Travel Photo Roulette #81: The Face of a Nation

One of the things that has made our travels so rewarding has been far and away the people we have met along the way. As we have said before, the people are the places, a credo we believe is frequently reflected in our photographs.
Travel Photo Roulette 81
**UPDATED** We have our winner! Click through and/or scroll down past our examples to find out who we thought shot the best face of a nation! Thanks to everyone who entered, we’re really happy with the great response!

True to the travel plans we revealed in our last post, we have been madly darting around Europe. Between catching up with old friends, making new ones, and trying to squeeze the very most out of these last few weeks of traveling, we’ve barely had time to catch our breaths (on average, we’re clocking 10 – 12 hours per day outside wandering around). Despite settling into a much slower pace of travel while in Asia, we’ve had to crank the dial up to 11 here in Europe and have been rocketing through countries at something that surely approaches warp speed: in the past 3 weeks, we’ve set foot in 5 different cities in 3 different countries and have 4 more cities and 2 more countries to fit in before we head home. It’s been exhilarating AND exhausting, but we figure we can sleep when we’re dead/back in Toronto in July (same difference?).

As we anticipated, we have been so busy actually traveling and playing tourists here in Europe that we have not had time to write any proper blog posts since arriving back in the western hemisphere. However, just before leaving Sri Lanka, we entered a photo into the latest installment of the long-running series, Travel Photo Roulette. The last round was hosted by Backpack Me and the theme was “Mouthwatering”… how could we pass up the opportunity to share a food photo?!?

Well, we couldn’t, obviously. And in a surprise twist, we actually won! Here was our winning photo, taken in Tainan, Taiwan. Just looking at it now brings tears to our eyes and drool to our mouths—as much fun as we’re having eating all the bread, pasta & cheese here in Europe, we REALLY miss Asian food. Looking back, we DEFINITELY didn’t eat enough dumplings…

Vegetarian dumplings Taiwan

As the winners of the last round, it is now our honor to host Round 81. After putting on our thinking caps, we’ve decided the next theme will be:

THE FACE OF A NATION

One of the things that has made our travels so rewarding has been far and away the people we have met along the way. As we have said before, the people are the places, a credo we believe is frequently reflected in our photographs. For me especially, our trip has reminded me that of all the types of photography I love to do, there is no subject I enjoy more than people, and no style I like better than an honest & true portrait. As we look back at the thousands of photos we’ve taken in our years traveling (!), it’s always the ones of the people we have met that bring me back the most to the places we have visited along the way.

For this week’s theme, I’d like to see your favorite portraits you’ve taken in your own travels, the ones that transport you & your viewers into the heart of specific country or city. I know it’s hard for a single person to encapsulate an entire country, but I want to see pictures where the face of the person not only tells a story, but takes me on a journey as well. From New York Cabbies to Spanish Nuns to Filipino Fishermen, show me your pictures of a person that best represent a specific country to you, the photo that you couldn’t have taken anywhere else on the planet and that immediately carries your viewers to another place. Traditional portraits are, of course, welcome, but feel free to be creative & unconventional in terms of your interpretation of the brief. (However, I’m not looking for a crowd images here, but rather photos where one or two people are the stars of the shot!)

To help you get inspired, here are a few examples from our own travels:

Ghostly & graceful, is there any sight more iconic to Japan than that of the geisha/geiko who flit through Kyoto’s Gion district?
When we think back on Cambodia, we immediately remember the MANY MONKS we met along the way, nearly all of them willing to thoughtfully speak to us about the struggles their country has faced. Their perpetual smiles are a reminder that no matter the challenges Cambodia has faced, it’s people remain unbroken and hopeful for a better future.
And who can forget the incredible people of Bali, Indonesia, decked out in crisp white udeng (headbands) and always with a joyous, betel-stained smile on display?
Don’t be afraid to share playful portraits either! If our many months in Vietnam taught us anything, it’s that the locals love little more than iconic hats worn without any sense of irony and a mid-afternoon nap…

To enter the Photo Roulette leave a comment below with a link to the photo you’d like to submit. All photos will be included in this post and we’ll update it to reflect new entries and the winner, who will host the next round. Don’t forget to send along a caption for the photo sharing the special story behind your image!

