Columbus Travel Insurance: 2009-01-11

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Professional designer luggage

There are many travel bags and gift bags produced by some companies. you can buy bags that you want and gift bags at the nearest store.

But now you can get online with the internet yeah ...

Anyone can buy their bags and gifts at their favorite Internet from home with comfortable, or may be from the office or on the internet cafe with a hotspot internet connection.
There are many manufacturers sell their products directly to consumers via the Internet.
You only need to enter a keyword or travel bag gift shop in the google search box, you can find a thousand names to confuse you. Then you can choose one of them.
But before you do that you must make sure the link is that you choose has to offer the best, or give the best price for a great product.
Well, in other words you need assistance to "extract" them into valuable information that you really need to know.

You can visit the www.villageluggageandgifts.com trying to get special offers and gifts in the trunk

This site offers a variety of gifts, luggage, travel bags and a few things. Which provides low prices for excellent products. You can select one or more with them in a variety of products and prices.
This site displays the products made by professional designer luggage, they have more than 57 years of experience.
Hartman Luggage and Vera Bradley Luggage is an example of them.
Just e-mail or phone them to special order.

How many times you can save by using the service www.villageluggageandgifts.com

So, not wasting too much time checking each of your favorite stores to get the goods with a great price, the better for www.villageluggageandgifts.com

Professional designer luggage

Last minute accommodation flights and Hotels

Last minute accommodation, Last minute flights, Last minute Hotels

Australia is considered as one of the best destination for tourism, he has all the aspects that are best for the culture and people good for your holidays many beauty beaches, including accommodation. Perhaps somewhere you do not have time to prepare for your holiday plans, but for a place that you want to visit in Australia, it is difficult to find last minute accommodation , if you travel in the holiday season is almost fully booked, not even this holiday season was quite difficult for the last minute Hotels find that offers the price and place.

When the problem of accommodation is the problem be solved next flight, if you hurry, or as I write the above, you do not have a place unless you want to visit, and you need a last minute flights, you can choose the Australian airlines virgin blue, Qantas international flight or a company such as Singapore airlines, there are a cheap flights , jetstar and good service airlines in the world, so if you're from another country, you can use the flight, this service offers a very good and has been proven over many years.

Accommodation with the many things that can make you confuse you can visit the site last minute, they have the best solution for a holiday trip, in this site you can manage your flight with the Australian airlines Jetstar, virgin blue, Qantas , Singapore Air flight line or other services, they can provide cheap flights to save fares, at this site you also select a date from the hotel check-in, check out the date or you may want to plan a vacation at the school site.

They not only provide the flight, but there are also some services such as travel insurance, travel insurance is either in Australia or in the world, or if you need to rent a car you can do on this site as well, with one of the solutions to make a stop travel better.

If you want to get special offers from them you can register on the free newsletter and you will receive information from them directly to your email, so what are you waiting for? Register now and you may be able to get a free two-night trip, this site is real time so you can see last minute flight on that site. Happy Holiday.

Last minute accommodation flights and Hotels

Eric de Vries: Cham Muslims of Cambodia

Khmer Islam is an audio slideshow produced by photographer Eric de Vries of the Khmer Islam, known as the Cham Muslims. These are members of an ethnic group in villages near the Mekong and Tonle Sap river in Cambodia. Most Chams in Cambodia are involved in fishing and agriculture.

Eric photographed the series at the Islam Spiritual Center, Russei Chrouy village, Masjid-Alrahmani mosque north of Phnom Penh, at the Masjid Thom Dubai mosque on the borders of Boeung Kak lake and at the Nurunnaim Mosque and Chrang Chamreh village on National Road 5.

Eric de Vries lives in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where he's been traveling since 2000, and TTP has featured his work on a previous post.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Lake Matka

Except for natural lakes in Macedonia, there are a great number of artificial lakes. These include Matka (near Skopje), as well as Mavrovo, Tikvesh, Kalimanci, and Streshevo.

