Travel Forum or Travel Blog : WHAT works and WHEN ?

Glancing through my travel folder on the laptop, I suddenly realized that there had been a lot of background research that had undergone in my trip to Italy and later to Prague. As a corollary, it was realized that the sources for these information could either be classified in those collected from travel forums like Wikitravel, Tripadvisor, Fodors etc. and the others those from the travel blogs.  Just a few days back, one of my readers had queried about the perennial questions travelers across  the world face !

When it comes to planning a trip,

what works ?

Travel Forum or a Travel Blog

and importantly, 

When  to use a Travel Forum and when a Travel Blog?

I'm sure many readers would jump the gun the moment the thoughts boil down to planning. They'd opine, that there is no need for planning for the travel anyways ! So, this post is about them who would assign a sense of priority to planning beforehand.

The maverick in the hamlet may be rested for now.

Photo Courtesy : Here

The post is for those who care to plan and would like to plan.

The crux : DO plan, it helps!

First things first, this post is not about endorsing any particular travel forum. Well, I do have my set of favorites, but then that list could figure in some other post. Secondly, there are certain niche blogs. that are more informative than the travel forums, so the thin grey line is overstepped.

We begin with keeping those niche blogs away.

When planning a trip, Begin with a Travel Forum add on with a Travel Blog and then close it again with a Travel Forum !

That's the short part of the long story. When it comes to doing research for the trip, the broader information, like which airports to chose, the classic itinerary to build, the days to accommodate, the hotels in a particular price band and a service quality are all best sourced from the Travel Forums. Add to them many to one reviews etc. are really helpful. There may be discussions within the group members who wish to answer. They are more like the FAQs. They have the answers for questions like the cities to cover in the 10 day Italy trip or when in Rome, what would be the best airport etc.. But then their weakness lay exactly in their strength.

Travel Forums contain many posts that are very generic in nature. If you wish to seek specific answers for things to do in a 3 Day trip to Rome, then head on to a Travel Blog. There are again phenomenal travel blogs that would capture the minute details with useful information. So travel blogs would connect those dots left open by the forums in the first place.

Once done with the specific information, you may head back to a forum for unique queries like getting a cab in the particular hour of the day. Which stop to alight from the train, Is there a construction activity around the hotel you plan  to stay, When does a mall open etc..

Both of them works and in the order as below.

Travel Forums --> Travel Blogs --> Travel Forums

The final brushings and the planning for the picture perfect travel is complete !

Photo Courtesy : Here

A Life With Leica | Thorsten von Overgaard

ZITE has introduced me to a multitude of interesting articles on photography and otherwise, including this short documentary featuring a Danish photographer named Thorsten von Overgaard.

As a preamble, let me say that although I own a Leica M9 and have the utmost regard for its capabilities as a tool, I'm far from being a Leica fanboy, realizing (and grudgingly accepting) its shortcomings, and periodically ranting at Leica's blatant ostentatious marketing and pricing.

Nonetheless, I have just returned from leading a photographic expedition-workshop to Viet Nam where I used the M9 (with a Voigtlander 40mm) on a number of occasions during street photography jaunts in Ha Noi and Hoi An, and readily confirm that (1) its images (whether monochrome or color) have a distinct 'feel' to them, and (2) its ergonomics are just right.

This is a lovely documentary filmed in Rome with Thorsten who shares his photographic 'philosphy' with us. I found myself in full agreement with him on most of his points of view...which ranged from "there's always stuff happening" in the streets, that each one of us has a unique visual viewpoint, that cameras (whether Leica or otherwise) are just tools and that he never photographs people unless to show them off in the best of lights. The latter also echos Sebastião Salgado's philosophy.

A minor point: I was surprised to see Thorsten resting his Leicas on their lenses instead of on their bottom plates. I do that as well. Weird.

Blog's 2nd Anniversary - And The Second Year Sailed By !

Just as effortless as it could be, the second year for the Blog simply sailed by !

As new learnings await their share, some golden moments of the second year also hold their virtue.

The feeling of having a loving audience as you is simply wonderful. Thanks !

The Year In Vignettes !

Some blog contests won, (check the Accolades section) !, An affiliate program was approved and loads of motivating responses from the readers.

Keep Dropping By.

This Blog is all about your affection !

Travel For Soul. Simply Travel !!

Ueli Steck and Simon Anthamatten Claim 2009 Piolet d'Or

The Hardwear Sessions, official blog of Mountain Hardwear, is reporting that that Ueli Steck and Simon Anthamatten have won one of three 2009 Piolet d'Or awards, given out annually for outstanding accomplishments in mountaineering. The amazing duo took home their prize for their first ascent, in Alpine Style, of the North Face of Tengkampoche, a 6500m peak in the Khumbu Valley.

