3,2,1 Start Your… Sailboats?
Location: Indonesia
Camera info: Fuji Finepix A303 / Automatic Point & Shoot
ISO 100 • f 7 • 1/350 sec
Even on a semi-deserted island in the middle of nowhere, you can’t get away from sports! On a trip to Indonesia, I visited one island that only took ten minutes to walk from one shore to the other. There was a village on the island, and the people were excited to have tourists visit them and learn about their culture. They showed us everything they could think of, including one of their favorite pastimes – sailboat racing!
The rules were pretty simple: sail out to a certain island a good distance away, make a loop around it, and come back before anyone else. Oh yeah, and don’t dump yourself and the boat into the ocean in the meantime! Easier said than done. Several of the men from our tour group hopped in the boats with the locals to give it a try. At least we gave the islanders a laugh! They lined up to watch our guys attempt to maneuver those big sails (or, in some cases, just bail water as fast as they could while the “experts” steered). Either way, whether from shore or on the ocean, we all had a good time.
Sailboat racing is actually a very popular sport around South Asia. There are championships and boating clubs & associations in some countries. Others, like our islander friends, just have informal competitions to connect with their communities. No matter what the community or sport, it seems that competition is part of human nature. Just try and beat that!
What is your community’s favorite sport? Does taking part make you more connected with them?
Asia’s Darkest Day
Location: India
Camera info: Fuji Finepix A303 / Automatic Point & Shoot
(No EXIF data available)
I’m feeling nostalgic today. It’s not because this week’s pick is black and white, either. It’s just the story behind it that still means a lot to me.
This picture was taken the summer of 2004. Our group took a three-day vacation to the beaches of Chennai to relax and get some sun. The whole time we were there, merchants would walk the beach and try to sell us things. 🙄 Some made it a point to come by every day and spend time with us. The lady in the picture with the cloth was one of them. There was also an older gentlemen who had hand-carved stone sculptures of different sizes. They each spoke multiple languages, as they needed them to keep up with the different tourists that came by the beach. English was one language they were very familiar with, though they had not yet learned to read. Some of our group got the idea to give them some English papers we had with us in exchange for discounts on their items. They were excited for the trade, because they could practice better with them. In the meantime, I sat and talked with the two as they crisscrossed the beach every day. When it was time for us to leave, they seemed sad to see us go. The man even gave me a gift – a tiny granite carving of a turtle that he had made himself. It was small enough to go on a necklace. Awwww!
In time, I went back to the USA. I put the carving in a safe place and didn’t think of it much until a few months later. I was visiting family for Christmas and saw the news: a giant tsunami had hit eastern India. 😮 Chennai was right in the path of the waves, and much of the coast was devastated. The reports said many were killed, but some escaped. I had no way of knowing if my merchant friends had made it out or not. I wanted to jump on the next plane to India and help out (my visa was still good for another week or so), but school and work requirements made that impossible. I was left not knowing, and still don’t know what happened to them. But I treasure that little turtle carving now, and keep it as a reminder that I should make the most of life and my relationships, because I never know what tomorrow may bring.
Have you ever had a moment that reminded you to treasure your relationships? Where were you during the 2004 tsunami and how did it affect you?
Surprising Hidden Crosses Around the World
Location: Japan
Camera info: Fuji Finepix A303 / Automatic Point & Shoot
ISO 100 • f 7 • 1/1000 sec
In celebration of all the ice and snow outside my house, I’m thinking warm thoughts this week. A sunny beach in Japan is just the ticket! Yet, I was surprised to find this simple cross so prominently displayed in a nation that’s primarily Shinto, Buddhist, and secular. It’s not the only time I’ve heard of crosses in strange places, however. Here’s a few of my favorites:
- A cross hidden in a Buddhist statue, also from Japan. Usually this country is not known for persecuting Christians, but there have been times in its history when this occurred. Hidden symbols such as this one are more common in other nations, where religious freedom has not been realized.
- In the USA, the crosses are not so hidden. If you have traveled down I-70 through Illinois, you may have passed a nearly 200-foot giant white cross in Effingham. Another builder has made similar (though smaller) crosses throughout Tennessee next to adult bookstores, likely to deter potential customers. Finally, a former Marine and Methodist minister, Bernard Coffendaffer, built a series of three crosses along highways in 29 states. After his death, they were adopted by local people and churches for regular maintenance.
- Two of my favorite stories are conspiracy theories. One involves the Burj al Arab (Tower of the Arabs) hotel, the largest building in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). The British architects were accused of intentionally making it the shape of a cross, though it was supposed to look like a sailboat. Several rumors have circled around this controversy. Since you can only see the cross by looking at the building from the water, I heard photos from that angle were not allowed (though there are plenty available online). Also, some claimed that license plates featuring a drawing of the hotel were banned. This rumor was never verified. So is this really the world’s largest Christian cross, as some claim? Or is it just another theory designed to stir people up? I would love to hear your thoughts!
- The last “hidden cross” I found is a tourist attraction in Berlin, Germany. The Fernsehturm (TV Tower) was built in 1965-1969 as the tallest structure in the former German Democratic Republic (GDR). The socialist authorities that build the tower wanted it to be a symbol of the GDR’s strength during the Cold War. However, the atheistic leaders were surprised to discover that every day as the sun hit the tower’s pinnacle, a sparkling cross would appear. Even when the dome was treated with special paints and chemicals, they could not get it to go away. West Berliners nicknamed it Rache des Papstes (the Pope’s Revenge).
Ok, now it’s your turn! Have you ever discovered a hidden symbol that gave you hope? What about laughter? Did you see Jesus in a potato chip? Share your story in the comments.
Pictures Around the World 