The Matka Canyon

The Treska canyon is vertically cut into the massive of Suva Mountain. The geological features of the park reflect in the hard carst ground in the area. The different carst formations in the canyon, such as the karrens, flutes, valleys, cracks, crevices and caves, have been formed by long term impact of the mountan rivers, as well as great temperature oscillations. In the surroundings of the Treska Canyon one can find dozens of caves. The most beautiful ones are the caves Vrelo (The Spring), Krshtalna (The Baptistery), and Ubava (The Beautiful One). Some of the caves are illuminated, and visiting is organized by an official guide. The diversity of dripstone adornments has been captured by well deployed illumination. The caves are filled with numerous stalagmites, stalactites, stalagmates and dripstone pillars. Kayaking on the river Treska The Treska Canyon is the most important alpine-climbing center near Skopje. The major climbing season in Matka begins in spring, somewhere around the Easter holidays when visitors come from the countries all over Europe. The season continues over summer and fall until the end of November. At the same time, the Treska Canyon is open for wild water kayaking. St. Andrew's Monastery is located on Lake Matka, 17 km away from Skopje.
This monastery was built 138

9 and is filled with frescos of a great artistic importance. Near Andrew's is the St. Nikola Shishovski Monastery, situated on top of the cliff above Lake Matka, thus giving the visitor a spectacular view of the lake and its surroundings. While there is no information when this monastery was built, it is first mentioned in the 17th century. Unfortunately, the monastery was abandoned during the 18th century, only to be resettled the following century. It is interesting to point that there are three layers of frescos in St. Nikola's. The church of St. Andrew on Matka Lake Close to both Andrew's and St. Nikola's is Matka Monastery from the 14th century. The monastery is located on the left side of river Treska, about 12 km from Skopje. The frescos of this monastery date from the 15th century, but they don't match those of Andrew's.

Stone Town Kuklica

The “stone town”, is situated by the Kuklica village in the Kratovo area. According to the sources, the stone figures that are called Dolls by the local population are 10 million years old. There are many legends and myths about their existence, but the most famous is the one according to which the stone figures are wedding guests that were cursed by a forsaken bride, and turned into rocks. There are 120 stone figures, one next to another, up to 10 meters high.

The legend has it that once upon a time, one boy from the village of Kuklica (that is above the stone town) who couldn’t decide which girl to marry, asked two girls to be his brides. The wedding with the both of them was planned in a single day. There used to be a tradition that there mustn’t be two weddings in one day, because the brides must not see each other during their wedding - that was considered bad luck. One of the brides, not knowing about this tradition saw that there is another wedding in the same day and ran out of her house to see who is getting married. When she saw her boyfriend with another girl, she cursed all of them: "Let God turns all of you into rocks, even me" and all people turned into rocks.

According to another legend, the existence of the stone figures is very different. There used to be a forest in this area, but due to wars it was burned down. Soon the area became a wasteland. The temperatures were very low and when the army passed through the wasteland, all of the soldiers turned into rocks.

But the scientists do not agree with the legends. According to them, the stone figures were formed 10 million years ago, by tectonic erosion, from minerals that dissolve in water. As the time passed, nature created masterpieces. The local population says that every 5-6 years new figures appear.

Veljusa-Monestery

If you happened to set forth from Strumica by car half an hour before sunrise, after having driven some ten kilometres to the northwest of the city, you already climb up the winding narrow road above the Village of Veljusa, and there... you find yourself in front of the monastery gate. Around you there is the rural atmosphere of a Macedonian village that slowly wakes up. Dogs barking and roosters; smell of country yards and hen-houses, of chimneys and firewood that bring to mind images of breakfast being prepared. The area does not abound in vegetation. Nothing that would especially attract a new-comer's attention at his first visit here. You are much too close to the monastery as to see it. Knowing not what is on the other side, you cautiously step in through the gate... and then everything changes.

All you hear is the echo of your footsteps on the stony path and the wind in the crowns of the trees, while in amazement you feel the gentle eastern light and the peace this place breathes with as they tame you. An oasis... of silence. Greenery bordered with flower-beds and roses. Recently planted trees. With great care and love laid out park, in which dominate the ancient church and several newly built monastery facilities in the characteristic Macedonian-Byzantine style of construction – dressed stone and brick. An elevated sight. The monastery complex is situated on a rocky plateau above Veljusa and the Strumica Valley .

Behind the mountain ridges of Ogražden the sun rises. The clock tower shows the time that passes down there in the world, and here – it stops, in a 'momentum towards Eternity'. And while you wonder if you were all alone in this celestial sight, quietly opens the gate of the monastic part and several nuns soundlessly go down the steps toward the entrance into the church. Spontaneously you follow them and you are already inside... It is time for Liturgy.

Vodica-St.Leontius' Monastery

At the exit of the village of Vodoča, only four kilometres northwest of Strumica, loom up stately the renovated cupolas of the church of Saint Leontius, in silent testimony to the magnificence of the ancient seat of Strumica metropolitans. At night the sight is yet more majestic. The whole complex is lightened from various angles. Amid the surrounding darkness the chance traveller gets the feeling as if the monastery were pending, in descent from the heavens.