Upon winning the award, Ueli released the following statement:

I

t is a great honour for me to receive the "Piolets d'Or 2009" award. This award is given away by mountaineers who know what alpinism is all about. This prize should also be trendsetting. Therefore it is a great confirmation that Simon and I are on the right track. Alpinism is not comparable. First of all it is a matter of personal experience and personal challenge. That's why it is important to be able to follow some rules. With today's modern technique everything is achievable. Every mountain can be climbed. But the mountain is no longer the determining link between success and failure. Personally this is exactly what most matters: that the alpinist is the most important element between success and failure and not primarily the technical means. Thanks to all my sponsors, which have been supporting me during all these years and who give me the opportunity to realise such idealistic goals.

Thank you also to Simon: this was one of the most beautiful expeditions I could experience.

Although this prize was for 2009 I am proud of all my ascents. And we do not have to forget: it's not over yet, it will go on. I am totally consumed by my projects. And the next one is closer than we might think."

Ueli and Simon are a class act both on the mountain and off, and everyone already knows their part in the Inaki Ochoa incident last year on Annapurna. Obviously this award is well deserved, as they exemplify everything that the spirit of mountaineering is all about.

The other two winners of the Piolet d'Or include Japanese climbers Kazuya Hiraide and Kei Taniguchi completing the first ascent of the South-West face of Kamet and Fumitaka Ichimura, Yusuke Sato and Kazuki Amano, also of Japan, opening a new route on the North Face of Kalanka. Both climbs were completed in Alpine Style.

Congrats to all the winners.

POV: Street Photography | Should It Be Furtive?

Photo © Tewfic El-Sawy-All Rights Reserved

“Of course it’s all luck.” – Henri Cartier-Bresson

This POV is prompted by a number of recent posts expressing soul-searching angst from various quarters, as well as various photographers expressing some discomfort in utilizing 'guerrilla' (their term...not mine) tactics to get candid photographs of the street.

It seems that a hands-on review of the Fuji X-T1 by the photographer Zack Arias in Marrakech included some of his tips and tricks in capturing unguarded moments of street life, and a number of photographers questioned the ethics of furtive street photography.

I don't have this issue. To me, street photography is furtive in its very essence...and there is no presumption of privacy for individuals in a public place. By definition, street photography is making photographs on the sly.

When I'm pounding the New York City pavements with a M9 or a X Pro-1, I shoot from the hip about 90% of the time. This technique -if you can call it that- ensures that the people I photograph are totally unaware that I am making a photograph of them...and frequently, unaware that I'm even there.

Street photography is -to my mind- synonymous with candid photography. The latter "...is achieved by avoiding prior preparation of the subject and by either surprising the subject or by not distracting the subject during the process of taking photos". (Source: Candid Photography:Wikipedia).

We all know the father of candid photography was the iconic Henri Cartier-Bresson, whose book Images à la Sauvette was published in 1952, was the master of candid photography. Setting aside that his photographs were mostly of unguarded moments, the very title of his book is French for 'furtively'...and not The Decisive Moment as his publisher translated it.

I recall Costa Manos exhorting us in a Havana workshop that successful street photographs ought to have no one looking at the photographer or noticing the camera. It may not have been accurate, since there are many examples of terrific street photography images in which the subjects look directly -and even pose- for the photographer.

When I photograph in religious spaces such as Sufi dargahs or Hindu temples in India...or wherever I am mingling with people going about their daily life, I much prefer photographing furtively and shooting from the hip. This is to capture candid expressions, unposed body language and unplanned layers.

It's impossible for me to avoid attention wherever I travel. A foreigner with a camera is always a focus of attention, and I have to use all sorts of stratagems and 'techniques' to grab frames as I can...ranging from the "I'm a lost tourist in NYC...and I'm looking for street names/landmarks/addresses" while shooting my iPhone...to the gazing in another direction or pretending to be talking on my iPhone whilst shooting my rangefinder from the hip...yes, there are myriads of ways to play the dumb tourist, sightseer or a disinterested photographer.

The iPhone image of the two musicians going for a hug was made by (1) anticipating what they were about to do, and (2) holding the device in my hand as if I was looking at a map. The other image of the Indian men having a snack near the shrine of Nizzam Uddin was made by shooting my X Pro-1 from the hip whilst pretending to be talking on the iPhone. Had I planted myself in front of them with a camera to my eye, they would've stopped eating and awkwardly froze to pose for the picture.

Remember, I'm not photographing to capture people in awkward or embarrassing moments...that's not my interest. My interest is capturing scenes where people are at their most unguarded, at their most normal and candid moments. If one of my frames accidentally depicts someone picking his/her nose...or a man scratching his crotch, the frame gets deleted.

To those who take that as being furtive, sneaky or sly...I say to each his own.

10 tips when travel VietNam

Hanoi is an unquestionable requirement see place, on the off chance that you wish to get doused in a social encounter that is rich and astounding. Hanoi packs everything from old landmarks to recorded artful culminations to rich, green parks and an overall selected zoo. It's a spot where you can be kept occupied for a considerable length of time together without having whenever to get exhausted. This current one's essentially a French-frontier city with lakes, beautiful area and considerably more, which can be accomplished just when here in-individual.

