Travel Gallery

Eric Lafforgue posted a photo: Celebration on a wedding day in the village of Combelo. Dimba girls wear beaded wigs which means they have had their first periods but are not ready for marriage. Misses Ena is about 15 years old. Eric Lafforgue www.ericlafforgue.com

retlaw snellac posted a photo:

oeyvind posted a photo: A staff member leads the media up an escalator at the new "pre-flight" area at the Singapore Flyer observation wheel in Singapore March 31, 2011. The Singapore Flyer, the tallest Ferris wheel in the world at 165 metres (541 ft) high, will reopen Friday after 11 days of maintenance work. REUTERS/Tim Chong

Eric Lafforgue posted a photo: Mwila people are an ethnic group living in southern Angola, in the area of Huila. They actually are part of the Nyaneka, a larger ethnic group. According to their oral tradition, they settled down in that area during the 17th century, because of a drought that made them abandon their lands in the country of Quilengues. In fact it seems Mwila are supposed to be a miscegenation of Jaga invaders, coming from east (and who transitorily invaded Congo) and conquered the area, with the aboriginal inhabitants of the area, the Chimbemba (or Bachimba). The conquerors formed the powerful kingdom of Huila during the 17th century, led by a Soba, which ruled the area until the first half of the 19th century. Mwila were part of this chiefdom and most of the traditions of these bantu cattle farmers date back to these times, although it is not clear for them nowadays. Mumuhuila rarely eat meat, they rather eat porridge, corn, chicken, honey and milk. They kill their ca

RomulusRueda posted a photo: There was a significant feeling of tranquility as the light on this landscape becomes ethereal when the sun sets on the horizon and the full moon rises. It was like the dusk that looms over still carries some light with it illuminating the landscape in a beautiful ambient glow. The Badlands South Dakota, USA More photos at www.romulusrueda.com

reurinkjan posted a photo: Like to see the pictures as LARGE as your screen? Just click on this Slideshow : www.flickr.com/photos/reurinkjan/sets/72157624932250006/s... Kandze county extends from the lower Yi chu valley and Rongpatsa township as far as the Gyawo la watershed pass in Trehor. The county capital is located at Kandze town. There are 43 monasteries within the county, of which 19 represent the Geluk school, 11 are Nyingma, 7 Sakya, 5 Kagyu and one Bon Area: 6.232 sq km. www.footprinttravelguides.com/c/2848/tibet/&Action=pr...

fredcan (away) posted a photo: Write your name on the notebook and get a colourful personalised necklace for a few rupies. India Gate, New Delhi. www.fredcanongephotography.com/

retlaw snellac posted a photo: White Thai woman on the way to her village, Phuong Bang. The Thai worship their ancestors, the heavens, the earth, ban, and "muong". They also hold rituals to pray for good crops.The Thai live in houses built on stilts. Among the Black Thai, they prefer roofs that are shaped like a tortoise carapace with decorations called "khau cuts" at each ridge. A Thai man first lives with his wife's family for several years until the couple has a child; they then move to the house of the husband's family. The Thai organize funerals as a farewell party to see off the dead to the other world. The Thai language belongs to the Tay-Thai Group. They have a valuable legacy of myths, legends, ancient tales, versed stories, and folksongs. They like to sing and recite the "khap" along with the accompaniment of string instruments and a dance performance. Their folk dances such as "Xoe", "Sap", "Han Khuong",

reurinkjan posted a photo: Like to see the pictures as LARGE as your screen? Just click on this Slideshow : www.flickr.com/photos/reurinkjan/sets/72157624932250006/s... Near the bustling town of Manigango at an altitude of 3960 m. Despite its"wild west"ambience, in the grassland to the south, there is an active hermitage affiliated to Dzogchen Monastery, known as Yazer Gon, and, in town, opposite the bus stand, there is a small Mani Lhakhang. Manigango is now a fast developing township, with medical facilities, schools, a small hotel, guesthouses, shops and restaurants. Some 23 km east of Manigango, a motorable road leaves the Kandze highway and the Yi chu valley, via a side bridge and heads north to Yilhun township. Here, inAugust, there is a small but interesting horse festival, held on a wide plain below the local monastery and village. www.footprinttravelguides.com/c/2848/tibet/&Action=pr...

