I had dozens of photographs in mind when I first started thinking about doing a post for International Women’s Day; but in the end I distilled my choices down to one single photograph; a white water lily as a symbol of life and love and also representative of the hope for peace in these violent times.
This Sunday is also Mother’s Day, at least where I come from, and, more to the point, where my mother comes from. It is a holiday fraught with danger for anyone who travels, because dates differ dramatically around the world. In 2013, Mother’s Day falls anywhere from February 10th (Norway) to December 22nd (Indonesia) which you have to admit is a pretty wide date range to grapple with. Without the gentle prompt of card-decked shop windows to remind you, this moveable holiday can sometime sneak by despite your best intentions. But not this year, Mum – look, I remembered and this post is for you.
This week’s theme is wide open for however you want to celebrate the woman or women in your life, or all women in general. A portrait, essay, something symbolic, or a place that reminds you of someone, like Dublin’s Ha’penny Bridge which I’ve crossed many a time in the past with my mother by my side.
If you would like to join in the travel theme (everyone’s welcome!) here’s what to do:
- Create your own post and title it Travel theme: International Women’s Day
- Include a link to this page in your post so others can find it too
- Get your post in by next Thursday, as the new travel theme comes out on Friday
- Don’t forget to subscribe to keep up to date on the latest weekly travel themes. Sign up via the email subscription link in the sidebar or RSS.
xxx
Ailsa
Where's my backpack? 
Ah! thank-you, child of grace. x x
😉
I love idea of the them and especially like that flower shot of yours. Not sure I have anything I can enter in this one though. Wasn’t even aware of it until reading your Travel Theme post.
Grin, glad I could raise awareness, Ben – and I love that you persevered, I just saw your post on the Minoan Earth goddess, love it! xxx
Lovely lilly photo, Ailsa! On this special day, I’d like to stand with my daughter Jessica and all women–against rape. Let’s light a candle for women’s safety, everywhere. Like a beautiful flower, women should be protected.
Great post Lonna (and Jessica)
Beautifully worded and beautifully presented. Bravo!
Thanks Steve xxx
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Happy Mother’s Day to your mother. 🙂 The photos are beautiful as always, but the lotus is just plain exquisite. What do you do with your beautiful pictures like that one?
Thanks Imelda, that flower is a particular favourite of mine. I actually sell some of my photos on Fine Art America but haven’t put photos up in a while. I should revisit what photos I have for sale, thanks for the reminder. xxx
OMG, the post is lovely, but the first comment says it all!! Lucky you 🙂
Grin, thanks Tina 🙂
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A really beautiful and touching post, Ailsa. Happy International Women’s day! 🙂
You too, Ese, loved your post, that street art is glorious. Mother’s Day in the US is in May too, just like in Latvia. I wish we could agree on one global Mother’s Day, it would make my life so much easier 🙂
Oh the first comment is as good as your post… damn even have a tear in my eye…
Aww bulldog, what a great comment. 🙂 Love ya! xxx
You must have read my mind! Yesterday I did a post on my experience with this day in Guatemala. So here it is!!! Reposting here! Thanks Ailsa!
Awesome post, Nicole, yes, Half the Sky is a must read, I haven’t read “War Is Not Over When It’s Over” by Ann Jones but am putting it on my list, thanks for the recommendation – and that great link to Kiva. xxx
You’re welcome! So glad you enjoyed it. I had my Half the Sky booked signed by Kristof in NYC at the Social Good Summit. He is amazing. The other book is literally heartbreaking and I could only read it in pieces. Hearing about little 8 month old girls brutally raped in Congo is insane. But we need to know what is happening or else how can we help change it?
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Hi Ailsa here is “She”
=]
http://dauwgrafics.blogspot.com/2013/03/zij.html
Wow, Dauw, did you paint that? Seriously, that is a wonderful painting. xxx
Indeed I did dear Ailsa, just like all the other drawings and paintings on that blog. This one is painted with watercolors. Glad you liked it.
Have a splendid weekend, sweety! *(((=]
Dauw
That is an amazing painting…wow.
How sweet to let me know, thank you so much, Jo!
Beautiful!
