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  • Solitary cars travel on the Leh-Manali Highway.
    Leh_Manali_Highway_India_02.jpg
  • Two adventurous tourists on bikes are riding along the Leh-Manali Highway...The Leh-Manali Highway is the main road connection between the remote mountainous region of Ladhak, with capital in Leh (3300m), and Manali, HP, a famous hill station 600 km north of New Delhi. Open only four months a year, it is the second-highest motorable road in the world crossing passes up to 5300 meters. It was constructed by the Indian Army in order to develop the surrounding areas as well as monitoring the nearby borders with Kashmir and China. Due to its beauty and increased accessibility, the road to Leh and Ladhak has recently become a must-see destination for local and international tourists leaving the scorching Indian plains..
    Leh-Manali-Highway_India_07.jpg
  • The Indian Army routinely check foreign passports in various locations along the Leh-Manali Highway.
    Leh_Manali_Highway_India_21.jpg
  • Labourers are fixing part of the Leh-Manali Highway.
    Leh_Manali_Highway_India_12.jpg
  • An Indian tourist is taking a break along the Leh-Manali Highway during one of the many long queues that come to create due to its steepness and narrowness. Six thousands workers are employed from East India by the Indian Army every year to maintain and strengthen the road which has become an important tourist and economic route to the north...The Leh-Manali Highway is the main road connection between the remote mountainous region of Ladhak, with capital in Leh (3300m), and Manali, HP, a famous hill station 600 km north of New Delhi. Open only four months a year, it is the second-highest motorable road in the world crossing passes up to 5300 meters. It was constructed by the Indian Army in order to develop the surrounding areas as well as monitoring the nearby borders with Kashmir and China. Due to its beauty and increased accessibility, the road to Leh and Ladhak has recently become a must-see destination for local and international tourists leaving the scorching Indian plains..
    Leh-Manali-Highway_India_24.jpg
  • Travellers are taking a break at one of the various tent camps where they can be hosted, served food and hot drinks..The Leh-Manali Highway is the main road connection between the remote mountainous region of Ladhak, with capital in Leh (3300m), and Manali, HP, a famous hill station 600 km north of New Delhi. Open only four months a year, it is the second-highest motorable road in the world crossing passes up to 5300 meters. It was constructed by the Indian Army in order to develop the surrounding areas as well as monitoring the nearby borders with Kashmir and China. Due to its beauty and increased accessibility, the road to Leh and Ladhak has recently become a must-see destination for local and international tourists leaving the scorching Indian plains..
    Leh-Manali-Highway_India_17.jpg
  • Local shop-owners sitting in their shop catered for travellers and excursionists along the Leh-Manali Highway.
    Leh_Manali_Highway_India_31.jpg
  • Two Buddhist novices dressing up after a bath in a nearby spring along of the Leh-Manali Highway.
    Leh_Manali_Highway_India_28.jpg
  • A lone woman is prostrating to a Buddhist Stupa along the Leh-Manali Highway.
    Leh_Manali_Highway_India_25.jpg
  • A truck is passing through a narrow and steep section of the Leh-Manali Highway bordering a lake.
    Leh_Manali_Highway_India_22.jpg
  • Along the Leh-Manali Highway.
    Leh_Manali_Highway_India_03.jpg
  • A bus is travelling on a narrow section of the Leh-Manali Highway near parts of a melting icy section of the mountain along the Leh-Manali Highway...The Leh-Manali Highway is the main road connection between the remote mountainous region of Ladhak, with capital in Leh (3300m), and Manali, HP, a famous hill station 600 km north of New Delhi. Open only four months a year, it is the second-highest motorable road in the world crossing passes up to 5300 meters. It was constructed by the Indian Army in order to develop the surrounding areas as well as monitoring the nearby borders with Kashmir and China. Due to its beauty and increased accessibility, the road to Leh and Ladhak has recently become a must-see destination for local and international tourists leaving the scorching Indian plains..
    Leh-Manali-Highway_India_19.jpg
  • A mountain lake is bordering the Leh-Manali Highway near Taglang La, a mountain pass 5,325 m high, and one of the five the road crosses in its 479 Km, some of the highest in the world, including Rohtang La 3,978 m (13,051 ft), Baralacha La 4,892 m (16,050 ft), Lachulung La 5,059 m. (16,598 ft) ..The Leh-Manali Highway is the main road connection between the remote mountainous region of Ladhak, with capital in Leh (3300m), and Manali, HP, a famous hill station 600 km north of New Delhi. Open only four months a year, it is the second-highest motorable road in the world crossing passes up to 5300 meters. It was constructed by the Indian Army in order to develop the surrounding areas as well as monitoring the nearby borders with Kashmir and China. Due to its beauty and increased accessibility, the road to Leh and Ladhak has recently become a must-see destination for local and international tourists leaving the scorching Indian plains..
    Leh-Manali-Highway_India_09.jpg
  • Local people in Leh are passing by a large praying wheel near the gate to the city where the Leh-Manali Highway beings...The Leh-Manali Highway is the main road connection between the remote mountainous region of Ladhak, with capital in Leh (3300m), and Manali, HP, a famous hill station 600 km north of New Delhi. Open only four months a year, it is the second-highest motorable road in the world crossing passes up to 5300 meters. It was constructed by the Indian Army in order to develop the surrounding areas as well as monitoring the nearby borders with Kashmir and China. Due to its beauty and increased accessibility, the road to Leh and Ladhak has recently become a must-see destination for local and international tourists leaving the scorching Indian plains..
    Leh-Manali-Highway_India_02.jpg
  • The beginning of the Leh-Manali Highway in Leh. The road has increasingly favoured tourism and development in this remote mountain town.
    Leh_Manali_Highway_India_30.jpg
  • A herd of Bharals (Himalayan blue sheep) along the Leh-Manali Highway.
    Leh_Manali_Highway_India_27.jpg
  • Army trucks are crossing a small watercourse to reach one of the many military installations positioned along the Leh-Manali Highway.
    Leh_Manali_Highway_India_16.jpg
  • A view of a recently constructed section of Leh where migrants or itinerant workers from nearby villages move to in search for better economic conditions.
    Leh_Manali_Highway_India_32.jpg
  • A group of men is pushing a truck on slippery and muddy soil common of the Leh-Manali Highway.
    Leh_Manali_Highway_India_14.jpg
  • Labourers are making asphalt to repair a section of the Leh-Manali Highway.
    Leh_Manali_Highway_India_07.jpg
  • A labourer has just woken up and is stretching outside his tent on the Leh-Manali Highway.
    Leh_Manali_Highway_India_05.jpg
  • Labourers are busy on fixing the road on the Leh-Manali Highway.
    Leh_Manali_Highway_India_04.jpg
  • A labourer in his tent during an early morning on the Leh-Manali Highway.
    Leh_Manali_Highway_India_01.jpg
  • A local woman is preparing an omelette for travellers passing by her hut-turned-restaurant along the Leh-Manali Highway...The Leh-Manali Highway is the main road connection between the remote mountainous region of Ladhak, with capital in Leh (3300m), and Manali, HP, a famous hill station 600 km north of New Delhi. Open only four months a year, it is the second-highest motorable road in the world crossing passes up to 5300 meters. It was constructed by the Indian Army in order to develop the surrounding areas as well as monitoring the nearby borders with Kashmir and China. Due to its beauty and increased accessibility, the road to Leh and Ladhak has recently become a must-see destination for local and international tourists leaving the scorching Indian plains..