Eric Lafforgue posted a photo: Burabay lake is a place 3 hours drive from Astana. A kind of Swiss in Central Asia, where tourists come during summertime to have a bath and to have fun. When i came there, very few people visited the area. Hard to believe that few kilometers ago, there is the steppe! Eric Lafforgue www.ericlafforgue.com

Eric Lafforgue posted a photo: Nizwa Castle is a powerful reminder of the town of Nizwa's invincibility through turbulent periods in Oman's long history. The town of Nizwa has a strategic location at the crossroads of vital caravan routes linking interior, Muscat and Dhofar regions. Nizwa was declared the capital of Oman in the 17th century. Eric Lafforgue www.ericlafforgue.com

Cj Roberts posted a photo: The Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) is a wild goose belonging to the genus Branta, which is native to arctic and temperate regions of North America, having a black head and neck, white patches on the face, and a brownish-gray body. Seen here in Conwy North Wales.

fredcan (away) posted a photo: Every year, in March/April, a huge crowd of Muslim devotees from Delhi and beyond come to Nizamuddin Hazrat Aulia's tomb, in New Delhi, to celebrate one of South Asia's most revered Sufi saints, who lived here in XIVth century AD. He and his famous disciple Amir Khusrau, whose tomb lies next to his master's in the holy shrine, are celebrated with much pomp and ostentation during the three day festival of Urs, the saints' death anniversaries. Fakirs and hijras can also be seen for the occasion, while continuous prayers, flower offerings and qawwali (devotional sufi songs) create an intense and very holy atmosphere. The whole set (in progress), here: www.flickr.com/photos/fredcan/sets/72157626230177311/ www.fredcanongephotography.com/

reurinkjan posted a photo: Like to see the pictures as LARGE as your screen? Just click on this Slideshow : www.flickr.com/photos/reurinkjan/sets/72157624932250006/s... Taken near Manigango at the monastery of Nyingmapa Yazer Gonpa. Altitude 3911m. Gypaetus barbatus, Bearded Vulture, lammergier, An animal especially evolved to feed on bones is not a mammal, but ... a bird! If vultures are known to strip the meat of the carcasses to the bones, this one will eat bones, too: the bearded vulture or lammergeier. A bearded vulture is impressive through its coloration and size: 3 m (10 ft) in wingspan and a weight of 5 to 7 kg (11 to 15 lbs)! As it eats more bones than flesh, its head is not bald like in the case of other vulture species. This spectacular bird had to find something for replacing the bone crashing jaws: a special technique of its own. This bird carries up in the air, holding with its feet, big bones (this is the only vulture that can grab things!), that are eventually (when

Eric Lafforgue posted a photo: Ghademes girl, dressed for the festival time. Libya Eric Lafforgue www.ericlafforgue.com

fredcan (away) posted a photo: Every year, in March/April, a huge crowd of Muslim devotees from Delhi and beyond come to Nizamuddin Hazrat Aulia's tomb, in New Delhi, to celebrate one of South Asia's most revered Sufi saints, who lived here in XIVth century AD. He and his famous disciple Amir Khusrau, whose tomb lies next to his master's in the holy shrine, are celebrated with much pomp and ostentation during the three day festival of Urs, the saints' death anniversaries. Fakirs and hijras can also be seen for the occasion, while continuous prayers, flower offerings and qawwali (devotional sufi songs) create an intense and very holy atmosphere. The whole set (in progress), here: www.flickr.com/photos/fredcan/sets/72157626230177311/ www.fredcanongephotography.com/