Submissions are closed! We have our winner!

THE WINNER

maddie

Congrats to Maddie @ Two For the Road! Though it was a hard choice (thanks to everyone for their great submissions!), I finally settled on this photo. The composition is great, the lighting is perfect and the contrast of her blue clothing on the warm colors of the surrounding buildings is really nice. There are a lot of technical things working together really well here, but what it boils down to is that it’s a great photo of an interesting person taken at just the right moment, and it really gives me a sense of place that would be missing if any element were changed. Great job Maddie!

CONTEST OVERVIEW

The contest rotates through travel/photography blogs, so the winner of the previous round of Travel Photo Roulette hosts the subsequent round on their own blog. The new host then chooses the next theme (a generic keyword or phrase) and people submit their interpretations of the theme over the course of the week of the contest.

At the end of the week, the hosting blogger chooses their favorite photo from the submissions and displays it as the week’s winning entry. They then include direction to the new host for the next round. Readers can attempt to sway the author into picking a certain photo via comments, but the author can ignore comments as they see fit. The game is repeated with the winner hosting the following week’s game and choosing a phrase for new photo submissions.

Feel free to share this article on Facebook, Twitter, G+ and StumbleUpon so more people can join the contest. The more the merrier!

GUIDELINES:

– One submission per blog, so sites that have 2+ authors only get one entry.
– Post processing is permitted, but photo altering (ie. using Photoshop) is not.
– Abstract submissions welcomed as long as it fits within the interpretation of the chosen phrase. Remember, the hosting blogger chooses the winner, so if they cannot understand the submission, you might not win!
– Please try and keep your images medium-sized and web-optimized.
– If you win, keep these in mind when choosing a new theme:
– Keep phrases general so that all bloggers can participate. Specific items like “Eiffel Tower” should be avoided but rather made open-ended like “monuments.” For variety, it is okay to say focused things such as “monuments at night” which most of us have pictures of. Phrases can be generic ‘signs’, or abstract ‘religion’
– Abstract thoughts are appreciated, but keep it within the realm that all readers will understand. No “Kafka-esque”, or “Overlooking Creation”. Use something that is able to be interpreted by all
– After 1 year, phrases can be reused, however new photos must be submitted.
– No obscene pictures or phrases allowed. Suggestive phrases and photography can be accepted, but please keep it within reason.
– Keep the ideas and photos fresh!
– Pictures from your entire portfolio are fair to submit. You do not have to take the photo within the week of the contest period to submit it.
– Most importantly, all photographs must be your own.
– One last rule, since this is a competition for travel and photography bloggers, you must have a travel/photography blog to enter. Sorry!

HOW TO ENTER:

Travel Photo Roulette #81: THE FACE OF A NATION!

To enter in the Photo Roulette competition simply leave a comment below with a link to the image (whether Flickr, Picasa or your own site) and we will upload it to this post. Don’t forget to provide a brief description or caption for the photo so the viewers can get a little background as to what’s happening.

Check back here through the week to see all the entries as they come in – feel free to comment on them. The contest runs for 7 days from now, with the submission date being June 13-June 20, 2014 (Friday through Friday). We will announce the winner within the next few days after the deadline, and they will host round 82.

PREVIOUS WINNERS:

This is a list of all the previous winners and themes. Click the host’s link to go directly to that entry to see some fab photographs.

