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The Color Orange: Photos from Around the World

There is no blue without yellow and without orange. –Vincent Van Gogh

As the dog days of winter draw to a close and daylight savings comes this weekend, it is a reminder that soon our colorless white landscape will come to an end. There is nothing more I crave this time of year than color. Any color except brown, black or white which have been the main hues here for months.

When I saw that this week’s photo challenge involves color, I was thrilled. I’ve felt so incredibly deprived these last few months that it was fun to go through my photos and search for anything the color orange. While going through my photos, I realized that I have relatively few photos that feature exclusively orange and not many more that have orange as a predominant color. That surprised me given my blog currently has over 10,000 photos stored.

It made me realize I need to search for more orange next time I’m out exploring the world. For orange is a color that invigorates, enlivens and brightens up the day. Here is a gallery of some of my favorite orange hues. Hope you enjoy!

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Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina
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The Hike to the Top is Worth the Reward

The mountains are calling and I must go. – John Muir

In my opinion, there is nothing better than a good long hike to the top of the world. Getting there is half the fun and once on top, there is nothing more rewarding than a spectacular view. I have loved to hike my entire life and here are some of my favorite rewards through my journeys.

The Annapurna Trek 

After ten days of hiking the world-famous Annapurna Trek, we arrived in gorgeous Pokhara, Nepal for a few days rest and enjoyment of the Diwali festival of lights. If only I had started my blog before this trip and understood the power of photography. Looking back my photos do not do Nepal justice as it is by far one of the most beautiful places on earth.

Pokhara, Nepal

Pokhara, Nepal

Bolivia

I still haven’t finished writing my posts on our four day visit to the sensational Condoriri Valley in the Bolivian Andes. I hope to work on that this month because the photos are tremendous and it is a very special place. The pain of sleeping in a tent at 15,000 feet in below freezing weather was worth the incredible, rewarding views.

Condoriri Vally Bolivia

Our last day: One last gorgeous look

The French Alps

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Carnival Port au Prince, Haiti 2015
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The Women of Carnival

Last Sunday, I had the thrill of attending my first ever Carnival when I was in Haiti. It was a wild night like nothing I have ever experienced. Wall to wall people danced in the streets, while music blared and super-sized floats crept at a snail’s pace down the Champ de Mars in the heart of Port-au-Prince.

Thankfully we were able to get tickets to be in the Minister of Tourism’s stand or it most likely would not have been safe. Tragically the next night, one of the floats caught on fire spreading mass panic while 16 people got trampled to death and countless more were injured. It was more devastating news for a country still trying to rebuild after the near catastrophic earthquake five years ago.

It is even more tragic given the fact that Carnival is supposed to be a time of celebration and great joy. Even the protests over fuel prices (which almost canceled our trip) stopped the day before in honor of Carnival. Despite the numerous hardships most Haitians face, Carnival is a time to let go and have fun. To let the music mesmerize you and beauty of Carnival sweep you away.

Carnival Port au Prince, Haiti 2015

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Cordillera Real Boliva
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The Scale of the Bolivian Andes

The Andes are an incredible mountain range passing from north to south through seven countries making it the longest continental mountain range in the world. There is something about the Andes that is simply magical. The grandeur, scale and scope of the Andes is mind-boggling. Over 4,300 miles long (7,000 km) and at points up to 430 miles wide (700 km), the Andes are immense and are blessed with some of the highest volcanoes in the world and largest ice fields.

I have been lucky to have set foot on the Andes in Peru, Chile, Argentina and most recently, Bolivia. There is no way I can pick favorites as each place has been unique and special in its own way. A four-day visit to the Cordillera Real in the Altiplano of Bolivia gave me once again a feeling of the enormous scale of the Andes. There are over 600 snow-capped peaks in just the Cordillera Real and we only hiked two of them.

On the first day at our camp as the morning sun rose high above the Andes, I shot these photos of what was to come. Judging by the immense beauty, I knew that the Bolivian Andes offered something special.