There are two ways in. One of them leads to the large church of St. Leontius and the guest quarters. The second, through the main gate, leads to the monastic part, where the small newly built church is situated – dedicated to St. Gregory Palamas and to the venerable Elder Joseph the Spilaioti – with the belfry, opposite the monastic residential quarters (konak). In the vicinity, by the young plane trees, along the path behind the monastery walls, hidden from the eyes of the visitors, on a hillock above the monastery, with an open view to the whole valley, the small church dedicated to St. Triphon is located, within the new skete at the monastery vineyard.

To tear off a piece of Heaven and to bring it down here, for consolation and salvation of people, to turn an arid wild area into a garden of the Spirit, to be a witness to the Heavenly Kingdom in the world... is a cross-and-resurrection struggle, worth man's life. Few of them are there called to bear witness in the place of Christ. Such a witness is the episcope. About this holy, martyric struggle of the hierarchs, about the visible and the invisible war against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places, which the ascetics wage, about love towards enemies, Vodoča has much to tell... without words. For the ones who know how to listen in humility, to see... with the eye of the soul.
From History

Grace of martyrdom and illumination. Of this on many occasions and in various epochs historical facts and the lives of the saints have spoken until present-day. With the struggle of the Fifteen Holy Hieromartyrs of Tiberiopolis, the martyric ethos took roots on this sacred site. In this area the mission of the Holy brothers Methodius and Cyril started. Later, their disciple St. Clement of Ohrid carried out his activity in this area as episcope of Velika and Dremvica. Here the fourteen thousand soldiers of Samuel were blinded after the battle at Belasica. Here St. Constantine Cabasilas was episcope.

The Vodoča monastery is mentioned for the first time in the charters of the Byzantine emperor Basil II, in 1018, at the time when Samuel's state was destroyed. It appears again in the documentation of a Hilandar act of 1376, when the Vodoča episcope Daniel and the Bansko episcope Gregory settled their disputes with the local secular authorities over the borders of the Hilandar estates in the Strumica area.

The present outward appearance of the church of St. Leontius depicts the former splendour. Still, the interior setting with the multitude of frescoes, the marble iconostasis, the large-scale throne icons, the opulent sacred vessels, the procession banners with precious adornments, the church furniture and the liturgical utensils... have been lost for ever. There are no exact historical data on the church construction. In fact, it is a complex of Vodoča churches with three construction phases. The oldest church is in the eastern side. Only a small fragment of it remained in the present altar space. The second phase is when the original basilica was ruined and in the first half of the 11th century to the west side a church was built in the form of an inscribed cross, dedicated to the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos. From then date the only frescoes preserved until today – those of St. Euplus and St. Isaurius, which indicate analogies with the fresco painting in the Ohrid Holy Sophia and with the one in the Holy Healers' church in Kostur. In the 12th century an extension was carried out, during which the large eastern cruciform church was built, which has monumental fresco painting. To the west part of the church, in the second half of the 14th century, the narthex was built, painted in that period. When the uncovered porch in the southern part was built, it is not known.

The Monastery St. Panteleimon in Skopje

The 12th century church of St. Panteleimon contemplates Macedonia’s capital city in untroubled serenity from the tiny village of Gorno Nerezi, high on the forested slopes of Mt. Vodno. Only a 15 minute drive from downtown Skopje, the church, which is one of the oldest and most important in Macedonia, was built and painted in 1164 under patronage of Byzantine prince Alexios Komnenos, whose name is immortalized in marble above the entrance to the church. It was dedicated to St. Panteleimon, the protector of health.

The monastery is most famous for its exceptional fresco paintings, which convey dramatic facial expression and emotions not commonly found in Byzantine art. In 1555 the main dome collapsed, but within a short time the monastery was renewed and repainted. Fragments of old frescoes were incorporated into the new ones. An example of a combination of a new and old painting is the fresco portrayal of The Communion of the Apostles. Among other well-known fresco themes are the Transfiguration, the Raising of Lazarus, the Birth of the Mother of God, and the Presentation of the Mother of God to the Temple, The Entry into Jerusalem, and The Descent from the Cross.
The most impressive fresco in St Panteleimon, created under the influence of apocryphal religious literature, is The Lamentation of Christ. Art historians consider it a masterpiece, as it displays traits associated with renaissance art at a much earlier date than the blossoming of the Italian Renaissance.

