Self-promotion...

I can't remember when I last did a bit of shameless self-promotion. I think probably never. I have, however, discovered the joys of blurb and have spent some evenings putting together photos and texts from my fieldwork in Peru. If you feel really kind and have some time to spare, please head over to blurb - and maybe even vote for me:

Vote for my book in the
Best Blurb Books Contest!

Voting ends Nov. 9 View other entries »

cloudy mountain tops

Another cloud forest photo - here are some peaks sticking out of the haze:



Have fun visiting all the and Monochrome Maniacs. I'm on holiday this week and will have to visit all your entries later.

flags

If you're a seasoned urbanite you will be used to this jolly flag which can normally be found in the vicinity of anything gay:



Imagine this urbanites' surprise when she came across it in the middle of Cuzco:



I quickly ascertained on that occasion that I had not managed to walk into the middle of a South American gay pride parade (and I was impressed by all the brass they had brought along)...it was explained to me that this flag was derived from the Tawantinsuyu wiphala and is therefore a sign of Inca pride. Read more on the confusion at the BBC. Or go back to TNchicks PhotoHunt.

Advertising

It's back to the archives again for this week's Photohunt. I used to love reading the political advertisments on my way to work in the Andes:



Even if not elected these people can be sure to have left a lasting legacy - houses don't get painted too often :)

There are many more advertisments at TNchicks PhotoHunt.

Walking

A toddler, walking over the plaza in a small Andean village. If you look closely you can see he is barefoot. He seemed to be on his own.



Visit Saturday's PhotoHunt for many more takes on walking.

More Andean clouds

Gosh, it's Skywatch time again and I'm stuck in the Lab...the only Skywatch photo I can get to right now is another one from the Andes. If you had a look at last week's one you probably recognize the little peak that always sticks out of the clouds...



This was a lovely, calm evening amongst the clouds. I always liked it when - like above - there were clouds below me, on my level and above me.

Click back to Skywatch Friday for cloudy or cloud-free fun.

Peruvian crazy clouds

Some early evening weather from the Amazon basin arriving in the cloud forest on the eastern Andes flank:




Visit Skywatch Friday to enjoy pictures of the sky from every possible perspective.

More night, more mountains

Staying in the Andes, here is another almost-night-shot. This time with the first traces of sunrise. I would have liked a slightly less grainy picture but it was cold outside. As it was only marginally less cold inside (there is no heating in the wooden huts which are the field station) I decided to preserve warmth rather than fiddle around with camera settings. I do somewhat like the image. Probably irrationally so.



To see a whole range of other monochromes visit the Monochrome Maniacs and their host, Aileni.

In the clouds

Almost two years ago I was on fieldwork on the easternmost slopes of the Andes, right where the Amazon basin begins. I was researching cloud/forest interactions and so I stayed literally in the clouds. Sorting photos today I came across this 'almost-night-shot'. The cloud forest is very beautiful, but also quite remote, humid and cold. Therefore a lot of living things stay away from it and evenings can feel quite lonesome. Watching fantastically shaped clouds get stuck on peaks is generally the most reliable form of evening entertainment the place has to offer.



For more sky photos, visit Skywatch Friday.