30/12/2011

flowers to 2011


Some flowers from or to the past year,
& good wishes for 2012.

Read that an acre of rainforest is lost every second.
Perhaps 2012 will move towards some necessary changes.
It's urgent in many directions, isn't it?

28/12/2011

ornaments


Found a small clear (plastic) pagoda in Burma.
Around it are several tiny glass figures - a centaur, mermaid,
minotaur etc, that I got in a miniature shop in Mexico.
(I make little tableaus that I fiddle with while on the phone)
Right is a piece of coral with hand-like ends.
I didn't have a christmas tree etc ~ how about you?






26/12/2011

all that


All that glitters is probably gold, at Shwedagon pagoda,
there are lots of shiny & reflective surfaces as well.
The halo has flashing neon spot lights, for instance.



& the mirrors are cut with subtle angle changes.
Sunrise & sunset work their magic.
I think the place can be enjoyed on so many levels,
& doesn't demand a religious mind set.

Wouldn't you like to go as gently as a dandelion, into 2012
?



24/12/2011

happy holiday


There seem to be several kinds of devotional practices
at Burmese temples
apart from sitting, meditating, praying, chanting..



It also looked like there were people who truly enjoyed just
being there, in a beautiful temple where this aspect of
consciousness had been the focus for ages.
The polished marble floors reflect it all, there are multiple
perspectives: everything adds to the experience.

Enjoy the holidays wherever you find your self!


22/12/2011

photos


At some temples in Burma there were professional
photographers; groups & families would line up, clearly not
used to the idea. I love to get them too.. innocent.
Cameras & mobile phones are not as
widespread as elsewhere.


20/12/2011

tons of gold


They say there is 5 tons of gold in the very large
central pagoda at Shwedagon .
It's so strong.
Could be the relics it's said to contain.



18/12/2011

tons


Thai temples have lots of gold too, but this one in Yangon
has really a lot. It's not all gold leaf.
When it's real gold you know it: a really pure effect
despite all the stuff associated with the getting of it,
historically speaking ~ greed, avarice, envy et al.
The pigeons have their own take on it.

I saw these statues in Kyoto, but cameras were forbidden.
It was like being in one of the heaven worlds.


17/12/2011

blue then grey


One day it's blue & hot, then it's cool again, & I notice
how the fences on my walk into town go greener,
get more moss, or is it lichens?
My friend's beautiful blue-eyed boy
is a model for being in the moment.



16/12/2011

two


Joined two files left to make a large buddha,
& took at least two shots of many.. many .. many.
Like the two right, because a couple of steps makes
a big difference. The halo's are usually zipping around in
multi colours, I like how they don't hide the mechanics of it.

there's lots of good stuff on coilhouse, I just enjoyed the


14/12/2011

looking


As you'd know, I love reflections, & Shwedagon is also
so shiny that there are truly amazing parts that you can
fall into for hours, as left. (It's really good large...)
The people are at the top of the entrance stairs at Shwedagon.
I took the curtains at my hotel because I thought them
dead ugly, yet I like them as a photo.
Strange how that happens.

sarah moon at coilhouse


12/12/2011

animals


Found that with some distance, the first days photos
from my Burma trip looked better than I'd thought. Chose
gold ones for next few days. The dragon is from KL, the other
creatures can be found at Shwedagon pagoda in Yangon.



not animals, more mythical or metaphorical creatures,
wouldn't you say?

a wonderful short animated film at the animalarium


10/12/2011

changes



There are a few hot days, followed by cold damp ones,
the trees & my garden can't quite figure it out.
I quite like the unpredictability.
Mostly.

08/12/2011

details


Edges & details that caught my eye in Yangon.
The end of the year has me running out of words...


06/12/2011

mix


Probably have enough photos from Burma to run for a year,
but won't.. It can often seem an indecipherable mix there:
religious artifacts alongside rubbish, for example.
I loved the large trees lower left with long graceful stems.




04/12/2011

colour


These were all in Yangon. I did pounce on the colour, as
the monsoon really wrecks a lot of surfaces.
The leather bound book top right has
The Accountants Magazine 1909 on it's spine.
The story of it's survival is surely more fun than the contents!


03/12/2011

carved


A friend just showed me how to retrieve 'bad' shots
in Bridge. It's a bit time consuming for all those shot in
dark & cavernous ruins, but amazing what is there.
These remind me of the style at Angkor Wat,
one of these days I'll look it up, possibly it's similar dates.
Artisans, craftsmen & artists moved around a lot more
than you'd think. Also along the silk road.
I love to imagine it.




02/12/2011

football


In Yangon one day I came round a corner, saw all these
guys staring up.. at a large screen mounted on an
overhead foot bridge: football. There seems to be a lot
of interest in soccer in Burma ~ the monks were playing an
informal game ~ though the big match was rugby.

Seems to be small signs of change in Burma, in last few
weeks, it would be so good if it's for real.


01/12/2011

scenes


While travelling, there are times I feel invisible.
& others when everyone turns around & is fine with being
photographed. No telling when that will be, except
that after a while a camera feels less intrusive ~
or, probably, I'm more comfortable..
whatever..