Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Visitor Center

Family and Foundation Gallery

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Visitor Center opened to the public on February 4, 2012. It is well worth the visit just for the sheer technical artistry of the exhibits and inspiring stories.

A series of airy, modern galleries walk visitors through the foundation’s work in global health, local projects as well as information and inspiration to help you take action in your own way. The Gates Foundation has invested $100 million towards reducing family homelessness in the Seattle area since 2006. The visitor center is open Tuesday – Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. For more information, contact the Gates Foundation at info@gatesfoundation.org.

Voices Gallery

Margaret Choe in the Family and Foundation Gallery

Partnerships Gallery

Innovation and Inspiration Gallery

Messages and Inspiration from visitors

Sadhus – Pushkar, Rajasthan

Publications

Rialto Beach - Olympic National Park

I was pleased to have a diverse collection of images published while I was away traveling this fall including shots from Seattle’s Solstice Parade and Boeing’s launch of the 787 Dreamliner. It’s always intriguing to see what images editors show interest in. It’s rarely the best shot you have or even what you think is the most striking.

In the current issue of to Condé Nast Traveler is my first contribution to the publication – this image from Olympic National Park illustrating their story on the world’s last great quiet places.

Crater Lake National Park

Summer Solstice 2010

Boeing 787 Dreamliner

Seattle Central Library

Scottish Lakes High Camp

November 15: Kathmandu Photos

November 9-14: Pokhara Photos

I was shaken out of bed this morning by a minor earthquake here in Pokhara. After four months on the road, I’m taking that as a sign that it’s finally time to go home.

Annapurna Range over Phewa Tal

The World Peace Pagoda

Rice field in the Pokhara Valley

Dhampus Village

Monks preparing for the puja session at the Jangchub Choeling Gompa Monastery in the Tashi Palkhel Tibetan refugee settlement, Pokhara Valley

Boat landing to Barahi Temple Island, Phewa Tal

Tree shrine, Lakeside Pokhara

Karma Dubgyu Chokhorling Monastery

November 5-9: Kathmandu/Bhaktapur Photos

Weather permitting, the views of Kathmandu are sweeping from Swayambhunath. Storms have been rolling through Nepal for the last week. The rains have been a welcome respite to the pollution and noise of the city. Bhaktapur is a very well preserved medieval town in the Kathmandu valley where many locals still make a living farming wheat & rice.

Swayambhunath – aka the Monkey Temple in Kathmandu

Kathmandu is bustling

Durbar Square

Pensive young rickshaw driver

Bhaktapur

School kids at Taumadhi Tole

Winnowing wheat

November 2-4: Pushkar/Camel Fair Photos

View of Pushkar from Saraswati Temple

Jaipur Slum

It is ironic that our visit to the slums of Jaipur coincided with the Hindu celebration of Diwali – the festival of lights. Access to electricity, basic health care and education can be hard to come by for the estimated 1.2 million people living in the slums of Rajasthan. Vatsalya’s mobile health & education service for street children reaches out to give them a better future. Many of Udayan’s children have come from such slums.

Vatsalya – Women’s Empowerment

Anoothi – women’s cooperative and Vatsalya partner

Creating  Self-Help Groups for women

Vatsalya – Udayan Campus

Here are some images from my stay at the Udayan campus near Jaipur, Rajasthan. Vatsalya has been housing orphaned, abandoned and destitute children in its residential care program for ten years. For more information about Udayan and Vatsalya’s other programs please go to www.vatsalya.org.

Daily meditation – all faiths are welcomed and celebrated at Udayan

Puja ceremony during Diwali celebration with Jaimala and Hitesh

Opa-Ji and the boys

The new school

Working on the farm

Udayan’s official greeters

The solar oven