Related post: Vietnam travel

Escape at the Hoan Kiem Lake 

Frequently alluded as the Lake of the Restored Sword, its a magnum opus of Hanoi's society and history which individuals simply rush around to feel flabbergasted.

Initially built as a college in 1070, it portrays genuine Vietnamese style in a customarily created structural planning. Going to this spot will help you see various locales including the Well of Heavenly Clarity, structures, turtle steles, paths, yards and the sky is the limit from there. Likewise, here numerous recorded structures can be found and the spot has now turned into a dedication to writing and instruction.

The spot is a compositional impression of the Old Hanoi. One can have nearby cooking styles strengths here and there is even a night advertise in the heart of this place that can help you look for garments, nourishment, trinkets and then some.

Additionally renowned as the Hanoi Opera House, here you can see French impact in outline and development which got done with building in 1911. It's a spot which remains as a witness to the Revolution of Hanoi and can take you away to very nearly 100 years back's, to observer compositional brilliance taking care of business.

Most seasoned Pagoda in Vietnam, it goes again to 1842 and is an image of Buddhism in the nation. This is a place that offers astonishing perspectives and an incredible feeling to each guest.

Hanoi Hilton: an exhibition hall that cover Hanoi's past

Hanoi Hilton is an everyday term signifying an infamous place that was utilized by French and afterward by North Vietnamese to torment and keep the detainees. John Mccain was a prominent, long-term detainee here and today a piece of this serves as a gallery for vacationers.

See a spot connected with numerous legends: West Lake 

The legend of Golden Buffalo is the most prevalent legend connected with the West Lake, which is the biggest lake in Hanoi. It's otherwise called Ho Tay and is arranged in the northwest piece of Hanoi.

This Granite building holds an extraordinary hugeness for every one of those individuals who wish their adored pioneer to live on until the end of time. The remaining parts of Uncle Ho here are kept exceptionally safeguarded and overall sorted out, security here is tight and suitable dressing is an absolute necessity so as to show regard for this extraordinary individual. The remaining parts are sent to Russia for support, its consequently encouraged to recheck before going by to guarantee that the Mausoleum is interested in visitors.

Today this demonstrations like a legislature house and a little expense is charged to stroll through the grounds here.

Look for good fortunes at the Perfume Pagoda 

Additionally, alluded as the internal sanctuary or Chua Huong, here you can see not few however numerous pagodas, each one offering an alternate sanctum basically Buddhist. The Perfume Pagoda is for guests searching for good fortunes from the stalactites and stalagmites inside the cavern.

How the money adds up 

Along these lines, see history, society and get splashed in excellence that is unexplored when at Hanoi and bear in mind to incorporate this city on your agenda at whatever point arranging Vietnam visits

12 day travel VietNam insught - Travel to VietNam

Experience the best Vietnam brings to the table on this 12 day visit that takes you from South to North. Begin in Saigon then investigate the rich scenes of the Mekong River Delta. Unwind under the whispering palms in Hoian and find Hue's antiquated history. Close your visit with a visit to Vietnam's diverse capital and a pontoon voyage along the shockingly lovely Halong Bay...

Welcome to Vietnam's advanced city: Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City). Land in the late morning and delight in an introduction visit through Saigon's clamoring lanes on the way to the inn. Revel in whatever remains of the day at your relaxation to recuperate from plane slack and investigate the city all alone.

Appreciate a full day to visit Saigon's different attractions. Begin with a visit to Saigon's China Town, then research conventional Vietnamese solution at the FITO Museum and search through the astonishing show of products at Ben Thanh Market. Stop for lunch then proceed the city visit with a visit to the War Remnants exhibition hall and previous Presidential Palace. You close the day investigating the city's French provincial structural engineering, halting at the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Old Post Office.

Today you leave Saigon and make a trip to the Mekong River Delta. Appreciate an early breakfast at the inn before heading to the riverside town, Cai Be. Along the path, stop at a sweet plant and plantation enclosure, where you have a chance to listen to conventional music. Appreciate an unwinding lunch at a riverside restaurant, then cross the waterway by mechanized vessel to visit some fluvial islands and investigate the farmland by bike. Your driver will reach you at Vinh Long wharf and take you to Can Tho City for the night.

Wake early and leave the lodging to visit the acclaimed Cai Rang skimming market by speedboat. Proceed with the pontoon ride to visit the Mekong Delta's popular plantations and specimen the new, extraordinary apples and oranges. At that point wander deeper into the farmland, passing customary houses made of wood and palm leaves as you watch the exercises of the neighborhood individuals. Come back to Can Tho for lunch then drive once more to Saigon, touching base in the late evening.

