October 24, 2015badfish

4 WAYS TO BE CAREFUL WHEN TRAVELING

THERE ARE FOUR DIFFERENT WAYS to look at the concept of “careful” when traveling. ONE: carefully observing carefully-constructed structures and artwork, meticulous in design displaying thought and attention to detail. TWO: being cautious of potential dangers around you, being prudent, guarded, protective. : THREE: doing or observing something done in a mindful fashion, unhurried, deliberate, measured. And FOUR: …um…OK, so maybe there’s only three.

  1. CAREFUL OBSERVANCE: observing carefully-constructed structures and artwork, meticulous in design displaying thought and attention to detail
Machu Picchu: Inca stones cut to fit without mortar, technique called ashlar

The Leaning tower of Abu Dhabi
The Leaning tower of Abu Dhabi

Sundown at the ruins of Pre Rup near Angkor Wat
Sundown at the ruins of Pre Rup near Angkor Wat
4 AmsCanal 5174 E
Houseboats, churches, and canal houses along the Prinsengracht, Amsterdam

2.  TRAVELING CAREFULLY:   being cautious of potential dangers around you, being prudent, guarded, protective.

1 A'dam BikeE
In Amsterdam, 50,000 to 80,000 bikes are stolen each year, most during the day.
2 AmazonBoats 6089NOsm
Piranhas, arapaimas, and black caiman lurk below in Amazon waters.
3 DiwaliNight 7538 Esm
Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, celebrates victory of light over darkness
Iguazu Falls, Argentina,
Iguazu Falls, Argentina side, “mind the gap” because you will get drenched
If it looks like a toxic caterpiller, walks like a toxic caterpiller, it is a duck
If it looks like a toxic caterpillar, walks like a toxic caterpillar, it is a duck.   If you don’t usually click photos to see a larger view, you might want to try it for this critter.

5b toxic caterpiller

This is kind of an interesting side track. I was “carefully” searching to see if I could find the name of that caterpillar, and came across this page full of toxic caterpillars and Donald Trump. It took me a while to realize he wasn’t just another toxic caterpillar.

toxicTrump 2836

3.  TRAVEL WITH MINDFULNESS:  doing or observing something done in a mindful fashion, unhurried, deliberate, measured.

Not mindful, you say? Try standing on one foot, arm to one side, foot to head, while snapping a shot---see how mindful you get.
Not mindful, you say? Try standing on one foot, arm to one side, foot above head, while snapping a shot—see how mindful you get.
This kind of mindfulness gets us through a day sometimes.
This kind of mindfulness gets us through a day in Amsterdam sometimes.
Tie your boat up carefully alongside a big boat and sell bananas you picked in Cambodia.
Tie your boat up carefully alongside a big boat and sell bananas you picked on shore in Cambodia.
Carefully lace flowers together to sell as offerings at temple, Pune, India
Carefully lace flowers together to sell as offerings to temple worshippers, Pune, India
Eid Al Fitr marks the end the Muslim holy month of Ramadan
Henna hands for Eid Al Fitr, which marks the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan

You can find other entries in the DP Photo Challenge here: Careful

You can find other entries in Lucile’s Photo Rehab here:   Photo Rehab

197 comments

  1. Beautiful henna. I recall having my hands and feet covered in henna designs for Ramadan. An all day process meant I got to chit chat with my friends and drink tea, instead of farming that day.

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  2. Wow! A feast of pics! Thanks for sharing. It also sparks my interest because of a planned trip to Machu Pichu and the Iguazu Falls early next year.

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  7. You made me click on a caterpillar. A girl doesn’t forget such things. (But on the bright side, that made me learn that it is not spelled catterpiller.)

    And what do you mean “gets us through a day in Amsterdam”? Are you there when you are not hopping around the world?

    This is a very comprehensive study 0f “careful” and let me offer the fourth definition: careful is what you make others be around you. 😀

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    • Spelling—HA! I’m glad to be of service. But you know, I have to look up many words. I do like to get them right.
      OMG…another way to be careful. Where were you when I was writing this??? Maybe that’ll be my post for next week!!!

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  8. Well, I feel like I’ve been round the world and back this morning. Beautiful post. I have a friend in Pennsylvania who does henna parties. She’s good. Makes quite a bit of money at it… Going to have to read up on the Hindu Festival of Lights. That sounds pretty cool.

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  9. These shots are AMAZING! I love his post. Really great!
    But, what? No poop?

