Cassandra Storm Photography

Jessica and Austin Marry at the Lancaster Host

2010-12-03T10:25:00.000-08:00

The Thanksgiving holiday gives us a reminder to give thanks for the blessings in our life. What an incredible way to remember our gratitude for the ones we share our lives with than to marry and have a wedding anniversary at Thanksgiving. This is how Jessica and Austin began their life together, marrying each other over the holiday weekend.

Joy and I greeted our relaxed bride as she was hanging out in her bridal suite, watching her bridesmaids touch up their hair and makeup. She was ready to be dressed and our cameras were in hand. I love the moment that she and her mother share as they admire her in the mirror, in her wedding gown.

One of my great pleasures is to watch all of the details that my couples decide upon during their planning process actually come into a reality on the wedding day. Jessica and Austin's details were beautiful and classic. We were in the middle of photographing Jessica with her bridesmaids when one of her groomsman arrived carrying a large gift box, beautifully wrapped in metallic pink paper. Just for fun, the large box led to a smaller wrapped box of beautiful diamond earrings. A timeless gift from groom to bride that can be passed down from one generation to the next. It was magical to photograph her surprised smile as she held this gift. I wondered what her gift would be to Austin and it was just as timeless; a stunning pocket watch. Not wanting to see each other before the ceremony, it was important for us to photograph the gift opening so that they could see each others' reactions. It's these little moments that I just adore.

During the ceremony, the bride and groom gifted their mothers with roses. The smiles on their faces was beyond words. It's the wedding ceremonies that have the mixture of tears and smiles that pull at my heart strings the most. The reception also flowed so seamlessly with It's Showtime DJ Entertainment. DJ Chris Poje kept the dance floor moving all evening with everything from a Twist competition to the Anniversary Dance. It was such a pleasure to capture every one's dance moves along with our videographers JKM Productions. It was just a perfect wedding. Thank you to Jessica, Austin and their families for allowing us to share in this day.

Slideshow Featuring Master Photographer Joy

2010-12-03T10:23:00.000-08:00

Check out this slideshow featuring weddings photographed by Master Photographer Joy.

Our Newest Slideshow!

2010-11-11T11:41:00.001-08:00

Check out our latest slideshow showcasing some of my favorite wedding moments from the last few years . . .

Roan & Ryker's Home Hay Bale

2010-11-02T12:08:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of photographing my nephews, Roan and Ryker, playing with pumpkins atop a hay bale all in their own back yard. Nothing can make children more comfortable in a portrait sitting then when they are in their own home so I was able to slip in and out with ease. They ran around the yard playing with their toy lawn mower and red wagon while I took turns photographing them. I just love photographing this time of year with all of the colors, natural props and great light. What a great way to celebrate the most gorgeous time of year with your family in moments and memories that you can enjoy forever.

Heather and David's Twist on a Halloween Weekend Wedding

2010-11-02T11:45:00.000-07:00

What an incredible month. We wrapped up October with having photographed ten wedding and what better way to celebrate the end of an amazing month with a fantastic wedding and a dual photography team. The final wedding was so special because we photographed for a bride who loves to photograph as well. Her passion for photography and love of the camera had our four-photographer crew on our feet taking fun candids all night long. In the slideshow you will see photographs from myself, Joy, Leslie and Tara.

Heather and David married this Halloween weekend and had some gorgeous twists to bring a flavor of the holiday into their wedding without designing the entire wedding for Halloween. Orange was featured throughout the wedding in her flowers and details but instead of black, she paired the orange with blue and it was gorgeous! Her orange and blue went beyond the flowers. Instead of bubbles at the end of the ceremony, her guests threw candy corn, handed to them in beautiful blue bags. Their getaway car was a blue Camaro with an orange “Just Married” sign in the back. At the reception, each table was decorated with an oversized wine glass resembling vase filled with blue stones and orange colored fish. How fun is that? It was a ball to photograph and we could not have captured the details and so many precious moments if we had not had the full team there.

Some special moments that you will see in the video . . . Heather and the girls writing wedding messages before getting dressed and the girls tossing their shawls into the air when they decided not to wear them during the ceremony.

Heather and David were so sweet and ready to go with the flow. The dance floor was still occupied with the buffet line so we switched gears to get their party started. Instead of doing their first dance and bridal party dance on the dance floor, they danced on Liberty Forge’s gorgeous spiral staircase with their bridal party cheering them on. For a taste of Halloween, the DJ opened the evening dancing with Thriller and brought the guests out on the dance floor for a great celebration, wild cake cutting and laughter filled bouquet and garter toss. Thank you to Heather and David for hosting such a gorgeous and fun filled wedding.

Sandra and Eugene Marry at Riverdale Manor

2010-10-25T17:47:00.001-07:00

All I can say is that I cried several times this day.

Sandy and the girls had fallen a little behind schedule from their morning salon appointments and I know that she was stressed and frustrated when she arrived to Riverdale Manor. Once she was in her bridal suite I ran upstairs and threw my arms around her and told her that everything was fine, we had plenty of time to get her dressed and to take pictures. Her nerves were still a little rattled so we had Maureen (Riverdale’s owner) bring Champaign so that they could relax and re-focus on the celebration. Tara searched for different fun tunes on my iphone to play for the girls as they dressed and nothing was quite hitting the right note until Tara picked out “Heaven” by Bryan Adams. Sandy laughed at this and joked how Gene wanted this to be their first dance. I asked what they did choose for their first dance and it was Ben Fold’s “The Luckiest”. Luckily I had it on my phone, Tara played the tune and then the tears fell. I felt so awful that I already had the bride crying while she was dressing but she insisted that the song continue to play. This was their song and with that, she was dressed and truly ready to begin the day.

Years before, Sandy had lost her mother and Gene his father so I knew that there would be extra special tears at this wedding with their parents. Sandy had wanted the moment that her father saw her in her dress to be special and this moment was just as important to me. I wanted to be sure to share this moment in the video. Every detail of the day was so special. Around her flowers, Sandy wrapped lace from her mother’s wedding dress and a locket given to her by Gene with a picture of her mother.

I watched Gene follow her as she came down the aisle and was touched at how instantly tears came to his eyes. The ceremony was stunning along the river and the minister struck just the write note of laughter, sermon and sincerity. Their smiles were so great during the ceremony. After they walked off the aisle, I approached the table where they had poured the sand for their sand ceremony for a close-up photograph. I have never seen this before but there was a perfectly shaped heart on the table beside their vase, made from the sand that had spilt from their vases. I was so amazed that I went to show Sandy the photograph that I had taken while her mother’s sisters were all around her. She gasped and her one aunt exclaimed that this was the work of her mother. Tears filled my eyes again.

The reception was just as touching. Their best man shared that their union made him believe in the magic of marriage, their maid of honor cried through her entire toast, barely gasping how amazed she was by her friends. Everyone seemed to agree, that Sandy and Gene are a couple who sets the standard for relationships. After dinner, they cut the cake but with a special surprise. Their cake toppers were characters from their favorite Anime and they cut the cake with an enormous actual sword just like their favorite characters would have. Then they stepped into their first dance and began a long night of dancing and singing. The singing? Well as Gene went to remove Sandy’s garter, all of the men in the room jumped behind him and they sang “Build Me Up Buttercup” to her. They whole day was filled with moments, just like that.

Meghan & Bryce Celebrate at Lauxmont Farms

2010-10-25T17:09:00.000-07:00

Meghan had explained to me that for her, the photography could not just be about the photographs, it had to also be about the experience. That is why she came to our studio and this is why I knew that Joy, would be the perfect photographer for her. Though Meghan and Bryce are from York, they were living up North at the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon throughout their engagement. I have a dear friend from this area and know just how beautiful it is. For their engagement sitting, they asked to spend the weekend with Joy, in their beautiful town up North. The three bonded on a level that few photographers get to experience with their clients. For Joy, this weekend was a homecoming as well because she had lived in that area for four years until her graduation from Mansfield University. The stories from her trip were great and the pictures were even more amazing. I knew that after that weekend, that this could possibly be one of Joy’s favorite weddings of the year, maybe ever.

Wow was I right . . . and I know this as I was a wedding crasher. Leslie and I were photographing Tim & Deidre’s wedding in Lititz while Joy and Alicia were at Lauxmont Farms with Meghan and Bryce and our wedding ended just in time for us to head to LF and join the party with our crew. I walked into the most amazing site. So many times, weddings can crash early and only a few die hard guests remain till the end. This was not the case that night. We rolled in at 10:30 PM to find nearly every one of the 150 guests rocking the house. People were outside singing around bon fires, inside shouting “OOOOOOOHHHHHH” while posing for Joy and tearing up the dance floor. Only one DJ company could do this and it was It’s Showtime DJ with Shawn behind the speakers. Leslie and I roamed to find our bride laughing with her guests. Joy’s bond expanded to the entire bridal party and I got to watch as the bridesmaids and groomsmen were constantly running over for photos, to fist bump and to relive the stories from earlier in the day.

Shawn called for the closing circle, which became the loudest and craziest closing circle of all time. A closing circle is a great way to wind down an evening with the few remaining guests circled around a dancing bride and groom, passing a microphone and extending their best wishes and advice for a happy marriage. This however was a closing semi-circle with an enormous crowd (since all the guests remained till the end of the night). There was no passing of the mic, instead guests took turns running up beside the groom shouting excitement, rapping, hollering for Penn State and with the conclusion of each new speaker, everyone held their glasses in the air and shouted “OOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH”. It was awesome. Congratulations to Meghan and Bryce, they certainly knew how to throw an amazing party to conclude such a gorgeous wedding day.

