Somewhere in the East

I shot these photos more than 10 years ago.

I took a round the world trip in 2005 after finishing film school.

Definitely some of the best years of my life.

Below, I show some photos that mean so much to me on a personal level, treasures for my soul that uncover blessed memories every time I see them.

These were all shot on 35 mm film when I was just starting to get involved in the photography world.

Colorful fact: I just shot 40 rolls in 8 months, one click was one moment and one photograph.

I used to put the rolls inside a fridge everytime we reached a hotel that had a functioning fridge.

So happy to have enjoyed the moment just before the digital era arrived..

"Pact of Silence"

These two kids symbolize what Tiber is going through, their struggle, their fight, their will to remain the same under a supreme power, their to remain Tibetans above everything.

SILENCE IS NOT AN OPTION

FREE TIBET

"Sailing across the Ganges River"

The Ganges River is the most sacred river to Hindus ad when a love one dies,

they consign their ashes to the Ganges' custody.

Ironically, it was ranked among the five most polluted rivers of the world in 2007.

Pollution threatens humans, 140 fish species, 90 amphibian species and dolphins. The initiative to clean up the river, has been a major failure thus far due to corruption and lack of technical expertise.

"Manakamana"

These six priests were sitting next to Manakamana's temple.

The temple is located 1302 meters above sea level and 100 km away from Kathmandu in Nepal.

There's a cable car that takes you up the hill to the little village where the temple is situated.

Is the sacred place of the Hindu Goddess Bhagwati, an incarnation of Parvati.

The name Manakamana originates from two words, “mana” meaning heart and “kamana” meaning wish.

"Lake Namtso"

Is a mountain lake on the border between Damxung County of Lhasa and Baingoin County of Nagqu in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, approximately 100 km of Lhasa.

Namtso was born in the Paleogene age, as a result of Himalayan tectonic plate movements.

The lake lies at an elevation of 4,718 m, and has a surface area of 1,920 square kilometres.

This salt lake is the largest lake in the Tibet Autonomous Region.

"Just rafts in Vang Vieng"

These rafts were gathered together just waiting quietly along the coast of the Nam Song River in Laos.

"Heading Home"

Hard working woman returning home down the road s of Vientiane, Laos' capital.

"Visiting the Taj Mahal"

This breathtaking white marble mausoleum is located in Agra, India.

It was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal in 1632 and took 21 years to build. The Taj Mahal combines elements from Islamic, Persian, Ottoman Turkish and Indian architectural styles and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with almost 3 million visitors per year.

"Belongings"

Detail of a woman's foot in Udaipur, India.

The people of India have expended limitless energy and creativity in the invention of ornaments that celebrate the human body. Adorning the visible, material body, they feel, satisfies a universal longing for the embellishment of its intangible counterpart, namely the human spirit.

"Friendship"

Two men holding hands while guiding their camel.

Indian men show no shame in interlocking fingers and pressing palms. While their not allowed to touch women in public, they enjoy demonstrating affection to their male friends.

"Elderly in white in Varanasi"

Many Hindus travel to Varanasi at the twilight hour of their life.

They believe that dying here on the banks of the Ganges River is an assurance of heavenly bliss and emancipation from the eternal cycle of birth and death.

"Hope"

Bells on buddhist temple in Laos.

"Innocence in Varanasi"

I run into these two couples of children while wondering around Varanasi's serpentine alleys.

Varanasi is a 'site of spiritual luminance. Not only is a place for pilgrimage, but it is also a great center of learning, and a place known for its heritage in music, literature, art and craft.