2013 – 51: Photo of the year 2013

Posted on December 29, 2013 by indiatom

Thank you to everyone who voted for ‘Photo of the year.’ Blog traffic spiked to an all-time high of 250 views on the day nominations were posted on December 19.

The worldwide blog appeal continues to amaze me. Viewers come from 84 countries, including Pakistan, Poland, Kuwait and Chile (this “heat map” shows the U.S., India, Germany, UK and Canada as the top five countries for readership).

Last year, I knew “Toe Trimmer” was a winner, however, this year I had no clue which photo would claim the #1 spot. Additionally, I was surprised that none of my personal favorites cracked the top 10. For example, the juxtaposition of modern civilization surrounding old-world traditions in these two photos encapsulates India. Voters were emphatic, however, overwhelming support for other photos eclipsed these.

A total of 76 people voted with varying cultural views.

“How can I choose only five?” was a common theme. So with that spirit, here are three photos that deserve honorable mention. Wisdom, Floating Market and Egg Delivery had strong support throughout, but not enough to crack the top slots.

The race for #1 was extremely tight, with only a handful of votes separating 1^st from 5^th place. Here now are the top 5 ‘Photos of the year:’

In the 5^th position is Hungry Tiger. This youngster was playful and rambunctious (this photo was especially popular among Indian voters).

Coming in at number 4 is Boy from Mars. These village children were amazed watching video of themselves for the first time.

3^rd place goes to Star Gazing. It’s the earth’s rotation through a time-lapse photo that creates this effect. That’s the North Star in the center.

Taking 2^nd place is Special Delivery. We see sights like this on a daily basis. It’s very common to overload a delivery bike.

And finally, Photo of the year is…

Didi. This photo was clicked on October 31 at the American Embassy School. Kayla and her team of friends had just completed production of “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” featuring 35 girls from the slum next to her school. This inspiring program promoted female empowerment through dance. The girls call her Didi (big sister).

Congratulations to Pam in New Jersey who correctly selected 4 out of the top 5 photos. Well done.

Thanks for all your comments throughout the year. I carry my camera always and merely “click” what I see. The blog continues to be fun with still many stories to tell. Look for next week’s recap of an exciting Christmas with all family members on one continent (not North American, nor Asia)… ts

2013 – 50: Photo of the year nominations

Posted on December 19, 2013 by indiatom

“Toe Trimmer” was selected 2012 photo of the year… which photo will win this year?

The executive nomination committee has sorted through 1000+ photos to present these 40 nominations for “Photo of the year.”

Please vote after reviewing the nominations. Select your top 5 photos and respond via email, or, post your choices on the blog by Friday, December 27. The results will be announced next week. Here now are the nominations for “2013 Photo of the year.”

#1: Langur on duty. Monkeys scram when he’s on the clock.

#2: Pet elephant. Kayla wanted to take her home.

#3: Tiger in the wild. This was a one-in-a-thousand experience to witness tigers this close-up in the wild.

#4: Boy from Mars. With his iPad, Greg recorded video of these village children – who don’t have electricity – and played it back for them. They’d never seen anything like it before.

#5: Star gazing. Our camping host in the Rajasthan desert captured this fascinating time-lapse photo.

#6: Monkey breakfast. The citrus elements of our garbage are a monkey’s prize.

#7: Illicit act. Kissing in public is illegal, however, romance blossoms in this section of Lodi Garden where authorities “look the other way.”

#8: Worlds collide. Women move piles of dirt on their heads at our corporate complex named Cyber City.

#9: Holi colors! This is why Holi is known as the festival of colors.

#10: Americans in Vietnam. I never thought I’d visit Vietnam. As a young teen-ager, I watched the draft closely as war raged.

#11: Outstanding in their field. You’d never know there’s a 72 year age gap.

#12: Doug Flutie wannabe. Lynda’s range is untested. Perhaps she could throw a 64 yard Hail Mary to win the game.

#13: Boston sunset. A brief opening in the rain clouds created this dramatic moment of “sweet light.”

#14: Wave tamer. The Atlantic Ocean is no match for Greg’s powers.

