tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29725811318070902492012-01-29T18:24:16.330-05:00Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.comBlogger1151100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-10647227417919724572012-01-27T18:50:00.002-05:002012-01-27T18:50:40.141-05:00

This blog has, for all practical purposes, been discontinued.  It still contains images from travels (mostly India and Nicaragua), the dog park, and weddings (posted before I set up a separate blog for them).  I have started a new blog elsewhere.  Contact me if you want to keep following it, or start following it.  :) erikasidor@yahoo.com

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-71706613396322295862011-10-30T07:25:00.000-04:002012-01-27T18:40:29.585-05:00

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-30169393308866941062011-10-28T13:06:00.003-04:002012-01-27T18:40:29.514-05:00

More time was spent shooting video today, instead of still photos.  Ah, well.  Just wait until THAT'S done.  :) These cows aren't actually at Animal Aid, but they live in the village where I am staying.  As we passed them on the way home I had to stop...

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-2330986097737334042011-10-27T04:07:00.002-04:002012-01-27T18:40:29.499-05:00

There are hundreds of dogs at Animal Aid on any given day.  Most are in the hospital wards, being cared for, but some are permanent residents.  This old dog (above) has got some issues seeing...and is essentially toothless...but he's happy as a clam resting in the sand at Animal Aid.   I can't stress enough that there is no other help available for the street animals in Udaipur...dogs are

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-65972738191129107452011-10-27T03:28:00.003-04:002012-01-27T18:40:29.573-05:00

Octopus is a handicapped dog that came to Animal Aid  in June from Ahmedabad.  I had made a video awhile back to ask for help in creating a larger handicapped facility for paralyzed/handicapped dogs, and the woman that was caring for Octopus (Sandra Jhala) was featured in that video (the link is below). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHkzVLqt46k Sandra was being forced to move from the

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-87611241320857453482011-10-25T10:41:00.002-04:002012-01-27T18:40:29.619-05:00

Today I arrived at Animal Aid and walked right to the cattle and donkey paddock.  There was a new donkey laying on a mattress in the shade...I took one look at him and my brain said "TETANUS".  Sure enough.  He had to be put down...he was in agony.

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-29343632904219389162011-10-25T10:29:00.002-04:002012-01-27T18:40:29.510-05:00

This is my first post since coming to India last week.  I spent 2 days getting here, then an entire day sleeping, and then it took me several days to get back on track.  I haven't been to Animal Aid every day, but I do have some time between arriving and then shooting a wedding...so I will be taking some more photos from time to time.  The photo above shows Laxman hanging a bag of saline for

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-79821802436959277542011-04-09T22:56:00.006-04:002012-01-27T18:40:29.603-05:00

There is a nightly "show" at the border of India and Pakistan every night, at Attari. The military forces for both sides do...something...and a huge crowd gathers. When I say they do something, I can't really elaborate on what because I didn't see it. There were too many people, and we were seated on the ground (as opposed to being in a stand). But the crowd watching was great fun, and it was

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-45305770679332880192011-04-09T22:12:00.003-04:002012-01-27T18:40:29.532-05:00

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Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-70905107150383781572011-04-08T10:51:00.004-04:002012-01-27T18:40:29.582-05:00

Lots of fun today visiting Leon's family's farm. Cows, tractor rides, piles of potatoes, chai and samosas...who could ask for more? :)

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-1265752373338669392011-04-08T06:36:00.005-04:002012-01-27T18:40:29.484-05:00

Todays adventures included a visit to a sewing school, yoga class, and a visit to a special needs school. A new volunteer arrived last night from Belgium, her name is Martina.Leon took the camera. I had been hanging off of this table shooting straight down on a couple of the girls. He was amused! :)Meredith is really good at henna...

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-10683096042784739732011-04-07T13:17:00.003-04:002012-01-27T18:40:29.477-05:00

The baby that was found on the railroad tracks the other day...This little girl is going home tomorrow. Her mother is finally in a position to support her.

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-40271808338283883402011-04-07T13:12:00.003-04:002012-01-27T18:40:29.525-05:00

The video is better, but here's some still shots of today's dance lesson.

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-86004430935761829402011-04-07T12:59:00.005-04:002012-01-27T18:40:29.613-05:00

I left the classroom for a minute to switch lenses...and a crowd gathered. What the heck...I was putting on the wide angle lens anyway...so I shot them!Yes, we give autographs. I cannot count how many notebooks we signed today after classes were over.

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-11215553101671707592011-04-06T13:38:00.007-04:002012-01-27T18:40:29.481-05:00

One of the projects that a volunteer is working on is collecting stories from the people in the old age home in Patiala. What has their life been like? Do they have children? If so, why are they living here instead of with the children? So they come outside, and sit to talk about their lives with us. I couldn't speak a word, and our translator (Mrs BP) was busy translating for Meredith.

