in the shadows

i skipped over this pic in my initial thailand edit about as fast as i snapped it - its underexposure relegated it to the fringe of consideration. though the exposure has been tweaked beyond recognition (thanks to a wonderful bit of software called capture NX), i can attest the image itself is absolutely untouched. worth a second look and a poignant reminder of thailand's instability.

'royal guards' • bangkok, thailand

© MARC MONTEBELLO • ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

roll your own

avian flu notwithstanding, i suppose you could say chicken is to vietnam what pork is to china. not surprisingly, you'll find plenty of curb-side bbq stands similar to this one offering a kind of 'self-serve' menu. the bamboo-skewered chicken is given to you on a banana leaf, along with rice paper and other ingredients, which you then curl up to create your own version of a delectable viet staple, the spring roll.

'curb chicken' • hoi an, vietnam

© MARC MONTEBELLO • ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

pork chopper

here's a slice from another recurring theme whence on the streets of china.
the average chinese eats over 40 kilos of swine meat every year - a figure that might explain the beam on this guy's face.

'porkman' • qingdao, china
© MARC MONTEBELLO • ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

back to school

i photographed a series of student-cyclists in vietnam, at least one of which i posted here before. this is a black and white version of yet another merry student cycling back to class. it's amazing how these girls keep their uniforms angelical white, even in the rain!

'cycling angel' • danang, vietnam

© MARC MONTEBELLO • ALL RIGHTS RESERVED