#15: Idyllic bike rider. Spring Lake, New Jersey captures a by-gone era.

#16: Chicken chopper. In Old Delhi, any alley works as a “store front” for selling fresh chicken.

#17: Egg delivery. The efficiency is impressive, but the risk is high.

#18: Garden of worship. Deities abound for prayer.

#19: Lord Hanuman. This giant statue celebrates the monkey deity, famous as Rama’s warrior.

#20: Chhatarpur Temple. Devine mind, or “God’s wisdom” is found here.

#21: Wisdom. There’s a lot of life behind this smile.

#22: Saree bike rider. Sarees are not easy to wear, let alone with the added complexity of riding a bike.

#23: Side saddle. Virtually all female passengers ride motorcycles this way.

#24: Special delivery. There’s always room for more.

#25: Hold on! Children learn this lesson from an early age.

#26: Fire breather. We could feel the heat during this Diwali party.

#27: Sikh wedding. Both families surrounded the groom in a formal exchange prior to the ceremony.

#28: Fasting for their men. During Karva Chauth, married women fast for the longevity of their husbands (however, there is no reciprocal holiday).

#29: Happy Diwali. Our office celebrated in style.

#30: Didi. Kayla is known as “big sister.”

#31: Cow business. Cows have no modesty nor rules: anywhere, any time.

#32: Coexisting. Old and new worlds meld.

#33: Safari success. Riding a camel is not as easy as it looks.

#34: Sand dune Mughal. The waves of sand were no match for Greg’s powers.

#35: Diwali light. Greg loves Diwali, for reasons like this.

#36: Elephant polo. The elephants were very smart, and made this easy for us.

#37: Sanshil Dancers. These children from a local NGO school put on an excellent show.

#38: Lunch. The plates were scraped clean.

#39: Floating market. This daily Bangkok tradition connects retailers and consumers.

And finally, #40: Hungry tiger. The tiger’s attention span was directly proportional to the amount of milk in the bottle.

There you have it with 40 nominations. Remember, select your top 5 photos and respond via email, or, post your choices on the blog by Friday, December 27. The results for “Photo of the year” will be announced next week. Merry Christmas. ts

2013 – 49: Big headlines

Posted on December 15, 2013 by indiatom

Expat lunches are always fun. Here I am, the sole American surrounded by German colleagues for Mittagessen.

With cooler temperatures, we’re entering smog season again.

Anything that’s burnable is used as a source of fuel for heat. The school issued a smog warning this week, prohibiting any outdoor activities.

Regional elections were held December 4, including Delhi, with results announced December 8. Voters received a spot of ink to help prevent the adage of “vote early, vote often.”

The Congress party has dominated politics since the time of Independence in 1947 (Americans, don’t be confused, “Congress” is the name of the political party). Citizens are fed up with corruption. Also, inflation just touched 11%, while the Rupee and Gross Domestic Product have fallen substantially this year. The once robust GDP is no longer able to cover the sins of pocket-lining politicians. The Congress party finally has serious challengers with BJP and the new AAP party which just formed over the past year. Indians want “change.” Sound familiar?

Also this week, the Indian Supreme Court (SC) overturned a 2009 lower-court ruling which now reinstates an 1861 colonial-era law making gay sex a criminal act. Only Parliament can change the law, and that doesn’t look likely. India’s culture is very conservative with emphasis on marriage and family.

Marketers have jumped into the fray with advertisements supporting gay rights. The ad on the left states: All colors were created equal. I’m told India has a large gay community, but societal pressures keep it completely underground.

India has a rich history of eunuchs and transgender people whose blessings are sought during significant events, for example, the birth of a child. We recently witnessed transgender people approaching cars in traffic in search of money. Many Indians, fearing a powerful curse if they refuse, hand over small bills.

Finally, the other big news of the week was the 5 Series launch event, featuring the Luxury and the Modern lines.

Hundreds of guests watched as Indian fashion designer Suneet Varma displayed his new collection.

The colors, contours and accents of the 5 Series served as fashion inspiration.

At this event, I met the ambassador of Kyrgyzstan. I kept the question of “Where’s that?” to myself.