Cordillera Real Boliva

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Plaza Murillo La Paz Bolivia
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Pigeons and Peace in Plaza Murillo

Sometimes it is hard to believe that tranquility can be found inside the center of a vibrant, bustling city like La Paz. Yet for that exact reason I believe the founders of La Paz created just that kind of place directly within the heart and soul of the city. Originally called Plaza de Armas, Plaza Murillo was renamed after the war hero General Pedro Domingo Murillo who lead the wars of independence which eventually freed La Paz from its Colonial past.

Plaza Murillo is smack in the middle of La Paz and is surrounded by beautiful government buildings and an ornate cathedral. It is a lovely place to sit and chat with friends, have a snack or refreshment from a nearby street vendor or play with the swarms of pigeons. Whatever you fancy, you can find it here.

As you enter the Plaza Murillo, your eyes are immediately drawn to the gorgeous cathedral soaring majestically above the square. Built in 1835, the imposing cathedral was constructed in Renaissance style and sits proudly next to the Presidential Palace. I spent a few moments walking around the square capturing some of the various buildings. It was evident that most of Plaza Murillo had been nicely restored but like the rest of the city, other parts had been obviously missed.

Plaza Murillo La Paz BoliviaPlaza Murillo La Paz Bolivi

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Calle Jaén La Paz Bolivia
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Calle Jaén: The Most Colonial Street in La Paz

One of my favorite finds in La Paz is Calle Jaén, the most colonial street in the city. About a ten minute walk directly uphill from the Iglesia de San Francisco, Calle Jaén is a magical place. Colored in Spanish Colonial hues of brilliant reds, blues, greens and pinks, walking down Calle Jaén’s narrow cobblestone street feels like stepping back in time.

It took a little bit of wandering around to find it and sadly I almost got pick-pocketed by a very normal looking man (thank you Mom for lending me a jacket with a complicated button closing the pocket! Otherwise he would have been able to grab my travel wallet!). When I felt the tug on my jacket and realized what was going on, I started to yell and he was gone. It was a close call though not enough to keep me away from finding Calle Jaén. I was determined to find this hidden treasure.

La Paz Bolivia

Leaving Iglesia de San Francisco and heading up towards Calle Jaén

La Paz Bolivia

Even the building leading up to Calle Jaen are quite colorful.
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South Kaibab trail Grand Canyon Arizona
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Exploring the Grand Canyon: A Hike Down the Rim to Ooh Aah Point

On the last day of our October visit to the Grand Canyon, I decided it was time to take a hike down off the rim and explore. After a taste of hiking down the Bright Angel Trail, I agreed with everything I’d read. Getting below the rim was the way to truly see the magical colors, depth and splendors of the Grand Canyon.

Although we had seen some families with children hiking below the rim, I personally did not feel comfortable bringing my children. Not only was it incredibly steep, there was no protection. One slip and down you go. Thus, I decided to do a short 1.8 mile hike myself, on the South Kaibab trail to the OOH AHH Lookout Point.

South Kaibab trail Grand Canyon Arizona

Start of the trailhead

My husband and kids dropped me off and away I went, elated to be doing one of the things I love most: Hike!  I had the next hour and a half to hike before they would come back to pick me up. I could hardly wait.

South Kaibab trail Grand Canyon Arizona

Getting ready to go!

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Finding Yellow

One of my favorite things about Central America and Cuba are the gorgeous, bright colors that often surround you everywhere you go. Normally I head south during our winter here in Minnesota when the landscape is barren of color and blanketed in snow. I feel so deprived of color that when I arrive, I go crazy snapping photos of everything I see- from buildings, to flowers, to artwork and people – I search the vibrant colors my eyes are craving. Yellow is one of those colors that always makes me feel happy. It is bright, glowing and warm. It also is a common color found painted on buildings in Central America and Cuba, perhaps given the Spanish Colonial influence of when they were built.

As the world around me is painted white, I long for the brilliant and bright shades of yellow that make my heart sing. Here are some of my favorite yellows I’ve spied in Guatemala, Honduras, and Cuba.