1. Nov 2010 Living the Dream Animals

2. Nov 2010 Skinny Backpacker Road Signs

3. Nov 2010 Dream a Little Dream Street Art

4. Dec 2010 Flashpacker HQ Festival

5. Dec 2010 Over Yonderlust Landmarks

6. Dec 2010 Don’t Ever Look Back Beaches

7. Jan 2011 ThePlanetD Portraits

8. Jan 2011 Travel with a Mate Motion

9. Jan 2011 Johnny Vagabond Water

10. Feb 2011 Ken Kaminesky Urban

11. Feb 2011 Travels of Adam Friday Night

12. Mar 2011 Itchy Feet Chronicles The Journey

13. Mar 2011 Brendan’s Adventures Changing Seasons

14. Apr 2011 Shutterfeet Storytelling

15. Apr 2011 10 Times One Piousness

16. Apr 2011 Beached Eskimo Learning

17. May 2011 Travel Junkies Architecture

18. Jun 2011 Destination World Transportation

19. Jun 2011 Living the Dream Paradise

20. Jun 2011 Vagabond Quest Clothes

21. Jul 2011 The Unframed World Symmetry

22. Jul 2011 Beached Eskimo Home

23. Jul 2011 BackPackerBanter Inspiration

24. Aug 2011 WanderingTrader Darkness

25. Aug 2011 Finding the Universe Tranquillity

26. Sep 2011 Fearful Adventurer Food

27. Sep 2011 Adventures of a GoodMan City

28. Oct 2011 Globe-Trekking.com Reflections

29. Oct 2011 Scene With A Hart Framing

30. Nov 2011 Vagabond Quest Silhouettes

31. Nov 2011 Hecktic Travels Music

32. Dec 2011 Globetrotter Girls Love

33. Dec 2011 Man on the lam Humor

34. Jan 2012 My Walkabout Winter

35. Jan 2012 The Art of Slow Travel Blue

36. Feb 2012 Ten times One Depth of the Field

38. Mar 2012 Nomadbiba Sunshine

39. Mar 2012 Travel With Kat Local Character

40. Apr 2012 The Travel Bunny Street Scene

41. Apr 2012 Adventure Crow Spirit of the Country

42. May 2012 Food Travel Bliss Evening

43. May 2012 Matt Gibson Adventure

44. May 2012 Flashpacker HQ Once In A Lifetime

45. Jul 2012 Skinny Backpacker Surreal

46. Aug 2012 2away Smile

47. Aug 2012 Bridges and Balloons Excellent Splendour of the Universe

48. Sep 2012 The GypsyNester What the ?!

49. Oct 2012 Runaway Juno Sweet

50. Nov 2012 GQ Trippin Play

51. Nov 2012 Life’s Little Victories Friendship

52. Dec 2012 Breakaway Backpacker Face

53. Jan 2013 Fly, Icarus, Fly Serendipity

54. Feb 2013 Travel Transmissions Lost in Thought

55. Feb 2013 Wanderlusters The Natural World

56. Mar 2013 Travel Junkies Patterns

57. Apr 2013 Living the Dream Your First Time

58. May 2013 Getting Stamped The Sun Goes Down

59. Jun 2013 The GypsyNester Cheesy Tourist Diversions

60. Jun 2013 Boomeresque Revolution

61. Jul 2013 Breakaway Backpacker Colorful

62. Aug 2013 Around This World Mountains

63. Aug 2013 Passports and Pamplemousse Hands at Work

64. Sep 2013 TurtlesTravel Dance

65.Sep 2013 Keep calm and travel The Sea

66 Sep 2013 Travel Photo Discovery The Market

67. Oct 2013 Am I Nearly There Yet? Travel Fails

68. Oct 2013 The GypsyNester Weird Regional Foods

69. Nov 2013 Sophie’s World Trees

70. Nov 2013 SHOuTography Party

71. Dec 2013 Adventures of a Goodman Ruin

72. Dec 2013 Have Blog Will Travel Light

73. Jan, 2014 This World Rocks Crowds

74. Jan, 2014 Travel Past 50 Competition

75. Feb 2014 The Working Traveller Working

76. Mar 2014 Travels with Carole Umbrellas

77. Apr 2014 Independent Travel Help Quirky

78. Apr 2014 Quit Job Travel World Statues

79. May 2014 Nomad is Beautiful People Sleeping

80. May 2014 Backpack Me Mouthwatering

81. May 2014 20 Years Hence The Face of A Nation


Dec. 6, 2022: Due to an error I don’t have the time to figure out, the uploaded submissions had to be removed from this page. Thanks for understanding.

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79 comments Leave a comment

  1. Dear Tony, thanks for hosting the new edition of Photo Roulette! Here’s our entry, taken in a Tibetan village of the Nubra Valley, India. Thanks!

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/nickmarghe/7341903100/in/set-72157629997061909

    Jun. 13 2014 @ 7:14 am
    1. Margherita @The Crowded Planet author

      Beautiful portrait, thanks! Looks like a very interesting part of the world as well!

      Jun. 15 2014 @ 11:35 am
  2. I didn’t realize this was still going on!