Thanks to Google Maps, I now know that Kyrgyzstan is sandwiched between Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and China. This land-locked former Soviet state is now a shaky republic, having overthrown the government in a 2010 revolution, resulting in a new constitution.

There you have it, a big week with lots of big news. Don’t miss next week’s blog and your opportunity to vote for “photo of the year.” ts

2013 – 48: Bangkok, part 2

Posted on December 6, 2013 by indiatom

Picking up from last week, Bangkok is very modern and cosmopolitan.

The metro system is quite impressive as is the disciplined population which cues up perfectly.

Tut tut’s are also common on the city streets.

With Buddhism making up 80% of the population, we were surprised to see Christmas decorations everywhere.

We see this in India as well. People celebrate the “event” element of Christmas, not the religion.

Bangkok is one of the world’s top tourist destinations, hosting 16 million visitors a year (double the city’s population). Shopping is a key economic driver with monstrous malls providing endless opportunities to part with your cash.

This mall featured a row of high-end automakers, including the top-of-the-line, Rolls-Royce.

On the other end, we also visited a very crowded weekend market which reminded us of Delhi.

The spoken language has a pleasant, sing-song sound which is impossible to describe in words. The written language in indecipherable to westerners.

Outsiders be forewarned. Thai names translated to English create “other” meanings. “Bang” for example means “village situated on a stream,” and “kok” is derived from ‘ko” meaning island. Put them together for Bangkok (wipe that smirk off your face).

Don’t say this one 3 times quickly.

Hmmm. To anyone named “Susan,” I’d suggest you avoid this destination.

Boats of all sizes and purposes navigate the Chao Phraya River which dominates Bangkok’s landscape. This boat brought us to the area populated with temples.

These Buddhist monks disembarked for prayers.

We visited Wat Phra Kaew, the Grand Palace, and Wat Pho.

The architecture is impressive.

More than 1,000 Buddha images populate the complex

…including this huge “reclining Buddha.”

We utilized a long tail boat for the return trip which was powered by a 4-cylinder engine hooked to a propeller.

These boats easily zip up and down the river.

Thailand marks the 30^th country visited by Kayla and Greg. Only 165 more to go. Enjoy your week. ts

2013 -47: Thanksgiving in Bangkok, part 1

Posted on December 2, 2013 by indiatom

Thanksgiving is the second biggest holiday in the U.S. after Christmas. The tradition began in 1621 when Pilgrims and Indians (American Indians) joined to celebrate the harvest.

Modern-day Thanksgiving is the busiest travel season of the year for Americans as family comes together. Turkey, stuffing, corn, mashed potatoes and gravy make up the traditional meal.

We went against the grain and traveled south-east to Bangkok during the Thanksgiving break.

Our first goal was to find a good place for our Thanksgiving dinner. We quickly ruled out McDonald’s…

…and there was no way we were going to eat Indian cuisine…

…so we went for ribs and burgers at Tony Roma’s. It wasn’t turkey, but wow, it sure was good.

Bangkok is very modern, cosmopolitan, and colorful. Taxi’s are available in a variety of flavors.

Even buses are “in” on the theme.

With Buddhism making up 80% of Thailand’s population, Buddha is everywhere. This shrine is on a very busy corner in downtown Bangkok.

We witnessed an endless stream of people paying respects.

This billboard implores respect for Buddha.

There is also utmost respect for Thailand’s king (Thailand is a constitutional monarchy). His photos are seen at every turn.

His birthday is December 5, a national holiday. He took the throne at age 19, and now 86, his 67-year reign is longer than Queen Elizabeth’s.

However, government instability is currently making international headlines. Protesters are accusing the current Prime Minister, Yingluck Shinawatra, of being a puppet for her exiled brother and former Prime Minister, Thaksin, who is accused of corruption and murder. She tried to pass an amnesty bill last week which sparked the protests.

There was a strong show of force at police headquarters, only two blocks from our hotel. The day prior, protestors had cut power to the building.

Hastily thrown razor wire surrounded the complex. Thailand is experienced with political unrest. There have been 20 coups or coup attempts since 1932. Protesters want the prime minister to step down by Monday in this unfolding political drama.