'd likely have trouble getting a taxi driver to take us to the cemetery up on a hill in the area, let alone wait for us while I explore. Unfortunately it was much too far to reach on foot.

To appease me, my friend offered to walk me to this grave near her home. Or rather, she showed me the start of a narrow concrete path, pointed up, and said, "it's about 20 meters up there." Then she quickly turned to return home. No way was she going to accompany me!

So here is what I found: a grand example of a modern armchair-shaped grave (all photos can be enlarged).

Hong Kong, 2012

Headstone: Here lie together Uncle Wong, Father Wong and Mother Lau. First built 1967, rebuilt Jan 2002 by all the offspring.

The two minor side graves are for the "guards" - in Chinese they are called "god of the earth."

You'll agree the grave resembles an armchair, with raised areas protecting three sides, from its back reaching around to the left and right. The front is left open and accommodates the platform where living family members engage in the rites of ancestor worship. I've shown less grand versions of the armchair grave here and here.

I have read that constructing graves in the armchair shape goes back to the Northern Song Dynasty, 960-1127 AD. Many Chinese, especially in southern China, have long regarded the form of an armchair as the ideal shape for a grave. It provides a sense of wealth, comfort and dignity.

According to fengshui beliefs, it is considered auspicious for a grave to have a good view.

Historically only the ruling class or the mandarin Chinese could afford armchair graves. Today they are increasingly frowned upon as taking up too much valuable real estate. But as elsewhere, old customs and traditions here die reluctantly.

The property behind the grave had a dog that was not pleased with my visit and barked incessantly. Rather than any spirits that may have been hovering, it was this very living creature that made me wary of hanging around too long. Still I thought he was a handsome fella.

Our Family's Future Mural

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 2 Jul 2012 13:39:00 +0800

Cebu, 2011

This is another values-oriented mural (better seen enlarged) in my Visayas series linked with Monday Mural. Another piece of art soiled by a tagger.

Moving towards green and sustainable economies, and poverty eradication were key themes discussed at the Rio+20 conference in Brazil a few weeks ago. While the outcome document The Future We Want is a lofty read, many, including me, were disappointed that it contained no measurable targets or timelines to guide governance.

It's hard for me to fathom how our one and only earth - and we humans on it - can survive in the long run if we don't take more proactive action to protect it and to live in harmony with nature.

Clouds Over Fall Fields

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 1 Jul 2012 00:18:00 +0800

Austria, 2007

This panorama (better seen enlarged) was taken on an early fall day, when the gladiolas and corn stalks were past their prime, somewhere in the vicinity of Vienna, Austria.

Smoker's Area

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 01:44:00 +0800

It seems to me that in most developed countries, smoking cigarettes has to a large extent lost its appeal. Not only is there now strong social pressure against it, prohibitive taxes and legal proscriptions have made the habit inconvenient.

In Asia, many people still smoke. While bans on public smoking are increasingly being introduced, in general nonsmokers remain quietly tolerant of the smoker. The culture values group harmony over personal rights.

And yet, perhaps it's just a matter of time... Here's a fun mixed message I saw at our humble tennis club this week (more fun enlarged):

Manila, 2012

Earlier this week I saw this advertisement to encourage smokers to quit. Pretty effective, don't you agree?

This joins other fun, creative and interesting signs over at Signs, Signs.