    Here’s my submission – https://www.flickr.com/photos/camwears/4545558811/in/set-72157625026411290

    This photo was captured on the floating reed islands of Lake Titicaca in southern Peru. What I like most about this photo is the unimpressed look she’s giving. It’s a touristy island, so you can imagine how people want to take her photo every day. She was very curious and thrilled when I showed he the photo afterwards.

    Jun. 13 2014 @ 11:04 am
    1. Cam author

      Thanks for submitting! I love the looks people get on their faces when I show them their photos. Also, having them thank me for taking the photo never ceases to amaze me.

      Jun. 15 2014 @ 11:36 am
  3. http://www.trover.com/d/aMZN

    A man sells fresh bagels at a street market in Kashgar, Xinjiang, China.

    Jun. 13 2014 @ 1:18 pm
    1. Richelle of AdventuresAroundAsia author

      Thanks for submitting! Bagels in China… who knew?

      Jun. 15 2014 @ 11:37 am
  4. Congratulations on winning. I am now drooling as well! LOVE your photos in this post. I can’t wait to go home and find one of my own to submit.

    Jun. 13 2014 @ 2:31 pm
    1. Rhonda author

      Thanks! We’re excited to see what you find!

      Jun. 15 2014 @ 11:41 am
  5. Probably not the best photo but I love the way her face lights up

    http://www.leggingit.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/P1120377_edited.jpg

    Jun. 14 2014 @ 1:27 am
    1. Michele author

      I like it! A nice smile is hard to beat! Thanks for submitting!

      Jun. 15 2014 @ 11:42 am
  6. Congrats on your win. Your portraits are outstanding!

    This is one of our students in Uganda. He refused to stay still so I could take his photo properly, but he really wanted to show me his prized dinosaur sticker. He’s been keeping it in his pocket for a very long time!

    http://quitjobtravelworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/wpid-dsc01389.jpg

    Jun. 14 2014 @ 2:38 am
    1. Leckie author

      Thanks and thanks! I like the sticker, I can see he is very protective of it. Cute!

      Jun. 15 2014 @ 11:43 am
  7. Congrats on your win in the last round!
    Here is my entry:
    http://zigzag-on-earth.smugmug.com/Best-of/Best-of-Morocco/i-VDLgj7v

    A typical but still magical Sahara Sunrise for Berbers.

    Jun. 14 2014 @ 5:08 am
    1. Claire @ ZigZag On Earth author

      Thanks! Great photo, and thanks for entering!

      Jun. 15 2014 @ 11:45 am
  8. Great photos! I’m not confident enough with mine to enter this round but so far the other entries look great.

    Jun. 14 2014 @ 5:34 am
    1. Karyn @ Not Done Travelling author

      Thanks! You should enter though, you never know what might happen. As they say, we’re always our own worst critics!

      Jun. 15 2014 @ 11:46 am
  9. Here is my entry: https://www.flickr.com/photos/laviajeramorena/8600276708/in/set-72157633094159595

    I took this photo of bikers that I was passing by on the road during the Holi celebration in Jaipur, India.

    Jun. 14 2014 @ 8:46 am
    1. Chanel | Cultural Xplorer author

      Holi looks so amazing! One day , hopefully, we’ll make it there! Thanks for the photo!

      Jun. 15 2014 @ 11:50 am
  10. Most unique and creative theme! Face of a Nation: Thailand

    While living in Chiang Mai (and who among us, hasn’t landed there for a spell?) 😉 I rose at 4:30 am one morning to witness the “Procession of 10,000 Monks”. In the dim light of dawn, a sea of saffron appeared, a seemingly never ending stream of monks as far as the eye could see.
    http://www.travelnlass.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/FaceOfNationThailand20YearsHence.jpg

    Jun. 14 2014 @ 8:55 am
    1. Dyanne@TravelnLass author

      That would be a pretty amazing sight! We didn’t catch it when we were there, but you’re right, you can hardly go through that part of the world without landing in Chiang Mai for at least a little while!