Below: Joy, Meghan & Alicia shouting “OOOOOHHHHHH” at the end of the night.

Tim & Deidre's Wedding Day

2010-10-25T16:32:00.000-07:00

I don’t know if I have ever enjoyed working with a mother and daughter more than I have with Deidre and her mother Debbie. From our planning sessions, I learned so much about Tim and Deidre’s love affair, many of the stories told to me in moments here and there by Debby over the past year, that I was swept up in their magic and fun on the wedding day. I had learned that they met dancing so at their reception, I spent the evening in a total smile as I watched this couple dance the night away. Debby once shared a story that they were snowbound in an airport and Tim, caring soldier that he is, calmed the snowbound guests and motivated the flight attendants to shower everyone with pillows and blankets and bottled water. Debby said how amazed she was at even his young age, he was so attentive to everyone’s needs, especially Deidre’s. He was that same host, groom and gentleman on his wedding day.

The wedding itself could not have been more fun. I loved that Deidre wanted her photographs with the girls to be in front of the house that she grew up in. The guys shared with me that this was not just a wedding, but a Jersey Shore themed wedding and that set the tone for our photography the rest of the day. I also had the pleasure of working with the Perfect Wedding Partners. I have never seen an altar more beautifully transformed and loved the black and white balloons that Renee at Celebrations! provided. The ceremony had such unique moments. Chris Poje, our DJ, had previously recorded a message from Deidre to her father that played as he walked her down the aisle. He cried as he watched his daughter and listened to her special words. The unity candle was also special. The parents lighted the candle in front of Tim & Deidre during the ceremony and along side that candle was a picture and special memorial candle for a dear friend of Tim’s who had fallen in the war. It was just so touching and special.

There’s something about the magic of photography and videography mixed together. I love all the extra movement and emotion that I can get from a bridal party because I know that they are also playing it up for JKM Productions’ video. I say this, even though this bridal party needed no extra encouragement to laugh and smile as they posed for the cameras (while constantly fist pumping and shouting GTL)!

At the reception, Chris of It’s Showtime DJ Entertainment had the crowd on their feet the entire night. We did a huge group photograph leading into the dollar dance, which lead to the largest dollar dance I think I have ever photographed. This was amazing because Tim & Deidre dedicated the money to a fund for his friend, the fallen soldier, whom he had served with. They danced, ate cake, sang out to Summer Nights and cheered on their guests as they soul trained through the dance floor. It was an amazing wedding to be a part of and I was so glad to share it with Tim, Deidre, their families and the Perfect Wedding Partners.

James & Cass' Host a Pirate Wedding

2010-10-18T14:59:00.001-07:00

We just photographed the CCOLEST wedding EVER!

I have had a soft spot for this wedding from when I first met these two. James ‘ love of pirates reminds me of my dear Uncle Jeff and Cass’ has a heart of gold. She is a pediatric nurse and invited her favorite patients to share in their wedding celebration. Everyone was in costume (including ourselves and the staff of Kerry’s Green, formerly the Red Lion Country Club) and everything was fun. Our bridal party pictures were sword fights. I would shout to the pirates to attack the groom, then the wenches and all was fun and games until I turned their battle to our reflector holding Tara. Our sword wielding bridal party included a Wench of Honor, Powder Monkey (flower girl), First Mate and Cabin Boy.

The ceremony was fantastic! The men shouted like pirates to rebel rouse the crowd. Our minister began the descent to the altar with the powder girl following full of smiles as she threw beads and gold coins to the crowd. The bride and groom (a.k.a. Red Charity Rackem and Captain James Reed) walked down the aisle together. The minister held a dagger to each of them as they declared their vows and as a show of their union, they became shackled together with antique handcuffs.

The reception was filled with pirate treasure. The cake topper was a scene of two beached pirates underneath a palm tree with the cake surrounded by sand (actually brown sugar). Our captain and his wench spent their evening laughing and dancing with guests. My favorite reception moments were when Cass danced with her special guests who waited all day to have their moment with the pirate bride.

Featured below: Tara and I in costume sitting on the pirate thrown; a special photo-op area designed by the bride and groom for fun candid pictures of their guests.

Sarah & Marie Wed at the Appalachian Brewing Co.

2010-10-18T13:50:00.000-07:00

How lucky we were to share in Sarah and Marie’s wedding because the girls are not native to Harrisburg . . . they married here out of their love of the area (and we love it too)! These brides are passionate about their micro-brews and incorporated that passion in their entire day. The ladies held their wedding at the Appalachian Brewing Co. and as an added bonus to the day, were toured through the facility before the wedding, with their bridal party. Of course, what microbrew tour would be complete without a fun filled portrait session? In the slideshow you will watch the girls take over Harrisburg as they dress in the Crowne Plaza and walk through downtown to their bridal portraits on the Susquehanna River.

Talk about spending your wedding day relaxed and in total celebration. It was not just the location that featured their love of hops and barley, they incorporated their own home-made brew into the ceremony. The brides crowned each other with vines of hops and drank their own brew at special moments of their union. Joy photographed this wedding and did an amazing job of capturing the hops and Celtic inspired details not to forget Marie’s love of fencing. Watch the girls as they exit the ceremony, I am not quite sure that these fencing friends were going to let them off the altar! What a creative way to tie the knot. Congratulations to Sarah and Marie . . . we hope you stop in for a visit upon your next micro-brew tour in our area.

Pictured below, Joy photographed Sarah and Marie’s engagement at an aged orange stand. Love the heart in the orange!

Rebecca & Kevin - a Legacy Wedding

2010-10-13T12:36:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, we were honored with photographing a legacy wedding . . . the sister of one of our former brides. We could not love Rebecca's family more and were so touched to photograph another sibling from the clan. The close-nit family shares so much warmth and love with each other that they are just a thrill to be around.

Joy documented Rebecca on Saturday as she married Kevin in Southern York County. I realized that Rebecca had a ton of personality when she was a bridesmaid in her sister's wedding but WOW so do all of her friends. I had such difficulty in picking my favorite moments from the bridal party pictures; they are so animated and fun-loving that every snap of the camera had captured them in a different moment of laughter and smiles. My absolute favorite moments though are Kevin's expressions while he is holding and looking at Rebecca - there could not be more love in his eyes. Thank you to Rebecca's family for inviting us to share in another celebration and thank you to Kevin for your service to our country.

This is just a sample of a few of the images that will be on their online gallery this week.

Check out the photo of Rebecca as her sister's bridesmaid two years ago . . . what a vibrant personality!

Dan & Maria tie the knot in OCMD

2010-10-10T17:48:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful wedding. I had the privilege of watching Dan and Maria host their families and attendants Friday night at their rehearsal dinner and I do not think I have ever seen a more gracious bride. Not even having met these bridesmaids before, I teared up as Maria gave a presentation about every one of her girls, while gifting each of them a photo collage history of their friendship. This attention to detail was seen throughout the wedding as every part had a meaning and its special place. Their rehearsal dinner was held at the same restaurant where Dan had proposed to Maria. We photographed Dan on bended knee then dipping Maria in the very spot where he had asked her to be his wife.

The wedding was just as relaxed and fun as any working photographer could hope for. The bridesmaids were all smiles, the groomsmen enacted all of my crazy antic photography and both families were as welcoming as could be. Thank you to Dan, Maria, their families, bridal party and guests. You all made our job so easy and effortless and we could not have enjoyed the celebration more. This is just a trailer of what will be previewed on their online gallery later this week. Enjoy the memories.

Sky Diving!

2010-08-23T14:32:00.001-07:00

To view a music video my friend Tom made of this experience, copy and paste the link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MpaASiGmA0&feature=player_embedded

He actually videotaped the entire free fall from his pocket (not in the video) but then removed the camera once his parachute opened still taking video. He stopped the video to take a few stills and you can see he is actually looking down on my chute from above (my chute is blue and yellow).

WOW! First time sky diving and I am totally addicted. I am a total adrenaline junkie and have wanted to do this for years but do not for one second think that my desire overruled the complete and total fear that I felt before I jumped out of the plane. You would have been scared too, if this is the airport (located in Tunkhannock, PA) that you had driven up to (which was so tiny that it was completely hidden behind a gas station) . . .

We pulled up to this airport that was down a little alleyway, I looked at Bob and said, "You have got to be kidding me. No way."

Above is the front of the hanger. Below, is the back of the hanger completely with the Emergency Phone, grill and office. Bob and I arrived first waiting for my other insane friends.

Tom was the next to arrive and I was like, "How did you find this place? It is held together by duct tape."
Below: The airport office.

2nd Above: You can see the little airport culture. It was very busy all day. The guys all got a kick out of the older gentleman, called an "airport cat" who wandered into the airport and spent the afternoon sleeping in the office.

Directly Above: This small field littered with planes is where our plane took off, landed and we landed as well in our parachutes. Don't miss this target.

In the several pages of releases you actually have to sign a release that you may be touched in what would be an "inappropriate circumstance" under normal conditions. I guess if one man harnesses you and another straps you to his body, that might happen. This man was very nervous with Bob standing behind him but I thought it was hilarious.

Myself, tom and Stephanie excited and a little nervous, pre-jump. As you can see, I am not the only photographer on this trip - thank you Bob and Tom for all of the stills and video that you took.