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-47727221522194933872011-04-06T13:33:00.003-04:002012-01-27T18:40:29.535-05:00

After teaching, we headed next door to the orphanage. The kids showed us their rooms, hung out talking, and danced for us. They are all really great kids!This is a new baby in the orphanage...she was found abandoned on the train tracks. Girl children have it tough here in India, as it's boys that are preferred.

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-73814310836874556502011-04-06T13:24:00.005-04:002012-01-27T18:40:29.591-05:00

Volunteers in Patiala stay with Leon's parents in their house. Everyone gets their own bedroom and bathroom, and 3 incredible homemade meals a day...plus transportation to schools, shopping, everything. The morning begins with yoga class...and goes from there.Breakfast...with the Colonel in his uniform, ready to go to work. He will be retiring in June and is rather excited about it...once he

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-18735291229328025042011-04-06T13:14:00.005-04:002012-01-27T18:40:29.496-05:00

One of the schools I am photographing in for Volunteer In India is in Patiala. Great class...Meredith is teaching them English. The kids were bright, happy, and attentive.The small sign on the wall says "Corporal Punishment Is Strictly Prohibited".After class, they all got to do the Hokey Pokey. :)

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-8253428201385825642011-04-06T13:04:00.004-04:002012-01-27T18:40:29.606-05:00

Meredith is quite good at henna.Tonight we all went out...a bit of shopping. Meredith and Katrina stopped to look at bangles, and I was standing to the side. I realized I was surrounded by a crowd, and was surprised to realize that they were all pointing their cell phone cameras at me. My first thought was that they were making fun of me somehow...but, no. It seems they all genuinely wanted a

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-61621166593504064562011-04-02T10:41:00.006-04:002012-01-27T18:40:29.566-05:00

This week, I spent 2 days shooting for Gem Arts Emporium, a jewelery shop in Udaipur. They are going to be updating their website and creating a new look in general...and needed to have some photos taken. I am by no means a product photographer, but I played around with things. Not too bad!

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-1599687570818883922011-03-31T08:45:00.003-04:002012-01-27T18:40:29.491-05:00

The other day at Animal Aid was a very long day...at one point, I was in the surgery building (as usual, lately) and the ambulance came back from it's first run. A current hospital patient had just been brought in to have a rectal prolapse fixed, which required anesthesia and a certain amount of orchestration. Then when the ambulance showed up, we got 2 new puppies that were very sick. One

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-60397520779279967262011-03-26T14:02:00.007-04:002012-01-27T18:40:29.558-05:00

A puppy was brought in with a VERY badly fractured right front leg. There was no choice but to amputate. Broken bones were sticking out every which way, it was heartbreaking to see. Luckily, all went well, and as the staff at Animal Aid have proved, being a 3 legged (or even 2 legged!!) dog doesn't mean you have to slow down. There are so many resident amputees at the hospital, it's really

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-89234204391014366542011-03-20T22:43:00.008-04:002012-01-27T18:40:29.622-05:00

The Holi Festival in India is really something to experience! I had been warned (in past years) that if I were here on Holi to not go outside that day...it can be dangerous for girls, especially foreigners, and you will get covered in colored powder. Info on Holi: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HoliWhy is it dangerous? Well...it is a day that can involve a lot of drinking, but more importantly

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-70135323278125981482011-03-14T11:08:00.004-04:002012-01-27T18:40:29.578-05:00

A million years ago, I worked full time as a veterinary technician. I started when I was 18, got trained on the job, and proceeded to work at a couple of hospitals for the next 13 years. (The photo above is from my time at Lancaster Animal Hospital) However, it didn't pay the bills, the hours were long, and one day I was given an opportunity to have a job in a different field...photography.

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-29192856767963382562011-03-06T12:33:00.004-05:002012-01-27T18:40:29.507-05:00

Blog post disclaimer: for those of you who don't really know me...or know me too well...or are wedding clients (but check my blog to be polite/curious/kill time)...perhaps this isn't the post for you to be reading. For those who know me "just right", or are a woman, or are considering travel to parts of the world that lack *GASP* modern toilets...keep reading. Do not get to the end of this,

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-48040583039965347722011-02-24T00:42:00.004-05:002012-01-27T18:40:29.542-05:00

After spending a week in Punjab, which is predominantly Sikh, I am now in a place where cows are, once again, holy (Hindu). They are everywhere, so in a way this place reminds me of Udaipur. Hills and cows. Nice! (The hills are the beginning of the Himalaya's.)

