Trekking the Maoists

This is perhaps the reason I became a photojournalist. To go to places and to tell stories that are not your usual stuff. The story that I am about to chase has been done in the past by some photographers, but not by everyone. It is certainly not like what happened in Haiti where there were more press than rebels.

I am about to take a 20-plus-hour bus ride to a region called Rolpa in central Nepal. The bus ride is from the capital, Kathmandu, to the city of Liwang. From Liwang we will walk for at least 2 days to a city called Tiwang. Tiwang is the birthplace of the Maoist movement in Nepal which started about 10 years ago. Outside the big cities the Maoist control pretty much everything and even tax the residence for their own government.

I plan to document what and who they are and add the documentation as a portfolio to my collection. Yes, I am not doing this on assignment or for anyone. I will certainly try to sell the story if I can, but the purpose of this adventure has been and is "photography."

There are many issues that I face on this trip. The main thing is that I may not find any Maoists. The rainy season (monsoon) seems to have started early, so getting caught in one is going to be pretty rough in the country side. The physical aspect of this trip is challenging but I think I am up to it.

I just hope to survive the bus ride. For what I hear it’s a “local” bus. I may have to fight for elbowroom with a goat!

Ramin Talaie
Comfortably sitting on a bench at Kathmandu Guest House in Nepal using wireless internet!

Not Mamma Mia

You know that song by ABBA which is also a Broadway hit show called "Mamma Mia"? Well, do you know the tone? Take that tone and replace the word "Mamma Mia" with "diarrhea."

diarrhea
here I come again
dan dan
daaa da da da dan dan
diarrhea

That was day one!

Yesterday I got a major headache. Yeah Nepal as interesting as it has been, has kept me in my room for most of the time.

Still planning a 5 day trekking out to the Maoist country. The major issue is to see if I am up to...looking for damn commies.

Ramin Talaie
Kathmandu, Nepal

On Top Of the World

I wish I could take a picture of the Himalayans mountain range as the plane approached Katmandu International Airport. Their peaks pierced through the high-altitude clouds with majesty and glory.

I am now out of Iran and blogging again. The communications in Iran is all controlled by the regime. So everything is SLOW. My mobile phone hardly worked and the internet surfed at a cruzing 36.6 kbs (LESS THAN DIAL-UP FOLKS) in our area.

For most part Katmandu is pretty much like any city in India less the cows. There is THAT smell and friendly fasces saying Namista mister. Beggers point to their cup to every white and foreign face. Poor kids who do not go to school and beg for food, know enough English to follow you for blocks and say “hungry mister”, “need food mister” and so on.

Katmandu is a real friendly place. As we drove by the King’s palace the extremes between the haves and have-nots was evident.

I think I am going to enjoy Nepal because I am actually trying to be a tourist as I have been pricing small things to buy.

The stereo in the internet café is playing “Country Road Take Me Home”!!! I feel home-sick. The young Nepali guy running the place singing along with a pretty good accent!!!!

Ps – Qatar International Airport is reduced to ONE single large room for all travelers and it sucks. In fairness they are under construction. But spending transit time there is as good as being incarcerated with 1,000 other people.

Ramin Talaie
Katmandu, Nepal

WWJB - Really?

Really nothing to add!


Ramin Talaie
Tehran - Iran

Not a Real "Club"

The daily English newspaper the Tehran Times jumps the gun and announces "Iran Officially Joins the Nuclear Club". I am not sure the officials of the club really welcome Iran nor if there is an "official" club.



Ramin Talaie
Tehran, Iran

Clubbing Nuke Style

Today a passenger in my taxi talking to the driver said “I hear Ahmadinejad is going to deliver some good news in Mashad.” The driver replied I hear the same and wondered out loud what the news was going to be?
Later today when I watched the news I could not believe my ears. President Ahmadinejad, claiming that Iran has been able to enriched uranium for use in its nuclear program. The speech was watched lived in some western countries over other news such as the parliamentary elections in Italy.
Technically this makes Iran a member of a very select group of nations in the so called “nuclear club”. It includes Iran neighbor Pakistan and its enemy Israel.
I feel a lot safer with Iran, India, and Pakistan having the capability to deliver a nuclear warhead but not being able to follow simple traffic regulations.
Some security exports claim this news accelerates the possibilities of military actions against Iran to as early as 2007. Such news has been worrying the older generation in Iran. They have gone through Shah’s CIA backed coup, the Islamic Revolution, the 8-year bloody war with Iraq a long economic recovery and now this.
In Tehran, people have a unified sense about the nuclear issue. It is simply a matter of pride among conservatives and reformists alike. At the same time everyone worries about being in the cross hairs of Pentagon’s next war plan.
Ahmadinejad compared the West's involvement in Iran's nuclear ambitions to the times when Iran wanted to control its own oil.
One issue that is being over looked is the fact that Iran's nuclear program for most part is being supported and built by the Russians. We are approaching the 20th anniversary of Chernobyl's disaster on April 25th.

Is it just me that sees the irony in this?

