Words and Photography by Gary Donaldson
On a cobblestone street in the historic center of Quito, stands an ancient wooden door. And no matter what awaits beyond, you must reach for a hand to cross the threshold. It offers no invitation. Closed to the passive. Quietly indifferent for centuries.
Yet it has been reached for many times, polishing the brass to a warm glow. The quiet alchemy of human touch.
Go seek the unknown
Stroll streets of foreign cities
Open doors within
Great Haiku, G-Man.
Thank you! I struggled through a few drafts. Woke up the next morning and wrote this in about 10 seconds. Much better than what I had. Morning clarity!
A century ago, this would have been an impossible photograph. Elk disappeared entirely from the Black Hills. Their return is a story of restoration, conservation, and a different relationship between people and the wild animals that share this landscape. A few photographs and some history from Custer State Park in South Dakota.
A narrow street in Old Havana. Faded pastels, laundry strung above the street, salsa drifting from an open doorway and the unhurried rhythm of everyday life. From the archives, a return to La Habana Vieja in 2015.
Chester Creek Falls Last Fall I was hiking in Duluth, Minnesota and came upon this site. I snapped a quick photo with my iPhone (it was all I had at the time). I made a mental note to return with a proper camera. Well, I checked that reminder off this past weekend.
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Gary Donaldson
“Travel is about the gorgeous feeling of teetering in the unknown.”
— Anthony Bourdain
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