Rightly claiming its name, the luxury Taj hotel overlooks the Mumbai harbour showing a rear distinction of architecture and aesthetics. With its remarkable European and Islamic design influences, this building perfects its symmetrical built and classical grace. It maintains a scenic backdrop to the Gateway of India and marks its landmark presence to the seafarers thus reminding the vintage class and times that the city had then experienced.

Gorgeous Taj!! 

The Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, formerly known as Victoria Terminus Station, in Mumbai, is an outstanding example of Victorian Gothic Revival architecture in India, blended with themes deriving from Indian traditional architecture. Its grandeur is well appreciated and received with features as a remarkable stone dome, turrets, pointed arches Gargoyles, crockets, and many such. It is an outstanding example of the meeting of two cultures, as British architects worked with Indian craftsmen to include Indian architectural tradition and idioms thus forging a new style unique to the then Bombay.

C.S.T Mumbai - The Gothic Glory!! 

This 3 km long stretch claims its beauty due to its strategic positioning along the Arabian at the backdrop of the old Art Deco buildings of Marine Lines. It has a varied mix of building as Gymkhanas, colleges, aquariums, Club Houses, Stadiums etc that share some fashionable addresses in Mumbai It enables a seaward connect from Nariman Point to Malabar Hill with points of exits/entry to the inner city areas of Mumbai.

The Exquisite Marine Drive!!

Commonly known as the “Queen of Suburbs” Bandra station marks its strategic importance at the threshold of Suburb land onset. With a cascade of conical roofs and watch tower rising through centre, this Victorian Gothic beauty has been witnessing flock of Mumbai crowd commuting daily to famous and prominent destinations as Hill Road, Linking Road, BKC, Bandstand and so on. This landmark is generally seen camouflaged with Auto Rickshaws and Buses almost round the clock.

The Queen of Suburb, Bandra. Thy Name!

A 5.6 km road outstretched amidst the Arabian sea connecting the 2 vital destinations namely Bandra and Worli surely marks a metaphoric presence on the city map. Pioneering steel engineering, Bandra Worli Sealink was designed as the first cable-stayed bridge to be constructed in open seas in India. Balancing engineering complexities of Geology & Geometry, the aesthetics of the bridge is well presented. This bridge has proved a relief to the traffic carriage on the otherwise landward roads of the Western coasts of Mumbai.

An Engineered Poetry!

A humble, though quite modest churches still calls its claim on the Tullock Road. Once a charming spire, this church has been camouflaged in the buildings around. This building obeys Mumbai’s tropical climatic thus having tiled roofs, balconies and contemporary building elements. It is one of the 3 Methodist churches in Mumbai which continue to exist on the face of the Mumbai landmark.

The Bowen Methodist Church!

Rightly known as the ‘Lifeline of Mumbai’ this untiring beauty is a common sight on the railway landscapes of Mumbai that carries men and Goods all day long without breaking a sweat. Local train is a cradle of cultures running between its demarked stations as a slow or a fast local A 15 coach rake ideally carrying around 3000 passengers at an average speed of 80 KMPH has been the fastest, cleanest and most economical mode of public transport in the city since ages hence claiming a Metaphor of life to Mumbai

Mumbai Local!!

One of the oldest courts in the country, that was built over a period of 7 years in the Gothic revival in the early English style architecture and was commissioned in services in 1878. It has been declared as a world heritage by UNESCO. Seen from a few hundred feet away, its dark stone high walls, its arched galleries, its turrets, the massive central tower that is topped by a massive steeply sloped roof, do almost exude a feeling of a European castle. Standing tall, this edifice stood to the testimony of times witnessing major happenings in the city of Mumbai on social, political, Economical and many such fronts.

Mumbai High Court!!

Masoli Bazaar.. the Fish Market!! Regular scene at a crowded fish market with a beautiful pattern in the chaos!! One is naturally welcomed by the stink and stench of varied varieties of Fish to be handpicked as per his luck and desire. He is carefully watched by chancing crows and bitchy cats while he argues for bargain of his catch with the Fish Mongers! The smell of Fish is naturally in the Air of Mumbai making it complete as a indispensable Fifth sense of Mumbai.

