Archives

February 2012

January 2012

July 2011

March 2011

October 2010

April 2010

March 2010

February 2010

January 2010

December 2009

November 2009

September 2009

July 2009

June 2009

May 2009

April 2009

March 2009

December 2008

November 2008

October 2008

September 2008

August 2008

July 2008

June 2008

April 2008

March 2008

April 2007

March 2007

February 2007

January 2007

March 2005

180 Degree project – join in

Do you have a camera? Can you turn around? Do you live somewhere?
More accurately, do you live in one of the places mentioned on this page (scroll down a bit) or know someone who does live in one of those places?

http://www.flickr.com/groups/180degrees/discuss/72157600013051831/

Then maybe you can help in the 180 degree art project.

Click the link above to read more about this fun project and help out my friend Laurence finish her project…

Recently drenched Norwegian in White

Ellin (?) works for Save the Children, Norway on a programme trying to reintegrate children conscripted by the Maoists. A difficult role for many reasons. Girls are anyhow often disowned by their families but the children come from very poor backgrounds and have little to go back to. As Maoist cadres they had dubious excitement, some status and purpose, food and shelter.

She was the only person I saw wearing all white this Saturday.

Water + Paint balloons


Water + Paint balloons, originally uploaded by rpb1001.

Holi is a Hindu festival and you can read about its history here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holi

It is a happy day and this year especially due to the cessation of violence and the hope people have for peace and stability through the current political dialogue taking place.

It is a festival of colour. People will greet you smiling on the street and say Happy Holi, and smear paint on your cheeks.

That is the simple version. Somewhere along the line, water fights came into the picture. Walking down the street then becomes a perilous affair with bags being dropped or buckets being poured from roof tops.

To the Picture – 15 Rupees (18 euro cents) gets you a packet of 30 small plastic bags with a dusting of paint in each and elastic bands to close them once filled.

I just read this today – after the fact:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holi#Toxic_impacts_of_chemical_colours

fishing


fishing, originally uploaded by rpb1001.

Tonight is a party at Niek’s place. It’s on the first floor with a balcony overlooking a main street of Thamel in Kathmandu. Various inflatable animals and superheros are on the end of fishing lines handing out flyers. The kids love it.