After breakfast, you are exchanged to the air terminal for your inside flight to Danang. Your aide and driver will reach you at the airplane terminal and undertake the short drive to the languid riverside town, Hoian. Take a half-day strolling visit through the thin slowing down of the antiquated quarter, going by Chua Ong Pagoda, the Chinese Assembly Hall, the 200-year old Tan Ky inborn house and the renowned Japanese Bridge. End the day with an unwinding dusk pontoon trek.

Related post: Vietnam travel

Today you set out on a family run "angler eco-visit". Investigate Hoian's encompassing farmland and wide open then attempt your hand at nearby angling systems as you figure out how to explore a wicker bin vessel through thin conduits. Come back to Hoian toward the evening for a private cooking class.

Delight in breakfast at the inn then check-out and roll over the 500m-high Hai Van go to Hue. Revel in a stop at the grand Lang Co Beach for a beverage before proceeding to Hue - an UNESCO World Heritage Site and Vietnam's previous capital. Use the evening on a lackadaisical strolling visit through the antiquated city. Visit the Royal Citadel, the Imperial Museum, and the Mausoleum of King tu Duc (an imitation of the ruler's royal residence assembled for the following rebirth of the lord).

Use the morning on a private watercraft journey down the sentimental Perfume River to visit the Lady Pagoda (Thien Mu Pagoda), Dong Ba Market and the elaborate Minh Mang's tomb. Drive to the air terminal toward the evening to get your short flight to Vietnam's capital city, Hanoi. Upon landing, get exchanged to your lodging in the downtown area. Free at your recreation.

Today you have a full day to investigate Vietnam's beguiling capital. With its wide tree-lined roads, French frontier construction modeling, tranquil lakes and antiquated oriental pagodas, Hanoi is a mixed blend that offers something for everybody. Your city visit will take you to Hanoi's key locales: the Ho Chi Minh Complex (Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum and stilt house), the Presidential Palace, the close-by One Pillar Pagoda; the Temple of Literature; West Lake including the steady Tran Quoc Pagoda & Quan Thanh Temple; and one of the city's exhibition halls (a decision between the History Museum and the Ethnology Museum). Later toward the evening, delight in a conventional Water Puppet Performance – a novel Vietnamese fine art hailing from Southeast Asia 's wet-rice society.

Use 24 hours on a customary Junk Cruise in the astounding narrows: a regular wonderland made out of bulging limestone islands and shining turquoise waters. Land at the dock around twelve and board your garbage. Appreciate a gourmet lunch of crisp fish installed as you cruise out into the magical straight. Toward the evening, voyage around so

Everest 2009: Alan Arnette Interviews Russell Brice

I've mentioned Alan Arnette and his Everest 2009 page a number of times already this year, but it really is one of the best resources for news and information on climbing Everest leading up to, during, and following the season. Alan, who has been no Everest three times in the past, has his fingers on the pulse of the mountaineering community, and is very knowledgeable about this mountain and what it takes to get up and down it.

Today's update to the page is an interview with Russell Brice, the sometimes controversial owner of the Himalayan Experience (or Himex), who has become well known from his appearances on Everest: Beyond the Limit on the Discovery Channel. Brice, and his Himex team, will be returning to Everest this year after getting shutout last year thanks to the Chinese closing down the North Side. Hedging his bets this season, Brice has moved the expedition to the South Side, which is proving to be quite astute considering access to the Tibetan side of the mountain is in jeopardy once again this year.

In the interview, Russell talks about his thoughts on climbing on the South Side, after dominating the North for a decade. He touches on the differences in logistics, and what it will be like to be climbing with Tigress Productions once again, who will be filming the expedition for Discovery.

All in all, a good interview from the man, and I commend Alan for being able to get Russell to comment. Brice is a man of few words, who doesn't really look for the spotlight, so it's quite rare to hear directly from him like this. Great work Alan, and welcome to the South Side Russell.

Swazi Xtreme Adventure Race Underway

Does South Africa have some kind of monopoly on cool races? Yesterday we had word of a cool new extreme trail race, and today marks the beginning of the 9th annual Royal Experience Swazi Xtreme Adventure Race.

Now, to be fair, Swaziland is an independent kingdom within South Africa. They have their own currency and everything. The remote and rugged terrain that covers much of the region is perfect for testing adventure athletes, and the Swazi Xtreme will do just that.

The race comes in two flavors, Pro and Sport. The Pro event runs non-stop, day and night, with teams going as much as 60 hours straight, while the Sport version offers three distinct stages, with a start and finish line each day. Both versions of the race feature teams of 2 or 4, which can be either coed or same gender. Those teams will be hiking, mountain biking, paddling, and bouldering their way across some of the most demanding terrain in the region.

To follow the event as it unfolds, a blog has been set up and updates are already beginning to make their way in. Race organizer Darron Raw has already begun filling us in on the details, with insights into the first stages of the race. Read his updates at the Swazi Xtreme Blog.

Thanks to Lisa from AR.co.za for giving me the heads up on the race.

North Pole 2009: The Ice...It Moves!