Plaosnik

Located in Ohrid’s old town, Plaosnik is an utterly unique phenomenon: it was recently reconstructed, with loving attention to detail, precisely in the style of a Byzantine church, right down to the red bricks and mortar.

An early Christian sacral building dating from the 5th century was discovered here, built over the remains of an older antique building whose cistern was found in the atrium of the newly built temple.
St. Clement built the monastery in 893 A.D. and dedicated it to St. Pantelejmon, the protector of health. During the Ottoman Empire the church was destroyed and Sultan Mohamed’s Mosque built on the remains of the church, which eventually did not survive on Macedonian soil. In 2000, the construction of today’s church began and was finished and consecrated on August 11, 2002.
During the construction, the tomb of St. Clement was also restored, which is the tomb that St. Clement designated for himself and where he was buried in 916 A.D. In the centre of one of the friezes there is an image of a lion, which is unique to mosaics in Macedonia.
Today, Plaosnik is one of the most exhilarating Byzantine-style churches in Macedonia. Its floor is covered with mosaics of twenty wave-shaped tassel interspersed with the figures of flowers, birds and animals. The very fact of its reconstruction is evidence of the strong affection Macedonians still feel for their Byzantine heritage.

Shawn Baldwin: Egypt

Photo © Shawn Baldwin-All Rights Reserved
Shawn Baldwin is a photographer based in Cairo, Egypt, whose work regularly appear in The New York Times. For the past 10 years he covered major news events in the U.S., Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East including the war in Iraq.

His work was recently been exhibited in New York and was published in most major publications including Time, Newsweek, US News, the Guardian and Le Monde. In addition to editorial work, corporate assignments included J.P. Morgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, HSBC and Nike.

Shawn's galleries are predominantly of the Middle East; Egypt (which I feature here), Iraq, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Eritrea and Algeria. His Egypt gallery is varied, with photographs of mass weddings to political rallies. His photograph of the sugar cane juice being poured by an anonymous hand and the expectant look on the young girl's face framed by the tap is a lovely story-telling composition.

I also featured Shawn's work on Cairo with the New York Times in a previous TTP post.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Artificial Lakes

Lake Tikves

Pollution of artificial lakes has been a problem in recent years in the Republic of Macedonia. Most polluted is Lake Tikves, however similar is the state of the artifical accumulation Kalimanci, and laterly Lake Spilje. Most alarming is the state of the pollution of Lake Tikves. The analysis has shown that near the village Vozarci the water quality is of IV class.
Tikves Lake is located 12km south-west of Kavadarci on the River Crna or 3km from the village Vozarci. The lake was developed in 1968 by directing the waters of the river and building a 104m high dam. The dam is built of stones and it is 338m long.Tikves Lake is the largest artificial lake in the country. It covers an area of 14km²and 29km with a capacity of 475 million m³ water.The water of the lake is used for irrigation and deriving electricity.

Lake Globocica

Near the villages Tasmarunista - Globocica in line of 12 kilometres lays the Lake Globocica, rich with diverse fish species. Unfortunately, this lake is at the verge of an environmental disaster - the accumulation has been turned into a dump - claim the nearby inhabitants. A disgusting smell spreads from the lake although evergreen trees have been planted on its shore. The two illegal dumps near the bridge of River Crn Drim in the villages Lozani and Dabovjani, are full of rubbish and various waste and all that is taking into the Lake Globocica. Because of that, the people are disappointed and thinking of leaving the village. It is high time we save the lake and bring back its old splendor - appeal the villagers from Tasmarunista.

Bistra - Medenica

The mountain Bistra is one of the most interesting mountains in Macedonia, and it borders with 6 other mountains: Sar Planinia, Bukovik, Stogovo, Krcin, Deshat and Korab. It is well known for the pastures, there is a big skiing centre there, and because it borders with the Mavrovo Lake most of the mountain belongs to the national park of "Mavrovo".

The climbing to the highest top “Medenica” is done by the standard route from the probably most known village of Galicnik. The renowned event of „Galicka Svadba“ (Galicnik Wedding) takes place there. Galicnik is on 1.350 m.a.s.l. From the village the climbing starts straight up through the narrow crevice in the rocks that are above the village. From there you can see old markings. After going thorough the crevice you should go on through the depression and at the place where it joins other two depressions you should take the left one that takes you to a right turn, and the path is sometimes marked there. By turning for 180 degrees it takes you to 2.000 m.a.s.l. and there it follows the crest for 300-400 m. By making a semi circle there you come to a long flattened crest and the top Medenica is found there. For climbing of the top you need 2-2:30 hours, while for returning back to Galicnik 1-1:30 hours. It is possible to combine the climbing to the village of Galicnik from the valley of the river Radika, along the very steep path of the migrant workers for about 2:30-3 hours.