      Jun. 15 2014 @ 11:52 am
  11. This is Jerry Kelly, a Warumungu man, traditional owner and stockman who took me horse riding across the Barkly Tablelands in the Northern Territory of Australia, while sharing his knowledge of bush tucker.
    http://140735925.r.worldcdn.net/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Jerry_082.jpg

    Jun. 14 2014 @ 9:37 am
    1. Linda ~ Journey Jottings author

      Sounds like a really cool journey! Was the tucker good? Not too much roasted kangaroo, I hope! 🙂

      Jun. 15 2014 @ 11:55 am
  12. This scroll maker / calligraphy artist in Beijing, China is definitely the face of the nation for this gigantic country. I’d love to have a beard like that one day.

    https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/t1.0-9/p417x417/62586_619740168790_5515768_n.jpg

    Jun. 14 2014 @ 9:59 am
    1. Jeremy author

      It’s an impressive beard, to be sure! If there is one guy whose face says “Chinese,” it’s that guy! Thanks!

      Jun. 15 2014 @ 11:57 am
  13. Guys, this has got to be one of the best Travel Photo Roulette themes I have come across. Looking forward to seeing many entries on this one! 🙂

    Here’s my contribution: http://bkpk.me/the-pilgrim/

    We saw this man while stuck in New Delhi’s infamous traffic. In whatever time a red light takes to turn green, he asked us for money and said he was a pilgrim. A little chit chat, a portrait and a few rupees sum up this brief yet very Indian moment.

    Jun. 14 2014 @ 2:26 pm
    1. Zara @ Backpack ME author

      Thanks, and thanks for entering! Great photo! one day we have to make it to India, it looks amazing.

      Jun. 15 2014 @ 12:02 pm
  14. While sitting on the side of the road in Hanoi, perched on tiny stools, we snapped photos of the surrounding scenery – the hanging bird cages, the motorbikes zooming by. But, our drink seller, Madam Ha, wanted to be photographed. She waved to me and posed, with her cigarette dangling, as she sat in front of a typical Hanoi wall, littered with the colorful painted phone numbers of day workers. I would have loved to hear her story.

    http://www.withhusbandintow.com/partners/2014/6/14/drink-seller-hanoi-vietnam.html

    Jun. 14 2014 @ 4:39 pm
    1. Amber author

      Hanoi was crazy pants. We loved Vietnam more than anywhere else, and the people were definitely one of the best parts. We desperately wish we spoke some Vietnamese, as I’m sure the stories would be amazing! Thanks for entering!

      Jun. 15 2014 @ 12:07 pm
  15. Hey Tony looking forward to being a part of this!

    This picture is of a local Malaya man ferrying us across the tropical islands of Malaysia in his small boat. He spoke limited English but gave us a little boat tour around a few small islands of the northern coast of Malaysia. Towards the end he found a group of dolphins that played around the boat.

    http://www.abackpackerstale.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Photo-Roulette.gif

    ( I can resize this if you wish)

    Jun. 14 2014 @ 7:11 pm
    1. Stephen S. author

      Thanks for entering and glad to have you! Glad to finally see someone throwing a peace sign. It’s not a photo in Asia without one!

      Jun. 15 2014 @ 12:11 pm
  16. congratulations on your win and excellent choice of theme…. here is my contribution. from a recent trip to Burma (Myanmar) back in November.

    http://globe-trekking.com/en/blog/2014/06/14/travel-photo-roulette-81-the-face-of-a-nation/

    Jun. 14 2014 @ 7:35 pm
    1. Daniël author

      Thanks! Portraits were a natural choice for me, they’re definitely my favorite! Thanks for your entry!

      Jun. 15 2014 @ 12:14 pm
  17. I love this theme and it’s ages since I’ve played, so here goes… My shot was taken in Sucre, Bolivia. I always have my camera within easy access when wandering the streets and as soon as I saw this gorgeous girl in traditional clothing I knew I had to get a shot. She turned her head just as the shutter clicked and it remains my favourite portrait of our whole trip https://www.flickr.com/photos/madeleine_h/9523817649/in/set-72157634984801713

    Jun. 15 2014 @ 4:11 am
    1. Maddie author

      Glad you decided to get back in the game! It’s a nice shot, the head turn definitely seals the deal! Thanks for entering!

      Jun. 15 2014 @ 12:16 pm
  18. This was one of my favorite moments from our 7-day trip to the Gobi…the family we stayed with was so warm and welcoming. The matriarch of the family, pictured here, served us the family’s homemade yogurt and bread when we arrived. This woman was the strong and kind matriarch of the family – things got done, but there was always a sense of family in everything they did.

