Abandoned but beautiful—or at least interesting

Of all the abandoned structures shown in this collection, my favorite—in a kitchy way—is this old Bulgarian Soviet one.



Click the pic for a large photo of this magnificent monstrosity.


—Mellow Monk

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A face only a mother could love: the Amazonian river dolphin

Then again, the Amazonian river dolphins could have personality. And personality goes a long way, yes?



If Jim Henson ever made a Muppet dolphin, it would look like this.


—Mellow Monk

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Hypnotizing iceberg

What an awesome, tea-break-worthy image this is.


Green tea and a photograph like this ... the pause that truly refreshes.



This is only a sneak preview of the full magnificent photograph.


—Mellow Monk

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Horseshoe Bend at sunset

If this desktoppable photograph of Arizona's Horseshoe Bend doesn't mellow you out, then you just have to brew up another cup of tea and meditate to it a little longer.





—Mellow Monk

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Scrumptious Japanese food photos!

Japanese cuisine as a reputation among some as being exotic—if not downright strange at times—but everyday food in the land of the rising sun is actually quite approachable:



Yummy—grilled salmon with kabosu; simmered deep-fried tofu and mizuna; avocado and tomato salad; rice; and potato miso soup.


—Mellow Monk

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Jumping dolphins and dancing whales

This pic shows dolphins swimming along with a ship, while this article features pictures of killer whales jumping synchronically out of the water.


Very mellowing.



It's not an Olympic sport ... yet.


—Mellow Monk

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Chino the adult and Chino the child—in the same photograph

Here is an interesting concept—photoshopping your adult self into old photos of you as a child.


Ah, the lessons and warnings I could give my young self . . .



Chino the adult in Paris with Chino the child.


—Mellow Monk

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New pics from my tea-buying trip filmed for European TV

I just uploaded some new photos from my tea-buying trip to Aso and other parts of Kyushu.


I was accompanied by a film crew who documented my trip for an episode of Arte.tv's documentary series "360° Geo."


(In fact, the photos I just uploaded were taken by Chris, the cameraman. You can really see his cameraman's sense of composition in these photographs.)



Manuel, the sound engineer, uses a phrase book to communicate with a local gentleman during a lull in the filming at Aso Shrine.


I wrote about my adventures as a tea-buyer/film crew member in a series of posts titled "Stringing Tea."


"Stringing," by the way, is a reference to what my job was as part of the film crew—a stringer, who is a driver, interpreter, interviewer, travel agent, luggage carrier, and all-around gofer all rolled into one.


It was a tough gig, but as someone said, it's a long way to the top if you want to rock 'n' roll.



A Shinto priest at Aso Shrine blesses a young family's new car.


—Mellow Monk

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Tulips against a blue sky

I spent a few relaxing minutes this morning, tea in hand, mellowing out to this simple but beautiful image of tulips against a clear blue sky.



Then again, they also look like giant Triffid tulips!


—Mellow Monk

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Tokyo stereographics

A stereographic is a photograph taken in such a way that it makes the subject look like its own little planet. Here is a slew of stereographics of Tokyo locales.


I promise you that this will make for a very offbeat green tea break.



"The river which flows into the sky."


—Mellow Monk

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You light up my life, Northern Lights

They look like something out of a science fiction movie but aren't. The Northern Lights are simply Mother Nature strutting her stuff.



Imagine being able to see this out of your window. (Taken in Nuuk, Greenland.)


—Mellow Monk

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Catch a wave

Along the border between Utah and Arizona is a magnificent red-rock formation known as The Wave.



Sorry, youngsters. No skateboarding allowed.


—Mellow Monk

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Bladerunner Tokyo

Remember the Harrison Ford science fiction film "Bladerunner"?


Dark Roasted Blend has put together a collection of large-format photos of Tokyo that look like they could have been taken in the futuristic city depicted in the film.



More pictures of Tokyo's Rainbow Bridge here.


—Mellow Monk

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Shanghai, old and new

The photo below, contrasting an old neighborhood of Shanghai with skyscrapers in the background, is one of the professional finalists in the Sony World Photography Awards 2009.





—Mellow Monk

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Green tea may help keep gums healthy

A study published in the Journal of Periodontology found that the more green tea you drink, the less likely you are to get gum disease.