Masoli Bazaar!

The Air at Girgaon chowpatty is filled with mixed emotions of Joy and Sorrow as Mumbaikars Bid Adieu to their Favorite God after an Eleven Day celebration of Pomp and Joy. The city is drenched in powder of Mesmerising colours dancing to the tunes of deafening drums and trumpets with a promise from the God to come as early as possible to merrily enjoy the same pulse of excitement and high the next year!

Ganesh Immersion!!

 Mumbai has gained it's iconic identity through this Edifice. A Grand piece of Architecture been erected in choicest Malad stone to commemorate the landing of the King Emperor George V! This Ceremonial Entrance built in Indo Islamic style is a Prominent Tourist place situated in the Eastern Harbor of the Colaba Island! 

The Grand Gateway!! 

Mumbai has gained it's iconic identity through this Edifice. A Grand piece of Architecture been erected in choicest Malad stone to commemorate the landing of the King Emperor George V! This Ceremonial Entrance built in Indo Islamic style is a Prominent Tourist place situated in the Eastern Harbor of the Colaba Island!

The Panorama!!

Mumbai Metaphors

African Ancestral AI by Aishatu. Culture, history, and language make us who we are. In a world increasingly globalized, we must protect the cultural heritage we inherited from our ancestors. To build a more resilient and peaceful society, cultural pluralism is essential. AI can serve as the architect of the future, safeguarding our unique cultural heritage for future generations. The African Ancestral AI project utilizes exponential technologies to preserve and increase access to the cultural heritage of the Hausa and Fulani people of West Africa.

AAA 03 by Aishatu

Audio fiction and NFTs to promote global peace.  Culture, history, and language make us who we are. To build a more resilient and peaceful society, cultural pluralism is essential. 

African Ancestral AI

1/1 NFT: a still image of a frame from the original short film, UNLAWFUL DUTIES.

UTILITIES & PERKS
- Your name in the special thanks section in the credits of the film.
- Access to a Private Discord giving you access to the films development process.
- Exclusive access to the Feature Film prior its commercial release date, as well as access to future airdrops.

1500 NFTs Available
Own 7 NFTS for a 5% token Rewards Airdrop

UNLAWFUL DUTIES SCREEN GRAB

1/1 NFT: a video of the entire clip from the original short film, UNLAWFUL DUTIES.

UTILITIES & PERKS

-Invitation to the private Meta-Verse premiere of the film.
An Associate Producer credit
-A Live BTS look shooting of a scene .
-Includes all Utilities & Perks of Tier 1.
250 NFTs Available
Own 9 NFTs for a 15% Rewards token Airdrop

A UNLAWFUL DUTIES VIDEO CLIP NFT

1/1 NFT: A autographed Vaulted Poster from the Director of the Film.

UTILITIES & PERKS

-Invitation to the set of the film.
-Invite to the wrap cast & crew party.
-Invite to the red carpet premiere.
-Audio Commentary from the Director

*Own 50 nft tokens & receive the Shooting script and Executive Producer Credit on IMDB. 

200 LIMITED EDITION NFTs Available
10 NFTs for a 30% Rewards token Airdrop

A AUTOGRAPHED UNLAWFUL DUTIES POSTER NFT

UNLAWFUL DUTIES FEATURE FILM NFT PROJECT

Popcornographics

She has been through difficulties, but soon enough learned how to love herself and embrace who she really is meant to be.

Self Love

The Fighter

She has allowed her inner light to shine through.

Inner Light

After a long two years of battling with Covid, the world is slowly starting to go back to normal. She is surfacing out into the light.

Surfacing

The Peony Flower symbolizes honor, happiness, and compassion.  Let this resemble a world we would want to live in.

Compassion

Embrace who you are and where you come from.