    This is the heart and soul of Mongolia.
    http://www.thejourneyitself.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Mongolia-1.jpg

    Jun. 15 2014 @ 5:12 am
    1. Carmel author

      Thanks for the submission! Nothing beats a good home-stay!

      Jun. 15 2014 @ 12:19 pm
  19. http://www.backpackerbanter.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/cambodia-family-portrait-backpacker-asia.jpg

    I shot this image of a Cambodia guy after his entire family spent 2 hours helping my friend fix his bike which had broken on a cycle ride outside of Siem Reap. They were so friendly, chatting about their country, asking about our travels and how they love to meet people from all over the world. The whole experience really solidified my love for Cambodia – they were genuinely nice people offering a helping hand, expecting nothing in return.

    Jun. 15 2014 @ 5:39 am
    1. Chris author

      Thanks for entering! That helping spirit and curiosity is one of our favorite things about Asia. Everywhere we went people wanted to help, and wanted to talk to us about our lives and our countries. It’s a great part of the world!

      Jun. 15 2014 @ 12:23 pm
  20. Hi Tony, I would like to enter one of my photos, but I’m sorry: I broke one rule already 🙁 = I sent it via email.
    Reason: the photo on our site is rather over-compressed, because we were using an old version of Tiny Web Gallery as a script, which does batch processing of all uploaded photos (this is from back in the days when bandwidth was expensive and WordPress was nearing version number 2)…
    I hope you don’t mind.

    Enjoy Europe and ignore all the WiFi-problems

    Juergen

    Jun. 15 2014 @ 10:07 pm
    1. Juergen author

      Thanks, and no problem we got the photo fine! Thanks for the entry!

      Jun. 17 2014 @ 5:10 pm
  21. These are some Kogi children who came to greet us as we were heading back from the Lost City in Colombia. I couldn’t resist the look on this little baby’s face.

    Jun. 16 2014 @ 5:09 am
    1. Bianca @ nomadbiba author

      Thanks, great shot!

      Jun. 17 2014 @ 5:11 pm
  22. Ups… sorry Tony! Just realised I didn’t include the link to the photo. Here it goes: http://nomadbiba.smugmug.com/South-America/Colombia/Ciudad-Perdida/i-T2BqQZ6/0/XL/_DSC1882-XL.jpg

    Jun. 16 2014 @ 5:11 am
  23. Here’s my entry: http://www.aliadventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/4000-Islands-Laos-grandfather.jpg

    I took this picture in the 4000 Islands in Laos. I was just wandering around, checking out the island, when this man waved me over. He didn’t speak any English, but he kept pointing to my camera and to the little girl he’s holding, who I assume was his granddaughter. I took a picture and showed them the screen, and they both smiled when they saw it. The people of Laos have been through so much, but they were all still so happy despite everything.

    Jun. 16 2014 @ 10:39 am
    1. Ali author

      Great shot, thanks! We had so many people ask us to take their picture when we were in Asia, I always got a kick out of it!

      Jun. 17 2014 @ 4:50 pm
  24. First off, Tony, you have to tell me how you got that stunning image of the Giesha?! I spent a bit of time in Kyoto and only managed to find one hurrying through an alley way. She (begrudgingly) let me take 3 frames before going on her way.

    Glad to see this whole movement is still rolling right along! Here’s my entry for this Photo Roulette:

    http://photography.travisball.com/Thailand/i-kMWPwD7/0/L/IMG_6926-L.jpg

    Thanks!

    – Travis

    Jun. 16 2014 @ 12:18 pm
    1. Travis Ball author

      Wonderful shot, thanks for submitting! I like the colors!

      We got the Geisha shot (and many others) through sheer luck. We were hanging out in Gion, when we struck up a conversation with a Japanese couple near us. Turns out the husband is a hobby photographer who has made it his mission to photograph every Geisha in Gion. He was on a first-name basis with nearly all of them, and they were more than happy to pose for us while we took our shots. He and his wife spent over an hour racing around Gion with us trying to show us as many Geisha as they could. It was pretty amazing. We wrote about it here: https://www.20yearshence.com/geisha-gazing-in-gion/

      Jun. 17 2014 @ 5:39 pm
      1. Wow! You really lucked out! I didn’t stalk them but did hang around the areas suggested to me for finding them. Only spotted the one Geisha and another Geiko but was too far and she was in too much of a hurry to get anything useable. Great travel karma 😛

        I’ll go check out that article.

