So... What's up with the frog?
Fifteen or so years ago I was walking around San Francisco (or maybe it was Orlando) and I stepped into a Rainforest Cafe to get a bite to eat. For those of you not familiar, Rainforest Cafes are scattered around the country and feature audio animatronic (disney like) animals mounted on the walls that break into song during your meal. Strange, but somewhat entertaining nevertheless. It's a good place to grab a quick burger and a coke.
On my way out I stopped in their gift shop. It was there, stuffed into a bin with a hundred look-a-likes, I saw "The Frog". His name is actually Cha-Cha and he is their mascot of sorts. The expression on his face made me smile so I bought one and tossed him into my camera bag... where one has been ever since. I pull him out from time to time, whenever I am somewhere new or interesting and take his picture. Since I bought him Rainforest Cafe has released a few different versions of The Frog dressed in different outfits. When I go to Africa, for example, I take the one in the Safari outfit.
Over the years I have taken hundreds of pictures of the frog all over the world. Some artistic, some exotic, some obscene, some illegal, but all interesting. He has become a constant companion on my photographic adventures. The adventure has not been without tragedy, however. Wind blew one of the frogs over Hoover Dam. Another lost his balance and became a Niagra Falls daredevil. A dairy cow ate one in Wisconsin and Iguanas ran off with one in the Caribbean. I end up having to do without until I can get a replacement. Displayed here aren't all of the pictures of where he has been. Sometimes I forget to pull him out and curse myself when I realize it, often too late. Nor would anyone subject themselves to looking at all of the pictures... but here you can browse through some of the places I have taken him.
Enjoy the silly adventure.
