Cows at Mt. Aso

This photo was taken in 2006 at Mt. Aso in Aso, Japan. Cattle roam free around the foothills and mountains of Mt. Aso, which is the largest active volcano in Japan. The central cone group of Aso is made up of five peaks: Mt. Neko, Mt. Taka, Mt. Naka, Mt. Eboshi, and Mt. Kishima. Mt. Naka has the only active crater among the five, but hasn't erupted since 1991.

The Bird's Nest

This photo was taken in 2009 at the National Stadium in Beijing, China. It is nicknamed, 'The Bird's Nest' because of the intricate weaving of the 100,000 tons of steel used to construct the outer portion of the stadium. The stadium was used during track and field events and the soccer final of the 2008 Olympics. Since the closing ceremonies, the stadium has been used for soccer primarily, but plans are in the works to turn the stadium into a shopping center and entertainment complex. Upwards of 25,000 people visit the National Stadium per day.

Skating the Great Wall

This photo was taken in 2008 at the Great Wall of China in Dandong, China. The skater in this photo is my friend, Stephen Kovaz. The Great Wall or Chang Cheng, as it is called in Chinese was originally erected to protect China from unwanted visitors and nomadic hordes. Including all of it's branches, the Great Wall is 5500 miles in length and contrary to popular belief is not easily visible from space. The construction of the Great Wall started in 5th century B.C. and various emperors added to the wall until around 1620.

Bai Dai Beach

This photo was taken in 2010 on the road from Nha Trang to Cam Ranh, Vietnam. Bai Dai or Long Beach is a 10 km stretch of beautiful beach just outside of Cam Ranh Airport. Bai Dai is the spot to surf in Nha Trang with swells reaching 4-6 feet and over 8 feet during storms. It's still relatively undeveloped with small food stalls and surfboard rentals available.

Western Australia War Memorial

This photo was taken in 2010 at King's Park in Perth, Australia. This memorial was erected to honor the men of Western Australia who fought and died in World War I. The Australian flag is on the left and the Western Australian state flag is on the right. Australia entered World War I in 1914, 3 years before the Americans declared war on Germany. 421,809 Australians served in World War I and 58,961 were killed in action. At the time, Australia's total population was a little more than 4 million people.

Dom Perignon

This photo was taken in 2007 in Kumamoto, Japan. My student, Kunio, took me and Gen, my co-worker, out to a French Restaurant and I had Dom Perignon for the first time in my life. They served it in etched glasses. Dom Perignon is named after a Benedictine monk and was only produced in 36 of the last 81 years. A bottle of Dom Perignon costs around 110 USD for a 2000 vintage. The same amount of money would buy forty 40 ounce bottles of Miller High Life.

Khai Dinh Tomb

This photo was taken in 2009 at Khai Dinh Tomb in Hue, Vietnam. Emperor Khai Dinh was the 12th Emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty. Khai Dinh only reigned over Vietnam for 9 years (1916-1925) and was an unpopular ruler. He collaborated closely with French occupiers which was the main reason for his unpopularity. He was accused of living in luxury while the average people of Vietnam suffered horribly at the hands of the French. Only 15 years after Khai Dinh's rule was over would Ho Chi Minh become leader of the Vietnamese Independence Movement.

Tigers of Dalian

This photo was taken in 2008 at Tiger Beach in Dalian, China. The Tiger is one of 12 Chinese Zodiac symbols which begin and end based on the Chinese Lunar Calendar. The most recent Tiger year started on February 15, 2010 and will end on February 2, 2011. The Tiger is the third sign in the Chinese Zodiac cycle, preceded by the Ox and followed by the Rabbit. Tigers display the following characteristics: courage, friendliness, hopefulness, impulsiveness, resilience, vanity, disregard, and indecisiveness.