    Leh-Manali-Highway_India_18.jpg
  • A day-tourist riding a bike is having a hard time along a wet and particularly muddy section of the Leh-Manali Highway leading up to Rotanlg La, (3,978 m) the nearest pass to the hill station of Manali, in Himachal Pradesh, 600 km north of New Delhi...The Leh-Manali Highway is the main road connection between the remote mountainous region of Ladhak, with capital in Leh (3300m), and Manali, HP, a famous hill station 600 km north of New Delhi. Open only four months a year, it is the second-highest motorable road in the world crossing passes up to 5300 meters. It was constructed by the Indian Army in order to develop the surrounding areas as well as monitoring the nearby borders with Kashmir and China. Due to its beauty and increased accessibility, the road to Leh and Ladhak has recently become a must-see destination for local and international tourists leaving the scorching Indian plains..
    Leh-Manali-Highway_India_08.jpg
  • Young Buddhist monks are awaiting to be gin a Puja in the early morning inside 'Thikse Gompa', a spectacular monastery near Leh, the capital of Ladhak, a small northern Himalayan Indian state with a dominant Buddhist population...The Leh-Manali Highway is the main road connection between the remote mountainous region of Ladhak, with capital in Leh (3300m), and Manali, HP, a famous hill station 600 km north of New Delhi. Open only four months a year, it is the second-highest motorable road in the world crossing passes up to 5300 meters. It was constructed by the Indian Army in order to develop the surrounding areas as well as monitoring the nearby borders with Kashmir and China. Due to its beauty and increased accessibility, the road to Leh and Ladhak has recently become a must-see destination for local and international tourists leaving the scorching Indian plains..
    Leh-Manali-Highway_India_06.jpg
  • The town of Leh, capital of Ladhak, a small northern Himalayan Indian state with a dominant Buddhist population, is photographed from a nearby hill. ...The Leh-Manali Highway is the main road connection between the remote mountainous region of Ladhak, with capital in Leh (3300m), and Manali, HP, a famous hill station 600 km north of New Delhi. Open only four months a year, it is the second-highest motorable road in the world crossing passes up to 5300 meters. It was constructed by the Indian Army in order to develop the surrounding areas as well as monitoring the nearby borders with Kashmir and China. Due to its beauty and increased accessibility, the road to Leh and Ladhak has recently become a must-see destination for local and international tourists leaving the scorching Indian plains..
    Leh-Manali-Highway_India_01.jpg
  • The Buddhist Monastery 'Thikse Gompa' is photographed at night along the Leh-Manali Highway.
    Leh_Manali_Highway_India_29.jpg
  • A mountain view along the Leh-Manali Highway.
    Leh_Manali_Highway_India_26.jpg
  • A labourer is having a bath near a little mountain spring along the Leh-Manali Highway.
    Leh_Manali_Highway_India_24.jpg
  • Bikers are taking a break near a small lake while travelling along the Leh-Manali Highway.
    Leh_Manali_Highway_India_20.jpg
  • Two adventurous bikers are about to enter a hail storm along the More Plains, a part of the Leh-Manali Highway.
    Leh_Manali_Highway_India_19.jpg
  • A traffic jam along the Leh-Manali Highway.
    Leh_Manali_Highway_India_18.jpg
  • Labourers are having breakfast near their tents along the Leh-Manali Highway.
    Leh_Manali_Highway_India_11.jpg
  • Portrait of an labourer from Jharkhand State, east India, on the Leh-Manali Highway.
    Leh_Manali_Highway_India_10.jpg
  • A labourer taking a break on a bed of stones against a view of the mountain landscape along the Leh-Manali Highway.
    Leh_Manali_Highway_India_09.jpg
  • A tent camp where travellers can sleep during the 479 Km trip, which takes on verge 2 days to complete, is photographed along the Leh-Manali Highway...The Leh-Manali Highway is the main road connection between the remote mountainous region of Ladhak, with capital in Leh (3300m), and Manali, HP, a famous hill station 600 km north of New Delhi. Open only four months a year, it is the second-highest motorable road in the world crossing passes up to 5300 meters. It was constructed by the Indian Army in order to develop the surrounding areas as well as monitoring the nearby borders with Kashmir and China. Due to its beauty and increased accessibility, the road to Leh and Ladhak has recently become a must-see destination for local and international tourists leaving the scorching Indian plains..
    Leh-Manali-Highway_India_11.jpg
  • A truck is passing through a narrow and steep section of the Leh-Manali Highway.
    Leh_Manali_Highway_India_08.jpg
  • A labourer is portrayed inside his tent on the Leh-Manali Highway.
    Leh_Manali_Highway_India_06.jpg
  • A local family is washing clothes near Leh, the capital of Ladhakh, along the Leh-Manali Highway.
    Leh_Manali_Highway_India_23.jpg
  • Tilak Raj, 23, a Punjabi driver living inside his truck for 14 days before being rescued by the truck owner. His vehicle broke down along the Leh-Manali Highway.
    Leh_Manali_Highway_India_15.jpg
  • Labourers are making asphalt to repair a section of the Leh-Manali Highway.
    Leh_Manali_Highway_India_17.jpg
  • An Indian serviceman is photographed while warming up in his temporary room on the Leh-Manali Highway where he supervises labourers.
    Leh_Manali_Highway_India_13.jpg
  • Details of a Vampyre Connexionís member during a tour to West Norwood Cemetery on Sunday, 4 March, 2007, in London, England. The Vampyre Connexion is the largest and most active of all the vampire groups in the United Kingdom, counting more than 100 members that for years have gathered regularly in London to share their common love for vampires and the Dark side of life. The Connexion raised from the hashes of the Vampyre Society, the first vampire appreciation group in 1995. The group believe in the fantasy of vampires and such creatures and live it to the full. Its  roots are to be found in the legends of Bram Stokerís Dracula. The group prints its own magazine, ëDark Nightsí featuring drawings, poetry, stories, photography and events. All of the members dress very peculiar clothing, and this is a very important part of the life of the group; it is respected with pride, taste and accuracy for the detail. Most like to dress to be elegant in a range of styles from regency to Victorian, some sew their own. In addition members visit art galleries, cemeteries, churches and cathedrals, attend gigs and concerts, and hold their own parties throughout the year, Halloween being the biggest and scariest one. Membership is open to all, the only qualification: being a love of all things Vampyric. **ItalyOut**
    VampiresLondon08.JPG
  • A river running through the Hindu Kush, the mountain range crossing Afghanistan and separating Kabul from Bamiyan, is photographed from a UNAMA helicopter on its way to the capital. The Buddhas of Bamiyan were two 6th century monumental statues of standing Buddhas carved into the side of a cliff in the Bamiyan valley in the Hazarajat region of central Afghanistan, situated 230 km northwest of Kabul at an altitude of 2500 meters. The statues represented the classic blended style of Gandhara art. The main bodies were hewn directly from the sandstone cliffs, but details were modelled in mud mixed with straw, coated with stucco. Amid widespread international condemnation, the smaller statues (55 and 39 meters respectively) were intentionally dynamited and destroyed in 2001 by the Taliban because they believed them to be un-Islamic idols. Once a stopping point along the Silk Road between China and the Middle East, researchers think Bamiyan was the site of monasteries housing as many as 5,000 monks during its peak as a Buddhist centre in the 6th and 7th centuries. It is now a UNESCO Heritage Site since 2003. Archaeologists from various countries across the world have been engaged in preservation, general maintenance around the site and renovation. Professor Tarzi, a notable An Afghan-born archaeologist from France, and a teacher in Strasbourg University, has been searching for a legendary 300m Sleeping Buddha statue in various sites between the original standing ones, as documented in the old account of a renowned Chinese scholar, Xuanzang, visiting the area in the 7th century. Professor Tarzi worked on projects to restore the other Bamiyan Buddhas in the late 1970s and has spent most of his career researching the existence of the missing giant Buddha in the valley.
