Celebrating labour day to me is a way to celebrate people. We are all workers. Travelling is the best way to meet people, dive into their culture and also into their jobs. When we travel we become the recipients of several services, covering an immense range of possible professions spanning from inflight services to hotel receptionists, from bus drivers to local guides, from local farmers to shop clerks and so on.

During this hard time for the tourism industry, I’d like to share with you some picture that my usual travel mate, Gabriele Merlo, who beside being an expert traveller is also a photo contest winner at the London Photo Festival.

Here below I share with you some shots portraying people from all over the world. Some of them working hard, some others just doing nothing, which also is a way of working, or to rest from it.

1 – Buddist monks

Taken in December 2016 at the Roluos Temple in Cambodia, this picture portrays a Buddhist monk blessing a family with holy water. A peaceful and impressing moment.

2 – Education for all!!

During my trips to far east Asia I always try to visit a local school, to see how students are educated and to understand their needs. This group of students was attending a workshop about leather carving and inlay, turning out into beautiful home decorations.

3 – Street cleaning

I have been to Jerusalem several times. It doesn’t matter how much you visit of the Holy City during your stay. There is something new to discover and learn even if you’ve been there a hundred times. This picture was taken during my last visit in 2018, and displays a shop owner cleaning the street in early morning, before opening time.

4 – Rushing to pray

These two men were rushing to the Western Wall for their morning prayers. For many of the orthodox Jews praying is a full time occupation.

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5 – Bus ride

When you visit India, the second most densely populated Country on Earth, you understand how difficult it is to provide quality services to such an immensely large community. Trains and Busses are always over-crowded all the time, and everyday commutes from home to work may take quite a large portion of your day. Thus, sit down, make yourself as comfortable as you can, and go with the flow.

6 – Contemplation

Sand deserts are amazing! You might roam around under a scorching sun for hours just seeing dunes all around and no human settlement at all. Then, all of a sudden, you climb a high dune to wait for the sunset from an elevated point of view and a Berber wrapped in his sparkling blue coat appears at a distance. He was so concentrated in his deep contemplation of the emptiness that I didn’t want approach him for a quick talk.

7 – Pay to pee

When we stroll around in a city, hunting for hours for its attractions, we need a pit stop from time to time. Here in Italy we are not very used to public toilets as we do usually step into a bar, have an espresso and use the restroom. Elsewhere on Earth we do have to throw some coins into a machine to release the turnstile, and in certain places we have to pay directly the restroom cleaners, just like this old women in Pingyao, China.

8 – Morning pray in Oman

Oman is a very nice and welcoming Country that offers quite a lot more than just some beautiful beaches. Stroll around Nizwa, Ibra, Bidiyah or the mountains of the Jebel Khadar and you’ll get the most of it. Then, move to Muscat and visit the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque. These two men were heading inside for the morning prayers.

9 – Markets

Markets are the most amazing places to visit in every Country. If there is a place where can get the most about people’s habits, costumes and traditions, that is where we have to go. We took a picture of these two old women heading to the market in Jodhpur, India. Tired and toothless, they still were in charge of setting up the meals for their family members.

10 – Waiting for the bus in Mexico

Few places are so colourful that you feel the need to always have your camera on you, ready to take a shot of a colourful market, a souvenir shop, a tablecloth, a porcelain and even a bus stop. This old man was patiently waiting for the bus in Izamal, Mexico.

Bonus picture

This very last picture is a symbol of how religion becomes a profession for some. Just think about Christian monks and nuns living closed in their monastery, or Buddhist monks inside pleasantly quiet temples in Asia and so on. This picture was taken inside a Dervish caravansary in Nevşehir and displays the hypnotic rotating dance of this unique brotherhood of Turkish monks.