Above: From a distance (had to give my good lenses to my photo crews working that day) you can see us gathering to board our plane.

Below: Our plane taking off. Total flight should be about 15 minutes. Our jump was a little delayed as a plane entered our airspace while descending into JFK. Including the pilot, there were about 12 people riding like sardines in the plane. The solo jumpers went first and as each person left the plane, it bounced horribly with the sudden loss of their body weight.

I was asked how I was able to make the jump and I told her that it happened so fast that I did not have a choice. After the solo jumpers, my tandem companion and I were next. We had been facing the back of the plan on the flight up but when we went to jump, we turned to the front of the plane. The last thing I remember before the jump was looking at my friends and screaming, "Oh my God! Oh my God!" and BAM I was out the door before I could say it a third time.

I was told free fall would be about 45-50 seconds (1 mile) and that it would feel like 15 seconds. Tom, who had done it before, said it did not really feel like he was falling. In my opinion, that felt like the longest minute of my life and I was VERY aware that I was falling, the entire time.

This is me, after 1 mile of free fall and a few minutes with an open chute.

Before free fall, I planned on grabbing my videographer's hand and spiraling through the air. Once I was free falling, I decided that falling straight was a better idea. However, once the chute was opened, I was all for the spiraling circles and tricks that my companion shared.

If you see, I am a total nerd. You are supposed to land with your legs up and on your rear; I prepared for landing well in advance.

What a high! We felt like such warriors coming off of this trip. I have never experienced anything like this in my life. I am totally hooked and ready to get my sky diving license.

If you did not yet, check out Tom's video. He sat in the cockpit so he has a view of take off, what it looked like in the plane, flying with the chute deployed, a photo of the airport cat and at the very end he added a clip of my screaming "Oh my God!" before I jumped out of the plane.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MpaASiGmA0&feature=player_embedded

Bolivia: Riding in the Back of the Pick-Up Truck Through the Andes

2010-03-06T10:06:00.000-08:00

Above: My cousin, Irria, and sister, Cami and I squeeze into the back of the pick-up with all of our luggage and keeping warm under a thick blanket.

Leaving Oruro, I had a big decision to make; whether to ride in a crowded cab or brave the back of the pick-up truck. There were now eight of us traveling in a pick-up that technically seats 5, with everyone’s luggage, headed on a four-hour road trip through the Andes Mountains. I decided to brave the country roads and squeezed in the back with the children.

I could not have been happier with my decision. After Carnaval, I needed some fresh air and I got hours of it. I also got to see some of the most beautiful countryside I have ever seen. I have never considered myself a landscape photographer but am so excited to share these pictures. Every picture is taken from the view of the back of the truck, going full speed, down bumpy roads. Thank you Nikon; I expected the photographs to be a complete blur but they are crystal clear. I also promise you that these clouds are not Photoshopped. When you are this close to heaven, everything looks amazing.

Below: The entrance to the town of Oruro, upon our exit.

The best part of riding in the back with the children, was the time it allowed for reflection. At this point, I am a week and two days into my journey and what a trip it had been. Completely at home with my host family I cannot believe that I waited eight years to return and at the same time I still cannot believe that I am here. I just experienced Carnaval, and a traditional Carnaval filled with folklore at that. I am sitting on the back of this truck just thinking “how did I get here”. Though I had decided to return to Bolivia last summer, I had bought my tickets only a few weeks before I left. I had almost completely chickened out on having the expense and making the trip. My goal had been to photograph a Bolivian wedding and I had not had time to pre-arrange anything like that with my work schedule. I originally traveled to photograph Carnaval and it was not until I was here that my Aunt shared an invitation to a Quechua wedding. I had dreamed of documenting an indigenous wedding and just by chance, I was heading to one the afternoon we returned from Carnaval. That is the big surprise I have been promising, in my next blog you will get to witness an actual Quechua wedding reception on photo and video. I am now on my way to my goal of photographing ethnic weddings around the world.

In a previous blog, I wrote about “why” I had made this trip, but I did not share the reason behind the “when”. The “when” was pure instinct. Like I said, I almost did not make the trip, I had pretty much decided against it and had even written my host mother, Conny, stating that I could just travel down another time when I was more prepared. She explained how amazing Carnaval would be to photograph and I just knew in my gut that it was the right time to be here. I knew this would be the photographic opportunity of a lifetime and I was heading to that opportunity that afternoon.

But this was a four hour road trip and there was so much more time to think about the real “when” part of this trip. I am looking over cliffs onto the Andes Mountains and I realized that this time last year, I was in a doctor’s office 3 days a week with a “tumor” on my forehead. In the last three years I had watched my family’s business become pummeled with the worst series of bad luck and heartache that a family business could withstand and stress that would have broken most other people. Then we had a series of illness and cancer that I had never experienced before. My father, my grandfather and 15-year-old cousin were all diagnosed with cancer within 6 months of each other. We spent years with the next shoe dropping before we had even recovered from the last.

The stress was so intense that my own body manifested a lump. I remember I first noticed a little lump on my forehead in September of ’08. It didn’t seem like anything, I assumed that I had just bumped my head. A month or two went by and it didn’t go away and I thought maybe because it was on my face that I was continually re-bruising it by putting on make-up. Come Thanksgiving, I decided to call the family doctor who thought it was just a fatty tumor. He recommended me to Dr. Born who unfortunately was not accepting more patients at that time and I had to go to his second recommendation. That December I met a man who would change my life profoundly over the next 6 months.

This doctor had believed that I had damaged arterial nerves and wanted me to have an MRI to make sure that there were not anymore through my brain. When I returned to his office after the MRI, he felt he saw an indentation in my skull. This meant that once the arterial malformation was removed, he would need a neurosurgeon to plate my skull or I would have an indentation in my forehead. I then visited a neurosurgeon who my family knew very well, who felt it was ridiculous for him to look at my scans, there was no indentation and he did not recommend that I return to the plastic surgeon. Instead recommended that I see a vascular specialist. The vascular specialist did an ultra sound, did not know what my problem was but suggested I see an endocrinologist. The endocrinologist ordered blood tests and recommended that I see a dermatologist. The dermatologist shot my tumor with a steroid, said it was an acne cyst and that I never should have seen the plastic surgeon. This cycle of doctors continued for months and come February, one year before my trip, I was in a different doctor’s office or having a different test run anywhere from 1 – 3 times a week. I had spent thousands of dollars on my face and had seen countless specialists and no one knew what I had. No one had any problem running their own tests, billing me or prescribing their own method of treatment. I was suffering as a patient in a bad economy and caught in a cycle of doctor’s visits that I did not feel empowered enough to stop.

Above: Homes of the indigenous people of Bolivia, in their small country towns.

At first the steroids from the dermatologist worked, the lump flattened and I thought we had found a cure. But it resurfaced a couple of weeks later and was larger and worst than ever. A second visit and shot of steroids yielded no result. It was now March and I had lived with a lump on my face since September, I had had enough. I revisited the plastic surgeon and scheduled a surgery. When in my pre-surgical consult I was told by the surgeon that what I faced would be extensive. He actually wanted to peel my face forward to remove the lump and said that with the damage that would be done to my facial nerves that I would most likely end up paralyzed on one side of my face. This deformity would permanent and irreversible and I would probably need multiple surgeries because this issue was likely to resurface. I was terrified but still willing to go through with the surgery and hope for a good outcome. Thankfully in discussing my patient history, this surgeon realized all of the other doctors I had visited in looking for another cure. Once he realized that I had received steroid injections he became angry and said I was unfit for surgery for another 6 months to a year, stating that the steroids would make it difficult for the wound to heal and cause unnecessary scarring. After explaining that the first round of steroids worked, temporarily, he mumbled that maybe there was an acne cyst over top the malformation, stood up and dropped me as a patient. At the time I was devastated. After 6 months of having this lump on my forehead, I was going to have to start all over with another surgeon and wait even longer for the surgery because of the steroid injections. I lost control and just cried hysterically in his office. Heartbroken, I cried for hours that day.

Looking back, that moment saved my life. Today I could not be more thankful for that doctor’s behavior. After that appointment I cut some bangs to hide the lump and researched every alternative medicine I could find. I began meditating, eating figs and soaking the lump in castor oil. Another couple of months went by with no result and decided to revisit the idea of plastic surgery. I made an appointment with the chief of plastics at Johns Hopkins but it would be months before I could see him for a consult and another month after that before I could have surgery. In the meantime I spoke again with the trusted neurosurgeon who also recommended Dr. Born. Dr. Born was able to squeeze me in much sooner than Johns Hopkins so I decided to give him a try. After my first visit, I knew I had found the right doctor. I sat on a table and he asked why in 8 months and all the doctors I had seen, did not anyone take a biopsy of the lump to see exactly what I had. Here I realized my first surgeon was willing to peel my face off and warned of permanent paralysis on his “hunch” of a diagnosis; he had never taken a biopsy to discover what I actually had. When I panicked over being cut for the biopsy, stating that I did not want to be paralyzed or deformed, I saw a reaction in Dr. Born that made me realize that this was never a real possibility. My first doctor had been scaring me into a very big bill. Born never said anything negative over what I had been told by other doctors but I could tell that I had been taken for a ride and sensed his frustration and concern with the lies I had been told. He biopsied the lump like it was nothing, like he was putting on a band-aid. It was quick, stress-free and had only taken moments of time in his office. Nothing major.

