Galle, Sri Lanka
Amazing what one can see when we look beyond the traffic, peer through the chaos, tune out the cacophony, all while entrusting our life to a stranger driving a motorbike with a shell on it (aka tut tuk) as he darts through traffic as we make our way north from Galle to Colombo, Sri Lanka.
The resilient lotus flowers literally emerging through the mud, reminding me that the most beautiful even have their struggles; the motorbikes over-packed with people (2 adults and three children to be exact) reminding me to never try that back at home; eager Poya worshipers in their full moon best with their offerings of incense sticks and flowers; the smoke of the street vendors as they sell their snacks; the fearless dogs that emerge unscathed after crossing the street; the magnolia in bloom offering a faint floral whiff, the grandfather proudly carrying his granddaughter, the children eager to practice their English as they wave hello.
All of this in a matter of split seconds, witnessed just through the simple act of opening my eyes, and opening my heart, to the customs and cultures of another country. How simple it is to be amazed, to be in awe and to be enamored.