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  10. This is totally feature worthy. Such a clever response to the challenge, but then you always deliver ‘clever’. And every single snap is magnificent. I think I hate you 😉

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  11. Very clever, entertaining, uplifting. I am a big one for being careful (you might have guessed that). Insects — though I love them, truly — are things I give a wide berth to when in other countries. Never worry about them here, for some reason. Also climbing amid rocks and cutting through slums. Great theme — hope you do more like this!

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    • Beth, yeah, you seem to be the careful kind of person…in a rebel sort of way. Glad you liked this post. I just didn’t want to write another 5,000-word drama scene! Insects…I wouldn’t have thought you loved insects. I’m a lizard lover. Insects, not so much!

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  12. An amazing array of pix each one with its own story. You really do have quite the collection! Wonderful post!

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    • Thanks A. Glad you liked them. And yes, I have a bunch of photos. But I have even more in slide format that I can’t find someone to transfer (with quality) to digital format.

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  13. Fantastic photos, Badfish. My favourites? ( In case you are interested) :
    the henna hands, the bright yellow vibrancy of the temple flowers, Divali, a delciously blurry photo that turns people into ghost like images under the festival lights, sunset somewhere near Angkor Watt …. and Iguazu Falls.

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    • Deb…you’re a funny person. With funny taste in photos. THOSE were your favorites? HA! Don’t get me wrong. I am sooo glad you like those. Because in my mind they are not great shots. The one at Machu Picchu, I think, is a cool shot. I would think people would like it best. But not you!!! So…thanks for that.

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      • I am amazed by henna’ed hands. They capture intricate art and spirituality. I’m partial to photos with people who look like ghosts. The white clothes warn by the devottees only added to the ghostly sense against a background of divali lights. Colours, colours colours, I’m a tropical girl and I love colour. Many photos I’ve seen of India have vibrant photos; I loved the bright yellow flowers. It’s only now i notice the shadow over the woman’s face, but who cares, I am drinking in Yellow. The whereabouts of Angkor Watt – I’ve always been fascinated, havent got there yet. Iguazu Falls – amazing place. Brings back memories.
        As for Maccu Piccu – “no conoces macchu piccu no conoces peru”, as they say. Or did when I was there. For various reasons, I did not get to MP although I wanted to. For a long time I regretted it, then I stopped regretting it. thus, when i see photos of Macchu Piccu, I want to see that mountain in all her green glory.
        Incredible buildings constructed by the ancients without using nails, mortor ete are a dime a dozen where I am.
        Does that make me funny? I’ve never been one to run with the crowd.

        Now look what you’ve done. You have no idea how hard it was for me to be succinct in my first comment, and now you have made me write a marathon again.Baaaadfish!

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        • OK…we’re cutting you off the caffeine RIGHT NOW, lady! MP has nothing on some of the stuff you see every day!!
          I vote for moving the Badfish and Chips Cafe to an Amsterdam houseboat (near a bridge), and chill there forever!!!

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  15. Not guilty of stealing any of those bikes. I can’t ride and I’m a terrible saleswoman. It seems I have poor taste in photos too, because the Falls is my stand out. Maybe it was just being close to the edge 🙂 But I’d happily sit on that front step. Now that’s what I call a room with a view! Have a happy week, Bad 🙂

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  16. Good morning, Baddie. Before I comment, may I have a cup of tea, please? I heard you just added the tea ceremony to the menu! Thank you.
    Shall I start? Machu Picchu…incredible photo. You could have submitted it for extraordinary as well.
    I love the carefully crafted post, and the equally careful and thoughtful selection of photos, but as I’m partial to all Amsterdam and Amazon images, I’ll not pick them. Of course Machu Picchu, Henna, Diwalli, the mindful photographer (is that you?), lace flowers, Cambodia lady and Vietnam.
    You have a great set to be featured this week. I shall just retweet your post and suggest it to WordPress. We should all do that. I need to start a campaign and call Lisa to lead it! I’m sure that Debbie and Fim will help. Desley too.
    I promise not to ask marketing advice to Trumppillar! Right?

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    • Ah, Lucille – . Mind if I sit at your table for the tea ceremony? I just tried Buckwheat Tea from Sichuan today – very rich drinking. You like some of the same photos as me ( Diwali, Henna, and Flowers) but he accused me of having bad taste!!!!!! I suspect that Baddie spent lengthy hours making that picture of trump ‘n caterpillars, uploaded it to the internet anonymously, then downloaded again, used it on his post, and said he found it on the net. ( and he says he is marking – sweesh).
      He can’t fool me.

