Photos & Words

At least one photo a day

"By prostrating before a stupa, we turn our face away from our egos and toward our enlightened nature. By circumambulating—walking around the stupa in a clockwise fashion and reciting prayers—we keep the image of enlightenment at the center of our attention."

Boudhanath is a stupa in Kathmandu. Located about 11 km from the center and northeastern outskirts of Kathmandu, the stupa's massive mandala makes it one of the largest spherical stupas in Nepal.

I was back in Kathmandu last April. I had not been back for many years. I lived there of a year in 1999-2000 when I started working in international development in food-for-work project funded by the German agency for international cooperation (GTZ at that time)

The train was riding smoothly. Not too full. Only few people standing. It was difficult to tell the age of the man sitting few rows from me. he was probably younger than he looked. Scrappy beard. Worn out baseball hat. Oversize jeans. Old jacket. Metal rings to his hands. A bottle of beer half full in his right hand.

The announcement was clear. The train from Milan that we had to catch was travelling with 55 min delay. Instead of 21:15, we would (maybe) leave by after 22:00. We were in Mantova.

Piazza delle Erbe is one of the many squares in the historic center of Padua. For centuries, with Piazza della Frutta, it was the commercial center of the city. In the two squares is one of the largest markets in Italy. Unlike Piazza dei Signori, the civic theater of celebrations, Piazza delle Erbe was the site of the folk festivities. The square is dominated by the imposing Palazzo della Ragione. The area was active in pre-Roman times. By […]

The Pontifical Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua is a Roman Catholic church and minor basilica in Padova, dedicated to St. Anthony. Although the Basilica is visited as a place of pilgrimage by people from all over the world, it is not the titular cathedral of the city, a title belonging to the Cathedral-Basilica of St. Mary of Padua. The basilica is known locally as “il Santo”. It is one of the eight international shrines recognized by the Holy See. Construction of the Basilica […]

I had to take a break from Padova. I travelled last week and did not have the street photos from Padova with me. This is where I left it last week. I am sitting on a marble bench in downtown Padova. I wanted to sit after having walked the whole morning. I sit and feel my back stretching. I sip some water from my flask. People walk around me. Some eat an icecream. Others are […]