The biopsy came back with a diagnosis that no one had predicted. I had an Acquired Tufted Angioma, which is like a tumor and a skin lesion combined. It almost never occurs on the face or in adults. It can be caused by anything as simple as a pimple or a bug bite and it had only grown to the size it was because of the time I had spent researching other avenues, the steroid injections and stress. He removed it a month later in a simple surgery. To this day I have a very small scar, I have no facial paralysis and I did not become deformed. What did this experience teach me? It taught me how to defend myself as a patient.

It also taught me to take the trip; take the leap, go for the dream. At the age of 26 I was visiting countless doctors and spending thousands of dollars on something that was just a complete freak of nature. I was not expecting it, could not have prepared for it and depending on which doctor I believed, I could have ended up with a very different life, physically and emotionally. I was 26 and had been building my business since I graduated from college, always putting the big dreams off for another year. Another year after I had paid off more of my mortgage or built up more of my business or when my family was in less distress. Not anymore. I am sitting on the back of this pick-up truck in South America and realizing just how far I had come in that year. From now on, I was going to live my life differently and at 27 was smiling that I was already on that journey.

Below: Just outside of the city of Cochabamba, we replace our blanket for a blue tarp to protect ourselves from the water balloons. We were actually chased by a driver who kept a water gun on his passenger seat. Every time we stopped at a stop-light, we were forced to raise our tarp as he would lean out of the driver's side window, shooting his water gun at us.

Bolivia: What Carnaval is Really Like

2010-02-22T13:47:00.000-08:00

Above: We prepare our 5 person pick-up truck to ride 7 people for what should have been a four hour journey but in reality was 6 hours. This tarp is to protect the children sleeping in the back from the water balloons and the cold of the evening mountain air. At this time, I thought there was no way on God’s green Earth that I would ride for all of those hours, in the back of a pick-up truck, on bumpy roads, smashed with everyone’s luggage. You’ll see later, I changed my tune.

When we set out for Carnaval in Oruro, I had only a small idea of what to expect. I knew we were traveling 7-8 people in a 5 person pick-up truck for at least four hours into the mountains and staying with my host father’s niece. I always envisioned Carnaval to be like Mardi Gras, people partying in the streets, shouting from bars and hotel rooms, mixing mingling, drinking and dancing (I say this never having actually been to Mardi Gras). I knew there would be a parade of sorts with fantastic dancers and traditional folk music. Though I knew I was traveling in a foreign country, my background and experiences did not prepare me for such an intense celebration, minus our American customs. As a photographer and a traveler, Carnaval was the experience of a lifetime; it was everything I hoped it would be and I experienced it with a city so full of passion and celebration. As an American, it was one of the most uncomfortable experiences of my life.

Above: A three year old enjoys a nice cold beer at Carnaval.

It never matters what your personal agenda is, when you enter any situation you are subject to the customs and agenda of everyone else around you. My agenda at Carnaval was to work, to photograph, and to witness an incredibly significant event. I had expensive camera gear, I over dressed, did not have enough sun protection and was completely unprepared for the annihilation that I was about to experience.

Carnaval has an incredible history BUT when you are there, it is absolutely about the drinking and the water battle. As you can see above, even the three year olds are cracking open cold beer at 10 AM. Carnaval is pure mayhem. I learned that alcohol is necessary for every age in order to withstand the intense sun and the pummeling water balloons, water guns, buckets of water and spraying soap.

Below: I love this poor child seeking pleasure in her cookie while surrounded by mayhem.

Since my arrival to Bolivia on this trip, I learned that Carnaval extends for weeks before and after the actual events. Carnaval begins with water balloons and these are no joke. When preparing for my trip, I read the US Embassy warnings for Bolivia and they actually warned against the water balloons; that travelers should be aware of the physical harm they can cause. I actually laughed out loud when I read about these balloons online. I was so wrong. They are awful and everywhere. Every street corner is lined with children and men of all ages ready to soak passersby with their water balloons. It was actually difficult to walk down the street without being hit by the balloons. As an American, it is the most bizarre experience. I kept trying to explain to my family how in our litigious society, there is no way anyone would get away with such mayhem. One person gets hit in the face with a balloon and our lawyers would be all over it. It is the only time in my life I have missed that lawsuit happy part of our society. We are literally driving through ton, on a hot day, with no air conditioning and the windows rolled up to protect ourselves from the water.

Above: The crowd looks like they are preparing for a Gallagher concert. This is what the stands are like, everyone crowded together, seeking shelter from the sun and water battle.

So what does this mean for Carnaval? It means those water balloons times a million. Carnaval is the gauntlet of water fighting. The worst part is, I was wrong about the freedom of enjoying a passing parade from the streets of Oruro, the event is held in a long stadium. You are trapped in a crowd with nowhere to run while children and drunken men annihilate you with water. Whenever my family would ask me what I thought of Carnaval, I would respond that I enjoyed the first 2 – 3 hours. The early morning of Carnaval when it is not as crowded and before the water fight begins full force. After that, you just feel like you are bullied. I have no idea how many times I was personally hit in the face with a balloon. I even purchased a bag of water balloons for a few cents to defend myself and quickly realized that my defense only yielded a stronger attack from my enemy.

Other than the water, what is it like? As an American, it is rough. I described it for my family as if someone would take the people and the filth of the York Fair (or any carnival), times it by a thousand, take away any trash cans, working bathrooms, any freedom of movement and any sense of personal space. I often jumped the barrier between our seating and the parade route to have some sense of freedom from the closeness of everyone around me. I remember hating this one poor old Quechua woman who sat beside me. As much as I wish to respect the elderly, I could not help but hate this poor old woman for her infringement on my seat and personal space. I could not sit comfortably because of her and her family and she knew it. But as the hours went by, we eventually became allies against the horrific water balloons. She even took food off of her own plate to share with me. That was when I realized I was just too American for this.

Above: One child prepares for battle while another drinks a beer.

As it would inevitably happen, my young sister Camilia was struck hard in the face with a balloon and it was time for us to take a break from the parade. We sought refuge in the women’s bathroom, as it was the only place we were guaranteed safety from the balloons. She recovered, we re-entered Carnaval only for her to be hit again in the face a short time later. With this final blow, it was time to leave Carnaval and I was ecstatic. I am so thankful for this experience of a lifetime but I do not ever need to do it again.

Above & Below: A man sitting behind us encourages the children to attack and we are caught in the crossfire.
Below: Once personal space enemy turned water defense ally.
Below: The women's bathroom. Believe it or not, I loved it here. There were no water balloons.
Below: Children huddled under the bleachers of Carnaval, wading through the trash.
Below: Those who wished to miss the water balloons, had better luck if they were sitting on the top row of the bleachers. These are the ladders they used to hike to the top. Once again, a society absent the terror of American lawyers.

Below: After leaving Carnaval, Coni and I showered, changed and headed back out into the city to tour Oruro’s local market place. Unlike La Cancha, this is more of an open street market.

Below: Of course we were unable to escape the water guns and balloons and I was one again drenched before returning to the apartment.

Below: Coni and I shop for a wedding gift for the Quechua wedding reception we are visiting the next day.

Below: Views from the back patio of our apartment in Oruro. We are in the heart of the Andes mountains.

Above & Below: I recover from a very long day while playing Uno with my sisters. While playing with the girls, one of the men also staying in the apartment (I counted over 20 people at one point but am still unclear of the final number of persons crashing the place) one of them very drunken men emerge from the kitchen with a sheep's head on a plate. This was just too Indiana Jones for me.

The next morning, we set out for the Church of the Mineshaft, or Sanctuaria del Socavon. It is believed that in 1789, an image of the Virgin Mary miraculously appeared in the mineshaft below this church; it had once been the richest silver mine in Oruro. Now all of the most significant parts of Carnaval are centered around this church in honor of the the Virgin of the Mineshaft a.k.a. Virgin of the Candle Mass (Virgin of the Mineshaft, Virgen de la Candelaria).
It was extremely difficult to get close to the church with thousands of people still celebrating Carnaval at her doorstep. Performers were still dancing and hundreds waited in line to enter the mineshaft and view the image of the Virgin Mary.
Above: Standing in front of the church, overlooking the crowd. It seemed as though the entire city was hungover. I had navigated through the city trying to avoid men falling on top of me or being sick on me.

Below: Jewelry and candles are sold outside of the church to accompany worshipers during their prayer.
Below: This is a mural inside the sanctuary, I love the combination of the indigenous gods and devils incorporated with the Catholic icons.

Below: Coni and Cecilia light newly purchased candles for prayer.

Below: Hundreds of people are gathered around the offering.

Below: Performers worship before the altar following their final dance in Carnaval.

Bolivia: Carnaval With Video!

2010-02-21T14:37:00.000-08:00

More colorful photographs from Carnaval. I am back in the US now but have so many more exciting blogs to post . . . follow till the end of the blog to see my video from the event! Nothing gives you a better feel for Carnaval than to actually hear the music along with the images.

