SUNDAY BRIDGES--far from home

Seattle is home to many cultures, so perhaps this man feels and is more at home here than in his native land.  He's enjoying a Coke, so.....

See other bridges at Louis La Vache's SUNDAY BRIDGES.

SUNDAY BRIDGES--a bridge AND a cow!

Louis, am I the first to post a bridge AND a cow?? This photo of course is not from Belgrade, but from Udaipur, India, that I visited during my recent trip to India. My friend Olya in the background was unsure whether to pass this peaceful bovine, so I went by her first...and took the photo.

See other bridges (but probably not with cows on them) at Louis La Vache's SUNDAY BRIDGES.

Muddy street in Jodphur, India

I had naively expected that this trip to Northern India would be a warm one, like the one I made last year to Southern India. Wrong I was. It's been pretty cool for the most part, and on occasion, rainy, though the locals say that is unusual for this season. In Jodphur it did indeed rain a bit, just enough to make everything mucky and to require skill in maneuvering one's way through the streets. This woman seemed to take it all in stride. Her flip-flops were hardly soiled, and don't you just love those silver anklets?

If I don't get stranded due to bad weather in Moscow, I'll be home in Belgrade tomorrow! It's been fun, and as soon as I get my entire photos up on Flickr, I'll post the link.

Qatub Tower

Section of the magnificently detailed detailed Qatub Tower and adjacent building in Delhi.

Sorry for the skimpy commentary, but I'm never sure of my Internet connection and gotta rush!

Udaipur, India

A view from my hotel rooftop restaurant in Udaipur, India....

Norbulingka Institute. Dharamsala

Jumping around a bit in my trip. This beautiful face of Buddha is from a statue made by artisans at the Norbulingka Institute in Dharamsala, India. The institute is for the preservation of Tibetan culture.

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM INDIA!

Greetings from Mandawa, India, where I was last night for a bang-up Rajasthani New Year's celebration at the hotel we stayed at. Lots of fun, good food, and dancing, followed by fireworks.

Still on holiday for several more days and will try to keep posting, but not so sure of Internet connections.

Radovan on the Road Again--India Part II

Just one year ago, I left for my first trip to India, with my little friend Radovan, shown here by his fireplace and with two of his friends from India. Little did I ever think I would get to India at all, and here I am going again. By the time you read this, I'll already be there...I'm not sure of my Internet connection, so I have uploaded photos until the end of the month. I hope I can post some from India, beginning January 1st. I'll be back on the 6th, and will resume visiting your blogs then!

Wishing you all HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

ABC Wednesday--Y is for Year-round hardships, or Traces of India in Belgrade

I'm back, safe and sound, and it's a bit cooler here than in India and Qatar..

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you know that Belgrade has quite a large Gypsy or 'Roma' population. Most sources agree that Gypsies originated in India and migrated to Europe and beyond. The Roma population here in Belgrade lives primarily on the outskirts of the city and prefers not to integrate into society. You can see from the above photo that they lead a rough life year-round, scavenging for firewood and recycling paper and scrap iron, for example.

Join ABC WEDNESDAY.

Theme day --Change--Roadside fauna

Today's theme is Change. I'm still in India, and though in some rural areas here it's common to see an elephant in the wild, I hardly ever see any in Belgrade (!), so this is a change for me. This fellow was photographed in the Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary in the Karnataka Province that we passed through.

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

The lotus

The lotus is a symbol of many things, but the essence is that it symbolizes beauty that can rise out of ugliness. These flowers were growing in a ditch filled with filthy water next to a gas station where our driver refueled.

"Bibi" now on vacation in India wishes you all a very Happy and Prosperous New Year!

Radovan in Auroville

Here is Radovan in a New Age community established in the 60's just outside of Pondicherry. Wikipedia will explain more, since I don't have time to add a hyperlink now! The large golden 'golf ball' is a meditation center, but you need special permission to enter, so Radovan, my friends, and I just contemplated it from afar...

A heavy load

This brickloader begged me to take his photo, so..... I see so many people here doing hard labor without much protection. Some just wear flip-flops while hauling bricks or moving large slabs of granite with crowbars. Watch your tootsies.

Acrobatics on the beach

The beach in Chennai, as on other beaches I've seen here, is a place for all kinds of activities from selling candies, offering horseback rides, selling trinkets and food, and of course for performers like this little girl.

The Bay of Bengal for the most part is really choppy, so few people go swimming where the water is so rough, so activities are welcome diversions.

Green, green

Couldn't resist this little vegetable seller, all in green like most of her veggies! India is a feast for the eyes and the palate!

Henna tattoo

This young woman is having a 'mehendi,' which is a temporary design painted on one's hands, arms, or feet either for a special ceremony or wedding. It's done with henna, so of course it's only temporary beauty, but beauty it is.

Merry Christmas from India

Wishing you readers who celebrate Christmas the very best of holidays. This photo was taken at the Christian church Saint Thomas Mount where the saint was allegedly martyred.

Take my picture, please!

India is a photographer's paradise in more ways than one. Not only could you burn up memory cards taking photos of buildings, fruit, streets, and all kinds of attractions, but people actually love to have their photos taken, especially kids. These youngsters who were traveling in a motorized rickshaw begged me to take their photo, but were whizzed away before I could show it to them!

Bricklayer's helpers

They certainly don't look like they'd be doing a job like helping a bricklayer, but these two ladies were doing just that. Most people I've come across in my two days here LOVE to have their photo taken, and delight in seeing it right away on my camera. The only bad part is that they often pose, whereas I'd prefer a more candid shot. But hey, I'm not complaining.

Pomegranate seeds

Aren't these beautiful? There are pomegranates on Belgrade markets occasionally, but I never think of buying them. Here in Chennai where I am at the moment, our friend's housekeeper made us a yummy spicy lunch on our first day here, and these sweet seeds were perfect as a dessert.

Today we walked through our friend's local neighborhood, and I am soooo enchanted with India...