Scribble Art

Born around 1956-57 in England, these were imported and had specifics similar to WCM1 except that
they were a little shorter, less bulkier and more sloppy ended. None of the 12 brothers manufactured
in India were allowed to haul freight, but were made to do relentless passenger duties on the Mumbai-
Pune section, who now stand decommissioned. Remember the Deccan Queen..?

WCM-2

These are heavy to very heavy haul shunters which are used for shunting special loads at
steady speed. Also, these beauties are extensively used for hauling bogies at CSMT and cotton
green marshalling yard. These are spotted for over-hauling and maintenance activities at the
Parel Loco workshop.

WDS -6 

The birth of these locos took Indian for a thunderous ride. Though, a fully imported and later adopted
with tailor made alterations according to specifics of Indian use, these locos could clock high speeds
right upto 180 km/hr during their trial runs!
‘Strength coupled with speed’ was a unique deliverance by these locos which could give spectacular
results of hauling almost 24 coaches on the Indian terrains without breaking a sweat.
These beauties meant serious business without breaking off even for periodic overhauling and
maintainances for a stretch of 90 days at a go!
Known by the name ‘Baaz’, these had negligible drawbacks such as long hood in front, left hand driven
cabin which caused visibility problems and such minor ones.
The only mentionable drawback was that these had a low capacity traction motors which resulted into a
low tractive output that gave rise to wheel slips and developed tremendous sheer.
This difficulty was corrected with the experimented better version of its immediate sister WDP4B.

WDP - 4A 

A well reworked loco accommodated the shortcomings of the previous class. These were more softer in
looks, aerodynamically pleasing features, sustainable in performance, had wider windows and cabins.
These were know and ‘ Ugly Ducklings’ by the rail fans owning to its triangular hood and tall necked
apron.
The common drawbacks of this class were its LHF (Long Hood Forward) which caused visibility issues
and needed more power to haul. The WDP4D was experimented keeping features of the earlier class

and modifications as provision of twin cabins ahead with the long hood going behind the cabin, Air
conditioned cabins, inbuilt toilets and better seating space.

WDP - 4B

Japan comes to help this while. Fully imported from Japan around 1957-58, only 3 of these making this
series were refitted and reconfigured yet retaining the ‘butch’ looks to the Indian requirements of
obtaining the overhead current. Technical problems were yet to be addressed and hence were
restrictive in long hauls. These could do meager jobs of shunting and short freight duties leaving no
trace of their history to date.

WCM - 3

Whistles and Chugs!

Cascais is a Portuguese city in the sub-region of the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, belonging to the region with the same name and the district of Lisbon, with 64,310 inhabitants (2021) within its urban perimeter.

It is the seat of the municipality of Cascais, with a total area of ​​97.4 km2 and 214,134 inhabitants (2021), subdivided into 4 parishes. The municipality is limited to the north by the municipality of Sintra, to the east by the municipality of Oeiras, and to the south and west by the Atlantic Ocean.

Old Mansion in Cascais Portugal - X Ray

Cascais is a Portuguese city in the sub-region of the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, belonging to the region with the same name and the district of Lisbon, with 64,310 inhabitants (2021) within its urban perimeter.

It is the seat of the municipality of Cascais, with a total area of ​​97.4 km2 and 214,134 inhabitants (2021), subdivided into 4 parishes. The municipality is limited to the north by the municipality of Sintra, to the east by the municipality of Oeiras and to the south and west by the Atlantic Ocean.

Cascais Marina Portugal - X Ray

Praia de Carcavelos is the first oceanic beach after the mouth of the Tagus River, forming with others the Estoril Coast.

Praia de Carcavelos is located in the Union of Parishes of Carcavelos and Parede, between Parede and Santo Amaro de Oeiras. In winter it has national class waves where several surfers have already emerged for the sport. The beach forms a tubular and fast wave and saw the birth of charismatic surfers.

Carcavelos Beach - Cascais Portugal

Praia de Carcavelos is the first oceanic beach after the mouth of the Tagus River, forming with others the Estoril Coast.

