Let There be Light at the Edge of Darkness - Los Angeles Travel Photographer

Dark clouds rolling,
angry waves crashing,
making every sound louder than the last one.

The bright daylight that was omnipresent a second ago rapidly diminished, receding farther into the horizon. Only glimpse of rays peeked from time to time through the cracks that the clouds occasionally failed to seal up.

I remember this scene vividly as if it was yesterday. We were on the west coast of Noto Peninsula in Japan, en route to Wajima city.

The recent earthquake on the New Year’s day in Japan brought unfathomable devastations to the area, Wajima being the hardest hit - roads ruptured, buildings toppled, houses reduced to debris, and lives, lives that were forced to come to a screeching halt, alive, lost or unaccounted for …

My heart aches for the many that are displaced, not knowing where their loved ones are and dealing with no water or power, and no shortage of harsh winter weather.

I pray that this image would offer an ounce of comfort in that there is light at the edge of darkness, because with light, there is hope.

“Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.”
— Desmond Tutu

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Viva, Mexico! - Los Angeles Travel Photographer

Five years ago in Mexico city, Jose, in his sarcasm, described how only the modern development collapsed in the (infamous) 1985 earthquake, and all historical buildings stayed intact.  Back then, it was fun to laugh it off.  

Today, my heart wrenched at the sight of loss, fear and agony when the earthquake stroke central Mexico again, exactly 32 years from the last one.

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I met this boy in the historical centro part of Mexico City.  I so wished that there will be no more separation nor loss due to natural or human-inflicted disasters.    

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Paradise, lost... - Los Angeles Travel Photographer

This medieval town stole my heart.  Yes, it took a hair-raising journey to get there. Yet, in a matter of two days, I was in love.

I was in love with being waken up by the melodious sound of the sheep jingling by our window in the morning, the galloping horses grazing in a scenery that can only come from a set in a movie, the mountains that move in lines that dance, and the mystical play of light and the ever-rolling-and-ever-dispersing clouds...  

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On the morning of our departure, when I put away my camera one final time and turned around, tears rolled down my cheeks.  I thought I was sad from the good-bye.  My heart longed to come back to be close to this paradise again, soon.

Two weeks ago, when the earthquake struck central Italy, I was in a country with restricted access to news in the world.  When I finally got back to free land, my heart trembled at what had happened - The town was reduced to rubble (in face, the ground is now as much as two feet lower), the already difficult road was shaken to be almost impossible to drive on, and the Apennine Mountain surrounding the Grand Plane (Piano Grande) showing crack line running across it.  

Castelluccio di Norcia, may you rise above the shambles and be rebuilt with more charm in your heart.  May your people stay strong and, hello, horses and sheep of this beautiful land, may you stay safe and resilient in the sub-zero temperatures.  I wish to see you all again soon, in the town that appears to be perched above the cloud!    

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