March 2, 2010
Paula Padou: The Other Afghanistan--Images of a Land and People
The pictures concern ordinary Afghans going about their daily lives (not the war/embed view); the diverse cultural and ethnic range, and finally, the great natural beauty among some of the world's highest mountains.
Paula Padou was born and raised in the Bay Area and developed a love of the mountains from an early age, along with a deep interest in other peoples and cultures long before "adventure travel" became a term. As a youngster, she enjoyed ski racing until that pursuit was replaced in later years with hiking, trekking and photography. After studying political science and foreign languages at Berkeley, she lived in Japan for several years working for a law firm and escaping whenever possible to discover the world. She has trekked in Nepal multiple times and counts a mid-winter adventure among the best experiences of all her travels.
Other destinations include Africa, South America, Asia, Pakistan, Afghanistan and a recent visit to Yemen. At home, the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness around Highway 4 is one of her favorite romping areas. She works at a law firm as a paralegal and still tries to escape whenever possible. For the last several years, Paula has continued her commitment to the Himalayan region by vounteering at the American Himalayan Foundation and sponsored a Sherpa friend, who successfully sought and recieved permission to live and work in the U.S.
