Kiribati houses

Kiribati is an atoll nation in the Pacific, more or less at the intersection of the equator and the international date line. (The ti is pronounced s, so say ki-ri-bas). The land area of Kiribati is extremely small while the country as a whole covers the same area as the US. Its 100,000 people live in the main atoll chain in the west, formerly know as the Gilbert islands. The main island ("capital") is Bairiki, while the commercial center is the neighboring island of Betio. Life is very simple; most people fish and very little grows in the coral ground. The photo shows a typical scene that can be observed on many of the islands. Kiribati is vulnerable to climate change and sea level rise; many of the islands experience increased coastal erosion, and one island north of Betio is already inundated most of the time. Photo taken in 1992

Yap Council

Group of men in front of the municipal council chambers in Yap State, Federated States of Micronesia. They had just finished a meeting with us on the development prospects of the state. Photo taken in 1995.

Nepali village

A Nepali village precariously situated on a ridge at about 2,800 meters altitude. Life is hard in these villages, with a shortage of arable land and a harsh climate. This village lies about two days walking from the nearest road. Photo taken in October 1997, a the onset of winter.

Bali temple face

The literal face at an old temple complex somewhere on Bali. I have forgotten where it is exactly. The whole complex was carved out of rock in ancient times. This struck me because the nose was missing.......... Photo taken in 2006.

Mekong Sunset

Sunset scene on the banks of the Mekong in Vientiane (Laos). The other side of the river is Thailand. The Mekong river knows large seasonal variations, with flooding in November and droughts in January-April. This year, the river is at record lows, in part caused by drought in Southern China and Laos itself. This follows record floods in November 2008. Photo taken in November 2009.

Manila market

Street scene in Manila, Philippines.This photo was taken in December 1982, and many areas of Manila still look exactly like this. Progress has not improved the lives of many of the poor in this country.

Filipina

This lady was posing for a group of visitors from a photo club, in an old house in Taal village, South of Manila. Taken in November 2009.

Jeepneys

Manila's iconic jeepneys lined up and waiting for passengers. Jeepneys are the most popular means of public transportation in the Philippines. They were originally made from US military jeeps left over from World War II and are well known for their flamboyant decoration and crowded seating. They have also become a symbol of Philippine culture.

Cambodia skulls

Detail of the commemorative stupa erected at the Choeung Ek Khmer Rouge killing field, just outside Phnom Penh. The stupa contains some 5,000 skulls. For details and photos of this site see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choeung_Ek. Photo taken in 2000.

Blowing bubbles

Photo of a children's birthday party taken in Manila, 2003. The performer was hired to make large bubbles, and this he did. They were actually huge, and the children fitted inside.It was amazing.

Palau island

In Palau, a Pacific Island nation, situated about 800 km east of the Philippines. One of the attractions of Palau, besides diving, are the limestone rocks sticking out of the ocean. The waters are a clear aqua, and you can see them for tens of meters below the surface. They can easily be reached from the capital Koror by boat. Photo taken in 1994.

Dictator Marcos

Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos during a televised speech, in December 1982, at the time of my very first visit to Manila. Little did I know the that we would move here in 1994......

Source of the Nile

This photo from ca 1989 shows the source of the Nile, near Jinja in Uganda. The source of the Nile remained a mystery for a long time, ever since the Egyptian times. Lake Victoria was first sighted by Europeans in 1858 when the British explorer John Hanning Speke reached its southern shore whilst on his journey with Richard Francis Burton to explore central Africa and locate the great Lakes. Believing he had found the source of the Nile on seeing this "vast expanse of open water" for the first time, Speke named the lake after the then Queen of the United Kingdom. Burton, who had been recovering from illness at the time and resting further south on the shores of Lake Tanganyika, was outraged that Speke claimed to have proved his discovery to have been the true source of the Nile when Burton regarded this as still unsettled. A very public quarrel ensued, which not only sparked a great deal of intense debate within the scientific community of the day, but much interest by other explorers keen to either confirm or refute Speke's discovery. The well known British explorer and missionary David Livingstone failed in his attempt to verify Speke's discovery, instead pushing too far west and entering the Congo River system instead. It was ultimately the Welsh-American explorer Henry Morton Stanley who confirmed the truth of Speke's discovery, circumnavigating Lake Victoria and reporting the great outflow at Ripon Falls on the Lake's northern shore.

