Landscapes

Down but not out

You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep Spring from coming.

It has been a tumultuous week in the world with two major mass shooting incidents in either corners of the world, New Zealand and Netherlands.

New Zealand has been one of my favorite countries to travel to. To have such a tragedy befall it, especially in Christchurch which has already seen so much pain, is disheartening.

But if I know anything, it is that the Kiwis have some of the strongest hearts and minds. And while their spirits might be down momentarily, I am sure they'll rise up to the occasion, coming together as a community and society, unifying in their collective wisdom. I do wish the best for them, and hope they emerge stronger than before.

They may be down, but their spring will come again.

Lake Tekapo

Canterbury New Zealand

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Dawn on the Jailoo

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I stepped out from the warmth of the dark yurt to a freezing cold outside. In the gentle pre-dawn light, I spotted the beautiful rolling hills covered with a thin crust of overnight snow. A cold fog was flowing down from the heavens along the smooth contours of the surrounding hillscape. High above, the sky was aglow with a bright pink, while down below, horses and cattle gently grazed on the fresh summer grass.

This is life on the jailoo, a harsh, silent and beautiful landscape in the heart of the Tien Shan mountains of Kyrgyzstan.

Songkol

Kyrgyzstan

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The Wildflower Season

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The vibrant spring greens of California are an annual occurrence, turning the rust brown to a delightful shade of emerald green, post the unpredictable rainfall that quenches the thirst of the parched golden state. But it is the accompanying wildflower blooms that brigthen the rolling green hills with shades of pastel colors; bright yellows, oranges, pings and whites dominate the sun-drenched landscapes, growing along winding highways, gentle valleys and lush green meadows.

The next wildflower season is upon us. Happy hunting photographers, and don't trample on the delicate blooms; they are needed for the future wildflower seasons.

Pacheco State Park

CA USA

The High Point

The high point on the landscape was a tall sandstone butte towering above the desert environs; the deep red twilight clouds amplified the ochre sandstone, turning it into a shade of vibrant pink. As I watched, the deep reds slowly turned to dark shades of twilight, signalling the end of a beautiful day in Monument Valley Tribal Park in the Southwest of USA

From the mystic slot canyons in Page, through the windy roads that twisted their way through the colorful desert terrain of northern Arizona, the entire trip was a feast for the visual senses, with the scenery and colors changing every mile. I can't wait to return to this colorful corner of the country this year.

Monument Valley Tribal Park

UT USA

Abode of the mountains

"Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world"

The warm afternoon sun was shining brightly over a remote village nestled of Arslanbob in the southern reaches of the mountains country of Kyrgyzstan. The jagged snow-capped peaks of the Krebet Babash-ata mountain range rose from behind the foothills, anchoring the beauty of the alpine village. Fresh montane breeze flowing down from the mountains was a soothing relief after the hard climb to get here.

This remote village at the heart of the largest naturally occurring walnut forest was perhaps one of the most picturesque and relaxing villages I have every stayed in. Time and people proceeded slowly, and with surroundings like this, I don't blame them. While I didn't stay in this place for long, I got to experience a slice of this peaceful life.

Arslanbob

Jalal-abad, Kyrgyzstan

In the Delta

I was standing on the edge of the boardwalk, peering onto the waters of the delta. An amalgam of clouds, remnants of a late afternoon thunderstorm, caught the last rays of sunlight, glowing bright pink while awaiting twilight. A few shorebirds and waterfowl were making last calls on the delta before heading to their nests. The air was filled with their sounds: a squak here, a scree there, and the resounding drone of crickets all over.

The San Joquin delta is a spectacular place in California, coming alive in the spring, with fresh wetlands, flocks of migratory birds and jaw-dropping sunsets. This place is truly a treasure to be preserved for the future. And while I had the chance to visit it a few times, in no other visit did the sky put such a spectacular show like this one.

San Luis NWR

CA USA

Memories of Spring

Every spring, the gold dry grass gets a fresh coat of lush green, the dull hazy sky turns a vibrant blue with puffy white clouds, and the smoky air is replaced by the heavenly smell of moist earth

Such is the magic of spring of rolling hills that dominate the topography of the East Bay, a transformation I looked forward to eagerly every year while I lived in California.

Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve

CA USA

Cold Reflections

The silent shores of Lake Minnewanka were eerie on that cold dreary morning. The clouds sucked away the sunny disposition of the Rockies, leaving behind the still waters of the lake, with only the green conifers to give me company.

It was supposed to be colorful sunrise in the mighty Canadian Rockies, but with the sudden change of weather, I had to make a sudden change of plans, and I found myself shooting the ghostly cold shores of Lake Minnewanka.

Lake Minnewanka

AB Canada

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The Simple Life

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To be exhilarated by the fresh air and refreshed by the sweet water of the mountains,
to be woken up by a brisk morning walk or relaxed by evening saunter on the grassy alpine meadows,
To be thrilled by the snow in the winter and elated by wildflowers in spring,
To crave for a simple life in the wilderness....

When I spotted this herd lazily grazing by the rolling summer meadows in the heart of the breathtaking mountainous terrain of Kyrgyzstan, I craved for the simple life these herders had. Tough though it may be, this simple life seemed so much more fulfilling. I guess grass in always greener on the other side.

What do you crave for in your ideal 'simple life'?

At Bashi

Kyrgyzstan

True Love

The red I seek is not of a rose, but the red alpenglow of a snow-capped peak.
The rose I see is not of a Rosé, but of the pink hues reflecting in a gurgling mountain creek.
The green I seek is not of a lovely salad, but of the vibrant green alpine meadow
The love I seek is not of humankind, but of the great wild outdoors, of towering mountaintops, of glistening lakes, of dramatic glaciers, of lush forests, of unspoilt nature.

This is the love I seek every day, not just during heart day

What's your true love?

Altyn Arashan
Karakol Kyrgyzstan