Twsottawan's Fotothing

Cold War, Ice Five

At a time when the temperature was hovering between freezing and thawing, I photographed this young woman with her child and a two wheeled rickshaw or bicycle/chariot at an intersection with a dedicated bicycle lane. At the time this photo was taken the road was not icy but there were snow flakes in the air. I was somewhat amazed that young women here seem to be hardy and strong enough to brave the cold and the traffic using this form of transportation. I imagine that some are used to the extreme conditions that we have here and are used to getting about in it.

For me the war on cold is not a matter of ridding the planet of cold, but to adapt to the cold in a cost effective and eco-friendly sort of way. To learn to enjoy the cold weather and get out in it rather than escape from it and hope that it goes away permanently. An inner spiritual conquest of cold rather than an outer physical conquest and elimination of temperatures below 20 degrees centigrade (ie. household or office temperature).This might be seen to be akin to minor jihad as opposed major jihad in the context of Islamic culture.