Village in Portugal

Just a shot of a village in Portugal, somewhere near Sintra. Taken in 1995.

Wall detail on Crete

Somewhere on Crete. We took a week off and went to Crete just as the first Gulf war got underway, and the US invaded Kuwait in order to remove the Iraqi army. The US army entered Kuwait late February 1991 and we went on holidays a few weeks later. Because of the fighting in the middle east, and especially the threat of Iraqi missiles, many people cancelled their holidays in Greece. It was tough for the Greeks, but we loved the peace and quiet, and bargains everywhere. March 1991.

Crossing the river

Crossing the river in Bangladesh in 1997. This is most likely a daily commute for many on the "boat".

Baobab tree in Senegal

A typical scene in northern Senegal. Baobab trees are common in Africa (1 species), Madagascar (6 species) and Australia (1 species). It also commonly referred to as bottle tree or upside down tree. Baobabs store water inside the swollen trunk (up to 120,000 litres) to endure the harsh drought conditions. All occur in seasonally arid areas, and shed their leaves during the dry season. Some baobabs are reputed to be many thousands of years old, which is difficult to verify as the wood does not produce annual growth rings,

Hotel in Malaysia

In one of the many courtyards of the new Pullman hotel in Putrajaya, the administrative center of Malaysia. Putrajaya, being newly built from scratch, has a lot of interesting architecture ranging from the beautiful and friendly to scenes from Gotham city. It is a paradise for architecture photography. This hotel had just undergone its soft opening on October 2009 when I took this photo. The place gave a strange feeling, with its courtyards, many fancy decorations and no people. See http://www.pullmanputrajaya.com/

Flores crater lake

This is one of a set of three volcanic crater lakes in central Flores, and island in eastern Indonesia. The three lakes are part of the same volcano, Kelimutu,and have 3 different colors. At the time of taking this photo, in 2002, they were aqua, black (although it was meant to be blue, see below)and red. Over time, the lakes change or even exchange color, sometimes unexpectedly.

Wikipedia says: Kelimutu is a volcano, close to the town of Moni in central Flores Island of Indonesia containing three summit crater lakes of varying colors. Tiwu Ata Mbupu (Lake of Old People) is usually blue and is the westernmost of the three lakes. The other two lakes, Tiwu Nuwa Muri Koo Fai (Lake of Young Men and Maidens) and Tiwu Ata Polo (Bewitched or Enchanted Lake) are separated by a shared crater wall and are typically green or red in color, respectively. The lake colors do vary on a periodic basis.

Cambodian farmer

While driving around in the area surrounding Anchor Wat,I came across this smiling farmer, who was happy to pose for a photo. Cambodian farmers have a very hard life in general, with little irrigation and often simple tools to work the land. Taken in 2001.

Greek water tap

A public water tap on Chios, in Greece. Taken in 2003.

Yap stone money

Yap is one of the four states of the Federated States of Micronesia. A very interesting island and a fascinating history. Yap is especially known for its stone money, pictured here. The Wikipedia says:

Yap is notable for its stone money, known as Rai: large doughnut-shaped, carved disks of (usually) calcite, up to 4 m in diameter (most are much smaller). The smallest can be as little as 3.5 centimetres in diameter . Many of them were brought from other islands, as far as New Guinea, but most came in ancient times from Palau. Their value is based on both the stone's size and its history. Historically the Yapese valued the disks because the material looks like quartz, and these were the shiniest objects around. Eventually the stones became legal tender and were even mandatory in some payments.