Lots of activity already underway up North. Teams have been dropped off on Ward Hunt Island, a traditional starting point for many heading to the North Pole from the Canadian side, and reports are already flowing in.

The Catlin Arctic Survey Team was off and running a few days ago, although they aren't in any particular rush to get anywhere. They'll be taking important radar surveys of the ice along their way to the North Pole to record the impact of global climate change on the Arctic. As for the health of the team, it's "so far, so good" for most of them, although famed arctic explorer Pen Hadow did crack a tooth biting into a chocolate bar that was frozen solid. I don't think he's going to find a dentist anytime soon.

The team did experience a bit of a crazy moment already however. Yesterday they were camped for the night and taking some core samples of the ice, but around 10 PM, settled into their tent, they were a bit startled to find the ice shaking rather dramatically under them. That was enough to make them a bit unsettled, so they packed up their gear and skied another 2.5 hours to find a more stable area to rest for the night. Unstable ice is not uncommon for expeditions to the North Pole, but it's certainly not something you want to ignore either. Between that, negative drift, and the polar bears, heading north can be quite a harrowing and frustrating experience.

Yesterday was also the first day out on the ice for Christina Franco, who was dropped off at Ward Hunt, where she was acclimatizing to the cold temperatures, which are reportedly hovering around the -45º C (-49º F). After covering a short distance, Christina set up camp and prepared for her first full day on the ice today, where she hopes to make some solid miles and get use to the rigors of pulling her sled in the actual arctic conditions. This is just the first step towards her goal of becoming the first woman to goal solo to the North Pole.

The Victorinox North Pole Team also hit Ward Hunt Island a few days back, and have begun their journey to the Pole as well. John Huston and Tyler Fish are hoping to become the first Americans to make that journey without assistance. As of now, they have covered 2.57 nautical miles, leaving them just 413 to go before they reach their destination.

One thing of note. When comparing the mileage numbers for the North Pole explorers to those of the South, remember that in Antarctica, the teams are actually on solid ground, which is not the case up north. Early mileage for the arctic teams will seem quite small at first, and progress will seem painfully slow, although they will pick up steam as they get further north. Part of the slow progress early on is due to the conditions of the ice, which can often be unsteady and make for large portions of open water that need to be navigated around or swum across. Negative drift doesn't help the process either, as the ice will actually move the teams backwards at times or they'll walk all day just to find that they haven't really made any positive progress toward the Pole. It really is a completely different and unique experience.

The Peary Centennial Expedition was still in Resolute Bay as of yesterday, grounded by poor weather. They're hoping that things will clear up today so they can make the flight to Ward Hunt as well. Reports are that there are a couple of other teams waiting to head out soon too.

Stay warm everyone. Watch out for those cuddly white bears!

Viviana Peretti | Colombian Easter

Photo © Viviana Peretti-All Rights Reserved

I'm generally impressed with photographs produced with an iPhone and the Hispstamatic's various filters, especially the Tintype Tinto 1884 lens and the D-Type film pack....and Viviana Peretti is one of the masters of this discipline. It's not as easy as one may think, and to do it well requires compositional skills that go beyond the standard.

She recently was in the Colombian region of Quindio, and photographed the Easter celebrations in the small towns of Salento and Pijao, and produced her Easter In Colombia gallery.

Viviana Peretti is an Italian freelance photographer based in New York where in 2010 she graduated in Documentary Photography and Photojournalism from the International Center of Photography (ICP).

In 2000, after graduating Magna Cum Laude with a BA in Anthropology from the University of Rome, she moved to Colombia where she specialized in photojournalism and spent nine years working as a freelance photographer.

Viviana has received fellowships and awards from the International Center of Photography, the Joannie M. Chen Fund in New York, CNN, the Fondation Bruni-Sarkozy in France, FotoVisura, the University of Salamanca, the Spanish Embassy in Colombia, the Photo Museum in Bogota, and the Colombian Ministry of Culture. In 2010 she has been selected for the Eddie Adams Workshop, Barnstorm XXIII. In 2013-2014 Viviana has been an Artist-in-Residence at L’École Nationale Supérieure de la Photographie (ENSP) in Arles, France.

Her work has been published in a number of international media outlets including The New York Times, Newsweek, BBC, CNN, L'Oeil de la Photographie, New York Magazine, Le Journal de la Photographie, and L'Espresso.

Iditarod 2009: Changing of the Guard?

The 2009 Iditarod is pretty much all wrapped up by now, with the bulk of the mushers coming into the finish line over the past few days. By now, everyone knows that Lance Mackey won his third straight title, cementing his legendary status even more fully. But something else interesting took place in the race, with the emergence of some younger mushers who gave strong performances, giving us a glimpse of the future of The Last Great Race.

Not the least of these young racers is Dallas Seavey, whose father Mitch won the Iditrod back in 2004, and finished 4th this year. Dallas, who is just 21 years old, claimed a 6th place finish for himself this year. A former winner of the Junior Iditarod, the younger Seavey looks poised to leave his mark on the sport for years to come.