Researchers postulate that this is because the polyphenols in green tea inhibit the bacteria that cause gum disease.



Muko Shrine in Kyoto. (More great pics here.) What, did you want to see pictures of gum disease?


—Mellow Monk

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From 1912. Really.

Can you believe that the photo below was taken waaaay back in 1912? (And contrary to what his kids think, the Monk was not in high school that year.)


This is a self-portrait of Russian photograph Sergey Prokudin-Gorsky.





—Mellow Monk

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This canyon is indeed grand

I would love to be sitting on the edge of the Grand Canyon at sunrise or sunset, cup of tea in hand, contemplating the natural majesty before me. Since I cannot be there, however, I will have to settle for the next best thing—these wonderful photographs.





—Mellow Monk

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Springtime in Milwaukee

—Mellow Monk

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Who's a pretty bird?

Ladies and gentlemen, I present the magnificent Gouldian finch.





—Mellow Monk

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Sky, trees, and the surface of the sea

I found a beautiful photograph of a red sky. I am sure you will also enjoy sipping green tea to these pictures of lone trees and these half-underwater photos, which bear a striking similarity to those taken by Asako Narahashi.





—Mellow Monk

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Amazing aurora

One item on my bucket list is to see the aurora borealis. Check out this amazing photo. Wouldn't you love to sit back in a lawn chair sipping green tea under these skies?


It would be the ultimate sky show.





—Mellow Monk

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Adobe Girl's pics

Here are a couple of photos sent in by customer and Monk's friend Mary Palmer, a.k.a. The Adobe Girl. From her beautiful photographs I can tell her mission is the same as mine—to create more mellow in the world.








—Mellow Monk

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Zoom!

Click for the big version.


—Mellow Monk

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Long exposure

Got mellow?


If not—and even if you do—Session Magazine has a great collection of long-exposure photographs for you.



As the world turns. Literally.


—Mellow Monk

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Green tea promotes weight loss

The catechins in green tea can help you lose weight by boosting your metabolism, increasing the rate of heat production and fat oxidation.


In fact, I've read that drinking 4 cups of green tea burns the equivalent of 50 calories—which adds up to 350 calories per week.


Not bad for a humble leaf.



Imagine how many calories you'd burn just walking to the bus stop if you lived in Tiger Leaping Gorge.


—Mellow Monk

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Get happy. Now.

If you're feeling down, there are ten things you can start doing now to fix that.


Green tea will also help boost your mellowness factor.



These Tibetan monks seem happy.


—Mellow Monk

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Two lovely autumn images

—Mellow Monk

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Garlic chicken soup and green tea

When you have a cold, a bowl of chicken soup really and truly does help. But to boost the cold-fighting power of this old-fashioned remedy even more, add garlic:

“Adding garlic, a fresh clove or two minced, to hot chicken soup just before you're ready to sit down and eat it really does help,” [Healing Remedies co-author] Lydia Wilen said. Then sip a cup of green tea to take away garlic breath, she suggested.

And green tea doesn't just work on garlic breath, but bad breath in general.



Running away from garlic breath. (Click on the pic to see more "impression of movement" photographs.


—Mellow Monk

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Green + exercise = goodbye belly fat

From NaturalNews.com:

New research published in the Journal of Nutrition reveals that consuming green tea along with three hours of exercise a week results in accelerate[d] loss of body fat around the abdominal region compared to exercise alone.

You can read the original abstract here.



A fog-bound bridge in Vancouver. (Well, I just couldn't post a picture of belly fat, could I.)


—Mellow Monk

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Lakeside mellow

Need a break from weekend madness? Gaze into this photograph while sipping some nice, hot green tea:





Don't you feel better now?


—Mellow Monk

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Ride the scenic rails

I could mellow for hours staring at this massive photo of a Kuranda Scenic Railway train traveling through magnificent Australian scenery.



Click to see this shot in all its glory.


—Mellow Monk

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D.C. cherry blossoms

This beautiful photograph of cherry blossoms near the Washington Monument is part of an album of travel pictures from all over the world.



Click on this pic to go to the ShareAPic website, then click on the image there to see the breathtaking full-size version.


—Mellow Monk

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Happy New Year!

Monday was Chinese New Year's. A belated Happy New Year to you all. Here are some photos of Chinese New Year's celebrations around the world.



