"i love this town, oh just look around,
where i am serenaded hourly,
and celebrated sourly,
and dedicated dourly"
-Joanna Newsom, Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowry

today's my last day in la paz for a while, at least until september, and that will be the last time i'm in this city for any time in the forseeable future. it was great this time, i arrived on july 15th, the first of a 3-day celebration of the city's foundation, and yesterday was the entrada universitaria (an entrada, in bolivia, is basically a big folk-dance parade that lasts at least an entire day, thought he most famous, la diablada in oruro for carnaval, lasts at least 3). it was like the city was celebrating my arrival and departure, and at the very least it was a good way to be re-introduced to the city, and a great way to celebrate my last two weeks here. i didn't take any pictures of the parades from 16 de julio (it was night), but i do have a bunch from the entrada yesterday. they're not great, but its good to at least see some of the costumes.

yes, that is a man dress up chapaco-style (a bolivian cowboy), dancing in front of a live barbecue on the back of a truck
[La Paz, Bolivia, Winter 2006]



its called the diablada for a reason. two people (its not very clear, but there are two people in this picture) dressed up like devils.
[La Paz, Bolivia, Winter 2006]


the morenada. a man in costume to the left, and the female version of the costume to the right, with the band behind them.
[La Paz, Bolivia, Winter 2006]

1500th photo

so i've had my camera now for a bit over a year, and as i was downloading my pictures yesterday afternoon, i realized that i've taken 15oo (well, now 1629) photos. for some reason, the number 1500 seemed significant, so i'm posting the picture.
it's a false door at the incan palace of pilco kaina on isla del sol. fernando cajías, el viceministro, would tell you to notice how the door is wider at the bottom than the top, how the top stones are one big stone laid across, and the stepping, in how the door is pressed into the wall.
[Pilco Kaina, Isla del Sol, Lago Titicaca, Bolivia, Winter 2006]

Two of my favorite pictures

This one was taken in the (new) cathedral in Salamanca, and actually came out well without a flash (which is surprising with my camera).
[Salamanca, Spain, Summer 2004]
A canal in Venice, but a lot more "daily life" than you usually see.
[Venice, Italy, Summer 2004]