The stones' value was kept high due to the difficulty and hazards involved in obtaining them. To quarry the stones, Yapese adventurers had to sail to distant islands and deal with local inhabitants who were sometimes hostile. Once quarried, the disks had to be transported back to Yap on rafts towed behind wind-powered canoes. The scarcity of the disks, and the effort and peril required to get them, made them valuable to the Yapese. Approximately 6,800 of them are scattered around the island.

As no more disks are being produced or imported, this money supply is fixed. The islanders know who owns which piece but do not necessarily move them when ownership changes. Their size and weight (the largest ones require 20 adult men to carry) make them very difficult to move around. Although today the United States dollar is the currency used for everyday transactions in Yap, the stone disks are still used for more traditional or ceremonial exchange. The stone disks may change ownership during marriages, transfers of land title, or as compensation for damages suffered by an aggrieved party

Village in eastern Portugal

 Medieval village in eastern Portugal. Unfortunately I have forgotten the name. We stayed in a hotel nearby, and went up a number of times to enjoy the narrow streets, terraces, old buildings, the country food and wine. Great place. Taken in 1995.

Buddhist flags

Taken in Nepal in 1997, during a trek in the Langtang region. These flags on strings are literally everywhere you go, and are printed with Buddhist prayers.

Alien invasion

Taken in 2009 on the back beach near our house.Yes, it is Toby.

Inside a Long House

I lived in Baimuru, Gulf Province in PNG for some time in 1981-1982. This photo was taken inside a long house (house where men gather, eat, and sleep). The skull and the so-called ancestor boards below play an important role in village life.

Moroccan village

A picturesque view of a village in northern Morocco, probably somewhere north of Fez. We stayed in a hotel with this view, and could hear everything that was going on down there, in the narrow street, which sent the sounds straight up. Taken in 1985.

Bali hats

Hats for sale in a shop in Bali. 2006.

Senegal girls

Somewhere in the center of Senegal, probably near Tambacounda. We were invited to the village we happened to pass  to watch a ceremony in progress. This was in 1985, and in those days the Sahel was intruding most of Senegal (it is greener now I understand). The dry heat and the heavy sand in the air made it a challenging environment for everyone.

Bangladesh ferry

In 1987 I had the privilege to travel around Bangladesh on an assignment for the European Commission. I found Bangladesh fascinating. Here we are crossing one of the many rivers on ferry just large enough for our car.

Temple detail

Detail of one of the many murals at the Royal Palace in Bangkok.I always find those paintings very interesting as they show great detail;I can study them for hours and discover new details all the time. Photo taken in 1982.

Mistery steps

At the back beach near our house, on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia. Taken in 2009. What happened on the beach and who is standing there?

Bali kite

At the beach on Bali, 2005. We bought this impressive kite from the happy and friendly seller. Needs a good wind, but it flies well. Has been hanging as decoration in my son's room for the last few years. Kiting is big in Bali, and the annual kite festival is certainly worth a visit.

Inside Bali temple

Another shot in the Bali temple complex (see also 29 January 2010)..I really liked the quiet atmosphere and the soaring spires that seemed to go for ever. Shot in April2006.

Amsterdam: Ice and Snow

A topical photo, with Europe having such a cold winter, with many people not remembering so much snow or ice for a long time. This is one of the main canals in Amsterdam; the photo was taken in the winter of 1993/1994.

Bridge Detail

Taken in Putrajaya, Malaysia in 2008. Putrajaya is the administrative center of Malaysia, about 40 minutes drive South of KL. Newly built in the middle of nowhere, the city has an interesting and eclectic mix of architecture. Many of the government building have that Gotham feel to them: forbidding and not welcoming.There are two bridges that are beautiful and which I love to photograph. This is one of them.

Village on Chios

The medieval village of Volissos on the island of Chios, in Greece. Chios is a beautiful and rugged island, just of the coast of Turkey. It has a very violent history, but is also the original source of gum. Many of the Greek shipping magnates originate from this island. Wikipedia says:  Chios is the fifth largest of the Greek islands, situated in the Aegean Sea, seven kilometers ( off the Asia Minor coast. The island is separated from Turkey by the Chios Strait. The island is noted for its strong merchant shipping community, its unique mastic gum and its medieval villages. The eleventh century monastery of “Nea Moni”, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is located on the island. Photo taken in 2003.