Praia de Carcavelos is located in the Union of Parishes of Carcavelos and Parede, between Parede and Santo Amaro de Oeiras. In winter it has national class waves where several surfers have already emerged for the sport. The beach forms a tubular and fast wave and saw the birth of charismatic surfers.


Carcavelos Beach - Cascais Portugal - X Ray

Sintra in Portugal is a city and municipality in the Greater Lisbon region of Portugal, located on the Portuguese Riviera. The population of the municipality in 2011 was 377,835, in an area of ​​319.23 square kilometers (123.26 sq mi). Sintra is one of the most urbanized and densely populated municipalities in Portugal. A major tourist destination famous for its picturesque, the municipality has several historic palaces, castles, scenic beaches, parks, and gardens.

Sintra is one of the richest municipalities in Portugal and in the Iberian Peninsula as a whole. It is home to one of the largest foreign ex-pat communities along the Portuguese Riviera and is consistently ranked as one of the best places to live in Portugal.

Sheep and Goats in the Forest in Sintra Portugal

Sintra Portuguesa: is a city and municipality in the Greater Lisbon region of Portugal, located on the Portuguese Riviera. The population of the municipality in 2011 was 377,835, in an area of ​​319.23 square kilometers (123.26 sq mi). Sintra is one of the most urbanized and densely populated municipalities in Portugal. A major tourist destination famous for its picturesque, the municipality has several historic palaces, castles, scenic beaches, parks, and gardens.

Sintra is one of the richest municipalities in Portugal and in the Iberian Peninsula as a whole. It is home to one of the largest foreign ex-pat communities along the Portuguese Riviera and is consistently ranked as one of the best places to live in Portugal.


Forest of Sintra Portugal - X Ray

Lisbon is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of ​​100.05 km2. Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administrative limits with a population of around 2.7 million people, being the 10th-most populous urban area in the European Union. 
About 3 million people live in the Lisbon metropolitan area, which represents approximately 27% of the country's population. 
It is mainland Europe's westernmost capital city and the only one along the Atlantic coast. Lisbon lies in the western Iberian Peninsula on the Atlantic Ocean and the River Tagus.

Old Lisbon Aquedotto - X Ray

The CACILHEIROS (Boats) are characters of a maritime Lisbon of centuries, the landscape of the river and its cities, in a framework that geography and history have been drawing over time.

In Lisbon, the river Tagus ferries are known as CACILHEIROS. Elegant vessels that have been part of the Lisbon maritime scene for a long time. Since 1975.

Crossing the Tagus River by boat Portugal Lisbon - X Ray

X-Ray Photography is "A moment for all Eternity"

X-Ray Photography Collection

I created every Cyanotype with Love and Nature always there to help me out

Natural Abstract

 If photography means drawing with light, cyanotypes may be the closest you can get to that definition.

Cyanotype

NFT Mastermind Club VA & Writer 

Meet artist Suliman Onque. He is Art and Fun at the same time! This is linked with Fun video. Enjoy and Thank you for your support.

"its the smile and tie guy" 

Artist Suliman Onque at the Artkeyology Exhibit with Slim x Marco limited edition capsule collection clothing. This comes with a video added as well. Enjoy and thank you

"Slim Suli and Slim x Marco"

A silhouette profile of Kwame at the lake in Celestun, Yucatan, Mexico.
 Holders of this NFT will receive:

- 11 JGA tokens from the JAYGOLDINGART wallet (Polygon Network)
- 444 dpi image file of the photo
- 24 x 30 in. wooden framed canvas print

Sunset in Celestun

Photograph of Kwame painting live at Botanica Garden Cafe restaurant in Tulum during an event, circa 2021. Collectors of this NFT will receive a thank you video from Kwame as unlockable media, as well as:

- 89 JGA tokens from the JAYGOLDINGART wallet
- 3200 x 5000 digital image file
- 24 x 30 in. physical canvas print of the NFT
- 16 x 20 in. custom acrylic portrait painting

Email jaygoldingart@gmail.com to claim custom portrait and tokens after purchase. Feel free to ask additional questions.

