http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/cam2yogi/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from cam2yogi en-us Mon, 16 Nov 2009 04:16:20 +0000 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 04:16:20 +0000 The Faces and Emotions of PeaceBAINBRIDGE ISLAND WA November 12 2009Cameron Karsten Photography is a portrait of peace. On Thursday Nov. 12th from 6 830PM an Artistrsquos Reception at The Upstairs Gallery in The Pavilion commemorates a new display of photography. Captured from around the world the Bainbridge Island exhibition kicksoff Cameron Karstenrsquos upcoming adventure to Ea http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Bainbridge-Island/blog-451483.html The soul of the roving Cameron Juan Karsten is within photography and writing. He yearns for expansive adventure of the deepest value in order to express the tales of humanity. http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Bainbridge-Island/blog-450529.html Bears are a species I have never encountered and to be honest a species Irsquove always wished to experience. A bear by my car. A bear in my trashcan. A bear in the sights of my telephoto or a bear scurrying away in daylight at the trailhead. But a bear near my bed or next to my tent I donrsquot care for that.Ah yes Yosemite National Park. In my first twentyfive years of being human http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Yosemite-National-Park/blog-447006.html Monday EveningSurrounding me are large pines oaks and birches. Their leaves dance with the breeze in rhythms of a Fall melody rustling like sequin designs presenting kaleidoscopic colors of greens yellows oranges and reds. Draped along branches swaying in a swooned throng the arbors tower into a deep cast of infinite blue. ldquoSimonerdquo I shout. Opening the fence I step inside his http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Bainbridge-Island/blog-445057.html ltltlt...ContinuedThere is little hope in my mind. I hear waves. Not calm smooth waves but a miasmic destruction of breakers crushing one another before steamrolling onto shore. I open my eyes and blink into a soft morning light. Inside my tent itrsquos neither bright nor dark. Itrsquos that shade of gray matter infusing all color dissolving vibrancy like bleach to a load of reds http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Bodega-Bay/blog-435804.html ltlt...ContinuedLa Push Washington is at the edge of the universe. Itrsquos out therehellip way out there. And La Push is one of the finest surfing and camping destinations in the state. When the waves are good it is intense. Big beautiful busty bountiful crests pitch over onto the neoprene heads of surfers. And when the waves are not on when the sea is blown outmdashwinds howlin http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Olympic-National-Park/blog-433869.html There are rules to the road and I was obviously ready and willing to learn. I jumped in the car hours late and having just packed and was completely discombobulated. But what mattered most was to be in the car heading north heading west heading south heading east. I was reeling for the Queets River some 40 miles south of Forks Washington. But like I said I was late and my compatriot w http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Olympic-National-Park/blog-432278.html ltlt...ContinuedSunday Day 2I looked out the window at a beautiful panoramic view a city that shone with luscious light the day before a city now shrouded in dark grey clouds. It was raining in Seattle and I rolled over on the couch fully clothed and reach out for the table. I felt for my phone grabbed it and checked the time 554am. In fact it was pouring. And it was this serene r http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Issaquah/blog-424228.html Awkward Yes. Uncomfortable In the beginninghellip yes. Strange and outofplace Very much so. Liberating to the bones You could not even imagine A sunny Saturday. The summer day beautiful. A sky expanding its wings far beyond the horizons reaching high into a blue emptiness. People were out underneath its canopy walking jogging sitting eating playing and biking. I was perfo http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Seattle/blog-421855.html ltlt...ContinuedThere were few faces along the river. Many were leftover weekendgoers from the 4th of July festivities. Others were people families and wayward souls living off the grid. They were stationed in the forest with their old dusty RVs outdoor picnic benches setup as an allinone kitchen dining room and den and 4H petting zoos. One group tethered two goats where food scraps http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Mt-Rainier/blog-419037.html