A feel for Carnaval in Oruro, Bolivia. Carnaval in Oruro is filled with costumes, music, dance and traditions that date back through centuries of Bolivian history. Quite possibly the most truly authentic Carnaval in the world. Copy and paste the link to see it on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaQeiGj02jg

This video gives you a 360 degree view of Carnaval. Up close and personal with the dancers, you can practically reach out and touch the people passing by. As I spin through the crowd, you can see onlookers being sprayed with a foamy soap. Notice that everyone is wearing ponchos and other protective gear to shield themselves from the soap, water balloons and sun. Copy and paste the link to see it on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVrGz-ViUq0

Bolivia: Carnaval & It's Significance

2010-02-15T13:25:00.000-08:00

Carnaval is celebrated all over the world as a Christian/Catholic festive season, usually in February and ends the day before Ash Wednesday. Our American version of Carnaval is Mardi Gras in New Orleans. The reason we have Mardi Gras in the US, can be credited to our Spanish and French colonial ancestry in that region.

So why go to Carnaval in Oruro, Bolivia and not Brazil? The cultural significance of the dances, costumes and location. Brazil is famous around the world for its gorgeous women and famous parties but in South America, Bolivia is famous for their traditional take on Carnaval.

Oruro’s carnaval is significant because it dates back for centuries. Here in the Andes Mountains, the Andean people would dance and celebrate for la Pachamama (mother Earth) and Tio Supay (Uncle God of the Mountains). Around the 17^th century, Spain controlled upper Peru (also part of the Andes) and their Catholic rule prohibited the worship of la Pachamama. To disquise their religion, the Andean people made Carnaval a celebration of Catholic Candelmas, in the beginning of February before Lent. Their worship of la Pachamama was disquised as the Virgin Mary and Tio Supay was disguised as the Devil. The dancers wore costumes to mask their celebration of la Pachamama and Tio Supay in pretense of worshipping the Virgin Mary,

Carnaval in Oruro on the second Saturday, the part of Carnaval I am photographing, lasts for over 24 hours. There are over 28,000 dancers and 10,000 musicians that perform on their parade route.

The ceremony opens with the diablado (the devil’s dance). The devil’s costumes are fantastic. Following the diablado is the China Supay (the devil’s wife). She dances to seduce the Archangel Michael. She is surrounded by workers carrying the tools of their trade, representing their industries, followed by dancers dressed as Incas in full headdress accompanied by dancers depicting the black slaves forced to work in the Spanish silver mines.

The families are represented by the matriarchs and patriarchs dancing in yellow and red dresses with their “children” represented in green and blue costumes.

Some dancers portray the Conquest of the Spanish Conquistadors. While other dancers perform the triumph of the Archangel Michael as he defeats the devil and the Seven Deadly Sins.

It is an interesting mix to see the centuries old ritualistic worship of the Andean people for la Pachamama and Tio Supay combined with the stories of the struggle of Bolivian people and their Spanish conquerors. It is a great reminder that at one time, this country once had enough gold and silver to pave a road to Spain, but having been robbed by Spain of all their Earthly riches, are now one of the poorest nations on Earth.

Below: Several photographs of the devils. Hundreds of devils of all different designs dance together in the parade.

Bolivia: Carnaval: Girls' Night Out

2010-02-15T09:48:00.000-08:00

Carnaval in Bolivia is an incredible festival. The festivities officially begin with the night of the Compadres. This is the Thursday evening before the first weekend of Carnaval and it is a country wide Men's Night Out. The men rule the city, drinking, throwing water balloons and celebrating the events to come. That Saturday is the first weekend of Carnaval in Oruro, featuring thousands of musicians and traditional bands.
The following Thursday is the night of the Comadres, or Women's Night Out. This was the most incredible girls' night out that I have ever experienced. The entire city was taken over by women of all ages, filling restaurants and discotechs. Our party included 8 women with a table next to the dance floor and in front of the stage. We spent the evening eating, drinking and dancing to two very famous Bolivian bands: Wara and Llajtaymanta. Though it is supposed to be the night of Comadres, a few brave men crashed our restaurant to see these bands play. You can find their music online, they were incredible.

Below: These women are doing a very popular dance with their handkerchiefs. This dance is performed at all events, including weddings.

Below: The entire restaurant roared with women singing and dancing at the top of their lungs. It was nearly impossible for me to keep my beer, confetti free.

I would love to share more photos, but what happens with Comadres stays with Comadres.

Bolivia: The Elite of the Early 20th Century in Bolivia

2010-02-11T10:31:00.000-08:00

Here my sisters Kira and Camilia and I tour the Palacio Portales, one of the mansions of "King of Tin" Cochabamban Simon Patino built. In the early 20th centure, Simon Patino was one of the richest men in the world as a tin baron. This house was built to replicate so many other beautiful and famous pieces of architecture.

The once 10 acres of ground, were designed to replicate the outskirts of the Palace Versailles in France, one room of the interior is modeled after the Sistine Chapel in Rome, the billiards room is modeled after the Moorish architecture in the Alhambra of Granada, Spain.
Today it is run by the Foundation of Patino of Switzerland. We pay for our entrance, but our father Jhonny, is the boss of another part of this Foundation and is able to just drive into the grounds and join us mid-tour. Today the house is used as a center of the arts, education and can be rented out for private parties.
Unable to photograph inside, I am showing you the grounds. This is a must visit in Cochabamba and a tranquil oasis from the hustle and bustle of the city, right out its front gate. Here, we are only about a 5 minute taxi ride to the center of town.

Bolivia: The Children of Paccata Baja

2010-02-10T19:33:00.000-08:00

All of these children are from my neighborhood, the barrio called Paccata Baja. They were so gracious with my photography, I could not have asked for more.

Above: With their imaginations and weapons in hand, they are off for their next adventure.

Below: School is over and it's time for some fun.

Below: Spiderman lifts his mask while enjoying his triumph over this slide.

Above: Sliding down a giant stone slide with some neighborhood children.

Below: At the time, I did not know what a trouble maker Spiderman would be. Here he is preparing to knock the rest of us down during a group photo.

Above: I could not believe after reviewing tons of pictures shot very quickly by Camilia, that she failed to tell us that Spiderman was heading our way. Perhaps this was payback for all the posing :-).

Below: And there he knocks us down like a bunch of bowling pins.

Bolivia: Touring Around Town

2010-02-10T18:36:00.001-08:00

Above: I have a view of El Cristo from my bedroom. They claim ours is taller than the Cristo of Brazil.

Above: I wanted to take you on our tour of our town, starting with our neighborhood, then venturing into the city and back around the country side. I love this city, it is gorgeous year round, very affordable and the best family anyone could have been lucky by chance to join.

Below: A basketball court turned soccer field in a park near our home.

Below: Camilia and my cousin, Irria, stroll through our neighborhood, often petting sleepy, stray dogs and smelling flowers along the way.

Below: More scenes from around our neighborhood.

Above: My poor sister, Camilia, is subjected to my countless photographs of her while on our walks around the barrio.

Below: A neighborhood street.

Below: Teens leaving a local school. Usually, all children, especially those attending private school, attend the same school from kindergarten through till graduation.

Below: I am not a graffiti person. One day I will probably have a photo book called, I hate graffiti. I just find it remarkable that this statue of Mary at a private Catholic school, right in front of a church, can be marked all around with graffiti.

Below: Scenes from around the city.

Above: Elmo! Globalization at its best.

Below: My sister Kira, on the phone again :-).

Below: Kira and I finally arrive at Conny's work, La Clinica Belga, after dodging a lot of water balloons.

Below: Scenes from around the country side.
Above: Sister Camilia posing in front of the Andes Mountains. The landscape and climate here remind me very much of California. Cochabamba is the land of eternal spring. It is around 70 degrees here, pretty much year round. Right now we are in the summer and the rainy season

Above: A huge local lake and damn where many families are fishing and enjoying water recreation. This are is surrounded by fish restaurants. Do you see Mickey Mouse?

Below: Camilia and I enjoy the view.
I am not sure if this area is the drinking water, but it if it is I can see why we can't drink it.

Below: We are very near the fruit market from the last blog. This is a different lake and we can see some of the poorer communities here, way off in the distance.

Below: Dinner in they city. Celebrating a successful and necessary nose operation for my sister, Arriana, we headed to a local tea parlor and partook of some great goodies. Here I am drinking Papaya juice, eating empanadas of various types (background) and for the first time I am enjoying a delicious rice mixture cooked in corn husks (foreground). My sister is trying to steal an empanada mid picture :-).

Below: Driving home, we pass a gorgeous local Mormon church. My family has enjoyed stories of the different religious backgrounds in the US from the Mormons of Utah to the Amish from our neck of the woods (in PA).

Bolivia: Not All Shopping Is Created Equal

2010-02-10T10:10:00.000-08:00

This is a very decent fruit market on the side of the highway. It was here that I first learned how many types of bananas we could eat. I call this the banana market. It was wonderful to return and see the market and run into an old friend as well: Jo-Banca another former host mom!

Of course, there are regular stores too. Not all of the shopping is done in these crazy markets. Look below to see the beautiful shoe store that we visit, followed only by Pizza.

Most families here shop for food in many different markets. We may buy potatoes at La Cancha because they are cheap and can be easily cleaned, this is the fruit market that my family prefers for its cleanliness and when we are purchasing something that needs to be thoroughly clean and safe, like lettuce, we will go to the supermarket. In a country where you cannot drink the water, you have to be very careful of what food you by and from where it came from.

So many bananas!
In Cochabamba, you can buy 26 bananas for US $1. My family keeps a tray full of bananas and other fruit in their kitchen at all times.

Even the little ones have to haul the bananas and banana leaves

Shoe shopping with Bolivian Mom, Conny and Sister, Camilia.

Below: Grabbing some late night pizza after we shoe shop.