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-47749247641297654492011-02-23T23:41:00.003-05:002012-01-27T18:40:29.539-05:00

The Mother Miracle school in Rishikesh is very happy to have a volunteer from Canada, Rob, teaching the kids yoga. He has been doing yoga for 2 years, but had never taught it. The kids LOVE it. It was so much fun to see how he went thru everything with them...downward dog moves were accompanied by barking. Cobra moves were accompanied by hissing...and lots of laughter!

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-79143060811970252172011-02-23T10:33:00.005-05:002012-01-27T18:40:29.600-05:00

The kids at Mother Miracle school are putting on a play. I was there just in time for a rehearsal...very good show! I think someone told me that over 100 kids were participating. A professional puppeteer was with them for a month, volunteering, and this show was the culmination of all of the planning, sewing, and practicing. The school has a whole room full of computers. I was so impressed.

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-56009770885588470622011-02-21T08:57:00.005-05:002012-01-27T18:40:29.555-05:00

Today I taught the kids how to do a magic trick...a few months ago, a friend taught me a trick with a chain and a circular piece of metal. He said you never knew when it might come in handy...and he was right! At recess today, I was sitting on the steps, feeling a bit shy and unsure of what to do. I have learned how to sign the alphabet, but actual words are trickier...so it's hard for me to "

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-7712004489194125072011-02-20T09:43:00.003-05:002012-01-27T18:40:29.597-05:00

Alan and I were taken out into some serious farmland today for a picnic. When we left, it was sunny and warm, I was in sandals, a short sleeved shirt, and 3/4 length pants. As we sat around in a circle of plastic chairs, the skies clouded over. Then suddenly, everything turned...it was freezing cold and very windy, almost what you'd expect for a tornado! Everything got picked up and brought

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-91454652125903266272011-02-20T08:18:00.003-05:002012-01-27T18:40:29.628-05:00

The wedding the other day was covered by a team of 2 photographers and 2 videographers with 4 assistants...8 in all. I decided to amuse myself, and once again lugged all of the heavy gear to a wedding with me when I really didn't have to. Having significantly underestimated the temperatures for the evening, I effectively froze at this wedding...which translates into: I spent more time sitting

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-52697439944358967282011-02-17T10:53:00.006-05:002012-01-27T18:40:29.548-05:00

Math class.After school...everyone changes into street clothes. And then come outside to hang out and play.I love this.This was in an art type of class...the beginning stages of a creation. Obviously it involved measuring and lines...they were conferring with each other on the right way to do it.Music class...both student and teacher are blind.There is only one computer, so everyone gathers

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-23375426577558705882011-02-16T12:43:00.007-05:002012-01-27T18:40:29.503-05:00

Looking at cards that the students are making.Alan is teaching about maps, directions, basic orientation info. He brought a compass and is trying to convey ideas about distance and relationships between places.The kids get pretty excited about answering questions! Because it's all in sign language, their hands go wild all at once.This man is both blind and deaf (most students are either/or) and

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-40709369757726568342011-01-24T03:24:00.006-05:002012-01-27T18:40:29.529-05:00

Over the weekend, I was in Jaipur for the Ring Ceremony. The next day, I took a trip to the Amber Fort, nearby. I had been there twice before, but this time I was determined to take an elephant ride to the top. The first trip, I refused to pay (900 rupees, about $20), the second trip I got there at 11:30, and the elephants stop working at that time. THIS time I was determined to get there in

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-63465691071885195382011-01-24T03:07:00.006-05:002012-01-27T18:40:29.569-05:00

We traveled from Udaipur to Jaipur this weekend, for the formal engagement ceremony for Salil and Aditi. It was a great night...and I tried very hard to capture the evening, despite the fact that I had NO idea what to expect. According to the Salil's father at the time of this posting, they are thrilled with the photos. Whew! Basically, this is a ceremony where they present each other with

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-83577973525924407342010-10-17T22:46:00.004-04:002012-01-27T18:40:29.610-05:00

Sometimes we drive thru gigantic herds of goats or sheep. Today was sheep. It's amazing HOW GOOD they all are about moving to the side just enough to escape any injuries.We picked up 2 cows today. Loading and unloading cattle is quite a challenge, as some of them cannot move by themselves due to injury, and they are sometimes really big. (Most cows here seem to be rather small, but some are

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-36186425009456844562010-10-16T09:12:00.003-04:002012-01-27T18:40:29.517-05:00

One of the calls today was about a cow having difficulty calving. By the time we got there, the calf had been born and was a wet heap on the ground. While we waited, the mother licked it dry, and then we showed it where to get regular meals. It caught on eventually. :)A puppy that was brought to Animal Aid. Rachael and Neil have been taking it back and forth with them every day, so it can

