Sayacmarka (Day 3) - Inca Trail, PeruPeru was the first stop on our trip to South America. We had decided not to spend much time in Lima and headed up to the old Inca capital, Cusco, instead. The main attraction in Cusco for us was the Inca trail. We had two days in Cusco to acclimatise to the altitude before ...
Teatro Colon - Buenos Aires, ArgentinaThe Teatro Colon was on our list of places to visit while in Buenos Aires and getting tickets for a guided tour of the theatre was one of the first things we did. The guide was pretty good until she lost us (I had stopped to take some photographs with a couple of others!). We ...
Giant River Otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) - Pantanal, BrazilFifteen or twenty minutes after our Jaguar sighting, we came across a group of Giant River Otters at their den. This was the first of two sightings we had of this rare species. Photographs of the second sighting are available here. When we came across them, they had just come out of their ...
Octopus and Orange Salad“There are few animals as visually stunning as a baby octopus when cooked. Purple-tinged arms curl and twist into an eye-catching swirl that looks more like a sculpture in an art museum than a meal on a plate.”– Mark Sisson, ‘Mark’s Daily Apple’More photographs inside.We thought we’d try an ingredient we’d never worked with before for ‘O’ ...
Cabbage White (Pieris rapae) - Sandy Hollow, AustraliaSandy Hollow was full of Cabbage Whites when we visited over he Easter long weekend. Although I didn't do too much photography while we were there, I did take a few photographs of this species. Since butterflies are a bit sluggish in the morning, photographing them was a bit easier.More photographs inside.Cabbage White ...
Aubergine with Chermoula, Bulgar and Yoghurt.“Few ingredients have reached the level of veneration achieved by the humble aubergine or have found their way to almost every table in Jerusalem for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Everybody loves to be associated with the aubergine – it’s like a little local celebrity.”- Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tammimi in ‘Jerusalem’.Follow us on Facebook - ...
The Skyline - Sydney, AustraliaI took the camera for another outing this evening and photographed the Sydney skyline from a different perspective. I've been looking for a location from which to shoot the skyline, without buildings obstructing the view, and hadn't had much luck until today. I found this place in the morning and went back there just after sunset ...
Ice cold Gazpacho“An unusual all-green version of the popular Spanish soup, which uses coriander to add a citrusy zing. Gazpacho is at its most refreshing and best when it is thick and creamy and cold, cold, cold.”– Greg and Lucy Malouf, MoorishMore photographs inside.The IngredientsThis was another dish that I’d had my eye on since the beginning of the Project. ...
Son in Law Eggs“There are a few theories as to why these delectable deep fried eggs drizzled with a sticky Thai sauce are indeed called ‘Son in Law Eggs.’ Some suggest a son in law once cooked them to impress his mother in law, a more scandalous speculation (and the one I like more) is that if a mother in ...
Boeuf Bourguignonne“As is the case with most famous dishes, there are more ways than one to arrive at a good boeuf bourguignon. Carefully done, and perfectly flavoured, it is certainly one of the most delicious beef dishes concocted by man…”– Julia Child in ‘Mastering the Art of French CookingFollow us on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/RoastSimmerBakeMore photographs and the rest of the ...
Toco Toucan (Ramphastos toco) - Pantanal, BrazilThe Toco Toucan, or the Common Toucan, is one of the iconic species of South America and photographing it in the Pantanal was one of my highlights of the trip. I first heard it calling soon after we got to the lodge and it didn't take me too long to find the bird. It ...
Braised Spatchcock“If ever a culture was reflected in food, look no further than the Mughals. There is a definite link between their approach to cooking, their approach to textile, their approach to architecture, their very lifestyle. The majesty of their buildings, their dazzling costumes, ther ichness of their culture… all can be found in their amazingly august, bejewelled, rich food.”– ...
Mannar is a hotspot for birds during the migrant season which runs from October to roughly the end of February. I was out photographing some birds when this lone cyclist rode passed by giving me an opportunity to take this shot.
The cable car ride to the top of sugar loaf in Rio offers stunning views over the city. Christ the redeemer can be seen on the top right hand corner of the frame with Botafogo Bay at bottom right and the beaches of Copacabana Ipanema and Leblon spreading across the left hand frame of the image. Tripods are not allowed at the top of Sugar Loaf but there are plenty of places to balance the camera!
We came across a Hindu religious festival on our way to Mannar. We were able to get out of the vehicle and walk amongst the crowds gathered on either side of the road and watch proceedings. The Hindu devotees pierce their skin with iron hooks fastened to long ropes which are then suspended off vehicles. This is done to show their devotion to Lord Murugan.
Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus) - Yala, Sri LankaBlack-winged stilts are common waders found in most Sri Lankan tanks. Their distinct red legs and black wings make identification straightforward. I hadn't actually photographed this species before our last trip to Yala and was quite keen to get a few shots of them in flight.More photographs inside.Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus) - Yala, ...
An Indian Pita has been making its home in my in-laws garden during the last few migrant seasons. I finally got around to trying to photograph it last year. The bird is quite skittish and I had to setup a hide in the verandah to take this shot. I took the photograph while lying on the ground in order to get an eye level shot. The low angle created a nice blurry background as well.
This is actually a spider that mimics the weaver ant in terms of both morphology as well as behaviour. It's not the easiest to sport amongst a number of weaver ants. This one is actually a female and its front legs resemble the feelers of a weaver ant. The males are about 3 mm larger than the females and resemble ...
The Lankatilaka temple is said to have been constructed by King Bhuvenekabahu IV in 1344. It is relatively close to the Embekke and Gadaladeniya temples. Its probably best to visit the temple early in the morning or late in the afternoon as it is built on a rock which heats up during the day.
The Hybrid Black-rumped Flameback - Anuradhapura, Sri LankaI had been hoping to photograph the hybrid species of the black-rumped Flameback for a couple of years but didn't get a chance to do so until recently. The closest I came to photographing it before our recent trip to Sri Lanka was in Anuradhapura in 2009. The bird visited the garden while ...