Thank you very much, lagottocattleya (wow that was a mouthfull =] )
Well, my real name isn’t much better…Ann-Christine? I never fit into any forms I have to fill in…
Here’s one more (for the road…) =]
http://dauwgrafics.blogspot.com/2013/03/vervluchtigd.html
Stunning, Dauw, you are a man of many talents! I love your paintings. xxx
A beautiful, beautiful image of a water lily that illustrates your theme so well. I’ll be back after I give this some thought.
Glad you liked it, Pat, looking forward to your post. xxx
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Hi Ailsa, a wonderful and touching post. Thank you again for the inspiration and Happy International Women’s day:-)
http://cocoaupnorth.wordpress.com/2013/03/08/travel-theme-international-womens-day/
What a great post, that piece by Teresa Mahieu is lovely, and I clapped my hands in glee at “Seldom do well behaved women make history” ~ Laurel Thatcher Ulrich – one of my favourite quotes 🙂
Had a hard time with this one. Finally came up with one woman I’ve seen of truly international proportions: the ancient Minoan Earth goddess.
Very cool, Ben, I’m so glad you went digging around and found that photo from your travels, wonderful 🙂
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hey
surprise surprise, i finally got back to your theme series! internet is horrid right now, but this morning the upload worked well!
enjoy!
Glad you got online for this one, Z, your post is magnificent – street photography can be difficult but you made it look easy, these are fabulous portraits, you’ve really captured something special in each one. xxx
thank you amiga.. it was hard to stop – there are so many amazing women that i meet along my journey. z
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Lovely!!! The pictures and the post are beautiful, Alisa!
A happy International Women’s Day @ all (:
Here is my contribution: http://mannalexandra.wordpress.com/2013/03/08/travel-theme-international-womens-day/
Very cool series, Alexandra, I like your choice of black white and red too, very effective. xxx
Thank you so much, Alisa (:
May this be a happy, abundant and enlightening day!
Thanks Ailsa.
http://ehkstream.org/2013/03/08/travel-theme-international-womens-day/
Haha, so much fun, Ehkstream, thanks for the giggle and the well wishes. xxx
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Your single flower makes a simple elegant statement to celebrate this event, and inspires my post. I add my thanks Ailsa too the list. http://canoecommunications.wordpress.com/2013/03/08/international-womens-day/
Gorgeous post, c & c, I love the simplicity of your photo, and that Annie Griffiths Belt is one smart lady. xxx
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Let us celebrate International Women’s Day together, here at Where’s my backpack? Thank you for this wonderful and inspiring post, dearest Ailsa.
My contribution: http://drieskewrites.wordpress.com/2013/03/08/travel-theme-international-womens-day/
And thank you for joining in with your lovely image and words, Marion. xxx
Not a fan of mother’s day .. or international women’s day .. or any special created day, all commercialized.
But I like your post – love your chose of photos – love … your words. And in Sweden Mother’s day is the last Sunday in May. That water lily is stunning. A perfect photo and the reflections in the water. Regarding the International Women’s Day … should be everyday … because we women should made sure we are loud and heard every day of the year. I wish you a great weekend and I think I will join in your travel theme.
I know how you feel, viveka, about what I sometimes call ‘Hallmark’ holidays, fabricated for commercial ends, but I’ve never felt International Women’s Day to be one of those; for the most part it seems to have upheld its focus on political and human rights. And you’re absolutely correct, it should be everyday. Looking forward to your post. xxx
I forgotten … my support for women … a post that I think that could intrest you and it’s something we should fight for every day … slavery. http://wp.me/p293Pw-4JR 98% of all slaves today is women.
Wonderfully written, hard-hitting and heart-felt piece, viveka. Amnesty International is a great organization to be a part of, they do amazing work.It is sad though, that there is still so much work to be done in this day and age. xxx
Yes, it’s terrible that woman get raped and killed … and nobody does anything – terrible that woman are getting circumcised – but we have to fight that every day – we have to support, try to understand and listen … help each other every day of the year.
When we can make a difference for another woman … we have done something great, doesn’t matter what day it happens.
But I know it’s a powerful origination behind the day and that so fantastic.
.
Thanks for taking your time to read and comment.
Great theme. Great post.
Thanks Debbie xxx
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Hi, Ailsa’s mum! Could you write a blog on how you came up with her name? ;o)
I had the same problem: too much to choose from–unlike last week–nothing that really encapsulated what it means. I might have put in a purple water lily, but someone beat me to the motif!