Dragon dance in Malaysia. (Click the pic for the glorious large version.)


—Mellow Monk

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Vancouver fog

The title says it all — a recent shot of Vancouver literally shrouded in fog.



Click to see big picture.


—Mellow Monk

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Mikaella's images

Among Russian photographer Mikaella Speranskaya's more popular works are her street scenes.



Scenes like this are beautiful and serene yet somehow melancholy at the same time.


—Mellow Monk

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Furuta family photos

Akihiro Furuta has published some interesting and touching photos of his family.



"Love" is the title of this one.


—Mellow Monk

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Japanese manhole covers

Now here's a photo collection you don't come across every day—Japanese manhole covers.



Technically, a lot of these covers aren't manhole covers but covers for curbside fire hydrant valves, which in Japan are mostly located underground.


—Mellow Monk

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Ice temples

Here's a nice pic from Rob Orthen: Hats of Ice, which I've also seen referred to by the name "Ice Temples."





—Mellow Monk

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Lightning, the awe and beauty

These photos inspire awe and sometimes even terror, but the one below—"Electric Sunset New Mexico"—remind us that lightning can be beautiful, too.





—Mellow Monk

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Cities vintage, abandoned, and artsy

Photos of U.S. cities decades ago, London in the wee hours—when no one's around—and cityscape art made from unusual materials.



London's Belvedere Road.


—Mellow Monk

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Mountains and storms

When it comes to the mountains of the world, I am naturally partial to Japan's Mt. Aso, in whose foothills our green tea is grown.


However, Jack Brauer has taken some beautiful photographs of other majestic mountains.


And folks with a very high tolerance for risk—kids, don't try this at home—have taken these storm photographs.



"Pehoe Blue," taken in Torres del Paine, Chile.


—Mellow Monk

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A lost world discovered

A uncharted, unexplored "lost Eden" in the heart of Mozambique has recently been explored — and found to be a treasure trove of new species — after scientists discovered a mysterious green patch in satellite photos using Google Earth.



Lusher and richer with wildlife than anyone had suspected.


—Mellow Monk

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Aurora from earth and space

The U.K.'s Guardian has an amazing 10-slide slideshow of the aurora borealis. And here's a great shot of the aurora seen from space:





—Mellow Monk

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New Year's preparations in Japan

In Japan, getting ready for New Year's is serious business.



Rehearsing a New Year's event at Tokyo's Sunshine International Aquarium.


—Mellow Monk

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Origamical art

Here is a list of 17 wonderful works of origami and other forms of paper art.


(Purists might point out that some of these are technically not origimi, hence the term "other forms of paper art.")



"Grulla" is the title of this piece.


—Mellow Monk

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Bubbles and Belgrade

Richard Heeks has taken some fascinating close-up photos of soap bubble, such as this one:



From the photographer's Web page: "When a soap bubble is about to pop, it sometimes takes on this semi-transparent stringy look (you try describing it). Reminds me of the Death Star."




And "Katrina 2353" has taken some amazing shots of Belgrade:



"Colors of spring."


—Mellow Monk

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Hong Kong and Mars

Below is a small part of a huge panorama of the Hong Kong skyline at night. And here is a beautiful picture of Mars, where you can see dust clouds swirling over a Martian volcano.






—Mellow Monk

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A tatami mat for your desktop

Click on the image below to bring up a desktoppably larger version (about 3 megabytes).





—Mellow Monk

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Photos not 'shopped

The title says it all: "23 Awesome Photos That Look Like They’re Photoshopped But Are Not."



"Mushroom," by ~sanlotsaints.


—Mellow Monk

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A lake on an island on a lake on an island

The volcanic island of Taal, which has its own little lake, is located on Lake Taal, on the Philippine island of Luzon.





—Mellow Monk

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More skinny buildings

The super-skinny Japanese home I wrote about previously is only one of many, many such buildings in land-scarce Japan.



Perhaps they pre-fabbed this building and dropped it in from the top.


—Mellow Monk

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Winter wonderlands and a cotton sky

The first picture below is one of a beautiful collection of winter scenery.



"Crater Lake Winter," by Marc Adamus.





"And One For All," by Eric (and sometimes Jessica).


—Mellow Monk

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South Pacific pastoral — and rain at sea

Speaking of remote places, the South Pacific's Chatham Islands are a remote — and beautiful — locale:





And speaking of oceans, I was also enchanted by this photograph of a rain cloud at sea.