Below: We split our pizza, half the meat special and half the vegetarian special. What is on a Bolivian veggie pizza? . . . tomatoes, green olives, onions, green pepper, corn, artichoke with added mushrooms.

Bolivia: Sunday Morning, A Routine Trip to the Cemetery

2010-02-09T08:00:00.000-08:00

Above: My Sunday morning breakfast and first pomegranate ever! During breakfast, Jhonny returned home from his early morning racquetball game and we left to visit the gravesite of Conny's parents. Her mother had just passed away last year.

Below: This is a private cemetery near our home. Conny's mother, who was very old during my first visit here 8 years ago, passed away last year. With her brother Marco, husband Jhonny and daughter Camilia, we went to the cemetery to freshen the flowers of their parent's grave. Though this is a routine visit for the family, it is especially important that we visit this Sunday because next Sunday we will be traveling home from Oruru (a city 4 hours away where we will be attending Carnaval).
Below: The fresh flower shop at the cemetery where we purchased our flowers for the graves.

Below: It is easy to tell how often they frequent this site, the flowers Conny is clearing away are still fresh.

Below: Marco and Conny arrange a beautiful bouquet while Camilia and Jhonny relax and sun bathe in the background. Jhonny had just returned from three hours of racquetball before we left for the cemetery so he is pretty exhausted.

Below: Finished, we all silently pray for these loved ones and then walk amongst the garden. Their mother and father share the same headstone.
Below: The cemetery is not very crowded and much of it is devoted to a beautiful garden. In the background are the beautiful Andes Mountains.
Below: Marco and Conny survey the graves on the other side of the cemetery. It is amazing to me how many people regularly visit the cemetery. Most of the graves have fresh flowers.
Below: This is truly a garden where families visit regularly. It is extremely peaceful. You see children at play and many family members attending to the graves of their loved ones. Here a young child is peering into a small pool.
There are a few tents with chairs and picnic tables for new graves and for families to sit and relax while enjoying the garden and the memories of their loved ones. This tent in particular is for prayer and ceremonies.
Camilla (left) found wild mushrooms which she and Conny gathered to bring home. My Uncle Marco and I both said they were probably toxic but they did not seem to care. I hope they do not prepare these, I don't know how I feel about wild cemetery mushrooms.

Bolivia: La Chancha Is Always Interesting

2010-02-08T17:14:00.000-08:00

Above: Just to show you the enormity of La Cancha, there are many streets like this all surrounding several buildings that also host the market place. Even walking hand in hand with my Bolivian family, it was easy to lose sight of them. Of course, being blonde, I stuck out terribly. In the past while doing my research, I used to cover my hair, not wear any make-up and dress as plainly as possible to try to fit in with the crowd (it didn't really work).
Below: These are pomegranates or "granadas". We loved the look of these in the market place so of course we had to buy a few and I had my first real pomegranate ever for breakfast the next day.
Below: Many games and decorations for Carnaval.
Below: This does not even begin to show you the enormity of the electronic section.

Above: This woman is Quechua.

Below: This woman is Aymara. Can you see the difference?
Below: Chili peppers, Bob these are for you.

Below: Shoes. And there are so many more like this!
Below: Beautiful skirts for the indigenous women.
Below: The vendors have so little space they have to cram everything together, deciphering what is in this photo is as difficult as find Waldo.

Below: The Baskets (las canastas)! My mom will hate this picture but I love that it shows you the depth of this section of the market.
Below: Quechua women selling their produce. They do not have stands so they have to sit in the street. It is very difficult to walk here because there are always vendors in the street and so many people passing through.

My After three hours in La Cancha (that go by very quickly) my Aunt Cecilia and I are celebrating our shopping conquests by eating some cactus fruit.

Bolivia: La Cancha Is Like A Small City of Many Markets

2010-02-08T11:07:00.000-08:00

There are so many sections of La Cancha, that it is not difficult to realize how I spent so many weeks studying the vendors' selling and negotiating techniques. It is so easy to get lost here. Most items have their own section. The following photos show many significant sections of the market place. Goods like clothing, food, shoes, music and dvds, can be found in many different sections but these items are usually only in just one or two significant sections.

Below: Every section is so unique. Even the pots and pans go on for miles.

Below: Are Quechua women. Indigenous women to this area. I tell the Quechua and Aymara women apart the best by their hats.

Below: There are so many sections of La Cancha. Below is one of the many sections with handmade wooden gifts.Above: Conny and Cecilia were so sweet, they bought gifts for myself and my family in the US. Here are hand made sugar bowls, one for me and one for my mother and the woman is putting the finishing touch on the bowl.

Below: A friend of our wooden gift saleswoman, this shy woman let me take so many pictures of her. She was very sweet and shy BUT one thing that I have learn in La Cancha is if you want full permission to take photos of the vendors, you need to buy their stuff. It's all about the money, even here :-). All of the wood you see in the next few photos is from these same two women.

Below: This woman was such a great sales woman. She was selling a product to make hair curly in the street and captivated a wide audience. My mother Bolivia, Conny, bought some of these. She was so distracting, in fact, that security came and hassled her for pulling customers from paying vendors in the newest part of the market. She stood her ground that she was in the street and that was that.

Below Left to Right: My Bolivian mother, Conny, and aunt, Cecilia, carry their goods through La Cancha.

Bolivia: The Witches and the Coca Leaves in La Cancha

2010-02-08T08:53:00.000-08:00

I have finally returned to La Cancha, the most amazing market place I have ever seen. I studied this market and many others in the area for 6 weeks during my studies here in college. I find the mix of people and they goods they are selling to be un-endingly fascinating. My Aunt Cecilia was my first guide in the market place years ago. It is several miles in length and it is extremely easy to get lost. On Saturday, Cecilia and my host mother Conny, accompanied me to the markets once again. Our first stop? The Witches! I am eternally fascinated with the culture here. My family, for example, is Catholic but they also respect La Pachamama. The witches read coca leaves to tell the future and sell goods to bring luck to the people and their homes. All of the vendors in La Cancha either walk their goods through the streets or are crammed into very tiny stands. Above you can see a witch with an abundance of potions and offerings for their Mother Earth.

Below: These are dead baby llamas, dried and ready for burial. All of the witches have these lined above their stands. People buy these and bury them in the ground when they are building a new home. It is very important and common to do this for good luck. My sister, Arriana, shared an urban legend here that in La Paz, they actually buried real people beneath these houses; mostly drunks from the streets. Do not worry, it is just an urban legend and possibly not true.

Below: Here an Aymara woman (on the right) is purchasing offerings for La Pachamama from a bruja (a witch).
Below are offerings for La Pachamama (Mother Earth). They are to be burned in a ceremony for La Pachamama. During my first visit, my aunt performed this ceremony for my safe return to the US. She bought another bundle of offering and I am very excited to see when we will perform this ceremony again.
Here we are buying coca leaves. Learning about the coca culture during my first visit completely changed the way I viewed the world. For Bolivians, coca is a part of everything, it is very medicinal. They coca tea (or "mate de coca") is my favorite. All I need after 26 hours of travel from PA to South America, is a cup of coca tea. It eliminates my headache and my stomach ache and is very harmless to your body. They also use the leaves when making offerings to La Pachamama.

Before my first trip to Bolivia, I would have believed that the simple answer to solving a major part of the drug problem in the US was to just eradicate all coca fields because coca can be refined into cocaine. It was during my first trip here to realize how culturally blinded I was. The Quechua and Aymara Indians who grow the coca are a very poor people. It was the wealthy foreigners who would travel here and manufacture the cocaine. Coca causes so many problems, of course, and even amongst the people here it is very controversial because of this but it is also a part of their soul and their culture. I see most of the Bolivian citizens as innocent bi-standers to this problem.

During my first visit in 2002, I was able to witness a very important election. It was the first time that there was a strong candidate that represented the Quechua and Aymara people, the people of the country side. In Bolivia, it is illegal not to vote. Being a fairly new republic, they take the right to vote, very seriously. I was in La Paz, the capital city, the day of the election. It was incredible. Bolivians are expected to spend the day of an election concentrating on their voting. To encourage this. there are not vehicles permitted in the streets. No one needs to drive to vote, there is always a voting center within walking distance of someone's home. I remember looking out of my hotel room in La Paz onto the four lane highway below. Because there were no one could drive, I saw one little boy driving a power wheel down the center of this enormous highway. It was a sight to see.

The liquor stores and bars are all closed as well, no one is to be drunk on election day with such important decisions to be made. The laws were strictly enforced for voting because people who voted received a stamp on their hand. If you did not have a stamp on your hand through the following week you could not use the bank or the post office.

The indigenous candidate did not win that election but in the following election, one did and he has made some very interesting changes to the country in favor of his people and much to the dislike of my family and I will write more about this another day.

Why Bolivia?

2010-02-06T06:07:00.000-08:00

After 8 years and 26 hours of travel through four airports, I have finally returned to Cochabamba and my Bolivian family. It is amazing. I am fuzzy on so many details and parts of my life. I feel like I forget so many things but I remembered everything about my 2 months in Bolivia, perfectly and almost everything is the same. They have added shelves to my bedroom, my sisters have grown tremendously and there are some new building improvements to the city. Other than that, I feel like I was just here a month ago.

So why did I come here? Everyone has asked so many times what the purpose was of this trip and why the attraction to this country.

