THE NEON JUNGLE...

So, we arrive in Las Vegas and drive all the way down the Boulevard following this mobile billboard. What's a country boy to think?

 Looks like we're not in Nebraska anymore, Toto...

We did see a few familiar faces along the way...

 Thank God, Luke was along to keep me in line. We did our little walkabouts... took our cameras and took in the sights.
He's turning out to be a great shooter...leaves me in the dust sometimes. Not only that, he's a fine guy and an upstanding citizen... but, he needs a job.

We decided to climb to the top of this needle called the Stratosphere to check out the view of the desert and the city...
Awesome!

The real purpose of this trip was a sweet reunion between my dad, his sister and our families. Mission accomplished. Good times were had by all...
There's a whole lotta heartland love in this picture.

 Leaving Las Vegas...
There's no place like home  :-)
Tom

HUSKER NATION!!!

There is no place like Nebraska...

from all of us Cornheads,
Tom

I'VE GOT THIS THING ABOUT...

 don't know what it is...

Maybe we have a few things in common...

We both started out as little nuts... That probably explains a lot...

We seem to like the sand and being close to the water...

 We like good clean fun and beautiful things...

We love the life and  keep trying to grow up, but when we come into the light our best efforts to go straight are sometimes sadly revealed...

But, no worries, Matey...
With open palms we keep looking to the sun...
and the view is always terrific!
Tom

RUINED CITIES...

...ancient footprints everywhere

Towering above rural Sri Lankan countryside, a 400 ft high dagoba in Anaradahapura still stands. The 93 million bricks constructing Jetavanaramaya make it the biggest structure in the ancient world next to the pyramids in Egypt...

The Ruined Cities... Anaradhapura, the capital of Sri Lanka from the 4th to the 11th century, the longest continuous capital city in world history, and Polonnaruwa, thriving from the 10th to 13th centuries...

Buddha statues, guard stones, moonstones, remnants of engineering ingenuity and artistic expression still testify of glory days gone by...

Ruined Cities... In the midst of rubble everywhere, the graceful curves and massive size of the few renovated stupas are really impressive...

Gigantic Ruwanwelisaya- 300 ft tall, 950 ft around

Buddhist pilgrims, tourists and their guides, school kids on field trips and lots of monkeys keep the grounds hopping...

Since the days of the tower in ancient Babylonia, it seems all cities in time become Ruined Cities...
I'll be holding out for the New Jerusalem...
and the streets of gold...
and looking up,
Tom

DON'T PASS ME BY...

She was begging on a winding tea country road, her basket toting days well behind her...a tough life indeed.

Walking down a dusty road with a Swami in India some years ago, he told me...The more you have, the more you have to give...something to do with being generous on every occasion. 

After hastily grabbing a few shots, leaving a few rupees and rushing off, I felt a bit convicted reviewing this shot of my brief upcountry encounter. I could have done more. Funny how we miss opportunities and somehow go on justifying selfishness and busyness.
Guilty as charged...
Till the next round...
No shortage of opportunities in Crasia (Crazy Asia)
I'm up for it,
Tom