—Mellow Monk

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African images

You have probably seen a few of George Steinmetz's amazing nature photographs — such as this famous one — at one time or another, but maybe didn't realize the images were from the same photographer.


At least, that's how it was for me.


Mr. Steinmetz is passionate about Africa and has published a book of his African photos titled "African Air." The "air" refers to the motorized paraglider from which he took these incredible photographs.



Bartaga village, Niger River, Mali.


—Mellow Monk

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Surreal mountain scene

Here is a large version of the amazing photograph below — taken in Luoping, China — from National Geographic's Visions of the Earth series.



From the NG website: "Blooming rapeseed plants weave around hills near Luoping, Yunnan."


—Mellow Monk

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Nilgun's haunting pics

If this sample of photographer Nilgun Kara's haunting photographs piques your interest, you can view more at this gallery.



The Lonely Ones.


—Mellow Monk

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Remote places

The island of Tristan Da Cunha is so remote that it's nearest neighbor — the island where the British exiled Napoleon after Waterloo — is 2,430 km away.


And here are some pics of an abandoned Japanese mining town.



No Blackberry service here.


—Mellow Monk

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A narrow home in Tokyo

Land prices being what they are in Tokyo, you sometimes just have to make do with a tiny plot even when building your dream home.



Be it ever so humble.


—Mellow Monk

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Astounding astrophotos

Here are 10 stunning photos of the cosmos by Australian amateur astronomer and astrophotographer Phil Hart.



Five Moons, by Phil Hart.


—Mellow Monk

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A dose from [daily dose]

The hypnotic image below is only one of many to be found at Sam Javanrough's [daily dose of imagery].



Shot from Edward and Bay Streets, Toronto, Canada.


—Mellow Monk

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Fleeting moments, captured

At his photoblog Those Fleeting Moments, Jason Ertel gives us enough beautiful photographs for many days of green tea breaks.


Thanks, Jason.



Caption: A line of geese along the tow path.


—Mellow Monk

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An architectural time capsule of Japan's go-go years

This slideshow highlights the architecture that the city of Fukuoka — Kyushu's largest city — commissioned in the cash-rich days of the '80s and early '90s.


You can read the related article about Fukuoka here.



The Nexus World housing development.


—Mellow Monk

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The world's mellowist canoeist?

Even if I couldn't trade places right now with one of the people in this canoe, I would gladly settle for standing where John Frisch stood when he took this picture.





—Mellow Monk

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Aso in a sea of clouds

One of the sights for which Japan's Aso valley — where Mellow Monk's tea is grown — is famous is the unkai, the "sea of clouds," which happens when fog rolls into the valley and fills it to the rim. Here are a couple of clickable pics of this beautiful, most mellowing phenomenon:








There is a whole page of pictures of Aso's unkai here. You can also see a 3-D map of the Aso Valley — which, technically speaking, is actually a horseshoe-shaped caldera.


—Mellow Monk

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Sand dunes and the high desert

For your enjoyment and mellowness I offer you these photos of sand dunes in Nevada and California.


And below is a beautiful shot of the high deserts of Idaho.



New light over the frosted foliage in the Arco Desert west of Idaho Falls, Idaho. 2007. [Photo found here.]


—Mellow Monk

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Hawaii's Kalalau Valley

As you sip on your green tea, imagine you are gazing down into Hawaii's Kalalau Valley, the cool, refreshing ocean breeze blowing by.





—Mellow Monk

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Sidewalk art that stops pedestrians in their tracks

Here's a collection of some of the amazingly realistic chalk drawings that artist Julian Beaver — a.k.a. the "Pavement Picasso" — has done on the sidewalks of the world.



The drawing starts where the bottom step ends ... or does it?


—Mellow Monk

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Leaf-strewn stone stairs in Kyoto and the Preacher's Pulpit

Here are two great pictures to mellow out to: a stone stairway in Kyoto strewn with red autumn leaves and Norway's breathtaking Preacher's Pulpit rock formation.


As always, click on the pics below to see the full-size versions.








—Mellow Monk

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Photos of Aso, Japan

Our green tea is grown in the pristine environment of Japan's Aso region, a valley centered around the majestic Mt. Aso volcano.


