Other Week: Day 9

Original Post: Ledesmo Does Lunch
Date: January 26, 2010 at 10:12 AM 

When I was working in the flooded forests of the Rio Ucayali in the mid-1980's (see Umberto Pacaya and Grias Predated), lunch in the field would usually involve fariña (the coarse, toasted meal of cassava), several (large) spoonfuls of sugar, and enough water from the river to get the mixture to the right consistency. Known in Brazil and Peru as "xibe", this simple, midday carbohydrate fix is eaten throughout lowland Amazonia. You mix the whole thing up in the plastic bowl that you brought to the field specifically for this purpose - or you just use your hardhat - and carve a little spoon out of a piece of wood. Ledesmo, one of the field assistants, demonstrates the proper technique for slurping down xibe in the image above. [NOTE: Bunch of things to notice in this photo: the bags of fariña and sugar in the bottom of the boat, the collecting pole (see Herbarium Specimens), the beautiful paddle carved from remo caspi (Aspidosperma excelsum Benth.). Christine and Miguel helped with the spelling of "xibe" - or maybe "xibê" (thx, guys)].

Other Week: Day 8

Original Post: My Office
Date: April 28, 2009 at 9:14 AM

 

Nothing more than a slow spin in my office chair with a video camera. Look for the Burmese mala, the Sonic Youth photo, my orange NYBG cap, the old header for "thus i have seen", and the postcard of the Tibetan flag. Sorry about the mess. [NOTE: Music is by Amiina]. 

Other Week: Day 7

Original Post: Pétanque
Date: March 27, 2012 at 10:40 AM  

N18°11.664'
E104°38.346' 

A triptych of images from an ill-fated pétanque set in Lak Sao in which my team failed to score any points in three different games. Image above shows Bansa (see Training in Lak Sao) throwing out his first boule. [NOTE: Bansa is wearing a lovely Hawaiian shirt].

Boules aligned around the cochonnet, or jack. Note that the two engraved boules, belonging to the opposing team, are the closest to the jack.

Scorekeeper slides the opposing team's scale to 3 as the round finishes. My team is still at zero. We stayed at zero the whole game. [NOTE: It was not entirely my fault.]. 

Other Week: Day 6

Original Post: Camera Shy
Date: January 26, 2009 at 9:07 AM

This little guy had good handwriting and was really careful recording the data from the forest inventory.  Very serious and focused...until he saw me with the movie camera. [NOTE: I am continuing the retrospective in this category for one more week].

Other Week: Day 5

Original Post: Kachin Portrait
Date: October 15, 2009 at 11:46 AM

Not much to say about this image.  Its early afternoon on the Ledo Road and this Kachin woman is carrying a huge basket of firewood. She is also shyly tickled that I am taking her picture. [NOTE: I really like this shot]. 

[NOTE2: Happy Memorial Day to everyone. I will probably continue my "Other Week" posts next week. Still so much great stuff to re-visit].

Other Week: Day 4

Original Post: Forbidden City
Date: October 14, 2008 at 4:47 PM

 

Sprawling over 72 hectares in the middle of Beijing, China, the Forbidden City is the largest palace complex in the world.  This awe-inspiring collection of over 980 wooden structures from the Ming Dynasty was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987.  It is easy to spend an entire day exploring the buildings and courtyards of the Forbidden City and fantasizing about the life and times of the Chinese Emperor.   It is not so easy to exit the complex at closing time on a Saturday afternoon (thx, Zhang).

Other Week: Day 3

Original Post: Street Food in Chetumal
Date:February 22, 2009 at 4:23 PM

 

The city of Chetumal in Quintana Roo, Mexico is the entry point to the Selva Maya (see Selva Maya, Selva Maya II, Selva Maya III, and Selva Maya Interrupted).  Lot of delicious food available on the street at night.  The elotes smeared with mayonaise, queso fresco, and chili powder are my favorites. [NOTE: In spite of what the lady said, the chili habanero powder was - of course - killer hot.]

Other Week: Day 2

Original Post: Riding Attire
Date: July 10, 2011 at 5:26 AM

 

I am fascinated by what women in Central Vietnam wear when they ride a motorcycle. There are numerous variations to this look, but the basic ensemble is illustrated by the young woman in Dong Ha shown above. Starting with the lower inset: 

Shiny, black high-heeled shoes are common footwear.

With brightly colored woolen, or thick cotton, gloves and a flashy golden purse with a lot of sparkles. And for headgear:

A black, Nike helmet over a floppy cotton, preferably pastel-colored,  hat with a protective face mask (calico print with blue trim, in this case) and then a pink scarf wrapped around to cover face and neck. It is important to note that it is blazing hot in Quang Tri province right now. [NOTE: I was told that women wear all of this stuff because they don't want to get sunburned. Probably also adds a certain degree of protection in case of a fall. Haven't figure out the adaptive significance of the high-heeled shoes, yet].

Other Week: Day 1

Original Post: Mandalay Express
Date: September 18,  2008 at 9:19 AM

[NOTE: Time to get back to the Retrospective. In reviewing this category, I notice that there are 415 posts. May take more than 5 days. I like the various implications of the descriptor "Other Week"]. 

After finishing the rattan survey in the Hukaung Valley (see Hukaung Valley Rattan Survey), we arrived at Myitkyina to learn that our flight to Yangon had been canceled and that no planes would be available in the near future. Our flight from Bangkok to New York was in four days. For lack of any better options, we decided to traverse the 919 miles from Myitkyina to Yangon by train.  We bought our tickets, got blessed by a Buddhist monk, and then wobbled and lurched and squirmed for almost 48 hours.

[NOTE: Music (local pop) was playing the entire trip - all night and all day.  They never turned the lights out in the cars for security reasons. The springs kept popping out of the cushion of my seat.]

In The Tunnel

The tropical montane forest and desert houses in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory at The New York Botanical Garden are connected by an underground tunnel. The Garden has recently installed large light panels presenting the work of six scientists in this space. My work is displayed in one of these (shown rather obliquely above). [NOTE: That's Dr. Michael J. Balick, Vice President of Botanical Science and Director of the Institute of Economic Botany (where I work) taking a picture].