    Bamiyan_UNESCO_Alex_Masi033.JPG
  • Jenny, 62, the extravagant wife of Colin, the Vampyre Master, portrayed at her make-up table in her bedroom on Sunday, 29 June, 2007, in South London, England. The Vampyre Connexion is the largest and most active of all the vampire groups in the United Kingdom, counting more than 100 members that for years have gathered regularly in London to share their common love for vampires and the Dark side of life. The Connexion raised from the hashes of the Vampyre Society, the first vampire appreciation group in 1995. The group believe in the fantasy of vampires and such creatures and live it to the full. Its  roots are to be found in the legends of Bram Stokerís Dracula. The group prints its own magazine, ëDark Nightsí featuring drawings, poetry, stories, photography and events. All of the members dress very peculiar clothing, and this is a very important part of the life of the group; it is respected with pride, taste and accuracy for the detail. Most like to dress to be elegant in a range of styles from regency to Victorian, some sew their own. In addition members visit art galleries, cemeteries, churches and cathedrals, attend gigs and concerts, and hold their own parties throughout the year, Halloween being the biggest and scariest one. Membership is open to all, the only qualification: being a love of all things Vampyric. **ItalyOut**
    VampiresLondon22.JPG
  • Vampyre gadgets and books are exposed on a shelf in Cecileís living room, in Camden Town, London, England, on Sunday, 10 June, 2007. The Vampyre Connexion is the largest and most active of all the vampire groups in the United Kingdom, counting more than 100 members that for years have gathered regularly in London to share their common love for vampires and the Dark side of life. The Connexion raised from the hashes of the Vampyre Society, the first vampire appreciation group in 1995. The group believe in the fantasy of vampires and such creatures and live it to the full. Its  roots are to be found in the legends of Bram Stokerís Dracula. The group prints its own magazine, ëDark Nightsí featuring drawings, poetry, stories, photography and events. All of the members dress very peculiar clothing, and this is a very important part of the life of the group; it is respected with pride, taste and accuracy for the detail. Most like to dress to be elegant in a range of styles from regency to Victorian, some sew their own. In addition members visit art galleries, cemeteries, churches and cathedrals, attend gigs and concerts, and hold their own parties throughout the year, Halloween being the biggest and scariest one. Membership is open to all, the only qualification: being a love of all things Vampyric.**ItalyOut**
    VampiresLondon19.JPG
  • Darren Jack Powell, 34-year-old English man, is having fun with another member during a  cemetery tour organised by the Vampyre Connexion on Sunday, 2 December, 2006, in Nunhead Cemetery, South London, England. The Vampyre Connexion is the largest and most active of all the vampire groups in the United Kingdom, counting more than 100 members that for years have gathered regularly in London to share their common love for vampires and the Dark side of life. The Connexion raised from the hashes of the Vampyre Society, the first vampire appreciation group in 1995. The group believe in the fantasy of vampires and such creatures and live it to the full. Its  roots are to be found in the legends of Bram Stokerís Dracula. The group prints its own magazine, ëDark Nightsí featuring drawings, poetry, stories, photography and events. All of the members dress very peculiar clothing, and this is a very important part of the life of the group; it is respected with pride, taste and accuracy for the detail. Most like to dress to be elegant in a range of styles from regency to Victorian, some sew their own. In addition members visit art galleries, cemeteries, churches and cathedrals, attend gigs and concerts, and hold their own parties throughout the year, Halloween being the biggest and scariest one. Membership is open to all, the only qualification: being a love of all things Vampyric.**ItalyOut**
    VampiresLondon18.JPG
  • Pictures of Cecileís graduation and master degree are hanging from the wall in her living room on Sunday, 10 June, 2006, in Camden Town, London, England. Cecile, 31, a French woman from Avignon, lives in London since 14 years and is one of the members in the Vampyre Connexion committee. The Vampyre Connexion is the largest and most active of all the vampire groups in the United Kingdom, counting more than 100 members that for years have gathered regularly in London to share their common love for vampires and the Dark side of life. The Connexion raised from the hashes of the Vampyre Society, the first vampire appreciation group in 1995. The group believe in the fantasy of vampires and such creatures and live it to the full. Its  roots are to be found in the legends of Bram Stokerís Dracula. The group prints its own magazine, ëDark Nightsí featuring drawings, poetry, stories, photography and events. All of the members dress very peculiar clothing, and this is a very important part of the life of the group; it is respected with pride, taste and accuracy for the detail. Most like to dress to be elegant in a range of styles from regency to Victorian, some sew their own. In addition members visit art galleries, cemeteries, churches and cathedrals, attend gigs and concerts, and hold their own parties throughout the year, Halloween being the biggest and scariest one. Membership is open to all, the only qualification: being a love of all things Vampyric.**ItalyOut**
    VampiresLondon16.JPG
  • Sonia Siccardi, 28, the singer of the Theatres des Vampires, a Gothic music group, is walking off the stage at the end of the concert at the Slimelight, an exclusive Goth club in London during a night organised by the Vampyre Connexion, on Saturday, 3 February, 2007, in London, England. The Vampyre Connexion is the largest and most active of all the vampire groups in the United Kingdom, counting more than 100 members that for years have gathered regularly in London to share their common love for vampires and the Dark side of life. The Connexion raised from the hashes of the Vampyre Society, the first vampire appreciation group in 1995. The group believe in the fantasy of vampires and such creatures and live it to the full. Its  roots are to be found in the legends of Bram Stokerís Dracula. The group prints its own magazine, ëDark Nightsí featuring drawings, poetry, stories, photography and events. All of the members dress very peculiar clothing, and this is a very important part of the life of the group; it is respected with pride, taste and accuracy for the detail. Most like to dress to be elegant in a range of styles from regency to Victorian, some sew their own. In addition members visit art galleries, cemeteries, churches and cathedrals, attend gigs and concerts, and hold their own parties throughout the year, Halloween being the biggest and scariest one. Membership is open to all, the only qualification: being a love of all things Vampyric.**ItalyOut**
    VampiresLondon14.JPG
  • Models are taking part at a show organised for the Theatres des Vampires Goth music group at the Slimelight, an exclusive Goth club in London during a night organised by the Vampyre Connexion, on Saturday, 3 February, 2007, in London, England. The Vampyre Connexion is the largest and most active of all the vampire groups in the United Kingdom, counting more than 100 members that for years have gathered regularly in London to share their common love for vampires and the Dark side of life. The Connexion raised from the hashes of the Vampyre Society, the first vampire appreciation group in 1995. The group believe in the fantasy of vampires and such creatures and live it to the full. Its  roots are to be found in the legends of Bram Stokerís Dracula. The group prints its own magazine, ëDark Nightsí featuring drawings, poetry, stories, photography and events. All of the members dress very peculiar clothing, and this is a very important part of the life of the group; it is respected with pride, taste and accuracy for the detail. Most like to dress to be elegant in a range of styles from regency to Victorian, some sew their own. In addition members visit art galleries, cemeteries, churches and cathedrals, attend gigs and concerts, and hold their own parties throughout the year, Halloween being the biggest and scariest one. Membership is open to all, the only qualification: being a love of all things Vampyric. **Italy Out**..