While Dallas is clearly the standout for the younger generation in this year's race, there are a number of other good mushers in their 20's and 30's who are now starting to leave their mark on the race as well. It seems the Iditarod has a bright future in front of it, if the competitive field is to be used as a gauge.

But before we clear out the "old timers", lets not lose sight of the fact that Lance is just 38 years old himself, and could continue to dominate the race for years to come.

The Norther Gourmet - VietNam Travel

Taste the finest cooking of the North and stay at the specific convenience while immerged in the society of customary Hanoi.

Travelvietnam planned this excursion for the individuals who love nature, society and need to know inside and out the food of Vietnam.

Begin from Hanoi – the exquisite Capital City of Vietnam and investigate one of Vietnam's top attractions – Halong Bay, which interprets as 'where the monster slides into the ocean'. You will encounter the remarkable perspective of blue water intermixed with in excess of two thousand limestone islets…

Upon entry, your driver and aide will reach you outside the stuff case of Noi Bai Airport and take you to your lodging in the downtown area to weigh in Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi Hotel. Later toward the evening go out for a stroll in the Old Quarter with the aide and delight in extraordinary shopping in the boutiques around St Josephs Cathedral. Appreciate a welcome supper at one of Hanoi's celebrated restaurants.

Sofitel Legend Metropole Hotel Hanoi's comprehensively presumed food was the beginning stage for opening the inn school of cookery. Veritable inundation in neighborhood society, the experience begins with a walk around the nearby market joined by the Spices Garden Chef, to find Vietnamese fixings, their flavors and perceive how neighborhood get ready for suppers. This is trailed by a cookery exhibit in the inn kitchen where everybody assumes a dynamic part.

Toward the evening you will investigate Vietnam's beguiling capital. With its wide tree-lined streets, French pioneer building design, quiet lakes and antiquated oriental pagodas, Hanoi is a varied blend that offers something for everybody. At that point delight in a conventional Water Puppet Performance – an extraordinary Vietnamese artistic expression hailing from Southeast Asia's wet-rice society.

See more: Vietnam travel packages

After breakfast at inn, your driver will reach you at lodging at 8:00 A.m to assume a 4-hour drive passing the farmland of the Red River Delta to the remarkable World Heritage Site of Halong Bay.

Welcome ready for set cruise through Bai Tu Long Bay while fish lunch is served. Rest your eyes on the purplish blue waters of this mysterious straight, where a great many etched limestone islands climb from the waves like mythical serpents' teeth, passing beautiful territory around Mat Quy islet, Am islet. Mid-evening, get to Cua Van angling town and delight in an average bamboo vessel line to through the town with a gallery and a school among drifting homes. Visit Tien Ong give in then again ready for delight in dusk mixed drinks and canapé. Supper is served ready for.

Begin the day right on time to appreciate a Tai Chi class on top deck with a chance to concede the glorious landscape of first light over the ocean. After that, you can decide to go to Soi Sim shoreline for swimming or join your culinary expert for cooking exhibit to take in more about Vietnamese food craftsmanship. On the route back, take profound voyage into Bai Tu Long Bay, passing Pearl Farm, Phao Dai islet, Tam Cung hole, Hon Xep islet, Dau Moi sanctuary, chance to journey through acclaimed L'indochine film site (subject to tide co

Terri Gold | The Nomads of Niger

Photo © Terri Gold-All Rights Reserved

Infrared photography and off-the-beaten path nomadic people...this is exactly what photographer Terri Gold features in her new Nomads in Niger gallery.

She photographed the Wodaabe; nomadic cattle-herders and traders in the Sahel, who periodically migrate from southern Niger, through northern Nigeria, northeastern Cameroon, southwestern Chad, and the western region of the Central African Republic. The number of Wodaabe is estimated to be 100,000 and are widely known for their beauty, elaborate attire and rich cultural ceremonies.

Terri tells me there has been no tourism in Niger for 6 years now, and her photography group numbered less than five. The Wodaabe festival she attended had no fixed date, so it was a matter of crossing fingers and being patient. Her group had to have 18 guards armed with Kalashnikovs and a 50 mm machine gun on each truck. 

The Guérewol festival is an annual courtship ritual competition among the Wodaabes, when young men dressed in elaborate ornamentation and made up in traditional face painting gather in lines to dance and sing, vying for the attentions of marriageable young women.

Terri Gold is an award-winning photographer and artist based in New York City, and has built an impressive reputation for her infrared imagery of rituals, rites of passage, festivals, celebrations and portraits from all over the world.

Her artistic creativity and energy were patently obvious during my Tribes of South Rajasthan & Kutch Photo~Expedition™which she had joined in January 2010, as she moved from one photo shoot in a village to the next photographing with her two cameras; one "normal" like those used by the rest of us, and the second professionally modified to shoot infrared.