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Condoriri trailhead Bolivia
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Gone but not forgotten in the Bolivian Andes

Over the past week, I’ve been off the grid so to speak, in the high Andes of Bolivia. My blog has been quiet while I spent four days sleeping at 15,400 feet at the foot of Condoriri Mountain (5648 m) in the Cordillera Real Range of Bolivia.

It was quite an adventure to say the least. One that I will never forget and one that I am still recovering from. My dad and I managed to climb two mountains in two days, the first at 16,899 feet (5152 m) and the second at a whopping 17,698 feet (5396 m). I still am in awe at the beauty of it all.

In honor of today’s photo challenge here are some photos of where I was. Many more will be coming soon as I play catch up and sort through all my colorful photos from Bolivia. Here is a sneak peak of a few unedited ones that capture the imagination of such a remote, spectacular place.

Condoriri Mountain Bolivia

Setting out to our destination: The foot of the Condoriri

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Rural Ethiopia
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Out of Africa: A Drive through Ethiopia’s Rift Valley

There is nothing like driving through rural Africa. It was something I dreamed about ever since watching the 1980s film “Out of Africa” with Meryl Streep and Robert Redford. Call me a romantic but there is something utterly nostalgic and breathtaking about the countryside. Perhaps even more so in Africa where you take a step back in time to how things used to be.

In much of Africa, including Ethiopia where over 90% live outside of cities, rural life is life. Men, women and children tend to farms and herd livestock. Markets, business and life happens along the roadside. Modernity seems to have not yet reached this part of the world where water jerricans, mule carts, and manual labor are common. Electricity and running water is a luxury that few have. Bathing happens in the creeks. It is a world so unlike my own that everything I saw surprised me.

For this reason, I was always fascinating with our ventures into the rural parts of Ethiopia and sat glued to the window watching in awe and admiration. Instead of napping, I took photos from our moving Land Rover, trying to capture the heart and soul of rural Ethiopia. There was no way I could do its beauty justice especially since we did not have time to stop. Yet our drive from Addis Ababa, south through the Great Rift Valley to Hawassa had to be documented. The raw, aching beauty of Ethiopia spoke to me.

Ethiopia

The Great Rift Valley splits the Ethiopian landscape apart leaving behind many circular crater lakes that are awash with hippos, crocodiles and lovely views like this hotel above.

African flowers

African flowers

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Ethiopian Woman
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A Photographic Dialogue

Can photos talk? Sometimes a single picture can paint a thousand words if you stop and take a moment to look at it. This week’s Photo Challenge by Swiss-based architect and photographer Frédéric Biver of fakeormistake uses two photographs side by side to create a dialogue and tell a story between them that would not exist if the photo was presented alone. It is a fascinating concept that made me reflect deeply on the importance of each individual’s perception of a photo and its meaning.

A dialogue can be created by similarities in shapes, colors or forms. It can also be created by two photos taken from a different angle or perspective. In my case, I tend to snap away at whatever seems to attract my attention at a certain time and place, using the photos together or in a series of photos to create a story and dialogue of that one specific moment in time.

Here are some dialogues I’ve captured from my travels. See if you can find a story from within.

Ethiopia

Location: Project Mercy’s Lie and Wait house for expectant mothers who walk at least two hours on foot to reach the nearest hospital. 

Mother

Ethiopian Woman

 Daughter

Ethiopian woman

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Old Havana Cuba
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A Return to Cuba

Last February, I spent a week in Cuba and fell in love with the beauty and culture of this mysterious place. Although the country remains trapped under Communism and a lack of human rights, I still was able to find beauty in the people, the music, the glorious architecture and the land. It is a place I would love to go back to and see more.

Although I’ve already written rather extensively on Cuba, I discovered a few photos that I haven’t shared and thought it was time to return to one of my favorite places in Cuba: Old Havana. Take a walk with me through the lovely streets and step back in time.

Old Havana Cuba

Old Havana Cuba

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