    VampiresLondon12.JPG
  • Cecile, 31, a French woman from Avignon, and one of the members in the Vampyre Connexion committee, is fitting his boots in her bedroom before a long day out with the group, on Sunday, 10 June, 2007, in Camden Town, London, England. The Vampyre Connexion is the largest and most active of all the vampire groups in the United Kingdom, counting more than 100 members that for years have gathered regularly in London to share their common love for vampires and the Dark side of life. The Connexion raised from the hashes of the Vampyre Society, the first vampire appreciation group in 1995. The group believe in the fantasy of vampires and such creatures and live it to the full. Its  roots are to be found in the legends of Bram Stokerís Dracula. The group prints its own magazine, ëDark Nightsí featuring drawings, poetry, stories, photography and events. All of the members dress very peculiar clothing, and this is a very important part of the life of the group; it is respected with pride, taste and accuracy for the detail. Most like to dress to be elegant in a range of styles from regency to Victorian, some sew their own. In addition members visit art galleries, cemeteries, churches and cathedrals, attend gigs and concerts, and hold their own parties throughout the year, Halloween being the biggest and scariest one. Membership is open to all, the only qualification: being a love of all things Vampyric.**ItalyOut**
    VampiresLondon10.JPG
  • Emma Smith, 21, is sitting on a sofa in Cecileís living room on Sunday, 15 October, 2006, in Camden Town, London, England. The Vampyre Connexion is the largest and most active of all the vampire groups in the United Kingdom, counting more than 100 members that for years have gathered regularly in London to share their common love for vampires and the Dark side of life. The Connexion raised from the hashes of the Vampyre Society, the first vampire appreciation group in 1995. The group believe in the fantasy of vampires and such creatures and live it to the full. Its  roots are to be found in the legends of Bram Stokerís Dracula. The group prints its own magazine, ëDark Nightsí featuring drawings, poetry, stories, photography and events. All of the members dress very peculiar clothing, and this is a very important part of the life of the group; it is respected with pride, taste and accuracy for the detail. Most like to dress to be elegant in a range of styles from regency to Victorian, some sew their own. In addition members visit art galleries, cemeteries, churches and cathedrals, attend gigs and concerts, and hold their own parties throughout the year, Halloween being the biggest and scariest one. Membership is open to all, the only qualification: being a love of all things Vampyric. **ItalyOut**
    VampiresLondon09.JPG
  • Cecile, 31, a French woman from Avignon, and one of the members in the Vampyre Connexion committee, is standing in her living room on Sunday, 15 October, 2006, in Camden Town, London, England. The Vampyre Connexion is the largest and most active of all the vampire groups in the United Kingdom, counting more than 100 members that for years have gathered regularly in London to share their common love for vampires and the Dark side of life. The Connexion raised from the hashes of the Vampyre Society, the first vampire appreciation group in 1995. The group believe in the fantasy of vampires and such creatures and live it to the full. Its  roots are to be found in the legends of Bram Stokerís Dracula. The group prints its own magazine, ëDark Nightsí featuring drawings, poetry, stories, photography and events. All of the members dress very peculiar clothing, and this is a very important part of the life of the group; it is respected with pride, taste and accuracy for the detail. Most like to dress to be elegant in a range of styles from regency to Victorian, some sew their own. In addition members visit art galleries, cemeteries, churches and cathedrals, attend gigs and concerts, and hold their own parties throughout the year, Halloween being the biggest and scariest one. Membership is open to all, the only qualification: being a love of all things Vampyric. **ItalyOut**
    VampiresLondon07.JPG
  • Models are taking part at a show organised for the Theatres des Vampires Goth music group at the Slimelight, an exclusive Goth club in London during a night organised by the Vampyre Connexion, on Saturday, 3 February, 2007, in London, England...The Vampyre Connexion is the largest and most active of all the vampire groups in the United Kingdom, counting more than 100 members that for years have gathered regularly in London to share their common love for vampires and the Dark side of life. The Connexion raised from the hashes of the Vampyre Society, the first vampire appreciation group in 1995. The group believe in the fantasy of vampires and such creatures and live it to the full. Its  roots are to be found in the legends of Bram Stokerís Dracula. The group prints its own magazine, ëDark Nightsí featuring drawings, poetry, stories, photography and events. All of the members dress very peculiar clothing, and this is a very important part of the life of the group; it is respected with pride, taste and accuracy for the detail. Most like to dress to be elegant in a range of styles from regency to Victorian, some sew their own. In addition members visit art galleries, cemeteries, churches and cathedrals, attend gigs and concerts, and hold their own parties throughout the year, Halloween being the biggest and scariest one. Membership is open to all, the only qualification: being a love of all things Vampyric. **ItalyOut**
    VampiresLondon06.jpg
  • Emma Smith, 21, portrayed while savouring a glass of wine in Cecileís living room on Sunday, 15 October, 2006, in Camden Town, London, England. The Vampyre Connexion is the largest and most active of all the vampire groups in the United Kingdom, counting more than 100 members that for years have gathered regularly in London to share their common love for vampires and the Dark side of life. The Connexion raised from the hashes of the Vampyre Society, the first vampire appreciation group in 1995. The group believe in the fantasy of vampires and such creatures and live it to the full. Its  roots are to be found in the legends of Bram Stokerís Dracula. The group prints its own magazine, ëDark Nightsí featuring drawings, poetry, stories, photography and events. All of the members dress very peculiar clothing, and this is a very important part of the life of the group; it is respected with pride, taste and accuracy for the detail. Most like to dress to be elegant in a range of styles from regency to Victorian, some sew their own. In addition members visit art galleries, cemeteries, churches and cathedrals, attend gigs and concerts, and hold their own parties throughout the year, Halloween being the biggest and scariest one. Membership is open to all, the only qualification: being a love of all things Vampyric.  **ItalyOut**
    VampiresLondon05.JPG
  • (left to right) Jonathan Aristow, 20, Darren Jack Powell, 36, both from London, and Audrey a 25-year-old French national getting ready for a cemetery tour organised by the Vampyre Connexion on Sunday, 2 December, 2006, in Nunhead Cemetery, South London, England. The Vampyre Connexion is the largest and most active of all the vampire groups in the United Kingdom, counting more than 100 members that for years have gathered regularly in London to share their common love for vampires and the Dark side of life. The Connexion raised from the hashes of the Vampyre Society, the first vampire appreciation group in 1995. The group believe in the fantasy of vampires and such creatures and live it to the full. Its  roots are to be found in the legends of Bram Stokerís Dracula. The group prints its own magazine, ëDark Nightsí featuring drawings, poetry, stories, photography and events. All of the members dress very peculiar clothing, and this is a very important part of the life of the group; it is respected with pride, taste and accuracy for the detail. Most like to dress to be elegant in a range of styles from regency to Victorian, some sew their own. In addition members visit art galleries, cemeteries, churches and cathedrals, attend gigs and concerts, and hold their own parties throughout the year, Halloween being the biggest and scariest one. Membership is open to all, the only qualification: being a love of all things Vampyric.   **ItalyOut**
    VampiresLondon02.JPG
  • Forests and natural beauty are very characteristic features of Bamyian, a small Afghan town in the heart of the Hindu Kush mountain range mostly populated by Hazaras. The Buddhas of Bamiyan were two 6th century monumental statues of standing Buddhas carved into the side of a cliff in the Bamiyan valley in the Hazarajat region of central Afghanistan, situated 230 km northwest of Kabul at an altitude of 2500 meters. The statues represented the classic blended style of Gandhara art. The main bodies were hewn directly from the sandstone cliffs, but details were modelled in mud mixed with straw, coated with stucco. Amid widespread international condemnation, the smaller statues (55 and 39 meters respectively) were intentionally dynamited and destroyed in 2001 by the Taliban because they believed them to be un-Islamic idols. Once a stopping point along the Silk Road between China and the Middle East, researchers think Bamiyan was the site of monasteries housing as many as 5,000 monks during its peak as a Buddhist centre in the 6th and 7th centuries. It is now a UNESCO Heritage Site since 2003. Archaeologists from various countries across the world have been engaged in preservation, general maintenance around the site and renovation. Professor Tarzi, a notable An Afghan-born archaeologist from France, and a teacher in Strasbourg University, has been searching for a legendary 300m Sleeping Buddha statue in various sites between the original standing ones, as documented in the old account of a renowned Chinese scholar, Xuanzang, visiting the area in the 7th century. Professor Tarzi worked on projects to restore the other Bamiyan Buddhas in the late 1970s and has spent most of his career researching the existence of the missing giant Buddha in the valley.