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-3882310932378418602010-10-14T09:48:00.005-04:002012-01-27T18:40:29.522-05:00

Everyone at Animal Aid...today was group portrait day. Even the people that had the day off came in for it!Erika, Jim, and Claire.Today we picked up a donkey, it's nose was badly injured, and it has an eye issue, also. (No, we don't know why. It's not talking.) The whole way back to Animal Aid, it was snorting maggots and other lovely things all over us. One of the dogs to be rescued today

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-87224487877649310972010-10-13T07:27:00.004-04:002012-01-27T18:40:29.616-05:00

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-73970626614103070382010-10-12T11:22:00.006-04:002012-01-27T18:40:29.594-05:00

Some of the cows can't get up. It's hard to see them this way.The cows like to be scratched and petted, for the most part. A puppy in the mange kennel area.Mange.Terretorial.One of the things I brought is Nutrrical...for sick dogs, or puppies. It's like concentrated calories and vitamins. This guy decided he liked it. :)Rachel with a puppy in the mange kennel.

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-68627166584564744932010-10-12T11:06:00.010-04:002012-01-27T18:40:29.576-05:00

The man that the runs Dream Heaven (the guest house in Udaipur where I am staying) told me that he was building a new place out of town, and mentioned that he needed to photograph the pool, as it just got filled the other day. I offered to do the photography, and he brought me out there this morning. What a place! It's like heaven. Still somewhat under construction, but to see it...gardens,

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-60601805502471601792010-10-11T10:55:00.008-04:002012-01-27T18:40:29.562-05:00

I put up a slideshow for some photos from the past week. I think they liked them! :)Some of the cows can't get up. They get hand fed, turned and cleaned a couple of times a day.The ambulance drove past Tiger Lake on the way back to the clinic today. Pretty.Not all of the dogs are keen on being caught and taken away in a truck...the net is a must for catching and transporting most dogs.We have

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-53494358599867282812010-10-10T10:44:00.005-04:002012-01-27T18:40:29.552-05:00

Today was donkey portrait day...here's Claire, with one of the 10 donkey's that we photographed. They need some photos for nice folks that would like to sponsor a donkey...$500 for a year, I believe.We picked up this cow today, it had been hit by a car. The guys hooked it up to IV's immediately, and put a needle into her abdomen to relieve the bloating.Suraj and Erika. The other Erika. :)

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-72652863867159575022010-10-09T06:39:00.005-04:002012-01-27T18:40:29.588-05:00

When we went to the vegetable market today (my 3rd time there) the guys got a little bolder. They followed us out to the truck and just...stared.Saka giving special love and food to a dog in kennel A.One of the calls today was for a "pig that needed to be rescued from a well". Although I wouldn't call this a well, it WAS a large, deep, water holding area. And it was full of trash and tree

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-90603670678668722852010-10-08T06:29:00.005-04:002012-01-27T18:40:29.625-05:00

One of the pickup stops today...the dog has a hurt paw.Suraj with a puppy. We were trying to capture the mother, but she wouldn't let anyone near her. She has mange, and needs to be treated. We took the puppy with us...he will need treatment, too.Suraj, carrying a huge bag of old vegetables.Another dog in need of help. Suraj is holding it, and is being watched by a curious neighbor.I saw this cow

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-48615266797319806202010-10-07T12:12:00.006-04:002012-01-27T18:40:29.545-05:00

Udaipur looks good after the monsoon! There's water in the lake again...Pramod. What a great smile he has.Fateh Lal. Another great smiler!Chai time.Fergus scratching while everyone has chai.Mixing up special food for the sicker dogs...milk, eggs, and lots of chapatis.I cannot remember her name right now...but she loves the animals and gives them massages.Minnie is getting a bath. Minnie only

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-13354174538498074182010-10-06T11:02:00.005-04:002012-01-27T18:40:29.488-05:00

Deepak, Pramod, Laxman, and I looking at photos from March.Today I was at Animal Aid for the first time in 6 months...and so much has changed! They have made some major improvements: planted trees, poured concrete flooring in "A" Kennel, painted walls, added a special cow treatment area, changed some things about how their place is organized (scheduling) and overall the place had a very peaceful

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-65140497670332024522010-09-24T21:31:00.004-04:002011-12-05T17:26:51.239-05:00

Every once in awhile, instead of running off to shoot a wedding or corporate event, I go running off to shoot engagement portraits. This one was fun!

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-78516176114017615212010-09-20T07:26:00.004-04:002011-12-05T17:26:51.260-05:00

On September 4, I assisted Corey with shooting a wedding in Gardner...