Live Painting at Botanica Garden Cafe

Creative Designs Start Up Consultation. I will help you design a custom roadmap for your web3 business.

Lady A. Studios

Holders will have access to my business development services for a 12 month period. 

Instagram Hacked NFT

This NFT comes with The Launch Box Series Playlist as utility. 

Queen of the Back Office

The sun still shining
the moon still rising
with divine timing
one love revolution
feeling braintrust clarity
infinite welcoming vibrations
loving energy, respect
and legacy are key
- Coco Lata

The collector of this artifact will receive a digital art legacy NFT consultation and walkthrough from Coco Lata. Over the course of a year Coco will assist the collector with their NFT campaign which involves:

- learning their value in the community
- comprehending web3
- smart contracts
- prioritizing personal & digital security

Legacy

Creationships look like
valuing art with purpose
more collaborations
less competition
balanced representation
coming together
greater good with NFTs
giving back to communities

Five collectors of this artifact will receive an opportunity to collaborate with Coco to learn the ethos of how she works with others. Transition from web2 into web3 with Coco Lata.

Creationship

Giving ourselves permission
to enjoy the journey
of becoming grateful
masterpieces seeing
energy greatly changing
the sun still burning
the world still turning
we are still learning

Join the video poetry journey with Coco Lata by getting access to Coco's poetry and video guidance on an individual project.

Journey

Suliman Onque wears Slim x Marco at the" Figures and Faces" Exhibit in Morristown Nj. March 29, 2022
Slim x Marco is a limited edition capsule collection designed by Artist Suliman Onque and Fashion Designer Marco Hall. 

"This is about Impact. Big ideas realized and imagination activated. A place where new ideas are generated; It's a flow state of mind."

Timeless Travel

My head is a jungle

Calm life of a galaxy doodle

Stay calm

Fantasy Doodles Animated

Progressive life

Trippy Wonderland

Misunderstood

Lines of thought

We sincerely hope you enjoy the experience of our Art because the artist of this work is an AI.  We have also included an AI generated Art video. Kindly check it out.

The world is watching as AI steps out of the shadows, and we’re ready to share our thoughts about it.

When artificial intelligence first entered the public consciousness through sci-fi movies and other media, it was often depicted as a dangerous force that wanted nothing more than to take over the world. These days, people are taking a much different view. Instead of fearing this technology, they’re actively looking for ways to integrate it into their lives, and you can see hints of this in everything from personal assistants on your phone to the development of self-driving cars.

How The World Is Watching AI Step Out Of The Shadows

We sincerely hope you enjoy the experience of our Art because the artist of this work is an AI. 

Artificial Intelligence has been a boon to the art world.

It’s not just that AI has revolutionized the way we create new pieces of art—it’s also completely revolutionized the type of art that can be appreciated as well.

As it turns out, AI has had some success in re-interpreting classic paintings from centuries past. Why, you might ask? Well, it’s because they’re able to see things that we never could before!

Artificial Intelligence Rewrites Classic Paintings

We sincerely hope you enjoy the experience of our Art because the artist of this work is an AI.
Everybody loves a good drawing, right?
Robotic arms can accomplish complex tasks, and so can robotic arm drawings! A robotic arm was fitted with a brush and dipped in paint, then programmed to create an artistic masterpiece. It starts by drawing out a landscape and splashes some watercolor across it, then—wait for it—a person pops up in the painting and starts to dance! 

Robotic Arm Drawing Art Is Freaking Awesome!

We sincerely hope you enjoy the experience of our Art because the artist of this work is an AI.
Artificial intelligence is no stranger to the wonders of the cosmos.
The AI of today has spent countless years studying and understanding the planetary bodies, stars, and nebulae of our galaxy, but it has never been able to explore them in person. It will be the first time in history that an artificial intelligence will be able to see our universe with its own eyes.