    Bamiyan_UNESCO_Alex_Masi023.JPG
  • A village located along the Hindu Kush, the mountain range crossing Afghanistan and separating Kabul from Bamiyan, is photographed from a UNAMA helicopter on its way to the capital. The Buddhas of Bamiyan were two 6th century monumental statues of standing Buddhas carved into the side of a cliff in the Bamiyan valley in the Hazarajat region of central Afghanistan, situated 230 km northwest of Kabul at an altitude of 2500 meters. The statues represented the classic blended style of Gandhara art. The main bodies were hewn directly from the sandstone cliffs, but details were modelled in mud mixed with straw, coated with stucco. Amid widespread international condemnation, the smaller statues (55 and 39 meters respectively) were intentionally dynamited and destroyed in 2001 by the Taliban because they believed them to be un-Islamic idols. Once a stopping point along the Silk Road between China and the Middle East, researchers think Bamiyan was the site of monasteries housing as many as 5,000 monks during its peak as a Buddhist centre in the 6th and 7th centuries. It is now a UNESCO Heritage Site since 2003. Archaeologists from various countries across the world have been engaged in preservation, general maintenance around the site and renovation. Professor Tarzi, a notable An Afghan-born archaeologist from France, and a teacher in Strasbourg University, has been searching for a legendary 300m Sleeping Buddha statue in various sites between the original standing ones, as documented in the old account of a renowned Chinese scholar, Xuanzang, visiting the area in the 7th century. Professor Tarzi worked on projects to restore the other Bamiyan Buddhas in the late 1970s and has spent most of his career researching the existence of the missing giant Buddha in the valley.
    Bamiyan_UNESCO_Alex_Masi040.JPG
  • Members are enjoying a glass of wine in Cecileís bedroom in Camden Town, London, England, on Sunday, 15 October, 2006. The Vampyre Connexion is the largest and most active of all the vampire groups in the United Kingdom, counting more than 100 members that for years have gathered regularly in London to share their common love for vampires and the Dark side of life. The Connexion raised from the hashes of the Vampyre Society, the first vampire appreciation group in 1995. The group believe in the fantasy of vampires and such creatures and live it to the full. Its  roots are to be found in the legends of Bram Stokerís Dracula. The group prints its own magazine, ëDark Nightsí featuring drawings, poetry, stories, photography and events. All of the members dress very peculiar clothing, and this is a very important part of the life of the group; it is respected with pride, taste and accuracy for the detail. Most like to dress to be elegant in a range of styles from regency to Victorian, some sew their own. In addition members visit art galleries, cemeteries, churches and cathedrals, attend gigs and concerts, and hold their own parties throughout the year, Halloween being the biggest and scariest one. Membership is open to all, the only qualification: being a love of all things Vampyric.**ItalyOut**
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  • Cecile, a 31-year-old French national is posing while sitting on a grave during a  cemetery tour organised by the Vampyre Connexion on Sunday, 2 December, 2006, in Nunhead Cemetery, South London, England. The Vampyre Connexion is the largest and most active of all the vampire groups in the United Kingdom, counting more than 100 members that for years have gathered regularly in London to share their common love for vampires and the Dark side of life. The Connexion raised from the hashes of the Vampyre Society, the first vampire appreciation group in 1995. The group believe in the fantasy of vampires and such creatures and live it to the full. Its  roots are to be found in the legends of Bram Stokerís Dracula. The group prints its own magazine, ëDark Nightsí featuring drawings, poetry, stories, photography and events. All of the members dress very peculiar clothing, and this is a very important part of the life of the group; it is respected with pride, taste and accuracy for the detail. Most like to dress to be elegant in a range of styles from regency to Victorian, some sew their own. In addition members visit art galleries, cemeteries, churches and cathedrals, attend gigs and concerts, and hold their own parties throughout the year, Halloween being the biggest and scariest one. Membership is open to all, the only qualification: being a love of all things Vampyric.**ItalyOut**
    VampiresLondon15.JPG
  • Nick Hook, 42, from London, is holding his glasses while talking to other members in Cecile's living room on Sunday, 15 October, 2006, in Camden Town, London, England. The Vampyre Connexion is the largest and most active of all the vampire groups in the United Kingdom, counting more than 100 members that for years have gathered regularly in London to share their common love for vampires and the Dark side of life. The Connexion raised from the hashes of the Vampyre Society, the first vampire appreciation group in 1995. The group believe in the fantasy of vampires and such creatures and live it to the full. Its  roots are to be found in the legends of Bram Stokerís Dracula. The group prints its own magazine, 'Dark Nights' featuring drawings, poetry, stories, photography and events. All of the members dress very peculiar clothing, and this is a very important part of the life of the group; it is respected with pride, taste and accuracy for the detail. Most like to dress to be elegant in a range of styles from regency to Victorian, some sew their own. In addition members visit art galleries, cemeteries, churches and cathedrals, attend gigs and concerts, and hold their own parties throughout the year, Halloween being the biggest and scariest one. Membership is open to all, the only qualification: being a love of all things Vampyric. **ItalyOut**
    VampiresLondon13.JPG
  • Jenny, 62, the extravagant wife of Colin, the Vampyre Master, portrayed at the Slimelight, an exclusive Goth club in London during a night organised by the Vampyre Connexion, on Saturday, 3 February, 2007, in London, England. The Vampyre Connexion is the largest and most active of all the vampire groups in the United Kingdom, counting more than 100 members that for years have gathered regularly in London to share their common love for vampires and the Dark side of life. The Connexion raised from the hashes of the Vampyre Society, the first vampire appreciation group in 1995. The group believe in the fantasy of vampires and such creatures and live it to the full. Its  roots are to be found in the legends of Bram Stokerís Dracula. The group prints its own magazine, ëDark Nightsí featuring drawings, poetry, stories, photography and events. All of the members dress very peculiar clothing, and this is a very important part of the life of the group; it is respected with pride, taste and accuracy for the detail. Most like to dress to be elegant in a range of styles from regency to Victorian, some sew their own. In addition members visit art galleries, cemeteries, churches and cathedrals, attend gigs and concerts, and hold their own parties throughout the year, Halloween being the biggest and scariest one. Membership is open to all, the only qualification: being a love of all things Vampyric.  **ItalyOut**
    VampiresLondon03.JPG
  • Cecile, 31, a French woman from Avignon, and one of the members in the Vampyre Connexion committee, is showing her fangs on Sunday, 15 October, 2006, in her house in Camden Town, London, England. The Vampyre Connexion is the largest and most active of all the vampire groups in the United Kingdom, counting more than 100 members that for years have gathered regularly in London to share their common love for vampires and the Dark side of life. The Connexion raised from the hashes of the Vampyre Society, the first vampire appreciation group in 1995. The group believe in the fantasy of vampires and such creatures and live it to the full. Its  roots are to be found in the legends of Bram Stokerís Dracula. The group prints its own magazine, ëDark Nightsí featuring drawings, poetry, stories, photography and events. All of the members dress very peculiar clothing, and this is a very important part of the life of the group; it is respected with pride, taste and accuracy for the detail. Most like to dress to be elegant in a range of styles from regency to Victorian, some sew their own. In addition members visit art galleries, cemeteries, churches and cathedrals, attend gigs and concerts, and hold their own parties throughout the year, Halloween being the biggest and scariest one. Membership is open to all, the only qualification: being a love of all things Vampyric.  **ItalyOut**
