2013, Day 66 - Measuring

I saw this woman carefully pouring dry goods into small plastic bags from a couple stalls away while exploring the Russian Market.  She was concentrating so intently on her task I couldn't help but take her picture.  Normally I would ask permission before taking a picture but doing so would have ruined the moment so I took this picture and caught her attention before taking a second less interesting picture.  That way I felt that I had her permission for the prior photo even if it was given after the fact.

Canon 1D X, Canon 24-70/f2.8L Mark II
70mm, f4, 1/125 sec @ 8000 ISO

2013, Day 65 - Edifice

This is one of the stupas at Phnom Sampeau, the grim site of Battambang's killing caves.  I am often amazed how the Khmer Rouge turned so many places of startling beauty into places of mass murder.  It is as if they wanted to destroy all the beauty in their country, to drown out the magic with sorrow.  Ultimately it didn't work but along the way the destroyed countless lives; nevertheless the spirit of the Cambodian people endures and the country is recovering.

Canon 1D X, Canon 24-70/f2.8L Mark II
28mm, f4, 1/2000 sec @ 100 ISO

2013, Day 64 - Central rubble

The Temple of the Holy Sword, Preah Khan, is a sprawling compound.  Thought to have housed over one hundred thousand, today it is one of the best known jungle temples.  It is composed of a series of rectangular structures attached by covered walkways and broken up by courtyards.

I wish I had asked about the stones in the center of this open area.  Was this once another structure?  Perhaps a raised platform where offerings were made or where scholars taught their student.  Preah Khan wasn't just a temple, it was a city and a university, it was a placed of artistic instruction and the home of a cache of gold and gems.  For as much as we know there are still many questions that have no satisfactory answers.

Canon 1D X, Canon 16-35/f2.8L Mark II
16mm, f8, merged layers of 1/40 and 1/10 sec @ 100 ISO

2013, Day 63 - Painted morning

We awoke on our first full day in Siem Reap and stopped immediately for the sunrise at Angkor Thom.  Although we had visited the temple the night before it was a much different experience in the early morning.  The quality of the light was different but, more interestingly, we saw monks making their rounds to clean.  Specks of saffron would emerge from between trees or from behind a crumbling wall. They seemed to comes from nowhere making no noise and working diligently.  It was beautiful almost otherworldly but those kind of experiences seem almost common in Cambodia.

Canon 1D X, Canon 24-70/f2.8L Mark II
30mm, f8, merged layers of 1/5 and 1.6 sec @ 100 ISO

2013, Day 62 - Chill

While taking a walk through the countryside with Francene and Araceli, I espied this cat watching us.  It was a warm afternoon and there was some cloud cover than only intensified the humidity.  All living things with sense were relaxing and waiting for the worst of it to pass except for the three of us.  To be fair, Araceli didn't really want to go on the walk, she just didn't want to be left out.  I think Mister Kitty was judging us as we wandered past and I can't deny I was a little envious of his comfortable perch.

Canon 1D X, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II
200mm, f4, 1/320 sec @ 100 ISO

2013, Day 61 - Building 3

This is one of the large sheds were salt, once dried, is stored.  They are packed, literally, to the rafters and in the afternoon sun are like ovens.  Yet men toil away inside bagging and weighing salt to be sent all over the world.  When this picture was taken it was almost time to harvest the rice and the only work being done on the fields was maintenance.  Once the harvest was completed the farmers would have sent to work on the salt fields and soon the daytime highs would rise and salt production would be enormous.

Canon 1D X, Canon 24-70/f2.8L Mark II
24mm, f2.8, 1/5000 sec @ 100 ISO

2013, Day 60 - Frankie Friday

Today is a big day, it was a little over a year ago that Frankie came to live with me and today is his second birthday!  Yup, the little monkey is two years old today.  The last year with him has been a lot of fun; he has learned that he loves to race, how to bounce over and under the greyhounds, been to California, been car sick, and most of all, he has learned how to charm anyone in seconds and I am probably the biggest sucker of them all.  Frankie is a wonderful guy, he is sweet, gentle, intelligent, and affectionate.  The greyhounds think he is a cross between a giant toy and their baby brother so they love to play with him and are a little protective of him.

To celebrate all the dogs had a home cooked stew of turkey, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, apples, mustard greens, and peas.  Frankie thinks I am the best cook in the world because my normally picky boy loves his stew.  Even the fancy canned dog food has nothing on my cooking.

Happy birthday you little monkey!

Canon 1D X, Canon 24-70/f2.8L Mark II
50mm, f11, 1/200 sec @ 100 ISO