random

random
Originally uploaded by ryan linke

i saw many random things happening in india and this was one of them. people enjoyed the cat in the fridge picture and i thought this was in the same genre.

life

life
Originally uploaded by ryan linke

an old woman prays in the backround, while a little kid enjoys the simple things. a beautiful moment in a very special place. this picture was taken at the main temple in mcleod ganj, home of the dalai lama and the exiled tibetan government. this truly is an international community where people from all over the world come to learn about and observe tibetan culture.

split seconds

split seconds
Originally uploaded by ryan linke

in india things just happen right in front of you. this boy ran up to me and held this bird up. i reached into my bag and pulled out my camera. he stood still waiting for me to take the picture. of course he didnt know i had a camera in my bag but he must have known that this image would last in my mind. it was if he was saying "dont forget me." after i took the photo he gave me one last glance and ran off. he never asked me for anything which is where with the steet kids.
this was in bangalore, a place that is dubbed the "silicon valley" of the east. this city is one of the most high tech cities in the world hosting many call centers for big US corporations. the visual dichotomies kept me asking, "how can a city with so much technology and western influence have so much poverty?" there are so many kids on the street that seem to have no chance, no future. the western gears are grinding against the gears of the 3rd world. how will this city react to the rapid change and growing wealth, i hope these kids will not be left out of the new picture.

cool cat

cool cat, originally uploaded by ryan linke.

this is why i love traveling. i love seeing things that are different to me, but normal to others. its not everyday i see a cat hanging out in the fridge, but at this restaraunt on ko phi phi island its an everyday happening. the people at the restaraunt didnt understand why i was taking a picture. the next day i came back and gave them a copy of the print, they were stoked.

games, the international language

, originally uploaded by ryan linke.

games offer a chance at an international language. they cross countries, borders, and time zones. the same game can be played with twists all over the world, developed a little different through the course of time.
maybe the roots of my interests began at the card room that i worked in for three years. all the characters, the personalities. the common game was poker, and often the table was very diverse. old guys, college kids. white, black, asian, english speaking, spanish speaking, the card room was diversity.
as i continue my travels i am watching for games and their variety. i saw these guys in bangkok playing a varied version of backgammon that was very interesting, and it seemded like the satkes were. instead of rolling on the board they qould throw the dice into a small bowl, the sound of the dice matched the action. i usually stand and watch for a little trying to figure out the little twists and turns that make their version unique.
yesterday i walked past an intense card game where cash was the language. it looked some kind of blackjack but icouldnt quite figure it out. the currency was baht and money was changing hands very quickly. i tried to take some pictures, but the guys said no because of the illegality of gambling in bangkok. its usually a good idea to respect the wishes of the locals, especially when they are in front of a muay thai training facility.
to see more pictures of games throughout the world please follow the link http://www.flickr.com/photos/themissinglinke/sets/72157606089091579/

sleeping dogs lye

sleeping , originally uploaded by ryan linke.

sometimes it gets so hot that all you can do is sleep.

goa

, originally uploaded by ryan linke.

i had a real good time in goa. i met a lot of good people and enjoyed the sounds of the beach. soccer is huge there, which is not the case in most of india. i played a couple games on the beach and kicked the ball around pretty much everyday with the local kids.

trash sunset

trash sunset, originally uploaded by ryan linke.

its really sad what's happened to the indian landscape. there is trash everywhere. this was such a beautiful place destroyed by litter. the worst part about it is that there is no infrastructure to handle all the trash. sometimes in the cities you walk for blocks looking for a trash can to throw something away and you usually never find one. i feel bad about my impact because as a foreigner i have to drink bottled water and this is a large portion of the problem. boiling water is not always a reasonable option and in the cities you really have no choice. hopefully within the next 10 years some one will invest in recycling and waste management.

village ball

village ball, originally uploaded by ryan linke.

while in ooty i went on two separate treks through the country side. it was a great experience for me. i walked about 40 km in two days and by the end of the second day my legs felt like rubber. on the second trek we came upon a small hindu village where the kids invited us to play soccer. two out of the four side of the field had a ledge so every time the ball went off the ledge they sent some kid running and the game would pause for five minutes. i kept calling it a T.V. timeout which they all found pretty funny. village ball was good times, i quickly became a local legend because i had a hat trick. this was fun for me and i could tell the kids really enjoyed it.

banana plantations

Originally uploaded by ryan linke

i rented a bicycle in hampi and just cruised around taking in the amazing landscapes. huge boulders stacked on top of each other formed from millions of years of erosion. layered within these rocks are several banana plantations. i happened to pass by one that was harvesting. these women kept coming out of the plantation, beautifully dressed in colorful saris with amazing smiles. they asked me to take a picture of them. i found out later that most of the workers receive 100 rupees a day which is equivalent to 2.50$.
as the price of food rises globally i can not help but think of these women who rise with the sun everyday and work in the plantations so other people can eat. it is often the farmer/laborer who can not afford the crop that they work so hard to harvest. they work in the blistering heat so we can eat, and they are often forgotten. when i got back to the city i went to a market where many people were selling bananas, i could not help but think about the labor and effort that went into getting the food into the cities.

Protests in Bangaluru

This picture was taken in Bangaluru during a street protest/demonstration. Most of the participants were Tibetan monks and students who have taken refugee in India. The situation in Tibet has been put on the International stage with the Beijing Olympics around the corner. The Dalai Lama has accused the Chinese government of cultural genocide and is urging the United Nations to investigate China's actions in Lhassa. I am hopiung that the conflict will end peacefully, but for now the tensions remain high.

Bangaluru

Alarmingly the price of food around the globe has gone up 40% in the past year. This has left a large percentage of the world unable to afford basic food such as rice, bread, and grains. By examining the global markets i am hoping to create a dialogue which will inspire change. Our systems are obviously flawed when a large percentage of the world can not afford rice and bread!

Asia's largest slum

Flying into Bombay offered this view of Asia's largest slum. According to Lonely Planet the annual economic turnover in the slum is $650 million. Many of the products manufactured in the slums are exported. Flying in from above all i could think about was "organized confusion." India is a land of dichotomies so the fact that Asia's largest slum exists in one Indias richest cities did not surprise me.

Jodhpur

Jodhpur is in the Northwest state of Rajasthan. This Ancient city was built along one of the far east's most used trading routes. The city was built off profits from opium and dates. If you were not interested in buying opium or dates then you would have to pay a tax for passing through. it makes sense that they were able to flourish!