West Lake Culture of Romance

上有天堂,下有苏杭 There is heaven above, and Su-Hang below… and it is here in Hangzhou, China, where I returned after a three-year absence. Truth be told, this was the heaven I needed after the past three years. Eight days of quarantine bliss, where the only voices I had to deal with were my own.  A perfect recipe to re-enter a country where I had spent…

Time is Fleeting, Never Stop

Unfamiliar territory, the uncertainty paralyzes. A surge of panic fills my head and heart, only to be soothed by the perfect amber of a freshly poured Czech beer. “Here I go again…” Lost. Around me is a language I do not understand. Spreadsheets in front of me I cannot comprehend. A feeling of being exactly where I should be. I relax, surprised by the…

Flow of Water ~ Flow of Life

Years ago, my Dad and I were sitting in a duck blind in Eastern Oregon prior to dawn and I mentioned how much I wanted to live near the Oregon Coast.  The  gist of my reasoning was that the Oregon Coast is beautiful, and having water around was comforting. There is nothing quite like the sight and sound of water; roar of an ocean…

A Path of Adventure in Guilin, China

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” This ancient wisdom by Lao-zi is one of the most famous pieces of advice from the Dao de Jing.  No matter where you are in life or what difficulties you face, the philosophy is simple: begin resolving the issue by taking that first step. The smallest of efforts, if consistently taken over time,…

Power of Nature and Change

I hadn’t planned on writing another blog entry on Cambodia, but then it is a good excuse to show some of the more iconic shots of the power of nature at Ta Prohm and discuss the inevitable change around us.  Of all the photos I have seen of Cambodia, these tend to be the most common: nature coming in to continue the cycle of change…to…