Weekly Photo Challenge: Big

Posted on October 17, 2012 by Etol Bagam

This week has been crazy preparing for office move.

So not new nice pictures for the challenge.

I was then trying to go through my old pictures and see what I could find that would show BIG.

At first I thought of Mt. Ranier, which is the biggest mountain in the contiguous states of the United States (Alaska has a bigger one, but there is Canada in the middle ;o).

But then I came across this picture here:

My biggest sporting accomplishment: to finish my first half marathon

that shows one of my biggest accomplishments, at least in regards to exercising:

The bib and the finishers medal of my first (and so far only) half marathon!

This post was written in response to the Weekly Photo Challenge: Big

Sunday Post: People

Posted on September 24, 2012 by Etol Bagam

Human beings are social animals.

We need to be always surrounded by people. Sometimes on small gatherings with friends and family, some other times on big events with lots of people you don’t know (maybe just yet) around you.

Here are a few pictures of big events with huge gatherings of people:

Ready to run (or walk) a Marathon (or half) under cold and rain.

Outside the stadium, at the end of a soccer match

Watching dancers at a State Fair

This post was created in response to Jakesprinter Sunday Post: People.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Urban

Posted on August 27, 2012 by Etol Bagam

Hard to take very urban pictures whe you spent almost the whole life in the surburbs.
But this weekend I had a 10K race in downtown Seattle.
I usually walk my races, which is cool because it allows me to take pictures. This time around I did a mix of walk and jog, but still could take some pictures of urban Seattle, including some unusual ones, like the one of people jogging on a tunnel that is typically meant for cars…

Here are some of them. Hope you enjoy.

Monorail Rails

Wires

Jogging below the viaduct

Fenced sculptures under a bridge

Umbrella for a rainy city

Sun shining through the skyline

Jogging on a closed-for-traffic-today tunnel

Viaduct and biiiig steps on a hilly city

Grafitti – can’t be left out on an urban photography essay ;o)

After the race, riding the monorail, through EMP

Approaching the tall buildings

Bus tunnel

My first MLS game ever

Posted on August 6, 2012 by Etol Bagam

Yeah, yeah… I know soccer is not the strongest sport here in the US, but it is on my country of origin, so, it’s in my blood to enjoy watching a match.

So yesterday, with the excuse of my sister and my soccer-crazy brother-in-law visit, I took them and my dad for a home match of our local team, the Seattle Sounders.

The match was awesome!

We won 4-0 against LA Galaxy, with 4 beautiful goals.

All on a beautiful sunny and hot afternoon, that ended with a gorgeous sunset after the game.

On top of that, the field was packed with people. We had an attendance of 60,000+, of very warm supporters, who were chanting, and dancing, and raising scarves, and waving flags, and throwing a nice green rain of paper strips.

The supporters, by the way, are incredible! I heard that Seattle is one of the toughest places to play on an away game because of the power of its supporters who can really break the attention of the visitors.

I absolutely loved the experience!

Not only for being able to watch soccer again in the stadium, but especially for being part of the big event and party that the match was.

It all started with some sky divers jumping from an airplane, wearing the green jersey, to land right at the field.

Then the players came and the National Anthem was sung.

And the ball was kicked!

I didn’t know the chants, but I tried to follow.

I threw my green paper strips.

I wore the green logo t-shirt.

I raised a scarf borrowed from a friend who has many of them.

I celebrated the goals.

I complained when they did something wrong.

I danced at the sound of the band after the match.