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-15040512503947480332010-09-05T21:00:00.009-04:002011-12-05T17:26:51.216-05:00

The trip to India in March was amazing...I have been diligently working on editing the photos (between weddings) and nearly 5 months later I can finally say I have done it! Out of a couple hundred images, I managed to select these 20 as being favorites...or at least significant enough to include here.The shot above is my favorite. The book that I made uses this image on the cover: http://

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-85756393086347298952010-08-31T11:06:00.005-04:002011-12-05T17:26:51.265-05:00

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-78152280176301735622010-08-30T09:36:00.006-04:002011-12-05T17:26:51.256-05:00

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-21299578347008569212010-08-24T22:40:00.004-04:002011-12-05T17:29:06.919-05:00

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-40516718007749070042010-08-23T17:47:00.007-04:002011-12-05T17:29:06.946-05:00

On July 24, Tim and I photographed Dan and Theresa's wedding in Barre. The whole wedding was at Theresa's parents house...a beautiful place! The day was a bit stormy...right before the ceremony we had torrential rains. Just as the ceremony began, the sun came out and stayed out for the rest of the day.

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-75634809770773517122010-08-23T17:40:00.007-04:002011-12-05T17:29:06.975-05:00

On August 21, I assisted Corey with a wedding...St Marks Church in Sutton for the ceremony, The Beechwood Hotel for the reception.

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-43526803576791252092010-07-27T22:37:00.004-04:002011-12-07T18:44:26.574-05:00

Adam and Heidi, July 10 2010, at the Boxboro Holiday Inn.

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-35329913520162912072010-07-27T22:17:00.004-04:002011-12-05T17:29:06.942-05:00

St Pauls Church in Blackstone, Pleasant Valley Country Club reception. Jeremy and Lauren!

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-83876803851855473522010-07-27T20:56:00.005-04:002011-12-05T17:29:06.978-05:00

I was the second photographer for this wedding June 4, 2010, at the Harding Allen Estate in Barre, MA.

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-88869395402547246702010-07-27T20:50:00.006-04:002011-12-05T17:29:06.982-05:00

Lisa and Shawn were married June 19 at Cyprian Keyes in Boylston, MA. Here are a few photos from the day!

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-58210664575988441392010-07-27T10:39:00.006-04:002011-12-05T17:29:06.960-05:00

These photos are from a wedding on Saturday morning, held at the Prince of Peace Church in Princeton MA. I was the second photographer.

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-9926990051340226112010-07-27T10:21:00.006-04:002011-12-05T17:29:06.988-05:00

I am often the second photographer for weddings...this weekend I shot as an assistant Friday night (Harding Allen Estate in Barre), and Saturday morning (Prince of Peace Church, Princeton) and then a wedding of my own on Saturday afternoon/evening in Barre (at a private home). 3 weddings in 30 hours! I'd rather not repeat this schedule anytime soon. Weddings are hard work...never mind

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-87337768775786925002010-07-11T09:16:00.003-04:002012-01-27T18:42:51.535-05:00

The upcoming trip to Asia has me in a bit of a spot. I am headed to Thailand, Hong Kong, India, and maybe Beijing. For the first time, I need to bring the "real" camera equipment with me, as I will be shooting for jobs, not just personal projects. I have to assume that I will be traveling alone (what else is new?) and therefore need to consider all kinds of situations. From past experience,

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-26301325148486969772010-07-03T06:05:00.007-04:002011-12-05T17:29:06.923-05:00

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-34474953131261502912010-05-17T16:32:00.008-04:002011-12-05T17:29:06.935-05:00

stART on the street "Spring Edition" crew: Nikki, Stacy, (me), Dennis, Sammi, Paul, Christina, Casey, Tina, Sarah, and Chris. stART was held on North Main Street in Worcester, Sunday May 16th. After the initial prep work, artist check in, food vendor set up, etc, I grabbed the cameras to do the "photographer thing" for the rest of the day. The full set of images can be seen by going to this

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-69744858637862389162010-04-26T19:42:00.008-04:002011-12-05T17:29:06.969-05:00

Steve and Ariane were married last weekend...on April 18. I am thrilled that I was asked to photograph their wedding! Anyone that knows me, knows that Steve and I dated for awhile 5 years ago, and decided we made better friends than anything else. And so it has been...and I am so happy for him that he and Ariane have found each other! Ariane has made me feel welcome, and I hope that they love all

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-90336164855008532592010-03-24T23:26:00.004-04:002012-01-27T18:42:51.538-05:00

Suraj and I. I love Suraj!A tiny puppy with a leg wound. Every morning I'd take off her bandages, clean the wound, and then sit with her for an hour or so in the sun so it could air dry a bit. It was very swollen and a lot of fluid seeps out...better to be open to the air for at least an hour or so. The flies here are awful...so I have to sit with her to keep them off of the wound, too.