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      • I side with you Debbie, this Trumpillar is totally made up!
        Let’s discuss that right now over this rich tea, which seems to be of a better quality than the one Baddie still didn’t serve…I’m still waiting for my order to arrive! Of course you can conclude that you have a refined taste. His reasoning is simple: he loves something so much, then he resists it and starts offending and insulting to justify his resistance. The bigger the hate the greater the love.

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          • Hey Lucille, we’d better go. Kind of you to organise a visit from Tom. Baddie and Tom would like some private moments now, I think they are going down to the bar at his basement speakeasy.
            I know another cosy little teahouse just round the corner in blogsville.
            Actually Baddie I was intending to threaten a Chippie strike if you brought that Tom character into your Cafe again – after all, whats Fish without Chips? – but now I know that Lucille called him ( see what a good friend she is ) and that the liking of Tom Selleck is all yours and not at all connected to google, I’ll forgive you. Enjoy your man moments with Tom and see you on the other side Baddie . 🙂

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          • Hey girls. I’m going to be out of town for a while, so I’ll be offline. Just so happens that Tom and I and Johnny Depp have been invited back to the Jungle Room for cigars and cognac with the ghost of Elvis. So, eat your hearts out!

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          • Say G’day to Johhnie for me. Had to help him out a while back when that Amber bought her dogs into the country and got kicked out for it. Say G’day to the Ghost too.
            And please enjoy yourself down in the Jungle Room. We will miss you. Come back home soon!

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    • Waitress! Get this woman some tea…STAT! And bring the Stevia. Wait. Let’s have the waiter do this ceremony.
      I’m so glad you like the post. I just didn’t have time to write a long piece (it took four posts for the last “one-day” trip!! Tiring. So…photos this time. I’m partial to Amsterdam, too. And of course, Tom Selleck look alikes.
      You Tweet? I’ve never done that! Don’t have an account. I’m a dinosaur!

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      • Finally! No stevia, no sugar, please!
        Maybe you should just go for shorter ones when you don’t have time. It works fine.
        I don’t know if I should tell you to use Twitter. I do but mostly read news. Not actively using it except for the blog.

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        • I would use it for the blog, but I first need to open an email account just for the blog (since I’m not using my name or personal email for the blog). And I can’t quite seem to open one!!

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          • Well, if you really want to promote it everywhere, you need to be fully dedicated to it. You would need to be actively following others, retweeting their stuff, tweeting the whole time, etc.
            it’s a different game than blogging for fun. My followers numbers grow organically which is a slower pace, but the one I can afford. If you enter in the speed lane, and you don’t reciprocate, they unfollow you. Think quantity, not quality. Those who want numbers of followers, views and likes to attract advertising, have to work very hard to get it and to keep it.
            Define who is your audience, and what you want to achieve with your blog, and then you will have your answer.
            I understand that many writers are getting audience via Twitter, but when they describe what they do, you see that they have to be super actively following others as well as tweeting. It’s a tough fans out there. You need to be prepared to play.

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  17. Kaleidoscopic selection badfish – very cool! Especially like banana lady and Amsterdam, nearly lost my breakfast when I saw that caterpillar and felt truly impressed that Google think Donald Trump is not only a caterpillar but a toxic one too! Great stuff to start Sunday 😀

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  18. You’ve certainly been to a lot of fascinating places. I was also interested to see the photograph of Donald Trump in among all those caterpillars. I can only imagine that he will climb into a garbage bag at some point and emerge two weeks later as a beautiful George Clooney.

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      • Sorry about my blog. It’s a bit of a trick to navigate around it. To leave a comment on a post you can either click on the title of the post or the word “comment” under the title, which will then take you to another page that looks much the same except that it has a comment box at the bottom. I know its a bit of a rigmarole. I don’t know why my theme doesn’t have readers jump through rings of fire while its at it. 🙂

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          • Oh, yes, the mud wrestling’s pretty good too. I know what you mean about themes, incidentally. I spent a good part of yesterday looking through new ones. Everything I saw, though, had something or other that didn’t quite suit my needs. Of course, I’m probably just being too fussy. Oh well.

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  19. I love the vicarious travel I’m doing by following your blog. The bicycle and the mindful shadow shots are special. I have a friend who lives just outside Amsterdam who told me that no-one buys expensive bicycles in Amsterdam as they just pick up one we see, leave it for someone else and so on… I did make a mental note to leave the Dawes audax at home when planning a trip to Holland.
    Having spent a great deal of time in Morocco with henna painted hands and feet (long story), and having taught many Muslim students, I have to say the henna artist of your photo is exceptionally good.