Cj Roberts posted a photo: One of the most majestic sights of the Welsh mountains is Rhaeadr Fawr or Aber Falls as it is known in English. Situated in the foothills of the Carneddau mountain range in a steep sided valley on the Coedydd Aber Nature Reserve near to the village of Abergwyngregyn. The Afon Goch plunges over an escarpment one hundred and twenty feet high into a marshy area where it is joined by two tributaries; the enlarged stream, Afon Rhaeadr Fawr, heads towards the Menai Strait where it joins the sea. Part of the way way down it becomes Afon Aber Garth Celyn, more recently known as Afon Aber. Torrential after a storm, in winter Aber Falls can freeze enough to attract ice climbers. To reach the falls involves a walk of around a mile up a gently ascending path. The plentiful spray from the waterfall has encouraged the growth of plants such as wild angelica and lady's mantle, which thrive in the rock crevices around the fall. Choughs, ravens and peregrine falcons can

gavin.burnett posted a photo: One of the maasai ladies and child outside their Boma (hut) in the village next to our campsite near lake manyara, tanzania The Maasai (also Masai) are a Nilotic ethnic group of semi-nomadic people located in Kenya and northern Tanzania. Due to their distinctive customs and dress and residence near the many game parks of East Africa, they are among the most well known of African ethnic groups. They speak Maa, a member of the Nilo-Saharan language family that is related to Dinka and Nuer, and are also educated in the official languages of Kenya and Tanzania: Swahili and English. The Maasai population has been variously estimated as 377,089, estimates of the respective Maasai populations in both countries are complicated by the remote locations of many villages, and their semi-nomadic nature. twitter www.gavinburnett.com www.gavinburnett.co.uk all images copyright gavin burnett 2011 please contact me for image usage

gavin.burnett posted a photo: The toga tribe village near lake eyasi, tanzania. Facial Scarring of the face and body is seen as beautiful amongst many African tribes. twitter www.gavinburnett.com www.gavinburnett.co.uk all images copyright gavin burnett 2011 please contact me for image usage

fredcan (away) posted a photo: Every year, in March/April, a huge crowd of Muslim devotees from Delhi and beyond come to Nizamuddin Hazrat Aulia's tomb, in New Delhi, to celebrate one of South Asia's most revered Sufi saints, who lived here in XIVth century AD. He and his famous disciple Amir Khusrau, whose tomb lies next to his master's in the holy shrine, are celebrated with much pomp and ostentation during the three day festival of Urs, the saints' death anniversaries. Fakirs and hijras can also be seen for the occasion, while continuous prayers, flower offerings and qawwali (devotional sufi songs) create an intense and very holy atmosphere. www.fredcanongephotography.com/

goddessofxanadu (back very soon!!) posted a photo: I'm not much of a wildlife photographer...I lack the patience,silence...my 'footprint' is just too large....but then i saw this beautiful bird settling down to roost in the twilight, on 'my' stretch of the Kennet...and I decided to become one, if only for a few moments.

Eric Lafforgue posted a photo: Mwila people are an ethnic group living in southern Angola, in the area of Huila. They actually are part of the Nyaneka, a larger ethnic group. According to their oral tradition, they settled down in that area during the 17th century, because of a drought that made them abandon their lands in the country of Quilengues. In fact it seems Mwila are supposed to be a miscegenation of Jaga invaders, coming from east (and who transitorily invaded Congo) and conquered the area, with the aboriginal inhabitants of the area, the Chimbemba (or Bachimba). The conquerors formed the powerful kingdom of Huila during the 17th century, led by a Soba, which ruled the area until the first half of the 19th century. Mwila were part of this chiefdom and most of the traditions of these bantu cattle farmers date back to these times, although it is not clear for them nowadays. Mumuhuila rarely eat meat, they rather eat porridge, corn, chicken, honey and milk. They kill their ca

reurinkjan posted a photo: Like to see the pictures as LARGE as your screen? Just click on this Slideshow : www.flickr.com/photos/reurinkjan/sets/72157624932250006/s... Rawhide is a hide or animal skin that has not been exposed to tanning. It is similar to parchment, much lighter in color than leather made by traditional vegetable tanning. The skin from buffalo, deer, elk or cattle (or yak in this case) from which most rawhide originates is prepared by removing all fur, meat and fat, here by hand. The hide is then usually stretched over a frame before being dried. The resulting material is hard and translucent. It can be shaped by rewetting and forming before being allowed to thoroughly re-dry. It can be rendered more pliable by 'working', i.e. bending repeatedly in multiple directions, often by rubbing it over a post, sometimes traditionally by chewing. It may also be oiled or greased for a degree of waterproofing.

