Little Buddha

A carving from Baodingshan, in China.  I unfortunately can't remember which wall I found this little guy on, and there's not enough to reference in the background for a cross-check on the interwebs.  But judging by his blissfully devotional countenance, I think he is not, for example, from the section of the relief which depicts the "Hells of Excrement and Impaling."

The Remains of the Day

Bonfire, dying.

Ich Bin Ein

The Berlin Cathedral, juxtaposed with an Epcot-ish, 60s vision of future-modern architecture, the Fernsehturm, a television tower which is the tallest structure in Germany.  In the sunlight, a cross forms on the sphere- thus it is known colloquially as "the Pope's Revenge" (blahblah, secular democratic Germany, blahblah can't supress the power of jesus, shining forth from your devil tower, blahblah).

Chimney Sweep

DN rocking a rare bolted chimney called, aptly enough, Sport Chimney in Red Rocks, NV.  This was actually the first chimney I've led (they're not too common on the east coast, and those that do occur aren't usually longer than a few moves).  It was a funny one, mentally, because the bolts were pretty far apart and you would start to think "man, this is kinda run out, i'm getting nervous..." and then you would remember that all you have to do is lean back on the opposite wall and you ain't never going nowhere.  Ass-cam.

Still, I don't think I'll ever be one to sing the praises of chimney or off-width climbing.  One of the things I like most about this sport is the spread-out freedom and elegance (well, elegant when it's going well, at least...) of the movements on the wall.  Being confined in a chimney or off-width is inherently limiting, and there is a tendency towards thrashing or having to repeat the same small moves over and over as you shuffle your way up.  Plus, if you get into the harder off-widths, it seems to often result in the voiding of various bodily fluids, whether in fear or effort.

Ent-tricate

A Tolkien-esque, Treebeardy sort of pine on the north rim of Yosemite valley.

Sherpa (Pre-)Craft, Three

A Sherpani uses a rather spindly spindle to coil some freshly spun yak-fur yarn, in a Namche side street.

Behind her are signs for two of the many, many tourist-oriented amenities in the town- massage for weak, weary, western muscles, and a salon to rid oneself of one's mountain (wo)man-ity.

Sherpa Craft, Two

The Om Mani Padme carved into a defunct yak horn, near Khumjung.

Sherpa Craft, One

A Buddhist ceremonial horn, found in the Sherwi Khangba Sherpa Culture Museum above Namche Bazaar.

Newsies

R on Orange Oswald, an extremely awkward 5.10a, Summersville, New River Gorge.  She's past the crux here, and cruising onto the comfortable chicken-head holds at the top.

Floodwaters

DN on Hat Change, 5.10d, the only moderate available on the Whippoorwill crag, down in the New River Gorge.  Just around the corner from this line is an array of sub-11s that would have been just perfect for a chill last day.  We took a gamble coming here and lost- the lake she rises fast in spring and there was a ~5ft deep stretch of water between us and the rest of the climbs.  Took a few laps on this (and CB took a burn on what looked to be a very shitty 4-bolt 12a) and then hopped back in the car.  Ah, well.

Also, on the approach I fell on my bum in the mud.  Badass.

Angular Light

Shadowplay in the I.M. Pei-designed (as though you couldn't tell) exhibition hall, of the Deutsches Historiches Museum in Berlin.  I am a firm believer in letting light do the heavy lifting when it comes to architecture- it lends a dynamic, organic quality; a sense of slow, dignified movement within what would otherwise seem (to us mortals) an almost eternal monolith.  And Pei was a master.

Apparently he would only agree to design a small building integrated into the existing museum, as he did not want to distract from the surrounding architecture.

Helping Hands

The thousand-armed Avalokitesvara, or Guanyin in Chinese, the mythological Bodhisattva of Compassion who requested and received 1,000 hands in order to save all sentient life.  Baodingshan, near Dazu, China.