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    • I’m so glad you along for the ride, Safar.I love that many people ride bikes in Amsterdam. They are a healthy people! They even ride in the rain and don’t seem to mind. I’d mind. Morocco…that would be a cool story to hear, why not write it?

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      • Although it was an amazing experience – olives, souks, more food offered than I could eat – incredible food, Volubilis, barbary apes playing in the tree tops, playing peek-a-boo with one of the juveniles (they are wild, it took a week to get that close) given pride of place on an Arabian horse at a fantasia, feeling just a little intimidated when my tent was surrounded by local vigilantes, perhaps I shouldn’t mention the sheep killed in my honour – the story is tied up with an ex-husband I try not to think about too much. I like to move forwards, not back. Although, come to think of it, camping with apes is worth a post.

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        • and…. Safar – you really have to post about this – or write a novella, lol 🙂 A sheep killed in your honour! You have out badd-ed Badfish himself! He only has people attributing longer life spans to reading his blog, and being the illegitimate child of (blogging) gods – you have had a sheep killed in your honour!
          and riden an Arabian horse at a fantasia!
          Go Safar! You could change your name to Goodfish! 🙂 🙂 🙂

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          • I am sure Badfish is safe in his position of badness. You didn’t witness the hilarity that ensued from my horse riding skills (or lack of!) and the sound of a phrase that sounds very like ‘willy willy willy’ through lots of giggling. I was also very ungainly in my attempt to mount a Berber horse built for one of those giant warriors I write about in the Irish tales.
            Darn, you’ve made me remember the incident with a chicken now.

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          • Debbie’s right. When you out-badfish Badfish, you da man, woman!! SAFAR, SO GOOD.
            But let’s be clear about one thing…it has never been proven that I’m the illegitimate son of a god. They just didn’t finish that sentence.

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          • I do get such a good giggle when I visit here.
            Proven is such an overly rated and inappropriately used word. Nothing is ever proven, only possibly probable. I’ve yet to see the evidence of disproof of god heritage, illegitimate or otherwise. I believe the soothsayers!

            Memories of Morocco – o0h the pressure, and here I was planning a post on the zen of scything.

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          • Is the one you’re talking of have a long handle, like the one Death carries? The sythes in Bali are hand held, short handles, and short blade, maybe a foot long blade.

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    • Hey Safar 🙂 Thanks for educating Baddie on henna’ed hands. He told me I had poor taste when I said I liked that photo the best. I’m glad to hear it coming from you that I actually have a good eye for henna’ed patterns. There is a Goddess, after all!

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  20. […] BadFish found the four ways to be careful when traveling…actually just three…but he brought more than four exquisite images to demonstrate what ‘careful’ means. They range from the ingenuity of the Incas in Machu Picchu, to delicate henna hands and lace flowers sold as offerings to temple worshipers in Pune, india…I’m partial to the images of Amsterdam and the Iguazu falls, though… […]

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    • Thanks, Alison. I just didn’t want to spend so much time writing this week. My last few posts were like blogathons, over 5000 words, took forever to write, and rewrite. And choose all the photos.

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          • Ha thanks! I take that as a great compliment. The quality of your writing is not too shabby either. Seriously I’m in awe. Writing a post last night, and thinking about you writing a thousand words for one photo and I’m looking at a photo of a beautiful thermal pool we swam in and wondering how I could possible write that much about it. But – right now I realise that if I wasn’t trying to write a blog post to cover 25 or 30 photos, and took just that one photo and started writing about our time there I bet I’d easily get to 500 anyway. I think you’ve handed me an excellent exercise to get some writing juices flowing. Guess you’re not an English teacher for nothing.

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          • Hey, I wouldn’t change a thing about the way you blog, woman!! You’re who you are because you’re who you are. And people seem to like that VERY much. People admire you and your work–your photos and your writing.
            I would not use less photos in your posts if I were to choose! Your photos are worth all those words I have to write because I don’t have the photos!!

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          • Thanks. Chuckle. I wasn’t planning on any big changes. You just gave me an idea about writing. The thing is when it’s the right time for me to write plenty of words flow, and when I’m pushing the river it feels like pulling teeth to mix a metaphor or two. Sometimes it’s easy, sometimes not so much. I’ve learned to walk away when it gets too hard, just leave it alone until the words start to flow again. But I still want to try that exercise – not necessarily as a blog post, but just to see where it takes me.
            A

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  25. Well, I can’t add much more to what everyone else has already said!!! Goodness you are not a Badfish you are the “Badass” of blogging and comments and having fun with your readers! Right on! love the pics as usual!!

