Spring 2014
TRAVEL: Both Bob and Monique were in Southeast Asia earlier in the year, but not in the same places. Bob was in Thailand, fascinated by the unsettled political situation, the red shirts and the yellow shirts being the opposing political teams. Protesters blocked major streets, but it being Bangkok, most protest rallies had the flavor of picnics, complete with food vendors and good humor all around.
Bob also traveled to Kunming, China to attend the opening of the photo exhibition of Grove Press publisher Barney Rosset’s wartime photos. Rosset, a well-known supporter of freedom of expression, was an army photographer in the waning days of WWII, and it was his wish that his photos be seen by ordinary Chinese. Bob coordinated between Columbia University, to whom Rosset gave his archive, and the Kunming Municipal Museum and after many years of effort, the show opened in February with Rosset’s widow the guest of honor.
Kunming is in Southwest China, a two-hour plane ride from Bangkok. At 6,000 degrees altitude, on the edge of the tropics, it is a place of natural beauty with a wonderful climate and great human diversity. The city’s five million residents include members of 25 different ethnic groups. While in Kunming, Bob had an opportunity to visit Yunnanyi, an ancient town on the old caravan trails. While much of the history in the linked article is relatively recent, Yunnanyi’s ancient heritage is included: Link to Yunnanyi
Monique had more leisurely travel in mind and took off for Bali to join friends at a beautiful private villa for two weeks of immersion in Balinese culture.
She attended dance performances, visited art galleries , and went on a sunrise private walking tour of several temples in the company of one of Bali’s most famous gallery founders. The walk is called “The Golden Hour” and golden it was.
