Morocco (Two weeks during Ramadan: Nov-Dec, 1995): I went to Morocco with a friend of mine, Kaori, from the University of Essex. We went so that I could do some research on Moroccan markets (souks) while the two of us got some sun. We ended up meeting a family from Fez on the train from Tangier to Merrakesh. They invited us to stay in their traditional Berber home for the remainder of Ramadan. I wrote a brief ethnographic study of my time there and it is available online. For more info on Morocco, try Morocco Bound , an excellent site for the independent and adventure traveller.

	Man traveling by mule to a market on the outskirts of Fes
	Modern fruit and vegetable market in Rabat, just outside the medina
	Woman in traditional dress outside of home, Middle Atlas Mountains, Morocco
	Man plowing fields in Middle Atlas Mountains, Morocco.
	Traditional pharmacist shop in Fes. The man here is making henna, a natural die used by Berber women to make intricate patterns on their hands and feet during Ramadan.
	Women gathering firewood and carrying it home by hand, Middle Atlas Mountains, Morocco

South Africa (Three weeks in Oct - Nov. 1996): I flew to South Africa not really knowing what to expect. After visiting the upper class (white) suburb of Sandton, in Midrand near Johanessburg, I left for a week in Cape Town and a week in Kruger National Park. Both turned out to be excellent choices: Cape Town is one of the World's most beautiful cities while seeing wild animals of all types in Kruger was truly one of the greatest experiences of my life. More photos will be added shortly to this section.

	Women working at a fruit market near Kruger National Park.
	Man Carving a wooden giraffe which now lives in my living room.
	Zebra walking with her baby in Kruger national park.

Venezuela (Two weeks in Aug. - Sept. 1997): I flew to Margarita Island, just off the northern coast of Venezuela for what was meant to be a beach holiday. I ended up meeting lots of local people by taking a taxi tour of the island with my parents and sister. We also went on a day long jungle safari during which we swam up a creek in the jungle to a series of waterfalls. History, Culture, Reading Suggestions, and Photographs can be found on the Lonely Planet Venezuela page - the best page I have found so far on Venezuela.

	Woman sewing hats
	A small indigenous boy
	The same boy sitting on a rock
	A man making shoes by hand
	Children playing soccer next to an airstrip

Ireland (3 Months - Summer, 1996): I lived and worked at a youth hostel in Cork City for 3 months before hitching my way up the west coast for month with friends.

	Cathedral overlooking pastel covered row houses and the bay at Kinsale, Ireland. This is one of my best photographs, so I had to include it here even if it doesn't quite fit the theme of this page.
	Another of my favourites, this photo was taken at Yates cottage (now a hostel) in the Burren area of Ireland. It depicts an old bike leaning against a door with heavy shrub growth surrounding.
	Fisherman cleaning his catch, Doolin, County Claire, Ireland.

Northern Ireland (1 Month - November, 1993. Second visit in Spring 1994): While taking a sociology course on "the troubles", I spent one month in Northern Ireland, trying to find out more about the conflict which divides those living there. Below are a few sample photographs from the special Northern Ireland page I've created.

	One of the first, and most shocking, things that confront visitors to Northern Ireland is the sizeable military presence. Walking down any main street one is bound to come across a foot patrol of young soldiers carrying high powered rifles and wearing full combat gear. This one was captured by a 200mm. Minolta lense in front of the Belfast Royal Courts.
	The Falls Road, Belfast, is a strongly Nationalist area. It runs parallel the Peace Wall. Just beyond the shop with car bomb barriers in front and wood over the windows to stop fire bombs, is a fantastic mural painted on the gable end of a terrace. Shot with a Minolta 3xi on Ilford b/w film and processed as colour.
More Photos and Text from Northern Ireland.	12 more Photos with explanatory text...

Other: These include photographs of my hometown, Peoria Illinois as well as other places I've lived.

	The bluffs leading from Grandview Drive to the Illinois River. As you can see from this photograph, Autumn is a beautiful time to be in Peoria.
	A Peoria landmark: The Uniroyal Girl in front of factory.
	The capital building of the state of Iowa, shot while I was a student in Des Moines. I took this picture by focusing my camera on the reflective glass of a nearby building at sunset. The distorted image is interesting as it makes the capital look as if it were melting.
	The University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, England.
	The Liver and Cunard buildings, Liverpool. This photograph was taken from Albert Docks, one of hundreds of docks which helped make Liverpool the Victorian Gateway to the World.
	Every year in Sefton Park, Liverpool, the council plants hundreds of thousands of daffodils in memory of those who have died of cancer. This creates a lovely setting for rememberance, picnics, and quiet reading in the park.
	Robin at Ben Nevis , Britains highest peak (April, 1997)
	Robin at Loch Ness, Scotland (April, 1997)
	Robin at Sefton Park, Liverpool (December, 1996)

All images and text copyright 1996-8 by Robin Hamman and are posted here for educational purposes only. You must have my express permission to copy or redistribute this page or it's contents in anyway. For details contact [email protected]