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-61695329645982262382010-03-18T12:53:00.004-04:002012-01-27T18:42:51.519-05:00

The photos in the blog are NOT in order...a glitch with the laptop, the browser, all sorts of things. So...the point is I cannot rearrange photos to tell a logical story. So you get bits and pieces of out really big day at Animal Aid. Today we did a blood transfusion for a little puppy! We picked a resident dog to be the donor, rounded up all the supplies, and did the transfusion. The puppy

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-57128876637210227232010-03-12T21:36:00.009-05:002012-01-27T18:42:51.512-05:00

A herd of goats passing thru the Animal Aid area.One of the roadside places that we eat lunch every day. usually spicy cooked vegetables and chapatis. By the time we are done my eyes are watering and my nose running. VERY spicy food. When I get home I am eating pizza for a week.Pearly and Sanjeev...volunteers. They are also from Boston!The store where we get cold drinks. Then we walk to the

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-6088845339121437462010-03-09T10:14:00.005-05:002012-01-27T18:42:51.516-05:00

These are the ticks from one half of one dog. I couldn't turn him over to get the other half because he was in such pain. But as he lay there, I took some time to clean him up. he had too many little friends. This is one of the dogs that lives at the clinic. In all, about 50 dogs live there. They have injuries to such an extent that they are not releasable. This is one...but I can't

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-66229011914640256882010-03-04T03:12:00.003-05:002012-01-27T18:42:51.523-05:00

I finally made it to Udaipur (5 days of motion...) and this is one of the views from the place I am staying. Usually this bridge is over, well, water. They have had very bad rains the lats few monsoon seasons, and the lake is disappearing. I was going to upload a video of the room I found onto YouTube but didn't count on India's internet being...so...slooooow. It was hard enough to upload

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-80167317433415916202010-03-01T21:44:00.003-05:002012-01-27T18:42:51.531-05:00

Posted March 2nd, approx 8am Delhi Time, copied from a Word Doc. I apologize, apparently BLOGGER doesn't acknowledge breaks for paragraphs. The whole thing reads like a run on sentence. I will put ### where the breaks should be ok??###March 1, 2010, LondonIf someone could please explain to me why employees at Heathrow Airport are so rude, I am listening. I know, I know, in the back of your

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-39176302961527697252010-01-14T23:59:00.005-05:002012-01-27T18:42:51.505-05:00

This is the field along the driveway up into the Bradley House. Horses graze here, and today and yesterday, a few guys were hand cutting the grass for hay- with machetes. I can see what backbreaking work this is, and wonder why they don't use the scythes (?) with long handles, so that they wouldn't need to bend over to cut the grass. The same spot, but with me turned and facing the opposite

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-27167404820896327832010-01-13T18:03:00.002-05:002012-01-27T18:42:51.495-05:00

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-79196901209540099012010-01-12T23:00:00.006-05:002012-01-27T18:42:51.528-05:00

My day was split between La Chureca (see previous post) and Bradley House. Not quite as many photos taken today, I wasn't feeling well, but still, many images that I am proud of. I cannot WAIT to get home so that I can see these photos larger. My laptop has worked out very well, but the screen is not so big for vertical images- and I have noticed that I shoot many more verticals than I do

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-68342123343506927502010-01-12T14:24:00.008-05:002012-01-27T18:42:51.526-05:00

Manna Project had their milk and weighing clinic today at La Chureca (Managua's city dump). The last time I was here, it was a holiday week and the schedules had been changed, so although we got a tour of La Chureca, I didn't get to see any of the programs in action. On Milk Day, the moms that live in the dump bring their kids to get weighed, measured, given a supply of milk, vitamins and

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-36224114831109624612010-01-11T21:42:00.007-05:002012-01-27T18:42:51.502-05:00

Today's photos are all from our work at the Bradley House of Hope. It is a school/clinic a few miles away from Manna that is open during the week. They operate in 2 shifts- 8am to 12, and 2 to 4. The plan is for the WSC students to be at the clinic today thru Thursday all day, and then Friday in the afternoon. They are working with WSC professor Jackie Brennan and the staff at Bradley

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-20279431155984762882010-01-10T21:44:00.005-05:002012-01-27T18:42:51.492-05:00

This was our weekend of...rest and relaxation. I, personally, am rather anxious to start working tomorrow. I am not going crazy, but I'd love to be photographing all the time. Yesterday afternoon, we went to a place on the shore of a volcanic lake, called Craters Edge www.craters-edge.com. It's like a hostel, with a large open air dorm, plus smaller private rooms. The water is 78 degrees, and is