Lake Lokuv and Mountain Desat

Lake Lokuv is one of the glacier lakes on Mountain Desat. Its altitude is 1000 meters and it is the lowest glacier lake in the Republic of Macedonia. The beauty and the natural values of Mountain Desat in the region Dolna Reka are one of the potentials for development of rural, mountain and alternative tourism, together with the numerous cultural and traditional values and particularities. The region has ample vegetation and beautiful natural landscapes. In the immediate vicinity of the lake there are three sheepfolds where good quality cheese and other diary products.

How to reach Rostuse:
The municipality of Rostuse is located in the Western part of the Republic of Macedonia, about 120 kilometers from Skopje. You can get there by car from the motorway Skopje-Tetovo-Gostivar and the regional road Mavrovo-Rostuse, or by taking the regular bus service or private transportation from the region. The whole territory of the municipality of Rostuse is part of the national park “Mavrovo”.

Local particularities
The municipality of Rostuse offers beautiful, multinational and multicultural traditional heritage. The population from different ethnic and religious backgrounds cherishes its traditions and customs, which makes this region especially attractive and interesting for the guests. For this region, the celebrations of the Muslim holidays Ramazan and Kurban, and the Orthodox Epiphany and Easter, are particularities. The Reka region is known for its special weddings and circumcisions, especially the wedding dishes, which at the same time are part of the Reka traditional cuisine (Bajram meat, corn pie, Reka palenta, baklava, alanditi-valangii, Reka milk, cheese and yellow cheese).

Plackovica

Highest point: peak Lisec 1754mLocation: The Mountain is located in the eastern part of Macedonia. On the northern and eastern sides it is bordered by the river Bregalnica and on the southern by the rivers Radovishka and Strumica (Stara reka/Old River). The mountain in the south-eastern part continues with the Maleshevo Mountains (Maleshevski planini) (1754m) and the Ograzden mountain (1746m) to the Bulgarian border.
Approach: There are many alternative approaches. The most frequently used is the one via Shtip. From the city there is a marked trekking trail to the "Vrteska" mountain lodge and the St. Gjorgji monastery (approach by vehicle is also possible). Several routes for this massif start from the monastery.

NYT: The Girls of Mirwais School

Image © Danfung Dennis/NYT-All Rights Reserved
"Then the man pulled Shamsia’s burqa from her head and sprayed her face with burning acid. Scars, jagged and discolored, now spread across Shamsia’s eyelids and most of her left cheek. These days, her vision goes blurry, making it hard for her to read."

The New York Times features Danfung Dennis' photographs in a slideshow The Resilience of Kandahar. We all remember how 11 young Afghan schoolgirls were injured last November when they were sprayed with acid by men who were enraged by their attending school. An accompanying article by Dexter Flikins is worth reading, and provides context to the slideshow.

It's a testament to these 11 young schoolgirls' courage and resilience that nearly all of them are back at the Mirwais School for Girls. Almost all the 1300 female students in this deeply conservative community of Kandahar have returned as well.

Shamsia, one of the girls who was badly disfigured in the attack, is quoted as saying:" “The people who did this, do not feel the pain of others.” By the way, the name of this brave girl means 'sunshine', and she's the one on the right of the picture above..

If Afghanistan ever returns to be a country where these atrocities no longer occur, it'll be because of Shamsia and her ilk...not because of the corrupt governance of Hamid Karzai and his entourage.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Dima Gavrych: Holi

Image © Dima Gavrych-All Rights Reserved
Hopefully this will brighten up the wintery day we have here in New York!

Dima Gavrych is an Ukranian-born New York City based documentary and travel photographer. Over the past decade, he has works for MSF/Doctors Without Borders, the UN Population Fund, and major news organizations such as the Associated Press, Agence France Presse, European Press Photo Agency, Reuters and Bloomberg News.

He has also been published in the New York Times, TIME, People, The Independent, Marie-Claire, Stern and Newsweek.

His documentary portfolio include varied topics, from Nigerian prostitutes to Uganda's Forgotten War, but from his travel portfolio I chose to feature Dima's Holi gallery for its explosive colors.

Holi is also called the Festival of Colours, and is a popular Hindu spring festival. People throw colored powder mixed with water at each other. It is said that the playful throwing of the colored powders has a medicinal significance, as the powders are traditionally made of Neem, Kumkum, Haldi, Bilva, and other medicinal herbs prescribed by Āyurvedic doctors.