Biking North VietNam - VietNam Travel

Inundate yourself in North Vietnam's rich society and characteristic magnificence on a four day cycling excursion that takes you profound into heart of this mysterious area. Sell through emerald-green rice paddies and past aged, mountaintop pagodas. Take in the rhythms of nearby life and appreciate a provincial homestay, making new companions and fashioning deep rooted memories.

Related post: Vietnam travel packages

Welcome to Hanoi, Vietnam's clamoring provincial capital. Your driver and aide will reach you outside the stuff case of Noi Bai Airport and take you to your lodging in the downtown area. Toward the evening, delight in an introduction walk, going to some of Hanoi's primary attractions: the Opera House, Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple. At night, relish a welcome supper of credible Vietnamese sustenance at one of Hanoi's finest restaurants.

Wake early and revel in breakfast at the inn, before setting off on your drive to Mai Chau – a yawning valley, supporting pleasant rice paddies and sheets by approaching karst rock developments. Have a genuine lunch with a nearby group of the Thai Tribe and revel in some leisure time to familiarize yourself with the villagers. At 3:00 PM cycle along the landing area trails through the town and over the rice paddies. Come back to the Thai Village at night to spruce up and appreciate a scrumptious supper at the long house.

Eat at the town then drive to Nho Quan and use the day biking through the lavish and delightful field. Stop for a cookout lunch then bicycle through Cuc Phuong National Park. Keep on cycing through nation paths and crosswise over emerald-green rice fields. Touch base in Tam Coc in the late evening. Check-in at the lodging and use rest of the day at your recreation.

Eat at the lodging, then begin the day the neighborhood way—paddling conventional sampans through the rice fields to visit 3 collapses Tam Coc (Hang Ca, Hang Giua and Hang Con). Eat then bicycle to Bich Dong to visit the mountaintop pagoda. Proceed with you on your bicycle outing, spinning through the nearby towns to Hoa Lu. Drive over to Hanoi in the late even

Chris McGrath | The Vanishing Dokar

Photo © Chris McGrath-All Rights Reserved

What's a "dokar" you ask?

Well, it's a two-wheeled horse-drawn cart found throughout Indonesia, usually decorated with colorful motifs and bells. Its small horses or ponies often have long tassels attached to their bridle. Typical dokars have bench seating on either side, which can comfortably fit three or four persons...and luggage (and huge bags of rice).

Regretfully, the dokars are on their way to extinction due to other more efficient and modern ways of transport. More than 200 dokars were working in Indonesia's Denpasar region, but only a handful remain these days. Denpasar -as in other large cities- experiences an uncontrolled population causing chronic traffic jams that make it difficult for the dokar to work effectively. Cheaper motorcycles have also made the dokar obsolete.

Chris McGrath has documented these last remaining vehicles in his The Vanishing Dokar in lovely monochrome tones, along with copious information about the photographs as captions.

Chris McGrath is an Australian photographer with Getty Images, specializing in editorial and commercial assignments. He has photographed, four Olympic games, the Paralympics, Commonwealth games, the FIFA World Cup, the Rugby World Cup, the MLB World Series, the Super Bowl, the Daytona 500, US Open Golf, numerous US Open and Australian Open Grand Slams, the 2004 Asian Tsunami, the election of Barack Obama and the earthquake and Tsunami in Japan and the London 2012 Olympics.

He has worked for clients such as Nike, NFL, Coca-Cola, the LPGA, NASCAR and the New York Times, and his images appeared in Stern, Newsweek, Time, Sports Illustrated, The Independent, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, USA Today, ESPN the magazine, The Guardian, L'Equipe and on daily news and sport websites worldwide.

He currently works in Tokyo, Japan.

Khari Baoli | Exposure | Leica M9

I've just published Khari Baoli on the Exposure platform, using a post processing workflow on the photographs by combining Alien Skin Exposure 6 and Color Efex Pro 4. The photographs were made with a Leica M9 with an Elmarit 28mm 2.8.

Old Delhi's Khari Baoli is the largest wholesale spice market of Asia, but it's the small and medieval-looking Gadodia Market that is the subject of this gallery. This small circular courtyard is perpetually crowded with traders, and wholesalers looking for the best and cheapest spices, such as turmeric, ginger, saffron, and pepper. Few people can enter the area without sneezing, coughing and tearing up. The laborers who load the heavy sacks of turmeric and ginger seem immune to the pungent smells that assail the senses.

The market is also up on the first floor, but the dark stairs are sometimes slippery with phlegm spat by the laborers and porters who continually walk up and down carrying the heavy sacks of spices.

The larger Khari Baoli market was established at the time when Fatehpuri Masjid was built in 1650 with the patronage of Fatehpuri Begum, who was one of the wives of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan.

As a footnote; my Leica M9 is not artificially weathered. It's weathered for real. See my previous post  regarding the newly announced Leica.