oeyvind posted a photo: Combination photo shows the skyscrapers of Singapore's central business district before (top) and during Earth Hour, March 26, 2011.Lights started going off around the world on Saturday in a show of support for renewable energy, given added poignancy by Japan's nuclear disaster which raises doubts about nuclear power as a possible solution. REUTERS/Tim Chong

fredcan (away) posted a photo: Every year, in March/April, a huge crowd of Muslim devotees from Delhi and beyond come to Nizamuddin Hazrat Aulia's tomb, in New Delhi, to celebrate one of South Asia's most revered Sufi saint, who lived here in XIVth century AD. He and his famous disciple Amir Khusrau, whose tomb lies next to his master's in the holy shrine, are celebrated with much pomp and ostentation during the three day festival of Urs, the saints' death anniversaries. Fakirs and hijras can also be seen for the occasion, while continuous prayers, flower offerings and qawwali (devotional sufi songs) create an intense and very holy atmosphere. Here, a qawwali scene in front of Nizamuddin's tomb. www.fredcanongephotography.com/

Eric Lafforgue posted a photo: Islam is the main religion of Kyrgyzstan, as 80 per cent of the population is Muslim. This Muezzin was calling for pray outiside of the mosque, without microphone as the electricity was cut, and like most of the muezzins, he dis not used a recorded tape! Impressive to hear him calling Allah Abkar so loud and with so much faith... I only saw this on Tv, in an ld Sudan documentary, but this one was in 2009... Eric Lafforgue www.ericlafforgue.com

retlaw snellac posted a photo: Red hmong woman. The Hmong (Mong) are concentrated in Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang, Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Lai Chau, Son La, Cao Bang and Nghe An provinces. Each lineage lives within a group setting. The head of the village assumes the common affairs for the lineage. Young Hmong men and women are free to choose their partners. Marriages are absolutely forbidden between men and women of the same lineage. Matrimonial life of the Hmong is very harmonious and divorce is very rare. Hmong language belongs to the Hmong-Dao Group. The Traditional Tet (New Year's Day) of the Hmong is organized every December or January. They refrain from eating green vegetables during the three days of the Tet Holiday. The musical instruments of the Hmong include various kinds of "khen" (pan-pipes) and lip organs. After a hard working day and to celebrate spring, the young men and women often play "khen" and lip organs to express their feelings for their partners. T

Eric Lafforgue posted a photo: Few days before september 9 , the North Korea national day, all the people were carrying fake red flowers for the last rehearsals of the giant parade. Pyongyang subway. Deep, very deep:120 meters below the surface! Two lines, old wagons in a DDR style. All the 17 stations have names like Triumphant Return, Reunification, Paradise, Glory...i do not know how people reminds the names! >the official speech: The Pyongyang Metro was opened to traffic in September 1973. The metro has a greater transport capacity than other means of passenger traffic and gets a large share in guaranteeing the smoothness of traffic in the city of Pyongyang. It fans out in all directions of the city and every citizen has easy access to its service. In constructing the metro, considerable thought was given to the prospect of the citys development. It links districts with each other and the city centre with the suburbs. The stations are within easy reach of squares, parks, stad

reurinkjan posted a photo: Like to see the pictures as LARGE as your screen? Just click on this Slideshow : www.flickr.com/photos/reurinkjan/sets/72157624932250006/s... Its shores bedecked with colossal carved mani stones, many of which are the work of a local stone carver named Trador. The mountains and rocks surrounding the lake are said to assume the divine form of the Cakrasamvara mandala to those who have the pure vision to perceive them as such.-------------- Yilhun Lhatso Nature Reserve (190 sq km), extending from the lakeshore as far as the jagged snow peaks of the Trola range to the south, is a natural habitat for176 species of wild animals, including the red deer (cervus albirostris), the snow-leopard, the argali, the red fox and various birds of prey. the flora of the reserve include distinctive azaleas, dragon spruce(Picea asperata),cypresses and the snow lotus changdukpa (Sasssurea laniceps ) . The Nomads of these upper valleys supplement their income by collecting cat

