G L OW SH O W

C O S T A R I C A

Costa Rica is dope. San Jose is Love. Pura Vida!

Que Viva La Paz, Que Vive El Amor - Gerardo Ramirez

I C E L A N D

Volcanoes, hot springs, glaciers, waterfalls, caves, wild horses & Northern Lights.. What better way to experience this magical world, than to road trip & camp around the entire country of ICELAND.

There are really no words or images that could convey how incredible ICELAND is. You will have to see it for yourself. For now, here are a few photos & a clip from a recent trip there.

words & images by Chris Tarango

WHITE SANDS: Tips on Camping & Photo Sessions Out There

Sure, you can visit White Sands National Monument during the day like every other tourist.. Or you can take it to another level by camping there overnight. It’s an incredible experience & most definitely worth the effort.

Here are some general tips and a recap of my most recent photo camping trip with Yuko.

M O R O C C O

It was no surprise to find so much going in the kingdom that sits at the very top of the African continent.  Whether near mountains, desert, or ocean.. each place I visited seemed so different from the last.  There's a distinct Arab/Berber culture throughout the land with tiny hints of French and Spanish influence in some areas.  I can't help but feel like there's so much more I could have experienced while in Morocco, nonetheless here are a few moments captured:

Chefchaouen is a small village in northen Morocco, near the Rif Mountains. Almost everything in sight is painted blue.

Seemingly endless, narrow pathways in every direction.

Enjoying a little hashish on the balcony of the home we stayed in. Apparently the hash from this region is some of the best in the world.

Local children at play.

The blue village is a mystical place at night.

Casablanca, Morocco - Such a contrast from Chefchaouen. This is one of the largest cities in the country & has all the modern attributes of any other big city, & with a noticeably heavy European influence.

Riad Puchka - This is an incredible place that we stayed at while visiting the the city of Marrakesh. It’s a traditional Moroccan style ‘Riad’ with multiple floors and a courtyard. Elaborate detail from top to bottom.

Tajine - A Morrocan dish cooked & served in a clay pot with a variety of ingredients. This one was potatoes, carrots & chicken with various spices.

Jemaa el-Fnaa - A large market square in Marrakesh with lots of fresh fruit, food stalls, & local merchants.

Yuko posing with a snake charmer and his pals.

Moroccan street musicians play for tips in the market square.

Local beggar reluctantly traded me this photo for money.

Snails! 50¢ a bowl. So good, we had several.

A friend told me that a lot of people in Morocco DO NOT like having their photo taken in public. Now I know, this is very true.

I was very drawn to subjects randomly passing the tunnels.

Locals shopping, commuting & carrying-on about their day.

Local man posing for photos with his bird, for tips only of course.

The colorful markets of Marrakesh.

Local man near the Kasbah, an old historical fortress.

Moroccan style architecture is very unique. Every door seems to have a story.

Candid photo of local woman in colorful garb.

Hand painted signs for sale by local artists.

Portrait of India

I am extremely grateful to have experienced the absolute chaos, beauty, and divinity of India. Dhanyavad.

PERU

It's difficult to describe an extraordinary place like Peru .  It's a mysterious place in a far away corner of the world that's bursting with history & culture.  To this day, secrets of this sacred land are still being discovered.  Many of the relics found give clues to an ancient civilization, but continue to puzzle the minds of modern day mankind.  

To visit a small part of Peru and witness a little bit of the daily life and beauty that exists there, is an amazing experience.  This trip slightly shifted something in my brain and it seems to echo through my subconscious each day.

Japan!

Recently I had the pleasure of visiting Japan.  I've been many times but each time tops the last.  As cliché as it sounds, the land of the rising sun is a different world all together.  My senses were constantly overloaded by the cartoon like city and sounds around me.  The food & beverage alone will keep me coming back.  I love you Japan!

Quick Monster Sketch ... and an Unrelated 911 Call

A Poem by Chuya Nakahara

We filmed these clips in about 30 minutes, on a cheapo camera, & edited them on Windows Movie Maker.  Although this was a super low effort video, I think Yuko's performance added a little something extra to the reading of this poem by deceased Japanese poet, Chuya Nakahara.

Advertising & Kidnapping

Today I got an auto-parts store jingle stuck in my head.  It was a busy, fast paced day, and never was I near a television or radio.  Still, somehow I managed to get this awful tune stuck in my head. Was it an internet ad?  Or maybe I was in a public place where I subconsciously overheard it, then recorded it in my brain for random playback later.  Either way, the jingle is on repeat in mind, like a shitty song you can't delete or skip on your name brand mp3 player.

It's kinda scary sometimes how advertising can infiltrate your thoughts.  If only I were as clever as ZEVS, a french artist who once turned the tables on a big corporate ad in Berlin.  Being known for taking on big business ad campaigns, ZEVS cut out the female model of a huge billboard and sprayed "VISUAL KIDNAPPING -- PAY NOW!!!" across the top.  He then stole the image and proceeded to send ransom letters to the company, going as far as cutting off a finger to send along with his demands!  The ransom symbolized a price for corporations suffocating the public with constant, in-your-face advertising... or something like that!  Fucking brilliant!

The Roland Kirk Experience

Recently I've been into the performances and raw creative genius of "Rahsaan" Roland Kirk. Having gone blind at an early age, Kirk grew up to be a fascinating dude  He's now a Jazz legend and was known for his unusual performances.  Kirk would go off on political rants or poetic banter and was known to play multiple instruments at once, even playing them with his nose!  Say wut!?  His compositions are very lively and groovy as hell. I truly dig his work!  Check him out!