Jean Christian Cottu | Nagaland's Konyak

Photo © Jean-Christian Cottu-All Rights Reserved

The Konyak are a Naga people, living in India's Northeast and in Myanmar. The Konyak tribes had a strong warrior tradition, and were still headhunting until the end of 1960. Recognizable by their intricate facial and body tattoo, the Nagas believed that only with the skulls of their enemies could they could guarantee the fertility of their fields.

While Christian missionaries (and British colonialists) convinced or forced the Nagas to give up the practice, it's said that they still observe these ancient rituals, using wooden heads instead. Most of the Konyaks in Cottu's portraits are in the 80's or over, and in a few years, most if not all of these former headhunters and their wives will be dead. With their death, the living memories of their unique cultural existence will disappear forever.

In his interview with the UK's Daily Mail, Jean-Christian Cottu tells us that he traveled to the Mon district of Nagaland with a portable photo studio and a medium format digital camera to make these portraits. Refreshingly, he also discloses that his photographs were the result of a material exchange between him and his subjects; either in the form of a printed copy of their photographs or a monetary one, in the form of a few hundred rupees, and on some occasions both.

VietNam to Cambodia in tour VietNam travel

Another stream journey from Asia masters Travel Indochina guarantees to be the most extravagant approach to cruise from Vietnam to Cambodia, going in a boutique-style watercraft.

Leaving from Ho Chi Minh City (once Saigon), the watercraft cruises along the Mekong River to Siem Reap, a city generally perceived as the door to the Temples of Angkor, where visitors can investigate one of Asia's most compositionally essential destinations.

Named after Emperor Shah Jahan of the Mughal Empire in India, The Jahan has been demonstrated on the Indian pioneer time with included lavish peculiarities. Each of the 26 lodges has an extra large informal lodging to-roof windows that slide open on to private overhangs. Furthermore a pool, rec center, spa and steam room are likewise ready for.

Visitors on her first venture profit from having Travel Indochina's fellow benefactor and Managing Director, Paul Hole ready for impart his insight and knowledge of South East Asia. Furthermore halting at Cai Be's rowdy gliding markets, Cambodia's capital Phnom Penh, the silk weaving town of Chong Koh, and the preangkorian sanctuary of Wat Hanchey, voyagers meet nearby individuals and research life direct.

Related post: Vietnam travel packages

Voyagers have the chance to meet Paul before setting cruise on the 10-day excursion at an elite mixed drink party held the prior night at the five-star Caravelle lodging in Ho Chi Minh City; the trip closes at Raffles Siem Reap.

Sa Pa & Ta Phin | Report Six | The People of Tay Bac

H'mong in Sa Pa. Photo © Tewfic El-Sawy-All Rights Reserved

Yesterday included a morning of street photography in the small town of Sa Pa. Being such a small place, it was not too difficult to grab an interesting street scene, provided the Black Hmong vendors left us in peace.

Since much of the pedestrian action really occurs on a couple of small streets, as well as on the steps leading to and from the central market, it was easier to station myself at a specific point on these steps, and wait for something or someone interesting and exotic to happen by. Using the Leica M9, I pre-focused and chose the most appropriate settings...and just waited.

A word about the Hmong vendors. They have (for the most part) a sense of humor, and very willing to exchange banter with tourists. They are rather persistent in trying to buy some of their handicraft, but once they realize there's no way, they either walk away to look for another prey...or exchange pleasantries with anyone who'll give them the time of day.

Ms Thuy Linh, Sa Pa store owner. Photo © Tewfic El-Sawy- All Rights Reserved

Whilst waiting for interesting scenes to develop, I noticed an attractive store vendor watching me, and who seemed to understand the purpose of my being there. Expecting nothing much of importance to develop over the next few minutes, I asked if I could photograph her. Thuy Linh (her name) readily accepted, and naturally asked me to send her images when I was done.

The reason I mention this is that this exchange between two people who don't speak each others' language couldn't have occurred a few years ago.

Using Google Translate app on my iPhone, I asked her if I could photograph her, and if she had an email. She asked me to send the images to her Facebook account, and became my Facebook friend on the spot (using an iPhone no less)...enabling me to accept her invitation and eventually send her the images.

Red D'Zao. Ta Phin. Photo © Tewfic EL-Sawy-All Rights Reserved

In the afternoon, we drove to the village of Ta Phin, a picturesque thirty minute drive north of Sapa. It's about 17 kilometers to the west of Sapa, and is principally a Red Dao village, where these can be seen embroidering their wares for sale to tourist groups.

On the way to Ta Phin, we stopped at the abandoned French nunnery/monastery. It was built in 1942, but was promptly evacuated and deserted by 1947. Its walls are in ruins but are covered by mustard-color moss (or lichen), giving it a wonderful textured look.

Photographing a bunch of Red Dao women in the village itself was not too difficult...despite their relentless efforts to make us buy anything from their inventory. It would not have been possible to persuade a couple of them to accompany us back to the French monastery where they could've been photographed against the interesting walls.