Friendly Fukuoka Pigeons

This photo was taken in 2007 in Fukuoka, Japan. These pigeons were so tame they would eat crackers out of my hand. Pigeons are some of the most amazing navigators in the animal kingdom. A champion racing pigeon can be released 400-600 miles from it's home and return within a day. Studies have been conducted to find out how the pigeon is able to navigate so well, but a solid answer has not presented itself. During one such study, the pigeons were observed following freeways and even changing directions at major junctions. Other theories are that pigeons use the Earth's magnetic field, the sun, or low frequency seismic waves. Whatever the answer, pigeons are fantastic animals.

The View from the Back

This photo was taken in 2008 from the back of a train traveling from Manzhouli to Harbin, China. The ride takes about 15 hours and includes numerous stops throughout Inner Mongolia. It's a stunning trip as you can see the vast grass plains and the traditional yurt homes of Inner Mongolians. A yurt is a portable home made of wood lattice and usually covered in felt made from wool. If you're ever on the train from Harbin to Manzhouli, keep the curtains open and enjoy the scenery.

Harbin, China

This photo was taken in 2008 in Harbin, China. Harbin is the 10th largest city in China with just under 10 million residents. Harbin is sometimes called "The Ice City," both because of the bitterly cold winters(average HIGH temperature in January is -12 C) and because of it's famous Ice Festival. Harbin's Russian influence also makes it unique and it has numerous Russian style cathedrals and an entire shopping street with European style storefronts. Harbin is a city that most travellers would overlooks, but if you plan on going to Manchuria, Harbin is a can't miss.

Kentucky Fried China

This photo was taken in 2008 in Manzhouli, China. Manzhouli is a small border town that is a few kilometers from Russia. But, while Manzhouli may uniquely have a Russian influence, it, like many other cities in China is feeling the influence of The Colonel. A new KFC is built in China everyday! The effects have yet to be fully seen, but I expect as China becomes more wealthy and more fast food places pop up, more obese people will pop up too.

Diamond Ay?

This picture was taken outside of Nha Trang, Vietnam in 2010 and pictured is my friend, Sam. We had a huge rainfall over a period of 4 days and when you get into the mountains, mudslides and falling rocks are frequent. Diamond Bay is a resort about 15 minutes outside of Nha Trang and this sign sits on the cliff face across from the entrance. As we were riding our motorbike out to Bai Dai beach, we noticed a giant boulder had slid down the mountain and crushed the B in Bay. It has since been fixed, but if you're driving through the mountains in Vietnam during rainy season, be careful!

Catholic Church in Kumamoto

This photo was taken in 2007 in Kumamoto, Japan. Despite more than half of Japanese people claiming no religion, religion plays a large part of many people's lives in Japan. While the overwhelming majority of religious Japanese adhere to Shinto, Buddhism, or a mixture of the two, Christianity has a small following in Kyushu where the first Europeans landed in 1542. The Kyushu daimyo(lords) welcomed trade with the Europeans and tolerated their proselytizing. However, when Francis Xavier tried to spread Christianity to the capital, it resulted in the ruling general, Toyotomi Hideyoshi issuing a ban on Christianity and executing 26 Franciscan missionaries in Nagasaki. The ban stood from 1597 to 1873 when the Meiji restoration gave the Japanese freedom of religion. Today Christianity is practiced by between 600,000 and 1,000,000 Japanese.

The Shack at Bai Dai

This picture was taken in September 2011 at The Shack in Bai Dai Beach, Vietnam.  The waves at Bai Dai are wind generated beach breakers and can reach 1-3 meters in the high season of October through April.

Родина-мать зовёт!

This photo was taken in 2008 by Rosie O'Neill near Manzhouli, China. The statue in the picture with me is actually a replica of a famous Russian statue called "The Motherland Calls." The title of this blog entry is the Russian name. The original statue was built in Volgograd to commemorate the Battle of Stalingrad. When it was dedicated in 1967, it was the largest sculpture in the world, standing 86 meters(284 feet) tall. The statue in the photo is obviously much smaller. You can view a picture of the original statue by clicking here.