    VampiresLondon01.JPG
  • A small river running through the Hindu Kush, the mountain range crossing Afghanistan and separating Kabul from Bamiyan, is photographed from a UNAMA helicopter on its way to the capital. The Buddhas of Bamiyan were two 6th century monumental statues of standing Buddhas carved into the side of a cliff in the Bamiyan valley in the Hazarajat region of central Afghanistan, situated 230 km northwest of Kabul at an altitude of 2500 meters. The statues represented the classic blended style of Gandhara art. The main bodies were hewn directly from the sandstone cliffs, but details were modelled in mud mixed with straw, coated with stucco. Amid widespread international condemnation, the smaller statues (55 and 39 meters respectively) were intentionally dynamited and destroyed in 2001 by the Taliban because they believed them to be un-Islamic idols.  Once a stopping point along the Silk Road between China and the Middle East, researchers think Bamiyan was the site of monasteries housing as many as 5,000 monks during its peak as a Buddhist centre in the 6th and 7th centuries. It is now a UNESCO Heritage Site since 2003. Archaeologists from various countries across the world have been engaged in preservation, general maintenance around the site and renovation. Professor Tarzi, a notable An Afghan-born archaeologist from France, and a teacher in Strasbourg University, has been searching for a legendary 300m Sleeping Buddha statue in various sites between the original standing ones, as documented in the old account of a renowned Chinese scholar, Xuanzang, visiting the area in the 7th century. Professor Tarzi worked on projects to restore the other Bamiyan Buddhas in the late 1970s and has spent most of his career researching the existence of the missing giant Buddha in the valley.
    Bamiyan_UNESCO_Alex_Masi028.JPG
  • A section of the Hindu Kush, the mountain range crossing Afghanistan and separating Kabul from Bamiyan, is photographed from a UNAMA helicopter on its way to the capital. The Buddhas of Bamiyan were two 6th century monumental statues of standing Buddhas carved into the side of a cliff in the Bamiyan valley in the Hazarajat region of central Afghanistan, situated 230 km northwest of Kabul at an altitude of 2500 meters. The statues represented the classic blended style of Gandhara art. The main bodies were hewn directly from the sandstone cliffs, but details were modelled in mud mixed with straw, coated with stucco. Amid widespread international condemnation, the smaller statues (55 and 39 meters respectively) were intentionally dynamited and destroyed in 2001 by the Taliban because they believed them to be un-Islamic idols. Once a stopping point along the Silk Road between China and the Middle East, researchers think Bamiyan was the site of monasteries housing as many as 5,000 monks during its peak as a Buddhist centre in the 6th and 7th centuries. It is now a UNESCO Heritage Site since 2003. Archaeologists from various countries across the world have been engaged in preservation, general maintenance around the site and renovation. Professor Tarzi, a notable An Afghan-born archaeologist from France, and a teacher in Strasbourg University, has been searching for a legendary 300m Sleeping Buddha statue in various sites between the original standing ones, as documented in the old account of a renowned Chinese scholar, Xuanzang, visiting the area in the 7th century. Professor Tarzi worked on projects to restore the other Bamiyan Buddhas in the late 1970s and has spent most of his career researching the existence of the missing giant Buddha in the valley.
    Bamiyan_UNESCO_Alex_Masi021.JPG
  • Eleri, 6-month-old baby is wearing a peculiar printed t-shirt saying: ëDonít make me bite youí, while with her mother in a traditional London pub just after a cemetery tour organised by the Vampyre Connexion on Sunday, 2 December, 2006, in Nunhead Cemetery, South London, England. The Vampyre Connexion is the largest and most active of all the vampire groups in the United Kingdom, counting more than 100 members that for years have gathered regularly in London to share their common love for vampires and the Dark side of life. The Connexion raised from the hashes of the Vampyre Society, the first vampire appreciation group in 1995. The group believe in the fantasy of vampires and such creatures and live it to the full. Its  roots are to be found in the legends of Bram Stokerís Dracula. The group prints its own magazine, ëDark Nightsí featuring drawings, poetry, stories, photography and events. All of the members dress very peculiar clothing, and this is a very important part of the life of the group; it is respected with pride, taste and accuracy for the detail. Most like to dress to be elegant in a range of styles from regency to Victorian, some sew their own. In addition members visit art galleries, cemeteries, churches and cathedrals, attend gigs and concerts, and hold their own parties throughout the year, Halloween being the biggest and scariest one. Membership is open to all, the only qualification: being a love of all things Vampyric.  **ItalyOut**
    VampiresLondon24.jpg
  • Dracula Fangs are on sale during the Theatres des Vampires concert at the Slimelight, an exclusive Goth club in London during a night organised by the Vampyre Connexion, on Saturday, 3 February, 2007, in London, England. The Vampyre Connexion is the largest and most active of all the vampire groups in the United Kingdom, counting more than 100 members that for years have gathered regularly in London to share their common love for vampires and the Dark side of life. The Connexion raised from the hashes of the Vampyre Society, the first vampire appreciation group in 1995. The group believe in the fantasy of vampires and such creatures and live it to the full. Its  roots are to be found in the legends of Bram Stokerís Dracula. The group prints its own magazine, ëDark Nightsí featuring drawings, poetry, stories, photography and events. All of the members dress very peculiar clothing, and this is a very important part of the life of the group; it is respected with pride, taste and accuracy for the detail. Most like to dress to be elegant in a range of styles from regency to Victorian, some sew their own. In addition members visit art galleries, cemeteries, churches and cathedrals, attend gigs and concerts, and hold their own parties throughout the year, Halloween being the biggest and scariest one. Membership is open to all, the only qualification: being a love of all things Vampyric.**ItalyOut**
    VampiresLondon23.JPG
  • (from left to right) Cecile, a 31-year-old French national, Sonia Siccardi, 28, the singer of the Theatres des Vampires, a Gothic music group, and Jonathan Aristow, 20, a VC member, are sitting on a bench waiting for the train back to central London after a cemetery tour organised by the Vampyre Connexion on Sunday, 2 December, 2006, in Nunhead Cemetery, South London, England. The Vampyre Connexion is the largest and most active of all the vampire groups in the United Kingdom, counting more than 100 members that for years have gathered regularly in London to share their common love for vampires and the Dark side of life. The Connexion raised from the hashes of the Vampyre Society, the first vampire appreciation group in 1995. The group believe in the fantasy of vampires and such creatures and live it to the full. Its  roots are to be found in the legends of Bram Stokerís Dracula. The group prints its own magazine, ëDark Nightsí featuring drawings, poetry, stories, photography and events. All of the members dress very peculiar clothing, and this is a very important part of the life of the group; it is respected with pride, taste and accuracy for the detail. Most like to dress to be elegant in a range of styles from regency to Victorian, some sew their own. In addition members visit art galleries, cemeteries, churches and cathedrals, attend gigs and concerts, and hold their own parties throughout the year, Halloween being the biggest and scariest one. Membership is open to all, the only qualification: being a love of all things Vampyric.**ItalyOut**