This May will be the 6th anniversary of my business and the 6th anniversary of my college graduation. Two weeks after I graduated college, I attended a one week seminar with the top sport and digital photographs in the country. We photographed Olympic athletes in training, experienced photo critiques by top photographers from Sports Illustrated, the NY Times and more. The best part of the seminar was that I was going to have a portfolio review and interview with the man who created the seminar, a world famous photographer who had been a photo editor at National Geographic for decades. The sole reason that I studied photography and Spanish was to travel the world, photographing for NG. It has been a life long dream. During my interview, this photographer told me that I was too old without enough talent (I was 21 at the time), that there were photographers younger and more talented than I that I would never catch up to, that I was foolish for having pursued a business degree and if I were a true photographer, I would have studied solely photo-journalism. He said his seminar was wasted on me and that I had no business there (I was one of four woman in a class of about 80 men and about the youngest one in attendance). I left the room crying, ready to quit photography and give up the dream but two other professional photographers changed my life and inspired me to stay and finish the week, and start my career. The one photographer photographed the Denver Broncos and he loved my work. The other photographer was younger than I am today. His name is Corey Rich and by the age of 26 he was a photographer in demand all over the world in the field of adventure photography. In his presentation, I realized that he had dropped out of college, began his own career photographing his buddies for camping equipment catalogues and it was by chance that a very important man had seen a photograph of his in a magazine. That man hired him to photograph the month long horse race across the Sahara and his career was born. You can see his website here: http://www.coreyrich.com/#/home/. I sat in that class and realized that if he could do it, than so could I.

Determined to prove this man wrong I moved back in with my parents and started my business. In those six years I have photographed a triple organ transplant, a baby birth and about 100 weddings. Thanks to my family's support and my determination that three months after the two year anniversary of my business, I bought my first house. After photographing around 100 weddings (which I love) I have decided to take my photography to the next level. My goal is to photograph weddings and other interesting events around the world and I am starting with Carnaval, in one of my favorite foreign countries, Bolivia. It is possible that my family is biased but they claim that Carnaval in Bolivia is even better than Carnaval in Brazil. We will travel to Oruro, four hours away, for the festival next Saturday. My only hope is that the sun is shining but apparently Carnaval will go on, rain or shine.

So why Bolivia? This is the first time that I have traveled to a foreign country alone and even with my sense of adventure I wanted the security of a safe home and a loving family that would support my quest. I did research here for two months in college and fell in love with my family and the adventure. My aunt, Cecilia, taught me everything about La Cancha during my first trip. La Cancha is the largest market place that I have ever heard of with men, women and mostly Indians (here they are known as Quechua and Aymara) selling everything from souvenires to bootleg CDs, clothing and coca leaves and stolen car parts. Anything that you need you can find in La Cancha. It goes on for miles and it is very easy to get lost in there. The thieves are notorious and the vendors will rob you blind if you let them. Last night, sitting at a kitchen table with my family and my aunt Cecilia, I joked of one day when during my first trip, Cecilia grabbed my hand and asked if I wanted to see a section of La Cancha with many thieves. Of course I said yes and we RAN through this section. My research here was solely based on the market places and I photographed it like crazy. Even in York, my favorite place to shop is Central Market. In my opinion, it is the market places where you really can understand your society.

So last night, I asked my aunt if she would help me take fantastic photos of the market place. Her reply? "Would you like to go to the part with the witches?" Adventure awaits for me this afternoon and I am in heaven! What can be better than witches? Well last night I also learned that this time next year, that my family is attending a Quechua wedding with possibly 500 guests. A Bolivian Indian wedding! Let's see if I can make it to National Geographic by the time I am 30. With your support, it might just happen. Spread the word, my photographs are going to be famous.

Spain: A Summary

2010-02-04T18:13:00.000-08:00

The inspiration of our trip! I had received this book as a Christmas gift from my parents - Bob saw how excited I was over it and knew that we were just going to have to follow it through Spain. It is a culinary road trip that Mario Batali, Gwyneth Paltrow, Mark Bittman of the NY Times and Claudia (a Spanish actress) embarked on. The following Christmas, Bob gave me the video documentary which we are still watching and learning to cook from.
What would I suggest to other travelers? We had the greatest time and our trip was only planned two weeks before we left. I would recommend traveling Spain in November. Traveling Europe in the off season made us feel like we owned the place. Tourist spots were not crowded, rates were low, the weather was incredible, there were no worries for pick pocketing gypsies (as I had narrowly escaped my first trip to Spain). I have traveled Spain twice, the first time was a bus trip through Northern Spain with my high school Spanish class. I have no idea why my class dragged us through Nothern Spain because the Southern part of Spain was just as amazing. Never ever travel to Spain without visiting the Alhambra and getting an Arabic Bath. If you do take the trip, buy this book and take it with you, we did and loved all of the restaurant recommendations. Whenever I was in doubt of an excursion, I just said to myself that if Gwyneth Paltrow can do it, than so can we.
The best part was that so little of it was planned in advance. We researched enough to know roughly what we wanted to do each day but we were never at the mercy of anyone else's schedule. We had some direction but were still able to just go with the moment, however it struck us. This was one of the best trips that I had ever taken and would gladly share the details with anyone interested in doing something similar. Good luck fellow travelers!

Granada: The City We Hoped It Would Be

2010-02-04T15:30:00.000-08:00

Our first afternoon in Granada was rough, to say the least. We were told only to see two things in this city, the Alhambra and the Albacin (the Moorish neighborhood we dined in the night before). The Alhambra is the most heavily visited toursit spot in Spain. They allow only 8,000 people a day, tickets must be purchased in advance for either the morning or the afternoon. If you wish to see the Royal Palace of the Alhambra, you have to make a reservation and anyone who does not arrive on time, is not allowed to visit it. We thought all this extremely high maintenance and were dreading the early morning. After the Alcazar (Royal Palace in Seville) we decided to take the morning shift and to reserve the Royal Palace for its first reservation, 8:30 AM.

Here you can see a couple pictures of the Royal Palace. The Alhambra was once a royal fortress city when Granada was ruled by the Moors, pre-1492. It is the only true fortress that Bob and I had ever seen, using its own geography nestled in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, as a natural barrier against intruders. The city itself is several miles long. Originally we thought we would be in and out of this place in 30 minutes to an hour. Over 3 hours later, we were still touring it, loving every minute in the freezing cold, wishing that we did not have to leave. After visiting the Alhambra, we had finally discovered the charm of Granada. If you ask us, it is a must visit for anyone touring Spain. I cannot believe my high school Spanish trip neglected to bring us here.

Views of Granada from the Alhambra! (above).

To the right you see the military part of the Alhambra, notice the towers. It is amazing that Ferdinand was able to conquer this fortress.

One of the parts of that I found the most amusing is that in this centuries old, ancient fortress, they still found a place to erect an espresso hut. Above is one of my favorite photographs, I am sipping hot chocolate while watching the city below. Such a delicious combination of the old and the new.

Below on the left is a photograph that I was determined to replicate from Gwyneth's visit to Granada. She of course could pass through the barriers and is walking through this same garden eatting a pomegranate grown here. Granada translates to Pomegranate and I was truly disappointed that it was past pom. season during our visit. After all, Gwyn said it was the best one she had ever tasted in her life, and Mikey knows how I love my pomegranate martinis.

If you look at this photo to the right, you can see how we are on one side of the mountain and across the way in the distance you can see the military part of the Alhambra. We walked all the way from over there around the mountain to the left and over to the side we are on from this point. After calculating our journey, Bob and I think we traversed about 50 miles in total, a few miles just in the Alhambra itself.
These gorgeous garden pictures are where the Sultans lived. It is called the Generalife. Their gardens made this venture extroardinary and I could not believe how much was in bloom in November, it was as though we were there in May.

After the Alhambra, we had a new found love of Granada and decided to spend our last afternoon exploring the city and shopping.

Here are some examples of the graffiti. It is amazing how beautiful parts of the city were but so much of it was covered in this. I have never seen this much graffiti, not in downtown York, Philadelphia or NYC.

Our hotel was right outside of the historic district. This plaza is the same place where the jobs protest was held the day before.

This was the route our taxi driver originally took us to our hotel. Can you tell why I was scared and disheartened? Thank goodness the entire city was not this desolate.

Before we left for our trip, I had read about a tour that took you to the Alhambra in the morning and to an Arabic bath in the afternoon. The bath sounded like an amazing spa but I hesitated to pre-book it because it included spending the day with a group of tourists. How to tour the Alhambra was a great debate with Bob and I and thankfully, he steered me in the right direction. I originally wanted a guide and once I saw the guides I realized how awful it would have been, we followed the audio tour, set our own pace and had a ball. But not having the pre-paid tour, I still had to talk Bob into my spa finale for the trip's end.

The Arabic Bath was one of the top experiences of my life. We were so thankful that we did this, especially after our 50 mile walking, three train, four city, long plane ride trip behind and ahead of us. After researching these, we have discovered that this is truly a unique experience, very different from the bath houses in the US

and other Turkish baths through the Middle East. You see here that there are 6 long and circular baths, all with a different degree of warm to hot temps and one cold bath. You were to alternate between the hot and cold baths which relaxed my body like it has never been relaxed before. The entire ambiance with its music, Moorish mint tea and my massage left me more relaxed in 1.5 hours than an entire day at the Hershey Spa. Do not go to Granada without doing this.

