A company called Travel Supermarket is running “Capture the Color” contest encouraging travel bloggers to share photos that represent five colors – red, blue, yellow, green, and white. I love any excuse to pour through my travel archives so this is right up my alley! I pulled the following photos from my trip to Southeast Asia in 2010:
Red
This photo was taken at the Temple of Literature in Hanoi, Vietnam. I happened to walk through just after graduation ceremony and students were bouncing around with excitement, posing for photos with classmates in front of the ornate architecture and elaborate gardens. Their enthusiasm bought a delightful energy to this place. I snapped a pic of these vibrant lanterns inside one of several temples in the complex.
Blue
During our time in Luang Prabang, Laos, we took a day trip to the Tad Sae Waterfalls to ride elephants and zip-line. Yes, it was a curious combination of activities! They also happen to serve the BEST iced coffee, and I’ll write more about that another time. The photos from my elephant ride came out rather shaky, but I got better photos on the ground. I love the aqua water and gentle spirit of the elephant in this photo.
Yellow
This was taken at Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep, a temple on the lush mountainside overlooking Chiang Mai, Thailand. We happened to be there during a light sprinkling and I love the drops of rain glistening on the Buddhas. This whole temple is a photographer’s dream — rich colors, fun details, and a peaceful serenity that resides at such places of worship.
Green
Laos was the highlight of my trip. Our two days traveling down the Mekong River was particularly memorable, and I shot this photo during a brief stop and a remote riverside village. Local children greeted our boat with armloads of bracelets (I bought one and wore it the duration of my time in Asia) and then motioned us to follow them to huts nearby. We met the women of the village, who were holding the smallest children, cooking, and minding the land. One of the elderly women had what appeared to be a bad case of gout on her neck, and I have no idea how they would treat it in such a remote location. It seemed to be a close-knit community with shared resources and a distribution of responsibilities. Everyone wore happy smiles. It reminds me that there are many ways to live life and be happy on this earth, regardless of access to electricity or health care or other Western standards.
White
This was the hardest day of the trip. We toured the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum located in Phnom Phen, Cambodia and learned about the most gruesome atrocities committed by mankind, second only to the Holocaust. This photo showcases a handful of the prisoners who were tortured and killed at this location under Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge communist regime. Several people from our group had to take a break during the tour; it was disturbing, to say the least, to hear such tragic details of crimes against humanity.
Sorry to end on a down note. I hope you enjoyed these photo recollections. If you wish to participate in Capture the Color, click through and submit photos of your own!
I nominate the following bloggers to take part in the color fun:
I can’t believe that I’m the first person to make a comment on your strong photos; almost three weeks after the post was made. I hope you receive the increased exposure you so deserve.
Thanks for the support!