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-40987137910585150962010-01-09T22:30:00.015-05:002012-01-27T18:42:51.509-05:00

Today, we were taken into Managua for the official "city tour". As you enter the city, and pause at redlights, you are approached by a variety of people. Some, like the one above, clean the windshields of the cars and hope for some kind of payment/reward afterwards. Some are hawking sunglasses, bags of water (yes, bags), cell phone accessories, car parts, and snacks. At some lights, we were

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-32568443975460365752010-01-08T17:20:00.003-05:002012-01-27T18:42:51.499-05:00

We arrived safely in Nicaragua last night, after 12 hours of airport logistics. Good flights, no lost luggage, decent airport food. Who can complain? To think that in just 12 hours, you can be SO far from home! The weather here is warm, and apparently it is the "windy" season. It's a bit dry, apparently they never got the rains in the fall, and are concerned about crops as a result.

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-72000491662396643882009-11-25T15:31:00.011-05:002011-12-05T17:29:06.972-05:00

My horse, Jake, died recently. He was 37. Some of my friends know that I have had horses, many don't. At one point I had 3, but the one I want to talk about today is Jake. I met Jake when I was 19, and he was 17, and I shared my life with him for 12 years. He was given to the Olsen family, a few miles down the road from me. The Olsens had a horse farm, and one day, Jake was led to their house and

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-86957852989837126312009-11-07T14:23:00.013-05:002011-12-07T17:16:38.244-05:00

1,300 square feet. Attic storage (walk in), full basement with washer/dryer/sink. 3 bedrooms, living room, dining room, kitchen, 1 bathroom. 1/10th of an acre, with woods behind house. On street parking. Oil heat, natural gas for stove and hot water. House built in 1926, original kitchen cabinets and soapstone sink. Built in bookshelves, beautiful detail work for wood trim and door ways

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-32114308508117412362009-10-07T23:20:00.004-04:002011-12-07T18:41:49.515-05:00

On Saturday I assisted Corey with a wedding at Old Sturbridge Village. Although I have worked for OSV many times over the years freelance, this was the first wedding for me there. The Meeting House was very dark...I used the 50mm lens the whole time from the balcony: 3200 ISO, 1/50 at 1.4 for many of the shots. Yikes! But, I am pretty happy with them, overall. Always good to have a challenge

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-50511017942302093892009-09-07T21:46:00.006-04:002011-12-05T17:29:06.957-05:00

Caleb and Miriam's wedding was like no wedding I have ever seen. When they contacted me a few months ago and asked me to photograph their wedding, I was pleased- I knew Caleb as a student at WSC and liked him a lot. His energy radiated wherever he was and his sense of humor was infectious. Miriam made me feel like I was meeting someone unlike anyone else I knew...very strong, beautiful, kind,

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-62433951571045292652009-08-28T22:44:00.003-04:002011-12-05T17:29:06.964-05:00

Sammi and Paul were married on August 22nd, an exceptionally hot and steamy day in this part of the world. I had been asked to shoot with the Holgas that day, and came home with 21 rolls of film. That translates into 252 potential images. I have lots of processing, scanning, and editing to do, but I bet I will end up with about 150 edits. It will take weeks...this post is just 5 that quickly

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-16327435514605494632009-08-19T08:03:00.005-04:002011-12-05T17:29:06.913-05:00

August has been a busy month for Holga (toy camera) weddings. By the time the month is done, I will have shot 3 full weddings this way...that's a lot. Each wedding probably yields 12 to 15 rolls of film (12 exposures per roll) and the scanning for such a project is phenomenal. And then later on (someday) I need to clean the dust off of the scans, which takes about 20 minutes per image. For the

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-42916770981488586232009-08-02T12:19:00.002-04:002011-12-05T17:29:06.949-05:00

Andy brought me to a family wedding yesterday...I brought along the Holgas and had a ball. I think I shot 15 rolls? Seeing as it was a daytime wedding there was plenty of light for exposures, and I used the flash for fill. It's making me nuts that today is Sunday and I can't have LB Wheatons process the film until tomorrow. The wedding was very nice- all held at the brides parents house,

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-91528698771792624682009-04-28T12:05:00.004-04:002011-12-05T17:29:06.985-05:00

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-28734962222750578582009-04-14T08:15:00.003-04:002011-12-05T17:29:06.927-05:00

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-92127582692069251402009-04-07T17:18:00.006-04:002011-12-05T17:30:46.375-05:00

I am really loving my dog park photos right now. I still haven't been up as often as I'd like, but when I do go the light is pretty good for the camera. (Since I can't change my shutter and aperture, I rely solely on film speed to help make the correct exposure.) I discovered something new the other day...as the dogs were jumping repeatedly for a stick, I shot from underneath them. This was an