    VampiresLondon21.JPG
  • Stage scene during the Theatres des Vampires concert at the Slimelight, an exclusive Goth club in London during a night organised by the Vampyre Connexion, on Saturday, 3 February, 2007, in London, England. The Vampyre Connexion is the largest and most active of all the vampire groups in the United Kingdom, counting more than 100 members that for years have gathered regularly in London to share their common love for vampires and the Dark side of life. The Connexion raised from the hashes of the Vampyre Society, the first vampire appreciation group in 1995. The group believe in the fantasy of vampires and such creatures and live it to the full. Its  roots are to be found in the legends of Bram Stokerís Dracula. The group prints its own magazine, ëDark Nightsí featuring drawings, poetry, stories, photography and events. All of the members dress very peculiar clothing, and this is a very important part of the life of the group; it is respected with pride, taste and accuracy for the detail. Most like to dress to be elegant in a range of styles from regency to Victorian, some sew their own. In addition members visit art galleries, cemeteries, churches and cathedrals, attend gigs and concerts, and hold their own parties throughout the year, Halloween being the biggest and scariest one. Membership is open to all, the only qualification: being a love of all things Vampyric.**ItalyOut**
    VampiresLondon17.JPG
  • Darren Jack Powell, 34-year-old English man, is having fun with other members at an open-air pub in Highgate, London, on Sunday, 10 June, 2007, right before leaving for the Highgate Cemetery Tour. The Vampyre Connexion is the largest and most active of all the vampire groups in the United Kingdom, counting more than 100 members that for years have gathered regularly in London to share their common love for vampires and the Dark side of life. The Connexion raised from the hashes of the Vampyre Society, the first vampire appreciation group in 1995. The group believe in the fantasy of vampires and such creatures and live it to the full. Its  roots are to be found in the legends of Bram Stokerís Dracula. The group prints its own magazine, ëDark Nightsí featuring drawings, poetry, stories, photography and events. All of the members dress very peculiar clothing, and this is a very important part of the life of the group; it is respected with pride, taste and accuracy for the detail. Most like to dress to be elegant in a range of styles from regency to Victorian, some sew their own. In addition members visit art galleries, cemeteries, churches and cathedrals, attend gigs and concerts, and hold their own parties throughout the year, Halloween being the biggest and scariest one. Membership is open to all, the only qualification: being a love of all things Vampyric.**ItalyOut**
    VampiresLondon11.JPG
  • Colin, 62, the Vampyre Master portrayed in his living room on Sunday, 29 June, 2007, in his house in South London, England. He is a passionate collector of all sort of animals, religious artefacts and paintings. The Vampyre Connexion is the largest and most active of all the vampire groups in the United Kingdom, counting more than 100 members that for years have gathered regularly in London to share their common love for vampires and the Dark side of life. The Connexion raised from the hashes of the Vampyre Society, the first vampire appreciation group in 1995. The group believe in the fantasy of vampires and such creatures and live it to the full. Its  roots are to be found in the legends of Bram Stokerís Dracula. The group prints its own magazine, ëDark Nightsí featuring drawings, poetry, stories, photography and events. All of the members dress very peculiar clothing, and this is a very important part of the life of the group; it is respected with pride, taste and accuracy for the detail. Most like to dress to be elegant in a range of styles from regency to Victorian, some sew their own. In addition members visit art galleries, cemeteries, churches and cathedrals, attend gigs and concerts, and hold their own parties throughout the year, Halloween being the biggest and scariest one. Membership is open to all, the only qualification: being a love of all things Vampyric.  **ItalyOut**
    VampiresLondon04.JPG
  • An old building in ruins is photographed in Bamiyan, in the heart of the Hindu Kush mountain range, central Afghanistan. The Buddhas of Bamiyan were two 6th century monumental statues of standing Buddhas carved into the side of a cliff in the Bamiyan valley in the Hazarajat region of central Afghanistan, situated 230 km northwest of Kabul at an altitude of 2500 meters. The statues represented the classic blended style of Gandhara art. The main bodies were hewn directly from the sandstone cliffs, but details were modelled in mud mixed with straw, coated with stucco. Amid widespread international condemnation, the smaller statues (55 and 39 meters respectively) were intentionally dynamited and destroyed in 2001 by the Taliban because they believed them to be un-Islamic idols. Once a stopping point along the Silk Road between China and the Middle East, researchers think Bamiyan was the site of monasteries housing as many as 5,000 monks during its peak as a Buddhist centre in the 6th and 7th centuries. It is now a UNESCO Heritage Site since 2003. Archaeologists from various countries across the world have been engaged in preservation, general maintenance around the site and renovation. Professor Tarzi, a notable An Afghan-born archaeologist from France, and a teacher in Strasbourg University, has been searching for a legendary 300m Sleeping Buddha statue in various sites between the original standing ones, as documented in the old account of a renowned Chinese scholar, Xuanzang, visiting the area in the 7th century. Professor Tarzi worked on projects to restore the other Bamiyan Buddhas in the late 1970s and has spent most of his career researching the existence of the missing giant Buddha in the valley.
    Bamiyan_UNESCO_Alex_Masi029.JPG
  • A boy and his father are transporting gas cylinders with the use of donkeys in a small town on the road from Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, to the mountain village of Bamiyan, located on the Hindu Kush range. The Buddhas of Bamiyan were two 6th century monumental statues of standing Buddhas carved into the side of a cliff in the Bamiyan valley in the Hazarajat region of central Afghanistan, situated 230 km northwest of Kabul at an altitude of 2500 meters. The statues represented the classic blended style of Gandhara art. The main bodies were hewn directly from the sandstone cliffs, but details were modelled in mud mixed with straw, coated with stucco. Amid widespread international condemnation, the smaller statues (55 and 39 meters respectively) were intentionally dynamited and destroyed in 2001 by the Taliban because they believed them to be un-Islamic idols. Once a stopping point along the Silk Road between China and the Middle East, researchers think Bamiyan was the site of monasteries housing as many as 5,000 monks during its peak as a Buddhist centre in the 6th and 7th centuries. It is now a UNESCO Heritage Site since 2003. Archaeologists from various countries across the world have been engaged in preservation, general maintenance around the site and renovation. Professor Tarzi, a notable An Afghan-born archaeologist from France, and a teacher in Strasbourg University, has been searching for a legendary 300m Sleeping Buddha statue in various sites between the original standing ones, as documented in the old account of a renowned Chinese scholar, Xuanzang, visiting the area in the 7th century. Professor Tarzi worked on projects to restore the other Bamiyan Buddhas in the late 1970s and has spent most of his career researching the existence of the missing giant Buddha in the valley.
