My Pics Summary #1

Gangster Monk in Myanmar

Myanmar is a country of contrast, at the same time a brutal regime with many abuses and one of the most severe humanitarian crisis of recent times, on the other one of the most serene places I have ever been.

This was taken near the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon.

This is a 99m tall stupa made of briks and compltely covered in gold, it's crown is tipped with 5,448 diamonds and 2,317 rubies and the very top is tipped with a 76 carat (15 g) diamond.

But the best part was that the place was full of kids playing with their grandparents and the sound of little bells. Many monks and nuns were studying and talking and I caught glimpse of this tattooed monk.

Antique Khmer Face

Siem Reap is the current site of the capital of the antique Khmer Empire.

It's largrest temple, Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument in the world occupying an area of 400 acres.

The whole place is amazing and shows the immense strength of nature which is slowly eating away this city which at a time was the largest in the world with over a million people.

One of the most amazing things is the fact the sites are completely covered with sculpture, some of which very big in size.

Sunset in Borodubur

Borobudur in Yogyakarta, is the largest buddhist temple in the world.

It is the size of the pyramids in Egypt but completely decorated with bas-relief.

The temple complex opens relatively early but not enough to see the sunrise from it, unless you sleep in the temple's hotel in which case you have a couple of hours of private access to the huge temple complex and you can see the sunrise in peace and quiet.

Eagle in NgoroNgoro

NgoroNgoro Crater is not a crater. In reality is a big caldera (the biggest inactive and unfilled caldera in the world) of 260 square kilometers (100 sqm) that was formed when a vulcano the size of Kilimanjaro collapsed.

The walls of the caldera collect a huge amount of water and hence this is lush paradise in the middle of Serengeti. It is hence a Safari paradise as it attract a large amount of animal in a confined space. We saw hippopotamus, lions, leopards, giraffes, wildebeests and even rynos. But the photo I like the most is this one of an Eagle flying.

Lanterns in Kyoto

Yasaka Shrine in front our Motonago Ryokan where I was staying at night is even better than during the day.

Sunset in St Lucia

Pic taken from the beach in St Lucia. I took over 50 shots and they are all great ... I guess the merits are all of the subject and not the photographer...

Black and White: Seagull and Frigate

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is beautiful and this picture of a black frigate flying together with a white seagull was a lucky shot!

Cambridge at Dusk

Trying to get the gothic nature of Cambridge, I got this picture of the building against the sky

Sand Storm in Xian

When visiting Xian, we ended up appreciating much more the fortress thanks to the sandstorm than the terracotta warriors.

The other side of HK

A long time ago with a very poor camera in Aberdeen, Hong Kong

For more:
Great Pictures Summary #1