Here, for your green tea break, are three images that capture the area's natural beauty (click on each to see the larger version):











—Mellow Monk

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"Deep Quiet" — head-scratching images that are strangely soothing, too. Oh, and more on that cat stationmaster.

This collection of photographs — titled "Deep Quiet" — is a little on the strange side, but they are strangely soothing, too. Great for a green tea break. Here's a sample:







Oh, and remember the story about the Japanese train station with a cat stationmaster? Well, here's a short, English-language video about him:





—Mellow Monk

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A beautiful Japanese garden — in Oregon

If you like Japanese gardens and you are ever passing through Portland, Oregon, be sure to stop by the the Portland Japanese Garden.


Here is a large-size version of the amazing shot shown below. And here is a whole gallery of photos taken at the PJG.





—Mellow Monk

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Mellow sunrise pictures

Brew up a cup and relax to these photos of beautiful sunrises.



Bald cypress trees in the Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge.


—Mellow Monk

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Birds and a rare Japanese cat

Submitted for your approval: bird photographs and an article about a rare wild Japanese cat found only on the island of Iriomote.



The rarest of all cats, the Iriomote cat.


—Mellow Monk

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Beautiful Japanese garden tree in autumn. And clouds over Africa.

Here's a captivatingly beautiful photograph of an autumn-colored tree in a traditional Japanese garden.


(Click on the photo below to see the full-sized version.)







And courtesy of NASA, a satellite photo of a cloud formation over Africa:





—Mellow Monk

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Mellowness-inducing sights in Kanyakumari, India and Kyoto, Japan

Take a look at some photographs of the Vivekananda Rock Memorial and Thiruvalluvar Statue in Kanyakumari, India.


And here is an interesting set of photographs of Kyoto, Japan.





—Mellow Monk

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The autumn colors of Britain

The Telegraph has a collection of reader-submitted photos of autumnal beauty in Britain.



Sheffield Park, Sussex.


—Mellow Monk

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An unspoiled South Pacific island paradise

You can take a virtual yet still invigorating trip to Lord Howe Island by gazing at these three photos.



I hope Lord Howe Island stays unspoiled for a long, long time.


—Mellow Monk

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Banya tree panorama (and other amazing pics)

Every wonder what it's like to stand in a grove of banyan trees?


Well, brew up a cup of green tea, sit back, and prepare to be astounded, because you can experience what it's like with this amazing panorama.


There are more panoramic pics here.





—Mellow Monk

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Beautiful photos of "Earth from Above"

Even if you can't make it to New York next year to catch photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand's exhibit "Earth from Above," you can see some of his breathtaking photographs online.



Koh Pannyi, Thailand.


—Mellow Monk

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Our sun — an extreme close-up

From the NASA website: an extreme close-up of the sun showing the dark region near a planet-sized sunspot.


(Click on the image below to see the full-sized version.)





—Mellow Monk

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Food art and the Tiger's Nest

Food that looks good just seems to taste that much better, and here are some Japanese bentos so artfully crafted that they almost seem too good to eat.



The bell pepper basket is a nice touch.




I also found a beautiful photo of Bhutan's amazing Tiger's Nest monestary, which looks like the perfect place for getting away from cell phones and telemarketers:



I think I see Bruce Wayne in there.


—Mellow Monk

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The art work of Mother Nature

Mother Nature is quite the artist, and here are 15 examples of her earth art.



The Pembroke Green Bridge of Wales, U.K.


—Mellow Monk

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Scenes of Kashmir and an Indian step well

Today's double feature is a slideshow of beautiful scenery in Kashmir and photos of an Indian step well that is the world's deepest.



The Chand Baori step well Rajasthan, India.


—Mellow Monk

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Salt and sand — as art

Discovery magazine has a very cool online slideshow titled "Each Grain of Sand a Tiny Work of Art," an example of which is shown below:







Next, in the movie below, watch the interesting patterns that salt forms on a metal plate when the plate is made to vibrate with sound. (Warning: This movie has high-pitched sounds. Be sure to turn down the volume on your speakers before playing, especially if you have pets.)





—Mellow Monk

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Tokyo photos ... plus a bonus video

I found a collection of beautiful photos of Tokyo at twilight.



Not far from Tokyo Tower (in the background), a quiet neighborhood is nestled between two lively streets.