Madani Hotel

In the mid of hard hotel business competition, Madani Hotel existed to compete the market. The three star hotel which located on Jalan Sisingamangaraja in the centre of Medan, diagonally opposite to the Mesjid Raya and across the road from Yuki Simpang Raya shopping centre, has a specific characteristic in comparison with other hotels. The Hotel run on the basis of Sharia system. I think this is the only hotel which has religious nuance.The architecture of the hotel is fully the style of Melayu, adopting the architecture of Maimoon palace and Mesjid Raya.

The hotel has 172 rooms with various types. The room rate starts from Rp. 410.000 for Superior upto Rp. 3.750.000 for Royal Suite Room.
The facilities of the hotel as follow:
- Vast lobby
- Gelora Ballroom with the capacity of 1.500 persons
- 5 meeting rooms with capacity of 200 persons each hall(Istanbul Hall, Jordan Hall, Doha Hall, Dubai Hall and Bahrain Hall)
- Wi-fi internet access
- Travel agencies
- Barber Shop
- Restaurant
- lounge
- Spa
- Shuttle bus from hotel to Airport
- ect

Room rates:

Superior room Rp. 410,000

Deluxe room Rp. 475,000

Executive Deluxe Rp. 635,000

Executive Suite Rp. 1,200,000

Family Suite Rp. 1,700,000

Madani Suite Rp. 2,400,000

Royal Suite Rp. 3,750,000

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

TTP's Photo Expeditions: Update

It has been an extraordinarily busy 2-3 weeks for my photo-expeditions. As readers of this blog and subscribers to my monthly newsletter know, I'm planning three amazing photo-expeditions for 2009.

Since I've announced the three itineraries almost simultaneously, I've been receiving commitments to participate, a torrent of questions, requests for testimonials, queries as to flights and hotels, etc. from various interested photographers.

The first to start is the Theyyams of Malabar photo-expedition and it is oversold.

The Gnawa Festival in Essaouira photo-expedition in June 2009 also seems to be on its way to be fully booked as I just received bookings for the last available two spaces.

The Bhutan: Land of Druk Yul photo-expedition is close to be filled up, although it's scheduled for September...nine months away!!! Some of the participating photographers have already booked their Druk Air seats.

Incredible!

NGS: 2008 Photos of the Year

The National Geographic's Editor in Chief Chris Johns selects some of his favorite photographs published in the magazine in 2008.

The French believe, rather surprisingly, that tastes and colors are not issues to be discussed, and being certain that there were much more arresting photographs published in the 2008 NG magazines, I wholeheartedly agree in this case. To each his own.

If you expect detailed descriptions and explanations as to how each photographer captured the images shown in this clip, you'll be disappointed. It's aimed at readers of the National Geographic magazines who like photography, rather than serious or advanced photographers.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Paul Panayiotou: Vietnam

Image © Paul Panayiotou-All Rights Reserved
I had quite a bit of trouble choosing which of Paul Panayiotou's galleries would I feature on The Travel Photographer blog. Would it be his work on Cuba, Egypt (very tempting) or Vietnam? And how could I leave out Cambodia, Spain and Cyprus? Finally, I decided on Vietnam...it's my blog after all.

Paul is a freelance travel photographer based in London, and whose work appears in The Observer, The Guardian, the Sunday Telegraph, as well as TIME magazine, Four Four Two, Rough Guides, nationalgeographic.com and Fodor's.

The above photograph is of Cao Dai adherents in Tay Ninh.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Ivan Gonzalez: Devil Dancers of Naiguata

Image © Ivan Gonzalez-All Rights Reserved
Here's an audio slideshow with the photographs of Venzuela photographer Ivan Gonzalez of the Devil Dancers of Naiguata. This is a Venezuelan traditional ritual celebrated during the Roman Catholic feast day of Corpus Christi, and symbolizes the victory of good over evil. Its audio track is only in Spanish, but the purpose of the dancing is obvious.

Ivan Gonzalez has worked as a photojournalist since 1998, collaborating with Associated Press (AP) and Spanish agency EFE news service, among other local Venezuelan magazines and newspapers. He worked as top photo editor at Venezuela's 'El Nacional' newspaper, and currently directs the photo reporting at 'El Cadena Global' daily newspaper.

I have previously posted on this Afro-Venezuelan tradition near Venezuela’s Caribbean coast which has been practiced since the late 18th century.