Ramin Talaie
Tehran, Iran

Motherland

After spending a day in the refer crazy, over-sexed, ultra-liberal Amsterdam, Holland, I arrived at Tehran's Aiport. Upon landing, women who were drinking wine and showing off their latest fashions and blond hair, transformed themselves into acceptable subjects of streets of Tehran. There was a woman sitting next to my row with enough botox in her lips to poison everyone on the plane. Now, she was wearing her hejab, looking even more ridicules with her Angelina Joli (sp?) lips wanna be.
The KLM jet was packed with Iranians from the U.S. and Holland heading to Iran. Everyone seems to have an un-finished business or reclaiming a property they lost during the revolution or something like that.
After going through passport check and picking up my suitcase, I had to pass through another x-ray station. An unprofessional looking man wearing 2-Tomman suite reading a newspaper took his eyes off the pages to check the content of my bag on the monitor. He asked me where I was coming from and what I was carrying. He then directed me to get my bag checked in another section. Everything was out, my underwear and my digital camera perfectly wrapped around one of my white t-shirts. Long story short, I had to explain what an R-BGAN is. That it is not a spy machine. A woman in charge of checking my bag kept asking me if it is a "receiver"? I kept saying NO! I totally could have lied that it was a lap-top, but may be next time. R-BGAN is a satellite transmitter that can work anywhere and get you access to internet.
After half and hour of haggling, they held my R-BGAN at the airport. I have to claim it on my back or show them a freaking "mojavez" (permit), a word which is used quite often in this country.
It all should be fine. I slept most of my first day here and will hit the ground tonight going to a coffee-shop....not like those in Amsterdam.
Amsterdam was cold but Tehran's weather seems just lovely. Spring in Tehran has always been nice but I already feel the heavy polluted air in my lungs.

More from Tehran soon.

Ramin Talaie
Tehran, Iran

Iran World Cup Soccer

This photo gives the word "cup" a whole new meaning to team Iran.

Caption reads: Chinese models wear bikinis with the World Cup soccer designs on during a swimsuit design contest as part of the China Fashion Week in Beijing, China, Saturday, April 1, 2006. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Ramin Talaie
Brooklyn, NY

Faster than a speeding bullet

Really! See the article and video on Slate.


Ramin Talaie
Brooklyn, NY

Just makes me wanna have some sweet tea!

War sucks but the only good thing that came out of the Iraq war were all those never seen photographs of Saddam Hussien and his family.

Damn he looks hot having tea in that blue.....whatever it is that he is wearing!

Ramin Talaie
Brooklyn , NY

Wild NYC

For an entire afternoon a wild coyote in Central Park was a big news in New York City. The coyote was chased and captured by the New York Police Department Emergency Service Unit officers. I guess it was a nice break for them from chasing bad-guys and terrorists.
How did this wild animal made his way to the big apple? And from where? The only explanation I can think of is that some idiot kept this poor animal as a pet and released in the park. Nothing surprises me in this city. We have had people arrested for keeping alligators and lions in their small apartments.
Otherwise how does a coyote can make his way through any of the boroughs into the city?

He looks very cute and we will all be very happy when he is released back in the wild....not Central Park.

Daily News Photo

Ramin Talaie
Brooklyn, New York

Big Boy!

This Chinese boy is Huang Jiaxin and weights about 160 Kg.

Okay can you guess his age?

Ramin Talaie
Brooklyn, NY




answer: fifteen

Kicked him WHERE?

I came across this, totally random. You just have to see the video here.


Ramin Talaie
Brooklyn, NY

World Leaders Cricket Championship

Please stop giving these folks "props" to make them look more like "real" people. They are not! Bush may know baseball, but not cricket and Charles is hitting a T-cricket used by children!


George and Charles should worry about poverty, AIDS, environment and the upcoming nuclear war......NOT cricket.

Ramin Talaie
Brooklyn, New York

Google Naw-Ruz

Last year Google ran a Persian Haft-Sin with their logo on Iranian New Year's day (March 21st).


Here is a link to send to Google to repeat the logo again. I frankly think if they did it last year, they will do it again....but you know these pesky Persians!

I think they should also make one for Chaharshanbeh-Sori too!!!

Ramin
Brooklyn, New York

Repent

I found this sign at St. Patrick's Church in New York City during Ash Wednesday mass on March 1, 2006.


Ramin Talaie
Brooklyn, NY

World Leaders

In light of US/Iran nuclear issue these photos seem very......not appropriate!

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (left) - US President George Bush (right)

Ramin Talaie
Brooklyn, New York

Don't Mess vit Edward Petrossi

This clip has been making its rounds since December 2005, but its never too late to watch it!

Quick Stop store manager, Iranian-American Edward Petrossi and martial arts expert challenges his would be robber!

Click here for the video, and here is the ABC7News site in California.

Ramin Talaie
Brooklyn, NY

Baghdad Girl Blog

She loves cats and lives in Baghdad.
I heard about her blog-site on NPR this morning and wanted to link her on my site. Don't just look at the cute cat photos, but read the short blogs she has been posting.


Brooklyn, NY
Ramin Talaie

I Love You Dawg!

Is this still the 21st Century?
I am just going to let you read it by clicking on the links.

Sudan
Man Marries a Goat

India
Girl Marries a Dog

Brooklyn
Ramin Talaie