I stood out in the Seattle streets. A summer day one shrouded by clouds cold gray ugly clouds spitting a crisp wind. I checked the time. 803 in the morning. Where was he Why didnrsquot I wear more layers Cursed weather With this thought I shivered at possible outcomes ahead if and only if the weather turned its brutality upon me. I was wearing pants socks two top layers and a http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Mt-Rainier/blog-419006.html It is dark outside. Maybe 10 orsquoclock maybe 11. Who knows For all I could guess it might be 3AM or how lsquobout 9PM. There are no clocks around me only a lace of mosquito netting cascading over the large bed like a whalersquos mouth around a school of fish. Everything manmade is mute. Therersquos not a sound except naturemdashroaring nature. I hear the ocean pummeling the s http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Nayarit/Sayulita/blog-388857.html There is a garble of mayhem. Buses spit gears grinding and thumping. Horns from their pushbuttons blare from yellow and white Mazda taxis from gritty pockmarked trucks from local peoples and passing pedestrians. Itrsquos hot where all these species interact for a strong Mexican sun burns low in February skies. Everything seems to sweat. My pores. The parched plants covered in dust. http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Jalisco/Puerto-Vallarta/blog-376505.html Day 1 The Danu TourIt is morning over the rice fields. Expected sounds of roosters crowing and crickets singing spread across this valley. Small birds chirp as they hover over the sawahrsquos the fieldrsquos green carpet. Geckos skitter along patio walls. The daylight of Galungan is cast over Ubud and amidst the silence of the hour an elderly man acts as a human scarecrow. He barks t http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Bali/blog-370450.html Day 9 Balinese Hangovers The Balianrsquos CureDawn arose with pain and discomfort. Classic hangover amidst tropic humidity weighty dank and stale with arak and puke on the breath. At the breakfast I chose not to attend stories were told. A group of yogis walked into Monkey Forest at 2AM and chanted the Gyatri Mantra for one hour. Others swam nude in the pool lounged in a room and the http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Bali/Candi-Dasa/blog-365856.html ...Continued having left you in Bali Indo after a long delay. Welcome back to A Balinese Yoga FestivalDay 5 An Afternoon ContinuationNow some 45 days later something is rekindled. I think back to Bali at Gunung Agung where I left my Self where I left my readers. The retreat feels like ages ago a distant dream savored and succored for its warmth peace and fragility. And it wasmdasha http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Bali/Ubud/blog-354579.html Day 5 Gunung AgungItrsquos pitch black. My knees ache. My legs are loose wobbling with each unstable step. This is not helping in the least bit. The scree beneath my feet the chalky volcanic rock crumbles with the slightest pressure. I grip a flashlight in my mouth with clenched jaws and take a large step over an iceless crevasse then reach out for the boulder opposite quickly feelin http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Bali/Gunung-Agung/blog-321620.html Day 3 Bargaining Into RetreatA hard bargain to beatmdashmorning coffee tea and breakfast in Bali. At the table there is an assortment of weary eyes detached from their bones. This is usmdashLaurarsquos retreat groupmdashmost still jetlagged hovering above hot drinks with susu dan gula milk and sugar. Then with a little more flare and color there is papaya watermelon pineapple http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Bali/Ubud/blog-320194.html Day 1 The Yoga Retreat wLaura DeFreitas Danu EnterprisesIt is morning over the rice fields. Expected sounds of roosters crowing and crickets singing spread across the valley. Small birds chirp as they hover over the green carpet and geckos skitter along patio walls. The daylight of Galungan is cast over Ubud and amidst the silence of the hour an elderly man acts as a human scarecrow. He http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Bali/Ubud/blog-317526.html ldquoTwenty five years man. Irsquove seen a lot of change.rdquoI looked across at Jack Jack the Hawaiian Jack the manmdashmy idol.ldquoBali is beautiful to this day but 25 years ago it was a land of mystery. And before thanhellip I can only imagine.rdquo ldquoSo whatrsquos changedrdquo I asked forking a slice of banana pancake into my mouth. The fruity syrup hit my tast http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Bali/Balian/blog-313329.html