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  26. Thoughtful post. I think all of these involve slowing down. I tend to rush rush from one thing to the next when I travel, trying to do it all, but I feel like I would get more out of it if I slowed down enough to be careful in these varied ways.

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  33. Great tips, but I couldn’t get past that screenshot of the Google search for toxic caterpillars! A message from the universe to the American public perhaps? 😀

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  37. Did you know I had to buy tickets and was sent to the back of the line?

    I actually began reading this on October 24, when you posted it. I
    believe that the internet has reverted to the Pony Express delivery
    system…

    What? You thought I forgot about you? Bite your brain. You try getting a horse on the wifi express?

    Now, onto the important things in life. You and your blog.

    CAREFUL:

    I’ll admit that the word careful, brings to mind your second option.
    Perhaps, I’m more careful of tripping and falling type dangers than
    anything. It might be that careful observance is something that is
    inborn, part of how I experience the world around me.

    Now I’ve never been to Machu Picchu, but before I even got down to
    the ‘legend’ you had below the photograph, I knew where it was your
    lens was showing us. Architecture in general draws me in, but ruins,
    the place where there are echoes of those who came before us; those
    whose lives were played out here, seems to connect on a deeper level.

    You’re “Sundown at the ruins of Pre Rup near Angkor Wat” photograph
    is so rich in color, warm, and inviting. In fact, we’re at the time
    of year when the sun shines in on out stairs, and walls at the top,
    bringing a sense of rose colored glasses. I never tire of seeing it
    and always feel a kind of peace. Angkor Wat gives me the same sense.

    You’re second category is something I grew up with. As a native New
    York City girl, the mean streets of the city come with warning
    labels. The greatest preditor is of my own species.

    Now your little toxic caterpillar, he’s a different story. Not that I
    know of any here in our part of the world, but there’s plenty of
    toxic brother and sister beings. So, what’s the story on that little
    fellow, who, according to you is a duck… Yes, yes, I know you were
    doing a play on words there. But I did have to wonder if you were
    saying, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar? And deadly daffodils? Are
    you giving daffodils a bad name?

    As always, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed your photo journal. Did you say you were considering just hanging out in Bali from now on? Pft @ travel? *wonders how long that notion will last?*

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  39. Just back into blog land again and I would love to go and sit on that boat slowly drifting along the canals in Amsterdam and a major dream is to visit Machu Pichu so loved that detailed photo.

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  40. You said, “4 WAYS TO BE CAREFUL WHEN TRAVELING”
    Was one don’t tour Machu Picchu during a earthquake?
    You had good days in Amsterdam, me thinks.
    Thanks for the pictures.
    On traveling safety, if taking a cab in Bangkok spend the extra money and get one with four wheels. Traveling 60 miles an hour on a three wheeled scooter, weaving in and out of traffic, with a 400 pound driver, is not the best way to get across town. I lost the fried bananas from breakfast.

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    • for some reason, I just discovered your comment here, so thanks and sorry I’m late in responding. And Right…lesson learned don’t visit during an earhquake, or monsoon. I always have good days in Amsterdam!!

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  41. Beautiful set of photos all round. To me, being careful while traveling means not only looking out for your safety, but also to slow down and take in the sights around you. I absolutely love that shot of the Cambodian banana seller. She looked right at your camera…and I’m sure she was hoping you’d buy some bananas 😀

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    • For some reason, I just discovered your comment (sitting in my unapproved section???). Anyway…thanks for commenting, and you are right, the banana vendor did expect me to buy something!!

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  44. If it looks like a toxic caterpillar, walks like a toxic caterpillar, it is a duck. haha gotta give it to you! My father finally believes me that some caterpillars and centipede are toxic! I got fever once after hurriedly putting away a centipede and well read about them in college. Was fun and finally got my father to believe that yes that duck is toxic! feeww… Wonderful picture of Amsterdam! Will keep the ideas in mind when I travel.

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  45. A great collection of photos BF, and an interesting theme to tie them together. I love the screen shot of the toxic caterpillar search with Trump showing up in the mix. Not sure about the caterpillar part, but there’s no doubt that he’s toxic. In a few weeks we get to see just how toxic he is, and I’m not looking forward to it. ~James

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    • James…you know, I’d forgotten all about this post with T’s photo in with the toxic caterpillars! And you happened upon it at this moment!! more blessing for the new year all year

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