Light and Dark

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The clouds lapped above me, carried by the cool yet constant breeze sweeping over the valleys and mountaintops. With the clouds came the dynamic interplay of shadow and light, constantly changing over the canvas that was the rugged landscape all around - dozens of canyons, hundreds of peaks, and an endless moving panorama of breathtaking alpine scenery.

I could spend an eternity at top of this rifugio, but I had to move on to the next amazing destination in the heart of the Italian Dolomites

Cortina d'Ampezzo

Italy

The Mightly Dolomiti

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It was the last leg on the first day of hiking in the Dolomiti. A steep hill loomed in front, an ascent that seemed to get longer the more closer I got. The evening sun was shining brightly, and I prodded on, encouraged by the thoughts of a cool shower, delicious pasta and wine at the rifugio for the night.
I turned around, looking back at the way I had come. The Cinque Torri (5 Towers), which seemed mighty up close, was dwarfed by the towering Tofana di Rozes rising 3000ft across the valley. Clouds marched across the region in a brisk pace, and alternating light and shadows followed them across the rugged geology. The dramatic profile of the Tofana was in full view, along with the innumerable hiking trails and climbing routes that cris-crossed this jaw-dropping terrain.
Scenes like these were all over this beautiful region of Italy. I, for one, will never forget this incredible trip.

Rifugio Averau
Cortina Italy

Sunrise from Above

I stood by the edge of the trail, peering down onto the valley below and the seemingly endless mountain ranges beyond. I stared at the deep canyons and mountain peaks mired in a lightening fog, while clouds of all shapes and sizes were colored in pastel hues hinting of a glorious sunrise ahead. Despite the freezing winds, a sleepy tenor and a fatigued body, I was feeling elated.

I was atop a mountain peak near Rifugio Lagazuoi, in the heart of the Italian Dolomites at sunrise. I had been trekking up and down, and through and around these jagged peaks for the last few days, and today was my last one here. I still have vivid memories of the dramatic topography that I had witnessed over the last 72hrs, coupled with very delicious local cuisine. Whether it was the beautiful scenery I had witnessed, or just the joy of traveling there, looking back at those images brings the wanderlust back.

Here's to hoping I get to see more of such beautiful places, and witness sunrises like the one from the heart of the mountains.

Rifugio Lagazuoi
Cortina, Italy

In Memory

I could write a paragraph on the beauty of the Dolomites scene I was photographing, or a discourse into the challenges I faced in reaching this point in the heart of the mountains, but words escape me at this point.

It has been a difficult month for the nation. Between the devastating weather systems that ravaged Puerto Rico and the Caribbean and ripping apart the islands' infrastructure, and the shootings in Las Vegas that had taken away 59 innocent lives and injuring countless more, it has been through a lot.

While scores of lives have been (and continue to be) affected, it is the lack of a cohesive response to any of these crises that continues to alarm me. It is either too difficult or too early or too late to talk about the underlying issues that resulted in a solvable calamity turning into a crisis.

Strong leadership is something that is certainly amiss in these difficult times, as what the nation has is a talking egotistical pumpkin-head (apologies to the pumpkins) that cares more about popularity than problem-solving, and lacks the basic empathic skills that one would think is required to lead.

In memory of those who have been affected by crises all over the world....

Lagazuoi
Cortina Italy

Awaiting Sunrise

Two years ago, a beautiful sunrise found me atop a forlorn mountain. Besides me, a weathered wooden statue of Jesus on a cross stood steadfast, having braved the stormy elements that would have battered this windswept ridge through multiple seasons and multiple generations. And right now, it awaited the warming rays of golden sunlight this beautiful morning.

The sun was beginning to rise from behind the peaks yonder, drenching the dark mountainscape with light. And with that light, the landscape slowly morphed through multiple shades, from deep crimson to red to orange and then a golden yellow at present. As the light intensity increased, so did my perception of the tumultuous landscape all around: jagged ridges, towering cliffs, and deep valleys still in shadow, while the patchy clouds still changing through shades of orange provided a definition to the sky above.

Such is the beauty of witnessing a spectacular sunrise on the Dolomites. It can be a transformative experience, and I, for one, was glad I could capture this scene. This was a HDR shot at ISO 800 at F11

Monte Lagazuoi
Cortina d'Ampezzo Italy

Windowed Dolomites

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It was day 4 of the rifugio to rifugio hike in the Dolomites. I ducked and crawled through a rocky tunnel high up in the heart of the rocky mountains. Through the small openings, I could garner glimpses of craggy peaks reaching for the clouds, and of forested valleys reaching down to lush green meadows.

I pressed on. I had been promised a vista of epic proportions as I neared the location of the famed Rifugio Lagazuoi. I had learnt about a number of tunnels that were dug through the Dolomites during the peak of World War I as the Italians fought the Austrians in rather difficult terrain. These tunnels, and other structures, kept changing as the line of battle shifted through the war. But now, during times of peace, these edifices were places to study the history, and to admire the beauty of the harsh terrain all around.

Eventually, the views opened up. One such window provided a grand view of the tumultuous landscape all around: ridges of endless peaks reaching for the sky, rockfalls and avalanches pockmarking the landscape criss-crossed by innumerable trails switch-backing to the high mountain passes, and puffy white clouds making their way across and over the spine of the continent

Lagazuoi
Cortina Italy