Bonus
From the Out of Left Field Department — a video of Richard Dawson losing it on "Family Feud":





—Mellow Monk

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China, Chicago, New York

Click on the images below to mellow out to the full-sized version.











Bonus: Nature photos.


—Mellow Monk

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A quietly beautiful shrine

Japan's Aso region is the source of Mellow Monk's green tea and home to a wide range of natural and cultural beauty.


Nestled in the hills at the north edge of the Aso valley is an important cultural heritage site, the quietly beautiful Kokuzo Shinto Shrine.



An example of the intricate woodwork of the main shrine building.


—Mellow Monk

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Seventies celebrities

Novak's Blog has a page of color and black-and-white photos of Hollywood celebrities in the '70s.



Proof that pictures don't age as quickly as people do.


—Mellow Monk

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Beautiful photo of Mt. Fuji — "Fuji from Afar"

Click to see the very large, super-high-resolution image in all its glory.


—Mellow Monk

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Baggage carousel sushi

When you fly into the airport in Oita on the island of Kyushu, you may see an unusual sight while waiting for your suitcases to be disgorged onto the baggage carousel — the world's largest piece of sushi.


Or so it seems at first glance.


What it actually is, however, is a big prop advertising one of the area's culinary delicacies — uni (sea urchin) from Saiki, a town famous for its bounty from the sea.



What the ... Hey, somebody get me a quart of soy sauce!



Ah, I should have known it was too good to be true.


[Source: TheTse.com. Thanks, guys!]


—Mellow Monk

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Beautiful beaches and surreal landscapes

Even if you can't get away right now to visit any of the world's most beautiful beaches, just gazing at these photos is enough to find relaxation.


You can also get lost in these imaginary landscapes created by a very imaginative artist.



Thailand's Khao Lak beach.


—Mellow Monk

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The edge of the world, kung fu fast food, and the secret to good posture

I've got mixed bag for you today — one artist's conception of the edge of the world, photos of a real-life kung fu-themed fast food restaurant, and a soldier's secret to maintaining perfect posture.



I predict property values here will soon plummet.


—Mellow Monk

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Fuzzy photos and Tokyo Bay's wind tower

Here's a double feature that's perfect for browsing with a warm cup of green tea in hand on a Sunday morning: a gallery of artistically blurred photographs and pics of a mysterious wind tower in the middle of Tokyo Bay.



It's actually a ventillation shaft for a rail line that runs under the bay.


—Mellow Monk

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Relaxing rain and colorful caterpillars

Here you are — enough photographs for two green tea breaks: rain pictures and some of the prettiest caterpillars you'll ever see.



A storm approaching the Isle of Skye.


—Mellow Monk

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Photos of old Japan [tons of pics!]

A Flickr user named Okinawa Soba has a huge collections of photos of old Japan.



Cutting ice in the days before refrigerators.


—Mellow Monk

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Color pics from the 1930s and '40s

The Library of Congress has put up an online album of over 1,600 color photos from the 1930s and '40s.


Mental Floss has posted some of the most striking ones.



Title: "Shepherd with his horse and dog on Gravelly Range, Madison County, Montana (Aug. 1942).


—Mellow Monk

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Cool high-dynamic-range pictures

Some say that the high-dynamic-range (HDR) technique is gimmicky, but there's no denying that when used right, HDR can produce stunning pictures.



In this shot, the HDR technique produces an otherworldly effect.


—Mellow Monk

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Riverboats in 1900 [pic]

Shorpy — "the 100-year-old photo blog" — has a category called "Boats & Bridges." One of my favorite pics there is one of two riverboats called "Old Man River," taken in 1900.


The picture is so large and so high-resolution that you almost feel like you've been transported back in time. I find it strangely relaxing.



Click the pic to see the super-extra-large version.


—Mellow Monk

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Water, the source of life [pics]

Water isn't just the lifeblood of green tea — it's the the source of life. (More pictures to sip green tea to.)



Yellowstone Park's Morning Glory Pool.


—Mellow Monk

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Mellow out to a slew of amazing photos from National Geographic

If you need to mellow out before tackling the task of a Labor Day barbecue, well have I got some pictures for you — over a dozen beautiful photos of natural beauty across the U.S., courtesy of the talented photographers of National Geographic.



Glen Canyon.


—Mellow Monk

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