Walking into trouble., a photo from Colon, East

Photographer's Note

Ok, let's face it. Some cities and countries are more dangerous than others. Colon in Panama is of of them. Violent crime is a serious problem and walking around is not advisable after what i have been reading. Colon was not OK but i felt that Tegucigalpa in Honduras was worse. I had no problems there but I had an uncomfortable feeling several times. With a murder rate of 90 per 100,000 Honduras is said to be the most dangerous country on the planet outside a full-fledged war zone. Many pictures on TE are taken from friendly places but i think it is important to post less "friendly" places too. And don't misunderstand me, most journeys are trouble free, even from countries with a bad reputation. What's your opinion?

This shot is one of few pictures i took in Colon due the risk of robbery. Unfortunately his left foot is not within the frame, my mistake. On the other hand, it looks like he's walking into this scene now:)

Have a nice day!

holmertz, saxo042, danos, ikeharel, ourania, PaulVDV, Gerrit, Periko, rychem, jhm, Cricri, Hansaphotos heeft deze opmerking als nuttig gemarkeerd

Critiques | Translate

holmertz (103694) 2014-10-27 7:59

Hej Boa,
Vem bryr sig om enstaka fötter när det finns en så fin rosa vägg att vila ögonen på? Det är trevligt med bilder från otrevliga platser som sällan syns på TE. Gatan som leder bort genom bilden verkar okej, men annars på en sådan plats måste man kvarter för kvarter spana framåt för att kolla om det finns några skumma typer eller dolda faror inom synhåll. Sånt gör resandet tröttsamt och obehagligt.
I Kinshasa, värsta stället för min del på senare år, var jag på vippen att bli rånad - av poliser - så fort jag klev utanför hotellet första dagen. Sedan kände jag mig aldrig riktigt trygg där ens mitt på dagen. Det låg hela tiden något hotfullt i luften. Kanske inbillning, men stan har ju inte det bästa ryktet, så helt fel var det nog inte.
Annars är detta en snygg bild med bra ljus och föärger :-)
Hälsningar,
Gert

saxo042 (38078) 2014-10-27 8:19

Hej Boa,
En mycket intressant bild med en ännu mer intressant text. Det känns änna skönt att befinna sig på tryggt avstånd från denna plats, jag kommer nog aldrig att sätta min fot här. Men det är ju vad TrekEarth är till för, att se bilder från hela världen utan att behöva åka till alla dessa platser. Men bilden blev ju väldigt bra, med eller utan alla fötter. Du fick åtminstone behålla kameran!
Hälsningar
Gunnar

danos (110407) 2014-10-27 8:40

Hello Boa,
nice the snapshot but even more important is your note about violent crimes,for me.I like the snapshot with the man to approach the corner with his left foot,
even so.Excellent the light and the colour management of the scene with the well chosen POV to adds depth in the image.

Regards,Danos

Fis2 (172023) 2014-10-27 10:09

Witaj Boa!
Another reportage shot from street.
Nice scene from daily life.
I like Framing and colors.
Well done.
Good evening
Krzysztof

ourania (51103) 2014-10-27 11:08

Hello Boa,
I like this picture very much and don't mind about the cropped leg, I think it's an interesting "fault" it extends my interest to the place the young man has crossed to reach this point. I like this picture because it's so natural, a real slice of life from a place that's both dangerous and fascinating. Your note is quite straight and explicit. The light is beautiful and makes everything look calm and bright, the shady parts feel less reassuring. Looking at the bright pink colour, at the people with children and at the bright spots in the puddles I realize again that beauty can be found anywhere. Congratulations and thank you!
All the best, have a lovely evening,
Ourania

PaulVDV (63530) 2014-10-27 11:55

Hello Boa,
The guy left in the picture is too busy counting his earned drug money to notice you. So don't worry.
Just kidding. And my apologies to this person who may be a very honest young man.
You write that many pictures on TE are taken on friendly places. Much more people also visit friendly places ... and there are a lot of friendly places on earth.
Some people make a grossly mistake between dangerous places and places that are less obvious to visit. I see that you have visited many places that aren't excactly on the tourist trail. But sometimes these are the best places to be for travellers. Years ago, I've also visited less obvious countries (such as Syria in 1987, Yemen in 1988, Iran in 1996, Myanmar in 1997). Some people in my country were convinced that it was foolish to go there. But these countries are just about my best travel memories. No single moment there was any danger for me. Sometimes I think to make again some more adventurous trips. I have an interest in unusual places but I have no wish to go to dangerous places.
On the other hand, I think it's fantastic that we can be warned on TE and on other sites on internet for dishonest or dangerous things / places.
Reading your note of Colon, this town isn't exactly presented as the place to be :)
Looking at the picture however I wouldn't feel to much unsafe seeing these parents with their children on the street. And guys on flip flops don't run as fast as I do :) (the latter might be a bit overconfident of me)
Best regards, Paul

mesutilgim (0) 2014-10-27 13:18

Hello Boa,
Nice capture from Panama; with good pov and perfect timing.
I like your notes on this entry ! You're absolutely right.
TFS and best regards
MESUT ILGIM