Eric Lafforgue posted a photo: Ulak Tartysh is team riding horse game. It consist in a wrestle for possession of the headless carcass of a goat. The two teams of riders attempt to deliver it across the opposition s goal line, or into the opposition s goal, made with a big tub or a circle marked on the ground. The goat is 35 kilogs, and the men on the horses carry it with 1 hand! Eric Lafforgue www.ericlafforgue.com

retlaw snellac posted a photo: A visit of the weekly market of Muong Lay (named Lai Chau before); most of the people there are White Hmong.

retlaw snellac posted a photo:

fredcan (away) posted a photo: At the Mullik Ghat flower market, Kolkata (Calcutta). www.fredcanongephotography.com/

Eric Lafforgue posted a photo: You can recognize the bedouin as kids have khol on the eyes, most of the time, like this girl. Eric Lafforgue www.ericlafforgue.com

goddessofxanadu (back very soon!!) posted a photo: She is doing her best to look intelligent and appealing (Im a poor little rott, who hasn't eaten for a week,ruff,ruff,ruff...) and not the slightest bit interested in the warm fresh batch of cookies just out of the oven...

retlaw snellac posted a photo: Old Ha Nhi woman (Nam Thu village). Also called U Ni and Xa U Ni, the Ha Nhi have about 12,500 inhabitants settling in the provinces of Lai Chau arc Lao Cai. Ha Nhi language belongs to the Tibet-Burman Group. The Ha Nhi mainly worship their ancestors. They live on rice cultivation of burnt-over land or terraced fields. They are one of the groups who have a traditional experience in reclaiming terraced fields on mountain slopes, digging canals and building small dams. They use ploughs and harrows pulled by oxens and buffaloes to work the fields. The gardens are often close to their houses. Animal husbandry is developed as well as the weaving of cloth, wattling of basketry articles. Most of the Ha Nhi can produce clothes for themselves. Women dress varies depending on the regions. The women of Lai Chau have a decorated dress in raw colours, different from the dress of Lao Cai women which is in indigo colour only. The Ha Nhi have adopted a sedentary lifes

goddessofxanadu (back very soon!!) posted a photo: The sunday papers (haven't had time yet...) a good book...my laptop...sunlight streaming through the window, a cup of earl grey...peace and quiet....for these things, and many more, I am sooooo grateful.

reurinkjan posted a photo: Like to see the pictures as Large as your screen? Than why not click on the Slideshow : www.flickr.com/photos/reurinkjan/sets/72157622436074363/s... You can't travel for long in Kham without hearing about the legendary King Gesar of Ling. Though Tibetans from both Jyekundo (Yushu) and Golog lay claim as being the birthplace of Gesar, the king was most likely born on the Axu grasslands in Dege, though it is impossible to know for sure. The Axu grasslands can easily be reached by car from the town center. Derge sits in a wooded valley at an elevation of 3200m/10,500 feet. It has some of the best hiking in the Kham region. East of Dege about 100kms is the small town of Manigango which is another stunning area with Mt Chola and Yilhun Lha Lake to explore. Derge is remote and not easy to get to, but it is one of the most amazing regions in Tibet. Dege is considered the cultural heart of Kham. It is one of the best places to see traditional Tibetan culture.

Scottish Nomad posted a photo: 3 image panoramic stitch - taken on Saturday 19 March 2011 after a beautiful snowfall www.glencoemountain.com

davidgardener posted a photo: JORDAN: Over a dozen smaller monuments that make up the Street of Facades. Established sometime around the 6th Century BC as the capital city of the Nabataeans, Petra is home to a series of monuments and mausolea.

retlaw snellac posted a photo: Rice fields.

fredcan (away) posted a photo: Flower trader at the Mullik Ghat flower market, Kolkata (Calcutta). www.fredcanongephotography.com/

goddessofxanadu (back very soon!!) posted a photo:

Eric Lafforgue posted a photo: It was their first photo session! Very impressed! Mwila people are an ethnic group living in southern Angola, in the area of Huila. They actually are part of the Nyaneka, a larger ethnic group. According to their oral tradition, they settled down in that area during the 17th century, because of a drought that made them abandon their lands in the country of Quilengues. In fact it seems Mwila are supposed to be a miscegenation of Jaga invaders, coming from east (and who transitorily invaded Congo) and conquered the area, with the aboriginal inhabitants of the area, the Chimbemba (or Bachimba). The conquerors formed the powerful kingdom of Huila during the 17th century, led by a Soba, which ruled the area until the first half of the 19th century. Mwila were part of this chiefdom and most of the traditions of these bantu cattle farmers date back to these times, although it is not clear for them nowadays. Mumuhuila rarely eat meat, they rather eat porridge,

Cj Roberts posted a photo: Llyn Ogwen is a lake in north-west Wales. It lies alongside the A5 road between two mountain ranges of Snowdonia, the Carneddau and the Glyderau. Somewhat unusually, the county boundary at this point is drawn so that the lake itself lies in the county of Gwynedd, but all the surrounding land (excluding the outflow) lies in Conwy County Borough. Llyn Ogwen lies at a height of about 310 metres above sea level and has an area of 78 acres (320,000 m2), but is a very shallow lake, with a maximum depth of only a little over 3 metres. It is fed by a number of streams from the slopes of the mountains which surround it, which include Tryfan and Pen yr Ole Wen. The largest of these streams is Afon Lloer, which flows from Ffynnon Lloer. Llyn Ogwen is the source of the Afon Ogwen which flows north to reach the sea near Bangor. Although Ogwen is a natural lake, a dam was built in the early 20th century to raise the level of the lake in order to provide water for the us

retlaw snellac posted a photo: Ha Nhi woman (Kam Ho village). Also called U Ni and Xa U Ni, the Ha Nhi have about 12,500 inhabitants settling in the provinces of Lai Chau arc Lao Cai. Ha Nhi language belongs to the Tibet-Burman Group. The Ha Nhi mainly worship their ancestors. They live on rice cultivation of burnt-over land or terraced fields. They are one of the groups who have a traditional experience in reclaiming terraced fields on mountain slopes, digging canals and building small dams. They use ploughs and harrows pulled by oxens and buffaloes to work the fields. The gardens are often close to their houses. Animal husbandry is developed as well as the weaving of cloth, wattling of basketry articles. Most of the Ha Nhi can produce clothes for themselves. Women dress varies depending on the regions. The women of Lai Chau have a decorated dress in raw colours, different from the dress of Lao Cai women which is in indigo colour only. The Ha Nhi have adopted a sedentary lifestyle.

reurinkjan posted a photo: Like to see the pictures as LARGE as your screen? Just click on this Slideshow : www.flickr.com/photos/reurinkjan/sets/72157624932250006/s... Less and less you will see nomads and villagers ride horses on the Tibetan Plateau , instead riding the modern transport "motorcycling". Also Tibetans embrace modernisation as well that most Tibetans hold on to there culture in Buddism and strong believes in themselfs. "The Conservancy for Tibetan Art and Culture is working to create a better understanding of the peoples, cultures, and traditions of Tibet, as well as the threat that confronts them. Tibetan culture forms a valuable part of the world's heritage. Humanity would be poorer should it be lost. -His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso" tibetanculture.org/

davidgardener posted a photo: JORDAN: The Uneishu Tomb, the largest of the monuments on the Street of Facades. Established sometime around the 6th Century BC as the capital city of the Nabataeans, Petra is home to a series of monuments and mausolea.

davidgardener posted a photo: JORDAN: The spectacular Treasury (Al Khazneh, ), the most famous and elaborate of the ancient monuments in Petra. The 45m (148 ft) tall facade was not a treasury, but a mausoleum like most other monuments in the city. Completed between 100BC-200AD, it is unknown where the name originates - some say the monument was built for a treasurer, or that after ruin the urns were used by bandits to hide their spoils.

Eric Lafforgue posted a photo: The escalators of the Pyongyang subway are so long that some people sit on the steps and have a quick rest! Many old women carry big bags in the street, and this one was totally exhausted... Eric Lafforgue www.ericlafforgue.com