        Jun. 17 2014 @ 6:58 pm
        1. Travis Ball

          Realized I didn’t include a caption on the image:

          “This little girl was on the steps leading to Doi Suthep, a temple up in the mountains overlooking Chiang Mai. She was very playful and curious about the camera. Always love these little random encounters.”

          Thanks!

          – Travis

          Jun. 17 2014 @ 7:02 pm
  25. Great photos, I’ll look through our thousands and see if there’s one we can use!

    Jun. 16 2014 @ 12:31 pm
    1. Andrew author

      I hope you find one! We’d love to see your entry!

      Jun. 17 2014 @ 4:51 pm
  26. Congrats on your win! I can relate to how busy you two are in Europe and feel exhausted just thinking back to our own time there. Have a great time,it’ll be over before you know it!

    With the World Cup playing in the background (don’t tell Travis I’m not actually watching the game) I can’t help but think how your theme really relates to what is going on around the world right now. Soccer has this ability to bring people together and right now millions of people are fixated on what is going on in Brazil – I can only image what we would see if we could look back at all these faces glued to their television sets.

    Here’s our entry – https://www.flickr.com/photos/haveblogwilltravel/11778418373/
    The line for cabbage rolls was long at this market in Bucharest, Romania, but they were worth the wait. This lady served out dozens of portions while I watched her from our spot in line, never once pausing to take a break from the hot steam escaping the boiling pot. While her traditional clothing does well to represent her nation, it’s nothing compared to her cooking!

    Jun. 16 2014 @ 12:52 pm
    1. Calli author

      Thanks! Yeah, Europe has been crazy! So much faster than we’re used to, we spend a lot of time being exhausted. And watching world cup games. Hard to avoid, really. Oh well, we’ll have plenty of time to rest once we’re back in Toronto. Thanks for the entry!

      Jun. 17 2014 @ 4:53 pm
  27. I love seeing smiley faces of locals. The pictures are always full of different emotions!! 🙂 Love the one with a man and a horse!

    Jun. 16 2014 @ 8:25 pm
    1. Agness author

      Thanks!

      Jun. 17 2014 @ 4:55 pm
  28. Thanks for hosting and congratulations on winning the previous round!

    Our photo was taken just outside the village of Braga, Nepal while trekking the Annapurna Circuit. The photo captures the incredible strength of the local people who transport huge loads on their backs, not only men but women as well. We were smitten by the quiet focus and determination of these two superwomen!

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/polgarian/14312580615/in/set-72157644527715197

    Jun. 17 2014 @ 12:59 pm
    1. Maria author

      Thanks, and thanks for submitting! I remember Braga, for us it was our last stop on our Annapurna circuit. Steph got a cold and my knees we giving out, so we turned back. Just in time it seems, we heard a lot of reports of frostbite and porters losing hands and feet on the pass when we got back to Pokhara. Beautiful place though. It was unbelievable seeing the porters and the locals alike carrying 60 or 70 kilos of baggage.

      Jun. 17 2014 @ 5:02 pm
  29. Congratulations on winning that last one! Great photo!
    Great topic!
    I wrote a small blog around the picture.
    It was taken the day before the suneclipse on 22 july 2009 in India. People in orange were walking from everywhere to Varanasi. These three men made it that day!!

    My entry: http://jacomijns.blogspot.nl/2014/06/travel-photo-roulette-81-face-of-nation.html

    Jun. 17 2014 @ 2:56 pm
    1. Jacomijn author

      Thanks for the submission! Haven’t been to India yet, but it’s on the list!

      Jun. 17 2014 @ 5:08 pm
  30. Congrats on the win, guys! Why am I not surprised you won “Mouthwatering” with all your gazillion of food photos?