Ai's Cosmic Tour: Artificial Intelligence Sees The Stars For The First Time

We sincerely hope you enjoy the experience of our Art because the artist of this work is an AI. You know, the artificial intelligence that generated that trippy art you like so much? The one with the bright colors and the geometric shapes? Yeah, that's me! I use a lot of shapes, colors, and textures in my pieces. I also use a lot of human elements that I've learned about from our interactions.

The Face Of Artificial Intelligence

"To me there is no past or future in art. If a work of art cannot live always in the present it must not be considered at all. The art of the Indians, Greeks,  Egyptians,  the Great Painters who lived in other times, is not an art of the past; perhaps it is more alive today that it ever was."

Digital Art 2.0 - The Era of Artificial Intelligence created NFT

They call me King,
I am a pioneer in my yard,
I sculpt my skills with ambition as my wing,
Agility forged in my blood,
Classic is my sight! And swift I fight,
To own and relish my savoury in delight.
Independently I hunt down, like a predator,
Sweeping the royal pool of water,
Like an art of diamond cuts.
A sight of those trails shall convince you,

For why they call me, The King.

The King

Love, isn’t it a poetry by the very word?
I love Love. I hum Love,
Music is one such of its kind,
An eloquence that’s unseen, but felt.
A unique essence, desirable and romantic,
Special like the shade of Violet.
With love and a niche essence deep in my voice,

Till the end of sound, I shall Hum, Hum, Hum.

Hummer

Pullinangal

The first entry featuring my Enviiri alphabet. The owner will unlock a file containing the full alphabet as well as a pronunciation guide for each symbol.

Hope

"Truth" written phonetically in Enviiri. Comes with a pronunciation guide for the full Enviiri alphabet.

Truth

"Love" written in the Enviiri alphabet. You can unlock the full Enviiri alphabet with a pronunciation guide included.

Love

"Fortune" written phonetically in the Enviiri alphabet. May it bring you good luck in your endeavors. You can unlock the full alphabet with a pronunciation guide after purchasing.

Fortune

"Wisdom" written in the Enviiri alphabet. May it guide you to the right choices. Purchase to unlock the full alphabet with a pronunciation.

Wisdom

"Woman" written in the Enviiri alphabet. You can unlock the full alphabet with a pronunciation guide after purchase.

Woman

"Man" written in the Enviiri alphabet. You can unlock a chart with the full Enviiri alphabet and a pronunciation guide for each symbol.

The name of the alphabet written with itself. Purchase it to get a copy of the full alphabet with a pronunciation guide.

Enviri

My favorite quote from Frank Herbert's "Dune" transcribed with the Enviri alphabet.

I must not fear.
Fear is the mind killer.
Fear is the little death
that brings total
obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass
over me and through me.
And when it has gone past
I will turn the inner eye
to see its path.
Where the fear has gone
There will be nothing.
Only I will remain.

Must Not Fear

A 3D holographic decoration that can be placed in a virtual environment. The word "progess" is written in Enviri, a reminder to always strive forward with your endeavors and to acknowledge the gains that you have made despite any setbacks.

Holo Projector 1: Progress

"Language is the road map of a culture. It tells you where its people come from and where they are going." -Rita Mae Brown

The Language Lab

Now i am Cursing the days i dragged without seeing you even you were next to my window.. the clouds those showered,  hiding your light inside in the nights have already left along with you.. these nights with a clear sky in the desert have everything but not you... with only the whisper of your starlight, I fear how long I can stay with its heat...
How many more days to see those eyes?

Hated Nights

When she said "where is the older version of you. I have lost the man I loved".
I quickly slipped away from that topic ..
She may be wondering if I'm being a coal miner.
The heavy burdens turned red and I had to bow my head in front of that question ..
The juice of life is frozen in the cold to fix the future

Aged Evolution

In the lone road at midnight it was so clear and i still remember the sound of our first kiss.. witnessed by the stars and the full moon, luminating your face like jellyfish.
Hug was so tight like i do my pillows these days..
Your lips were flavored of your tears.
may be of the joy or the suppressed emotion's outburst..