Kuala Lumpur tower

The Kuala Lumpur communications tower is the highest structure in KL; higher than the Petronas towers. Here is a morning peek at the tower,between the two buildings of a hotel. Photo made in 2008.

Uganda market

A colorful Sunday market somewhere in western Uganda taken in 1988. We were travelling from Kampala to the Queen Elizabeth national park, when we came across this vibrant scene.

Bali Temple

Around the mother temple in Bali, the Besakih Temple, there are what seem to be hundreds of other, smaller, temples. As I walked by this one, a small ceremony was taking place. In the background the spires of some of the many other temples. Taken in 2006.

Family in dug-out canoe

A family in a dug-out canoe, on one of the many major rivers in Gulf province, Papua New Guinea. The delta of Gulf Province  consists of a large river network, with swamps and mangroves. The main town is Baimuru. The people live a subsistence life, mainly fish, sago and coconut, and earn some cash from logging and fishing (baramundi). Photo taken in mid-1981.

Hoggar mountains, Algeria

This photo was taken in the Southeast of Algeria in the Hoggar mountains, in February 1980. The area is famous for its biodiversity, unique in the Sahara desert, and for the fact that Père de Foucauld lived there in 1905. The ruins of his buildings can be see in the photo at the bottom right hand side. Père de Foucauld was a French priest who lived among the Tuareg, and fought to preserve their culture and their way of life. This is a very beautiful and remote site, and I wish I had spent more time taking photos when I was there.

Kampala market

At the market in Kampala, Uganda ca 1987. We always bought our meat from this gentleman; it was freshly slaughtered so we had let it get tender for a few days before it could be prepared. The meat was very tasty though. Later, we learned, he died of HIV/AIDS, unfortunately very common in Uganda.

East Timor

I visited East Timor (Timor Leste) in August of 2008. I was taken by the rough beauty of the country and the warm people. Of course it has a tragic history, and continues to suffer. Many of the houses have not been rebuilt since the tragic events of 1999. This photo was taken in the West of the country, not far from the Indonesian border.

Window with view

Detail of ruins in Oppede Vieux, a village dating from the 12th century in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in Southeastern France. Situated in the Lubron range, it is very popular with tourists in the summer. Photo taken in July 2009.

Leather tannery

A leather tannery in the city of Fez, Morocco, taken in about 1985. This is very dirty and dangerous work. The hides are from goats. I still remember the very strong smell of ammoniac in the air. Some of the basin also contain dye to color the leather.

Church painting

Inside a church in Taal village, south of Manila. The village is famous for its old houses. Taken in November 2009, during a trip of the ADB camera club. A short video of that trip is at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V05FHcmya7E. While this particular church had not much of interest, I was drawn by the warm colors of the columns, and the painting above it. The perspective is interesting.

Living in a wall

This is a wall of flats in Brisbane overlooking the river. I find it a scary view, so man packed together. A bit like Hong Kong......

Clouds: a new beginning

I have had a life-long fascination with clouds. Recently, I have started to document that through a series of photos. They have in common that the cloud shapes and textures are shown as they were captured, and that the colors have been shifted and emphasized to better show what I was feeling and thinking at the time. See also: www.frielink.com.

Gosaikunda lake, Nepal

This was taken in  October 1999 during a trek through the mountains north of Kathmandu. The lake is an important holy place for the Hindus. The views of the peaks from this area are meant to be spectacular, but we managed to have ten days of rain, snow and clouds, which made for some interesting photos. The lake is at an altitude of 4,300 meters, or about 13,000 feet. Wikipedia says: The lake is believed to have formed from the digging of the land by the Trishul (holy three-pointed sword) of lord Shiva after he drank the poison from Samudramanthan and desperately wanted cold water to quench the overwhelming heat of the poison.