Gerrit (62042) 2014-10-27 15:35

Hello Boa,
I know the feeling from downtown Kingston and Guate city. You show it well here and the fact that he is not completely in the frame is part of the job.The emptiness in big parts of the photo too.
regards, Gerrit

emka (158932) 2014-10-28 2:25

Hi Boa, I saw the discussion you had with Paul in Forum and was interested too. The safety issue is indeed important, specially for a woman travelling alone like me. And I like to visit the places that are not just the places all people go, but something off the beaten truck. I travelled in Central America in 2001, when Chiapas was regarded as dangerous, I was also in Belize, Guatemala and Honduras. And I just go with local transportation, not with comfortable buses. Fortunately I had not any problems. But it can be different. Lately my friend told me the story that he was kidnapped in taxi in Mexico (such green VW without the front seat) and the bandits took his money, credit cards and threatened him with the gun to give pin numbers. But strange enough mathematics saved him. One of the bandits needed a formula and my friend is mathematician so they freed him. Other friends told me the story that they went with the organized group to Pacaya volcano near Guatemala City (I was there too) and they were assaulted by bandits, robbbed, there was shooting and two people were dead. They rather didn't climb volcano after that but returned to town as quickly as they could. These are real stories.
But I travel anyway, People thought I was crazy to go to Russia but why??
I read that you plan to go to Iran, I also plan to go there in April 2015:)

And the picture, pity for the feet :) but nice street scene.
WArm regrads MAlgo

Royaldevon (86520) 2014-10-28 3:30

Hello Boa,

I was fascinated by your notes and the discussions that have ensued. I have loved to go to unusual places .. certainly not dangerous, but some places that were unusual are now dangerous!
Now that I am a 'little' older, I like to go to quieter places but will leave the heady places to others and share them on TE!
Your photograph is one that I have enjoyed studying, just because I know I will never go there. You are right about the missing foot ... it does give the impression of moving into the scene.

Thanks for sharing this,
Bev :-)

ikeharel (114691) 2014-10-28 9:39

Good evening Boa,
reading the note about this pic., can only admire the brave photographer hang around with a Nikon-D80 in such neighbourhood.
The pink walls on the corner, a bit adding vivid tones.
Good sharpness and depth along the street, the palms on far side seem in great clarity.
My best regards,
Ike

rychem (72187) 2014-10-28 10:01

Thank God, you're back happily, and now we can see your reportage photo, It is really a good documentary photo with perfect quality
regards Ryszard

dekanski (9421) 2014-10-28 11:47

Boa,
In my opinion (and based on some experience) if you do not look for trouble you can travel everywhere with equal risk! Even in some "safe" countries there are regions that are very dangerous (maybe not for life, but for pocket). For example, in parts of Naples almost inevitably you'll be robbed or pickpocketed!

Photo is OK, excluding left leg, but as you say: he has just entered into the street.

Regards,

Saša

jhm (211738) 2014-10-29 6:42

Hello Boa,

Happy that I not must to life in this part of the world, certainly as old man.
But everywhere in the world is pleasant to life.
Brussels during the night is also not safe.
Nice perspective and depth picture in background.
An excellent composition, lovely presentation too.
Very well done, TFS.

Best regards,
John.

Cricri (176) 2014-10-29 7:54

Hi Boa
Voila un quartier pas des plus rassurant a en lire la note, sans elle cela ressemble a un quartier comme un autre, je comprend le peu de photos poster sur TE!!
La photo est belle, j'aime les couleurs, les reflets dans les flaques d'eau, belle scène de de vie!!
Belle journée
cricri

Hansaphotos (11381) 2015-05-21 10:27

Hei Boa

Riktignok kan vi bli ranet på åpen gate i Skandinavia også, men noen steder er vel risikoen langt høyere enn hva vi er vant med. Den rosa bygningen er virkelig et blikkfang og er fint plassert i bildet. Lyset er fint og den blå himmelen skaper en flott kontrast. Veldig bra:)

Hilsen Erling