Faster than the Speed of Light?!?

While I try to keep my blog posts focusing on travel and photography topics, I sometimes come across an article that just causes me to stop and go - woo.  Such an opinion piece appeared in this past Sunday's New York Times.  Brian Green's article is about the expanding universe - the speed in which its expanding (possibly faster than the speed of light!) - and how at some time in the future, most stars in the night sky will disappear from Earth's view.  And not because they are being extinguished - just that they are moving outward over time in an ever expanding (so far) universe.  A think piece that still almost triggers the "reboot" button in my brain.  I highly recommend reading it - followed by a Tylenol!

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/16/opinion/16greene.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=darkness%20on%20the%20edge%20of%20the%20universe&st=cse

Always Someplace Else To Go

Last Sunday's New York Times Travel section had one of those articles that I usually despise - "The 41 Places to Go in 2011."  Based on what?  And 41?!?!  But, intrigued, I at least ran through the list of suggested places and came across two in my home state - San Juan Islands and Olympic National Park, and a number of other places I had already been to in my years of travel (Singapore, Melbourne, Miami, London, Oahu).  But there were also places I never heard of - and at least one of them sounds like my kind of place - Fogo Island, Newfoundland.  "A remote island off the coast of Newfoundland with a dwindling population of 3,000 residents..."  And a growing cultural scene. Having never been to Newfoundland but having always want to go, I now have a new incentive - a new place to explore.  So, in spite of the article's title, it was worth at least a glance - and may be worth a glance from you as well.

http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/01/09/travel/09where-to-go.html?ref=travel  

Photos to Convey Meaning

When I lead photography workshops, I talk about the importance of taking photos that convey not just the "stark image," but also the emotion behind the image. The f64 school of landscape photography, with all elements of the image in sharp focus as exemplified by Ansel Adams, conveys the beauty of the natural setting. 

A different type of landscape, that of the spirit of Varanasi, India, might not be well served by the f64 school.  Rather, fleeting images taken by Peter Bialobrzeski are used to illustrate the splendid and moving story by Pico Iyer entitled "Maximum India" in the January 2011 edition of Conde Nast Traveler.  Varanasi is where devote Hindus come to die and deal with their mortality. And the photos do an outstanding job of supporting the article, showing respect to the devote, and encouraging me to make my own pilgrimage to this most holy of cities. The following link will take you to the on-line story - BUT NOTE THAT THE PHOTOS ARE ONLY AVAILABLE IN THE PRINT EDITION.  Check it out at your local newsstand, bookstore or library. 

By the way, Pico Iyer's article is also one of the more evocative I've read in a while and probably provides a better insight into the experiece of visiting Varanasi that you would ever find in a travel guide. Whenever I wonder aloud whether I should eventually travel to India, I'll come back to this article and go for it.
    
http://www.concierge.com/cntraveler/articles/503351