Ann Arbor

Sunrises

Fort Lauderdale, FL

Mauritius

Thailand

Empire State of Mind

New York

Concrete jungle where dreams are made of,

There's nothing you can’t do,

Now you're in New York

These streets will make you feel brand new,

the lights will inspire you,

Let's hear it for New York

Jay Z

Varanasi, India

"We must be the change we wish to see in the world" - Gandhi

Mauritius

Namibia

Namibia Journal Excerpts:

I have never seen anything like the Namib Desert before. It looked so barren, yet so beautiful and vast. We arrived at our first stop and all got out of the 4x4 to enjoy the scenic view. It was like a “sea” of desert – just sand, ripples of rocks and sparse brown shrubbery for miles in every direction. The bright blue sky contrasted against the darker rocks, making the effect that much more dramatic. At the site where we first stopped, there was a huge pile of jet black rocks made of iron, covering a high precipice, and when two rocks collided they produced the high-pitched sound of a wind chime. So there we were in the middle of a gorgeous desert, looking at the barren beauty stretch on for miles, while listening to natural “wind chimes” produced by jet black, iron rocks that we were hitting together. It was all quite magical. After getting back in the 4x4 we continued winding our way through the desert. We stopped a few more times to examine different types of plant life that survive in the “not-so-barren-after-all” desert.

...

This country greatly exceeded my expectations. I felt as if I was in a completely different Africa than when I was in Morocco. There was a sense of calm which I didn't expect. It permeated the town, and the people exuded this joyful contentment with their lives. Between the natural beauty of the desolate deserts and the calmness of the ocean and the kindness of the people, I couldn't have asked for a better three days in this wonderful country.

India

I took this photograph in Sarnath, India. Here is an excerpt from my journal about Sarnath:

After returning to our hotel for breakfast and checking out, we caravanned to a Buddhist temple in Sarnath, where Buddha preached his very first sermon hundreds of years ago, called Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta. It was amazing to see that this building was so well preserved, unlike the city of Varanasi. The temple was relatively small, with 3 large points on its top. We had to take our shoes off upon entering. In the back of the temple, there was a statue of Buddha made completely of gold, crossing his legs in meditation and holding his hands together in a symbol which means “learning.” There were vases of brightly colored flowers on either side and deep orange strands of poppies hanging from the altar. The walls were covered in pastel-colored paintings of Gods and acts of meditation.

To the right of the building, there was a small park area with plaques and thousands of brightly colored peace flags strung throughout, representing hope and harmony. After seeing these beautiful flags, not aesthetically but beautiful for what they represent, we continued to explore the rest of the area. And after about two minutes, we were approached by more beggars, old women, middle-aged women and children, all asking for money or food. It seems inescapable. And it is impossible to help all of these people equally. And is giving them money really helping them? What is more important is for them to become educated, at least in a particular field, so they can create a sustainable living for themselves. Otherwise the vicious cycle of poverty and famine will never end. We were followed all the way to the bus by hunched old, bedraggled looking women clad in tattered clothes which had collected years of the grime that also fills the air, gathering in their ears, noses and lungs as well, completely incorporating the filth into every last fiber of their being.

Spring Street

Tommy