But I’d get skewered by every woman who knows me if I didn’t at least try, so here it is: http://loganbruin.wordpress.com/2013/03/08/travel-theme-international-womens-day/
Haha, Logan, you are too funny – I think “but that’s ok, go back to sleep” is a line all mothers learn in mother-school. 🙂 The artwork on the Griffith Observatory ceiling is wonderful! xxx
PS my mum went to school with a girl called Ailsa, that’s how I got my name 😉
….apart from the fact, Logan, that Ailsa’s Father is a Dubliner and her Mother is Yorkshire so we could choose neither English nor Irish names for our offspring (and the Ailsa Craig is an island situated between the two countries….)
I’ve never heard of that island; guess I was having too much fun playing with the white witches on the Isle of Man. . . ;o)
Apparently Ailsa means “fairy!” According to Wikipedia, anyway. . . ;o)
Squee, I love it. I’ve never heard that meaning before, but I am absolutely adopting it. Thanks, Logan! 🙂
Hi Alisa, A beautiful post and wonderful theme for this week. Thanks for the inspiration to share my story today.
Hurray, what a delightful tribute to your grandmothers and how cute to see your parents as little ones. 🙂
It was fun to discover that I had pictures on my computer of both of them as little kids. 🙂
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A lovely topic – and great photos, Ailsa. I was wondering how to treat Mother’s Day this year… here’s my entry: http://theretiringsort.com/2013/03/08/celebrating-the-women-in-our-lives/
Wow, what a line of inspiring women you come from, TRS. I am fascinated by ‘Nurse Dickie’, she sounds like a force of nature.
That photo is just perfect Ailsa…it fits exactly what this day is about.
Here are my thoughts on the day.
Amazing post, Jo, and upsetting statistics. ‘Torn’ is a powerful piece. xxx
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Yay for International Women’s Day! http://beyondpaisley.net/2013/03/08/travel-theme-international-womens-day/
Loved your trip back to Wellesley College, you really evoked a wonderful picture of late-night cram sessions and endless discussions smoking too many cigarettes. These are the times of our lives.
Yeaaaahhhh…the road to my graduation is paved with the exhausted butt ends of Marlboro Lights. And hanging out with fabulously interesting women. Thanks for opening that happy door. 🙂
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Allow me to introduce an exceptional Portuguese artist: http://juliedawnfox.com/2013/03/08/international-womens-day-portuguese-artist-joana-vasconcelos/
Wow, never heard of her until now, Julie, but I love her work, Those patchwork figures wrapping the building are wonderful, and oh yes, that Lilicoptère is amazing. 🙂
Glad you like her work, Ailsa. I love the Golden Valkyrie so I hope that’s part of her Lisbon exhibition.
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My tribute to International Women’s Day:
http://ronmayhewphotography.wordpress.com/2013/03/08/a-tribute-to-the-women-of-the-world-in-pictures/
Oh Ron, this was very moving, my friend, I’m more than a little teary right now. Beautiful tribute.
This is such a great theme and your photos are wonderful! Here is my take on this weeks theme: http://thephotoseye.wordpress.com/2013/03/08/travel-theme-international-womens-day/…to all the women of the world!
Love it, a beautiful series of photos and a lovely message. My favourite shot is the ‘women work’ one, where was that taken. You captured a wonderful moment. xxx
Thank you! It is a great theme! That was shot in southern Italy – very rural – farms all around – she is one of the local sheep farmers – and that is her job to take the sheep around for grazing!
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Go here to read a sad story about an inspiring woman: http://travelwithintent.com/2013/03/08/international-womens-day-woman-entrepreneur-in-a-south-african-township/
Sad indeed, Debbie, I’m very glad you decided to tell the story anyway to share her legacy with others. What an inspiring woman. xxx
Beautiful photo of my favourite white flower…..so serene!
Thanks Karen, it’s one of my favourites too. xxx Ailsa
I already had posted today but I don’t feel that prohibits this submission (even if I am not retitling it! – Travel Theme!)
http://quotidianhudsonriver.com/2013/03/08/3-8-13-international-womens-day/
Oh it’s perfect, what a wonderful song, thanks for introducing me to Dar Williams, Robert, those lyrics are brilliant. xxx
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Very thought provoking challenge this week. Your photo and words are very powerful
Thanks Suzanne, given the spate of tragic violence around the world, it was a day I felt was important to acknowledge. xxx