After our bath we went out for our "last meal" and had some of the best Arabic food I could have imagined. This restaurant was discovered by chance and a truly great find. It was the best hummus of my life. We dined on couscous, vegetables, chicken for Bob, a Sultan's desert (with yogurt) and Moorish mint tea (try it whenever you can). The restaurant shares the name Sultan's with an old burrito favorite from Pittsburgh that my old college friends instantly noticed.

No we did not do the Huka Bar but I thought it was a great site to share.

This city was the true comeback city. We hated it on our arrival just the day before but our last day in Granada may just have been the best part of our entire trip. We did find a pub with free food per our drink order. We shopped and dined at far less expensive rates. The neatest part was in Granada, we didn't really feel like we were still in Spain. This was the closest to the Middle East and Africa that either of us had ever been. The people, the food, the culture, everything was so Arabic. It was as though we had the opportunity to visit the Middle East with the safety and security of being in Spain. It was a hard sell, but Granada is on my list of top cities to visit in the world.

Leaving Gorgeous Seville . . . Granada not the city we were expecting

2010-02-04T10:24:00.000-08:00

Our last morning in Seville. There were only a few things to see, all within steps of our hotel but we still managed to space out the tours during our short stay. Our train to Granada was not leaving until noon so we woke and visited the royal palace Real Alcazar. The best part of this palace is that King Juan Carlos actually uses it when he is in town. It is not 100% abandoned to tour groups. Here Bob is doing his impression of our new found here, K. Carlos, waiting for the doors to open. One big discovery of ours on this trip was to be the first in line when visiting a tourist hot spot. We were able to keep a great stride ahead of the other tourists and were often the first and only people visiting the different parts of the palace. It makes all the difference in the photos to not have other tourists in there and it's a lot more fun without other people too!

Here I am, alone, away from other tourists, just strolling through one of the many outdoor courtyards. This place is so hidden away from the rest of the city, you wouldn't even know where it was unless you were at the front gate but inside, it is ginormous.

The gardens were the most amazing part. There are thousands of different species of plant life creating a truly tropical paradise. King Carlos is an incredible man for turning Spain into a democracy post-Franco with a great element of cool as he told Hugo Chavez to shut-up. In total awe of this man, I then decided he was the "Spanish-Heff" in addition to everything else when I saw the peacocks freely roaming the gardens.

After the palace, we attempted to view 40,000 documents created on the discovery of the New World. Our city guide Spanish Todd told us it was a must see. However, for reasons unknown to us, our entrance was denied. Very disappointed to not see Queen Isabella's first orders for Columbus' journey to the East Indes, I appropriately gave the establishment two thumbs down.

Disappointed, we collected our bags,

boarded our last train to Granada, our final destination. Through our entire trip, in every city that we frequented, people would tell us how amazing Granada was. They would say, "Oh Granada is amazing It is slow paced, the people are friendly and when you sit down in a pub and

order just one drink, they bring you food for free." To us, that sounded like heaven. After an
intense trip through three cities, we were ready to slow down.

From the first moment we stepped off of the train, we were completely disappointed. Granada was nothing like we expected and it was a complete slap in the face after picturesque Seville.

Even though Granada was still further south from Seville, we did not account for the fact that it was nestled in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. November in the Sierra Nevada Mountains is cold, very cold. There was grafiti everywhere, I had never seen more graffiti in my life. In many places, there was not an inch of space that was not colored, even sewer pipes were painted. We grabbed a cab and our driver took us down the main streets which were as busy as Madrid. Bob and I sat in utter silence at the mistake we realized we had made in visiting this city. Leaving the busy streets, the driver then took a few tours down the tiniest scariest streets I had ever seen and for the first time, I had a moment when I realized that this man could have been taking us anywhere he wanted, we could have been heading towards a back alley mugging. Had I not been with Bob I would have been having a panic attack. Luckily this did not happen and he drove us around another blind corner to our hotel. This hotel was the most expensive of all the cities, the "splurge" and it looked the saddest in this half-back alley that we had traveled. Determined to find the charm of the city, we check in, dressed and set-out to find one of Mario and Gwyneth's restaurants, La Rincon de La Aurora, supposedly one of the best Arabic restaurants in the city.

The city should have been a 15 minute walk but it took closer to an hour. It was straight up-hill in an area called the Albacin. The Albacin was not a comfortable place for us at all, especially in the evening. When the Moors were pushed out of Granada by Ferdinand and Isabella, they re-assembled into one neighborhood called the Albacin, a must see noted by the tour books. To us, it was one confusing dark alley filled with graffiti after another. Even Bob was uncomfortable and though we had a map, we would start our ascent into one winding alley after another until we were creeped out then we would head back down to the main road to find another route to the restaurant.
Freezing and exhausted we found our restaurant and did have a spectacular meal. I was disappointed that the menu had changed from when G& M were there, it must have been seasonal food, but it was still great. You can see above, I had Gazpacho and an olive tapa. We shared asparagus cooked in eggs (everything there is egg and as someone who once tried to be vegan - it is amazing! Bob has chicken (of course) with vegetables and even I could not get over the smell.

After our meal we headed back
down the hill to our hotel and as we walked throug the plaza just 50 feet from our hotel, we encountered an enormous jobs protest. The unemployment in Spain is at 20% and apparently strongly felt in Granada. Going to bed, I still had not discovered the charm of the city that everyone raved about.

Full Day in Seville: Plaza de Espana y La Catedral

2010-01-27T18:30:00.000-08:00

The day started rough. This was the only morning we truly felt a "cold" and unwelcoming European shoulder. Though we were mid vacation, we had to remind ourselves that it was Monday morning for everyone else and we certainly encountered a strong case of the Mundays. After being stared at through our lovely hotel breakfast, we left hungry to discover the fruit smoothy I had planned on was in fact a milk shake and the banker pretended to not understand my near excellent Spanish. I rebounded at Starbucks as I drank a "Cafe Americano" large, strong and black coffee.
We vented, put a smile on our faces and trudged through the city to return to the stunning Plaza de Espana we had seen the night before. On the way we passed an interesting film festival, a few funny sights and embarked on the entrance of the Plaza; an absolutely stunning garden.

As nature almost always has this affect on my personality, I drank my black coffee, calmed myself and told Bob 15 times that I was now "at peace" in this gorgeous garden of tranquility. That we should stop kavetching because we were in "a safe place". At this point I granted him unsupervised access to video the garden and later discovered that he did not "reach peace" as early as I had in the beautiful setting. Even the Mundays could not beat Bob out of enjoying the plaza. In the light of day, the details the building shared were unbelieable. The tile work, architecture, every square inch of the place, was amazing. We were convinced this had to be centuries old; our guide later corrected this assumption.

Around noon we met up with private guide of the city who took more interest in us than he did in sharing the city. We did learn that the plaza had been erected for the city's first Expo of 1929. We wandered with him through the Jewish quarter, saw the restaurant where the story of Don Juan begins and learned about our soon-t0-be new favorite leader, King Juan Carlos.

After leaving Todd, we visited the second largest cathedral in Europe, which also had an altar made entirely of gold. We climbed the Moorish tower of the catherdal, La Giralda. From the tower, we saw the entire city including a nearby bullfighting ring and a bird's eye view of our hotel.

Having found Mezquita once in Seville, we habitually revisited Toro Toro for continual Tapas replenishment, grabbed a bottle of wine and relaxed on the rooftop of our hotel, overlooking that stunning Cathedral. What a great way to spend a Munday.

Arrival into Seville

2010-01-25T19:50:00.000-08:00

Views from the high speed train

(best way to travel) from Madrid to Seville, approximately 300 miles South West.

We fell in love with Seville! How Gwyneth and Mario did not visit this city on their culinary road trip was beyond us. It was 65 – 70 degrees, gorgeous white buildings, slow paced and very European. Our hotel, the Hotel Dona Maria, shared a plaza with the only sights to see in town: the Royal Palace, the Cathedral and La Giralda (a tall Moorish tower which was the only part of its original structure to survive the Inquisition.
We arrived into town in the afternoon, in desperate need of a more leisurely relaxed pace. Our trip taught us two generalities, the first is by day 5 we are going to b exhausted and ready for a break and to always travel in the off season. Our amazing hotel, discounted dramatically for our November travel, featured what we think was the only private balcony and the roof of the hotel was equipped with a bar, a pool and heated seating to enjoy the view of the Cathedral and La Giralda at night.

Walking around the city with gorgeous white buildings and palm trees!

First we ventured around our neighborhood, el Barrio Santa Cruz, a featured must see in the travel books. The neighborhood was filled with tourist shops and quaint tappas bars. Bob finally found his Mezquita again and I had a falafel.

Seville was the first part of our trip where we actually saw the African and Middle Eastern influence in the food and architecture. Having traveled Northern Spain years before, this was the part of the trip that I had been waiting for, that exotic Andalucian culture.

After soaking in the neighborhood, we decided to partake in an impromptu boat tour. The boat tour was not the most enlightening way to see the city but I laughed till I cried. Beyond out of date, every reference the automated tour made was to anything erected or reconstructed for the Expo of 1992. I only recommend this trip if you are looking for to relax and have a laugh. Columbus sailed out of these famed waters but I guess there was no reason to update any of the information since the 500^th anniversary of his voyage. We did see some beautiful architecture, a few funky buildings and bridges and even water basketball.

In the evening we strolled through the city and discovered the Plaza de Espana. Unbelievably gorgeous at night, this was one of my favorite parts of the whole trip. We decided our first order of business the next day was to revisit this stunning piece of Arabic architecture and examine it in full sunshine.