    Bamiyan_UNESCO_Alex_Masi048.jpg
  • Villages are photographed from the air while travelling over the Hidu Kush range between Kabul and Bamyan, central Afghanistan, an area mostly populated by Hazaras. A historically persecuted minority (15%) due to more lenient Islamic faith and characteristic 'Eastern' lineaments, Hazaras constitute the 70% of Bamyan's population.
    Bamiyan_UNESCO_71.JPG
  • John Daniel Shannon, 48, a former US Army Senior Sniper, is shooting his .44 Magnum in a range near his home in Westcliffe, CO, USA, where he retired with his family after a serious brain injury inflicted by an insurgent sniper in Ramadi, Al Anbar Province, Iraq, on November 13th 2004. Daniel fought during the Second Battle of Fallujah and was then moved to nearby Ramadi. Daniel lost his left eye and has multiple health issues because of his injury: memory problems, balance problems, he can't smell and taste well anymore, he suffers from PTSD, has  troubles with large crowds and city surroundings. This is the reason why he and his family moved to a quiet location on the Rocky Mountains. In 2007 Dan helped the Washington Post to uncover patients' neglect at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center; he also testified before Congress. Torrey, 42, his wife, is a freelance writer and a contributor for the Huffington Post; she's also campaigning to improve the situation of veterans' families.
    018_John_Daniel_Shannon.JPG
  • John Daniel Shannon, 48, a former US Army Senior Sniper, is loading his .44 Magnum in a range near his home in Westcliffe, CO, USA, where he retired with his family after a serious brain injury inflicted by an insurgent sniper in Ramadi, Al Anbar Province, Iraq, on November 13th 2004. Daniel fought during the Second Battle of Fallujah and was then moved to nearby Ramadi. Daniel lost his left eye and has multiple health issues because of his injury: memory problems, balance problems, he can't smell and taste well anymore, he suffers from PTSD, has  troubles with large crowds and city surroundings. This is the reason why he and his family moved to a quiet location on the Rocky Mountains. In 2007 Dan helped the Washington Post to uncover patients' neglect at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center; he also testified before Congress. Torrey, 42, his wife, is a freelance writer and a contributor for the Huffington Post; she's also campaigning to improve the situation of veterans' families.
    007_John_Daniel_Shannon.JPG
  • Hamidah, 6, is sitting alone next to a cave dug out of the friable the cliff where once stood the two giant Buddhas of Bamyan during the late afternoon hours when the Sun is setting on the Hindu Kush mountain range, in Bamyan, central Afghanistan, an area mostly populated by Hazaras. A historically persecuted minority (15%) due to more lenient Islamic faith and characteristic 'Eastern' lineaments, Hazaras constitute the 70% of Bamyan's population.
    Bamiyan_UNESCO_73.JPG
  • John Daniel Shannon, 48, a former US Army Senior Sniper, is shooting his .44 Magnum in a range near his home in Westcliffe, CO, USA, where he retired with his family after a serious brain injury inflicted by an insurgent sniper in Ramadi, Al Anbar Province, Iraq, on November 13th 2004. Daniel fought during the Second Battle of Fallujah and was then moved to nearby Ramadi. Daniel lost his left eye and has multiple health issues because of his injury: memory problems, balance problems, he can't smell and taste well anymore, he suffers from PTSD, has  troubles with large crowds and city surroundings. This is the reason why he and his family moved to a quiet location on the Rocky Mountains. In 2007 Dan helped the Washington Post to uncover patients' neglect at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center; he also testified before Congress. Torrey, 42, his wife, is a freelance writer and a contributor for the Huffington Post; she's also campaigning to improve the situation of veterans' families.
    027_John_Daniel_Shannon.JPG
  • John Daniel Shannon, 48, a former US Army Senior Sniper, is shooting his rifle in a range near his home in Westcliffe, CO, USA, where he retired with his family after a serious brain injury inflicted by an insurgent sniper in Ramadi, Al Anbar Province, Iraq, on November 13th 2004. Daniel fought during the Second Battle of Fallujah and was then moved to nearby Ramadi. Daniel lost his left eye and has multiple health issues because of his injury: memory problems, balance problems, he can't smell and taste well anymore, he suffers from PTSD, has  troubles with large crowds and city surroundings. This is the reason why he and his family moved to a quiet location on the Rocky Mountains. In 2007 Dan helped the Washington Post to uncover patients' neglect at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center; he also testified before Congress. Torrey, 42, his wife, is a freelance writer and a contributor for the Huffington Post; she's also campaigning to improve the situation of veterans' families.
    006_John_Daniel_Shannon.JPG
  • John Daniel Shannon, 48, a former US Army Senior Sniper, is shooting his rifle in a range near his home in Westcliffe, CO, USA, where he retired with his family after a serious brain injury inflicted by an insurgent sniper in Ramadi, Al Anbar Province, Iraq, on November 13th 2004. Daniel fought during the Second Battle of Fallujah and was then moved to nearby Ramadi. Daniel lost his left eye and has multiple health issues because of his injury: memory problems, balance problems, he can't smell and taste well anymore, he suffers from PTSD, has  troubles with large crowds and city surroundings. This is the reason why he and his family moved to a quiet location on the Rocky Mountains. In 2007 Dan helped the Washington Post to uncover patients' neglect at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center; he also testified before Congress. Torrey, 42, his wife, is a freelance writer and a contributor for the Huffington Post; she's also campaigning to improve the situation of veterans' families.
    025_John_Daniel_Shannon.JPG
  • John Daniel Shannon, 48, a former US Army Senior Sniper, is kissing his wife, Torrey Shannon, 42, in a shooting range near his home in Westcliffe, CO, USA, where he retired with his family after a serious brain injury inflicted by an insurgent sniper in Ramadi, Al Anbar Province, Iraq, on November 13th 2004. Daniel fought during the Second Battle of Fallujah and was then moved to nearby Ramadi. Daniel lost his left eye and has multiple health issues because of his injury: memory problems, balance problems, he can't smell and taste well anymore, he suffers from PTSD, has  troubles with large crowds and city surroundings. This is the reason why he and his family moved to a quiet location on the Rocky Mountains. In 2007 Dan helped the Washington Post to uncover patients' neglect at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center; he also testified before Congress. Torrey, his wife, is a freelance writer and a contributor for the Huffington Post; she's also campaigning to improve the situation of veterans' families.
    002_John_Daniel_Shannon.JPG
  • Recruits are exercising at a long-range shooting ground at the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Elite Police Training Center, a commando and anti-terrorism academy on the outskirts of Karachi. The training center was founded by retired colonel Abdul Wahid Khan, a brave officer who served as a gunship helicopter pilot in the Pakistani Air Force and around the globe with the United Nations, but who's first task as a young army officer in 1979 was to train Afghan Mujahedeen to fight the Soviet Army, the very Mujahedeen that are today's Taleban.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
  • Two snipers in mimetic disguise are practising at a long-range shooting ground at the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Elite Police Training Center, a commando and anti-terrorism academy on the outskirts of Karachi. The training center was founded by retired colonel Abdul Wahid Khan, a brave officer who served as a gunship helicopter pilot in the Pakistani Air Force and around the globe with the United Nations, but who's first task as a young army officer in 1979 was to train Afghan Mujahedeen to fight the Soviet Army, the very Mujahedeen that are today's Taleban.
    Protecting_Karachi_Alex_Masi_Pakista...JPG
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