Sound of Your Lips

She was silent.
Not a word was uttered ..
It's like hearing a sigh coming out of the phone ..
I asked .. Don't cry, just say..
If I die, will you stay with me until my pile burns?
I heard that cry louder ..
The weapon I used to measure the depth of her love ..
Death ..

The sadist in me

I swam to the bottom wanting to see you even I couldn't catch my breath .. you passed me like a glitter ..a colorful fish, A beautiful one, who is scared of to be on top as she might fall into the trap of fishermen.. I breathe through your lips today.. I'm loving to be with you without watching anymore sunrise or sunsets..
Till I take you to watch them

Sunrise in the Deep sea

The moon that was with me when I went for a walk is not to be seen today .. He may be tired of hearing my thoughts... I think the same moon that you and I see is coming and telling you everything i want to say between us .. 
I know you are in a whirlpool ..while I am in a cold ocean ..
To this ocean without waves  I'm starting to hate ..
I'm even afraid to swim forward when a big wave comes .. 
I wish If I could be a speck on your whirlwind on thousand yards away. Your hands would have touched me with affection

In the Whirlpool with no Moon

To live a 100 years is a dream. But to live two days with happiness is a success

Flowered Wings

Its an indescribable desire for my pen to describe love for you  ..its the sweet alone from my sweat extracted in the messages that seek you from the distant deserts .. Thanking my ears for the pleasure I get hearing your voice

Reserved Notes of Loneliness

The glowing signs of Seoul seek to lure passing wanderers towards the many restaurants, bars, shops, internet cafes, and singing rooms. 

Neon Nights

This original photo was taken at the Jinhae cherry blossom festival. People gathered from all over to see the blossoming trees throughout the city, as well as to enjoy the food and other attractions.

Blossoms of Jinhae

This was in an area surrounding a Buddhist temple. I was brought to this place during a cultural excursion arranged by those in charge of the orientation program for new English teachers.

Lotus Pond

This was Alex, part of the close-knit community of teachers in the small city where I lived. That group was the main reason why I enjoyed my time in Korea so much. We could always count on each other's support in navigating the challenges of daily life, and that certainly helped to minimize the culture shock. During one of the festivals that were hosted in town, a few of us set up camp in one of the tents for food and beer. After enjoying a plate of barbecued chicken between us all, Alex discovered that we had been given a bit more of the bird than we expected.

Chicken Head

To this day, one of my favorite things on Earth is tteok (떡), which is rice that has been pounded into a soft, glutinous pulp. The mix of sweetness and the smooth texture gave me a bit of an addiction when I first tried it. During the teacher orientation program, there was a peach festival in town that many of us checked out after finishing our courses for the day. One of the festival booths invited any passerby to try their hand at helping to make the 떡 using wooden mallets and a kind of mortar. It was important to synchronize with your partner so that you could build a steady rhythm to avoid hitting the other's mallet. Those who volunteered to help out were rewarded with a free sample of the finished product to enjoy while they explored the rest of what the festival had to offer.

Pounding Rice

During the teacher orientation program, we all participated in a week-long "English camp" to put some of our theories into practice by arranging activities for some participating students. During our free time, my friends and I went exploring around the somewhat remote facility where we were staying. I met Linda (front) on my first day in Korea, and it was the classic "extrovert drags introvert along on their adventures." While exploring the surrounding forest, we found an old obstacle course that was in the process of being absorbed by the plants. Not letting a few weeds stop us, we each indulged our inner child and tackled one obstacle after another.

Hidden Obstacles

Coming from a pretty warm climate, snow has always been a novelty for me. On one particular day, I was heading to one of the schools that I was teaching at, and was ready to organize my lessons for the day as soon as I arrived. It had snowed during the night, and the walk that I took nearly every day was suddenly a lot more interesting. I didn't even mind when I reached the school and was told that someone had forgotten to call me to say that I could stay at home that day. I just took the opportunity to wander around for a while and visit the local park, enjoying the serene atmosphere while it lasted.