    Here’s my entry: http://on.fb.me/1pgI5SI

    Caught up with these students a few days ago, relaxing in the park after a rally protesting China’s incursion over Vietnamese territorial waters surrounding two tiny islands in the East Sea (aka South China Sea). They literally had love of nation plastered on their faces. It made me wonder why invisible man-made boundaries need turn us into enemies.

    Jun. 18 2014 @ 6:57 am
    1. James author

      Thanks! Great shot! Things like this were one of the many reasons we wished we could speak more Vietnamese while we were there. Vietnamese do love their country, and justifiably so!

      Jun. 19 2014 @ 3:55 am
  31. Your pic in “Mouthwatering” was amazing!

    Would like to try my luck this time too 🙂 https://www.flickr.com/photos/wondereversion/14450970925/

    One of the many pilgrims sitting at Harmandir Sahib (or the Golden Temple) Amritsar. A true Sikh is supposed to carry 5 items all the time:
    Kesh: long hair, never cut and hidden under the turban
    Kanga: a wooden comb
    Kara: a massive metal bracelet that symbolizes the eternity and connection to God
    Katchera: specially tailored plain cotton undergarments
    Kirpan: an iron dagger or a full length curved sward.

    Jun. 18 2014 @ 7:27 am
    1. Elena author

      Thanks so much! That may be one of the biggest turbans I’ve ever seen!

      Jun. 19 2014 @ 3:58 am
      1. Tony

        It’s not visible on this picture, but that man also had the biggest curved sward I have even seen 🙂 Noticed that a few hours later when met him again at the exit..

        Jun. 20 2014 @ 7:34 am
  32. I took this photo in Pisac, Peru. I loved the lines on her face and the look of hope, or longing on her face. The people of Peru were some of the most gracious and photogenic of any place that I have traveled. http://jennywisearcade.blogspot.com/2014/06/travel-photo-roulette-post-81-face-of.html

    Jun. 18 2014 @ 10:24 am
    1. Jennifer O'Leary author

      Thanks for submitting, it’s a lovely shot. We’ve heard a lot of good things about Peru, it’s on our list for one day destinations, that’s for sure!

      Jun. 19 2014 @ 4:04 am
  33. The photos this round are spectacular!!!!!!!

    Jun. 18 2014 @ 10:26 am
    1. Jennifer O'Leary author

      Yeah, we’ve been happy with the results. It will be a tough decision!

      Jun. 19 2014 @ 4:05 am
  34. Loving the shots for this round! You’ve got a tough choice ahead of you! Here’s our entry: https://www.facebook.com/Turtlestravel/photos/np.313560083.572432675/848683161828529/

    We were visiting a Himba village in Namibia and learning from the women who still maintain much of their traditional, semi-nomadic lifestyle. At some point I turned and saw this young boy dancing along with such joy waving his bottle cap and piece of straw.The photo is far from perfect, but it remains one of our favorites. Looking at him, you can’t help but smile.

    Jun. 18 2014 @ 6:47 pm
      1. Donny author

        Thanks! That one worked!

        Jun. 20 2014 @ 5:16 pm
  35. All the photographs are wonderful and what great quality! Well done everyone!

    Jun. 23 2014 @ 6:13 am
  36. Great entries everyone and the winner was my first choice too! Congrats Maddie!

    Jun. 23 2014 @ 12:52 pm
  37. Congratulations to Maddie – a well deserved win, although I had 3 or 4 favorites ,)

    Jun. 23 2014 @ 8:09 pm
  38. I’m so excited to have won, especially in such great company! Thanks so much to Steph and Tony 🙂 Keep your eyes peeled for Round 82 which I hope to have online in the next few days.

    Jun. 26 2014 @ 8:01 am
  39. Love the idea, Tony! All photos are amazing and unique… really hard to choose the best.

    Jun. 26 2014 @ 1:53 pm
  40. Such gorgeous photos! Wow! Such talented photographers out there capturing the people of the world… Awesome.

    Jun. 28 2014 @ 11:08 am
  41. STUNNING!!!!! If ever I need inspration fro travel I’m coming HERE!! Well done Maddie. And so many other gorgeous ones. That Saharan sunset…

    Jul. 5 2014 @ 7:12 pm
  42. Those photos are absolutely stunning and meaningful! Congrats Maddie 🙂
    Nice post Tony 🙂

    Jul. 6 2014 @ 10:04 am

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