Wha?? Olympus gear around the globe didn't suddenly just disappear when corporate issued a statement of intent to explore a sale of the imaging division to a third party. Gosh, who might have thought such a move possible when a struggling player like Olympus is caught in a product sector that is contracting around the world. Must check my equipment cabinet to see if the Olympus lenses are still willing to play (or if they vanished??).
say_doyster wrote:
Really great shots, Bobby, thanks for posting!
Wha?? Olympus gear around the globe didn't suddenly just disappear when corporate issued a statement of intent to explore a sale of the imaging division to a third party. Gosh, who might have thought such a move possible when a struggling player like Olympus is caught in a product sector that is contracting around the world. Must check my equipment cabinet to see if the Olympus lenses are still willing to play (or if they vanished??).
So many lovely shots telling the story, Bobby. They bring back great memories. The many people we met on our one trip there were invariably kind and hospitable. On the one hand we were enthralled by the colorful novitiation ceremony, on the other hand saddened that for so many youngsters, the best option is a life of begging.
Jack Kelley wrote:
So many lovely shots telling the story, Bobby. They bring back great memories. The many people we met on our one trip there were invariably kind and hospitable. On the one hand we were enthralled by the colorful novitiation ceremony, on the other hand saddened that for so many youngsters, the best option is a life of begging.
Thanks Jack! I don't recall seeing many young beggars when I was there. I see many more panhandlers here in Los Angeles! The young monks we shot were pretty happy campers, and they were pleased when we gave them candies but not money. Here's a shot of some monk novices playing with their mechanical pencils that one of our wives had given them.
Love that shot of those beautiful kids with their pencils! You wouldn't see many begging on the street, Bobby, although we did meet three doing that. But at the end of a novitiation ceremony, each novice is given an alms bowl that he will carry door to door in his village seeking donations, mainly of food, during his stay in the monastery. I've read that at any given time there are about 500,000 monks in Myanmar. Not sure how reliable that figure is, but it wouldn't be surprising in a country so impoverished.
Jack Kelley wrote:
Love that shot of those beautiful kids with their pencils! You wouldn't see many begging on the street, Bobby, although we did meet three doing that. But at the end of a novitiation ceremony, each novice is given an alms bowl that he will carry door to door in his village seeking donations, mainly of food, during his stay in the monastery. I've read that at any given time there are about 500,000 monks in Myanmar. Not sure how reliable that figure is, but it wouldn't be surprising in a country so impoverished.
Got it! But I don't see this is begging. Yes, these monks go out every morning with the alms bowl to collect "donations" from, I believe, their regular donors or contributors i.e. they don't beg from any Tom, Dick or Harry. I think this is just part of the Buddhist monk culture. We were lucky enough to catch this scene one morning.