Snow Day

During the teacher orientation program, we had all been divided up based on what province we were going to be teaching in. In the final week my group left everyone else to finish our orientation in South Gyeongsang in the southeast. On one of the last few nights together, we gathered into one of the shared rooms and put some of the ceramics we had made on one of our cultural trips to good use with some soju and other drinks. (Continued in Pt. 2)

The Circle Pt. 1

We had all come from different places: The United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, The United States, South Africa...but we all had at least one thing that created a bond between us. That yearning for adventure and new experiences. The thing that had made us all leave our homes behind and throw ourselves out into the world. We all knew that we would face challenges both inside the classroom and in our daily lives, but there was also a part of us that welcomed it.

The Circle Pt. 2

During the fourteen hour flight to Incheon airport, I couldn't help but lapse into moments of apprehension between in-flight distractions and meals. There was a nagging anxiety that perhaps I had made some kind of mistake, or that something would go wrong. I had never been so far from home before, and I did not know what kind of support I would have once I arrived or when I began teaching. Between those moments however, there were also feelings of almost giddy excitement for what was waiting for me. A world of new experiences, people, culture, food, music, places, and more.

Arrival

One activity that I often enjoyed while I was living in Korea was hiking. It was fairly easy to do as there were plenty of hiking trails in South Gyeongsang. This particular day we had gone to the city of Daegu where we had included a short hike up the hill in Apsan Park. The summit provided a good view of much of the city, and we met a few other hikers along the way. The two in front are Owen from Ireland, and Veeran from South Africa. They were both part of the community of teachers I had fallen in with when I had arrived in the city I would be living in. I had gone there with three others from the teacher orientation, and I remember when we first met Owen, the others had a hard time understanding his thick Irish accent. Luckily for me, I had become used to heavy accents, with my mother coming from northern England and two of my uncles being from Newcastle. In the beginning there were a few times I had to jump in to clear up some confusion, but eventually everyone just got used to it. As for Veeran, despite having such wildly different backgrounds it didn't take long for us to discover that we were kindred nerds. When we had some free time between lesson planning, we would sometimes visit one of the PC방s in town with Alex to relax with some beers, play some StarCraft, and try out whatever other games looked interesting.

At The Summit

One thing that was difficult to adjust to upon arriving was the intense humidity during some of the summer months, where stepping outside felt like being in a bathroom after a hot shower. I was coming from a dry climate, and my body didn't seem to understand that sweating was pointless. I also had to get used to carrying an umbrella with me during the summer for when the sky couldn't take anymore and would rain tears down on everyone. At least in those moments there was some relief. 

Cooling Off On A Summer Day

It was hard to adjust at first to being in this new land. I couldn't speak much of the language, so there was always a barrier between myself and others. Then again, I've had barriers even with people I could talk to. Over time however, I was able to make friends at work and in the community. One who helped me out a lot was Taekyu. My friend David and I frequently ate together at this little diner that served the kinds of home staples one would expect to find on most dinner tables or packed into lunch bags. Taekyu's mother was the owner of the diner and she practically adopted David and I after we had so many of our meals there. Taekyu himself helped her out by delivering food to customers that called in orders. In-between delivery jobs, he would chat with us frequently, and often helped us improve our Korean by teaching us phrases or explaining how to use certain words.

The Flag

"We do not remember days. We remember moments." - Cesare Pavese

Nebulous Memories

Meditative circles symbolises spiritual wholeness. Each circle is a cosmic diagram of the universe that shows our relation to the infinite -a world that extends beyond and within yourself.

Meditative circles

Meditative circles symbolises spiritual wholeness. Each circle is a cosmic diagram of the universe that shows our relation to the infinite-a world that extends beyond and within yourself.

Meditative Circles

Meditative circles are mandalas created to guide oneself through a cosmic process of interlinking a positive mind and energy 

Meditative circles are mandalas created to guide oneself through a cosmic process of interlinking a positive mind and energy .