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-33392982058214104972009-03-23T16:35:00.007-04:002011-12-05T17:30:46.354-05:00

Sometimes lots of time goes by before I get caught up with dog park negs, but I think I am on a roll again. These images are from the last couple of weeks, and I have several favorites. I went into the darkroom to print last week, and have discovered (to my horror) that I find myself wanting to digitize them so that I can adjust things...just so. I know that I used to spend 12 to 14 hours a day

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-21538778626737335332009-03-08T22:00:00.003-04:002011-12-05T17:30:46.351-05:00

After many months of other activities, I finally developed some rolls of film that I'd been storing at the lab. To my surprise, there were a couple of rolls from last fall at the dog park. I also found some from a wedding in October (another surprise!) and there's still film to develop. I know that some of it is from the recent trip, but I can't say for sure which ones. Today was about 55

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-37325357812266459822009-03-02T14:54:00.007-05:002012-01-27T18:53:45.488-05:00

Stephanie and Rob...

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-17771235423225102652009-02-15T19:56:00.005-05:002011-12-05T17:30:46.348-05:00

A Valentines day wedding...Aliza and Paul. I was actually the assistant for this wedding, and Corey Fitzgerald was the lead photographer. What does this mean? For one, it means I got to photograph the guys, which doesn't happen often (the lead photographer is with the bride). Two, I got to do many of the detail shots and candids. When I first got to the house, Paul and his groomsmen were playing

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-31890561068721001012009-01-17T19:32:00.004-05:002012-01-27T18:45:04.785-05:00

Back to Antigua today, 4 hour bus ride thru the mountains again. I picked up a new book today, I will need it for tomorrow and maybe it will even last through my flights and layover. We have our LAST day here tomorrow, I have no set plans, so I will probably spend the whole day reading. I can't wait to come home on Monday. Not much for photos today, there's a couple of shots from Antigua, and

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-42006307826762360862009-01-16T13:54:00.007-05:002012-01-27T18:45:04.796-05:00

Last night there was a fire next to our hotel. An entire restaurant burned down. Interesting that this should happen, because JUST last night I was in a position where I actually thought about how to get out of my hotel room if there was a fire. You see, they have a different system down here for doors. On our hotel room door, there is just a deadbolt, operated by a key on both sides...no way to

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-70323098147435809542009-01-15T18:08:00.005-05:002012-01-27T18:45:04.818-05:00

After 8 hours in the bus, we arrived in Antigua last night...just in time for dinner, then to bed, then off to Panajachel, which is where the photo above was taken. Lots of travelling, and on some amazing roads. Skinny roads thru the highlands, carved out of the hillside. No place to go if you break down, and tons of hairpin turns that make you dizzy. Several trucks and busses DID break down,

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-56048297703571965582009-01-13T14:29:00.003-05:002012-01-27T18:45:04.806-05:00

Rio Dulce is in the middle of the map, a skinny spot between lakes. Town is on one side of the water, our huts are on the other. I took a boat over to the town to use internet. The hut I am staying in, beds complete with mosquito netting because it is in a swamp. The whole place is connected by a network of elevated walkways, and they are slippery. There are no handrails. Go slow. This is

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-39485681733841430162009-01-13T14:19:00.004-05:002012-01-27T18:45:04.793-05:00

Tikal is one of the largest ruin sites, certainly very impressive. Some areas still have scaffolding, some temples are being "put back together" even now. I don't feel like writing much about Tikal, but it was a beautiful spot, not too crowded (as I had been worried about) and made for a nice 4 hour walk thru the jungle. I even got some reading done up on top of one of the temples. Going up

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-69382668570283040942009-01-10T21:27:00.006-05:002012-01-27T18:45:04.815-05:00

For the trip into Guatemala and onto Flores we were serenaded by the sounds of a mix CD...much to my amusement, we got to hear Kenny Rogers, Air Supply, The Bangles, Lionel Ritchie, and the Eagles several times over. The driver seemed to really love it, it must have played fully 4 times! We made it across the relatively short distance, but it took a long time. The roads are an interesting mix of

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972581131807090249.post-4432253078687114082009-01-09T16:53:00.008-05:002012-01-27T18:45:04.799-05:00

These ruins are called Xunantunich, and they are right down the road from the place we are staying. Everyone else opted for the $75 tour of caves nearby, I walked down the street- literally- and had a great time walking around for only $5. (They do have an admission fee.) Very interesting place, but on the way out I looked in their exhibit hall, and learned about the restoration. I was a little

Erika Sidorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06492903444095067842noreply@blogger.com0