Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 35/f1.4R
35mm, f2.8, 1/220 sec @ 200 ISO
Showing posts with label Bangkok. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bangkok. Show all posts
Sunday, December 7, 2014
2014, Day 341 - Snack
Before visiting Wat Pho we took a walk in the neighborhood surrounding and found a very distinguished woman selling steamed fish. She sat behind her stacks of baskets chatting with a friend while eating her breakfast. I don't know if this is what I want for breakfast but there's not arguing over the freshness.
Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 35/f1.4R
35mm, f2.8, 1/220 sec @ 200 ISO
Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 35/f1.4R
35mm, f2.8, 1/220 sec @ 200 ISO
Saturday, December 6, 2014
2014, Day 340 - Color wash
As the sun set over the river the clouds were hit with a burst of gold in contrast with the fading blue of the evening sky. It lasted only a few minutes so you only get a brief window to frame your photograph. Some people might have tried to rush to a landmark to incorporate into the skyline but that is such a risk and with the color and clouds so vibrant it really wasn't necessary.
Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 56/f1.2R
56mm, f4, 1/1900 sec @ 200 ISO
Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 56/f1.2R
56mm, f4, 1/1900 sec @ 200 ISO
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
2014, Day 329 - Farm fresh
One if the things I will miss most about Asia is the abundance of fresh cheap food. Don't get me wrong, we eat well in the Pacific NW but here we consider it a lifestyle, in Asia it is just life. I like that.
Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 56/f1.2R
56mm, f1.2, 1/125 sec @ 320 ISO
Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 56/f1.2R
56mm, f1.2, 1/125 sec @ 320 ISO
Monday, November 24, 2014
2014, Day 327 - Odd man out
Today is our last full day in Thailand, we leave early tomorrow morning so it is truly the end of our vacation. All that is a long way of saying we're starting to get tired so we had a slow morning with a relaxed breakfast after which we decided to tackle some of the packing early. These things take planning and with all the things that people asked us to get for them we've had to purchase a second shared bag.
But out excitement of the day came when we left at nine o'clock for Chatuchak Market. Yes we were there on Saturday but today we are just going to meet up with a gentleman I knew by reputation but have now had a chance to meet in person, Mr. Preecha. He is a retired English teacher who has spent the last few years really focusing on his first love, betta, also known as Siamese fighting fish. Mr. Preecha is a respected authority and travels all over Asia to judge fish in massive competitions and we were invited to visit his breeding facilities.
From Chatuchak it took another hour to reach his place which is out in the country nestled between to rice paddies. Under netting and shade cloth is his operation. Along one side are some thirty two hundred old whisky bottles with a horizontal cut one third the way through to allow water to drain out packed into neat little rows. Each bottle houses a single fish and the bottles are so tightly nested that he can walk across the top of them. Every so often there is a bottle that is marked with tape or turned upside-down, this denotes that the fish between are all from the same spawn and it allows you to see the variations produced.
The other side is occupied by row after row of round concrete basins. Along the top is a drip irrigation system that is constantly running and in the middle projecting from the bottom up to the top almost even with the rim is a drain pipe. This is designed to keep a constant but gentle flow of water as there are dozens if not hundreds of fry in each. Some are tiny and others are almost adults but he has dozens of nurseries.
At the front is a long room where the betta get paired with their mates. There must have been close to a hundred pairs and in each the males are courting the females by displaying their massive tails and swimming in circles around her. Even though there are neighboring males clearly visible they only have eyes for their intended mates. Some were colors I have seen before, others are totally new and Mr. Preecha was quite excited for the possibilities that might arise from the pairings. He also showed me some that he considered a work in progress because he is breeding for specific physical traits that are only slowly emerging.
It was really interesting. On one that the sheer scale was impressive and it is obviously labor intensive but most of the work that goes into it seems relatively straightforward. Betta, for all their beauty, are relatively simple fish and in the native environment their care is easy. Needless to say I am intrigued by the possibilities...
As it was getting into the afternoon we decided to adjourn for some lunch. Mr. Preecha took us to a great place on the river. He said it was his favorite place and I can see why, the view was amazing and the food was spectacular. Two different kinds of fish served as a stir fry and as a soup; both were spicy and flavorful. An interesting dish of nuts, lime, coconut, herbs, and chilies was delicious but unfortunately was served towards the end of our meal so we didn't really have a lot of room left to enjoy it.
With an errand to run Mr. Preecha dropped us off close to the market where we hailed a cab back to our hotel. Much of what remained of the afternoon was spent planning and gathering of belongings together so that our early morning departure doesn't require much in the way of additional work. When we got hungry we popped over to Khao San Road for a quick bite to eat and a little last minute shopping.
Now we're getting cleaned up and packing away the things we won't need again until we get home. I know the heat was a bit of a shock when we arrived and I suspect the cold will be similarly traumatic especially because I probably don't have the most appropriate clothes for near-freezing weather. Shorts and flip-flops are what most people wear, right?
Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 35/f1.4R
35mm, f2, 1125 sec @ 200 ISO
But out excitement of the day came when we left at nine o'clock for Chatuchak Market. Yes we were there on Saturday but today we are just going to meet up with a gentleman I knew by reputation but have now had a chance to meet in person, Mr. Preecha. He is a retired English teacher who has spent the last few years really focusing on his first love, betta, also known as Siamese fighting fish. Mr. Preecha is a respected authority and travels all over Asia to judge fish in massive competitions and we were invited to visit his breeding facilities.
From Chatuchak it took another hour to reach his place which is out in the country nestled between to rice paddies. Under netting and shade cloth is his operation. Along one side are some thirty two hundred old whisky bottles with a horizontal cut one third the way through to allow water to drain out packed into neat little rows. Each bottle houses a single fish and the bottles are so tightly nested that he can walk across the top of them. Every so often there is a bottle that is marked with tape or turned upside-down, this denotes that the fish between are all from the same spawn and it allows you to see the variations produced.
The other side is occupied by row after row of round concrete basins. Along the top is a drip irrigation system that is constantly running and in the middle projecting from the bottom up to the top almost even with the rim is a drain pipe. This is designed to keep a constant but gentle flow of water as there are dozens if not hundreds of fry in each. Some are tiny and others are almost adults but he has dozens of nurseries.
At the front is a long room where the betta get paired with their mates. There must have been close to a hundred pairs and in each the males are courting the females by displaying their massive tails and swimming in circles around her. Even though there are neighboring males clearly visible they only have eyes for their intended mates. Some were colors I have seen before, others are totally new and Mr. Preecha was quite excited for the possibilities that might arise from the pairings. He also showed me some that he considered a work in progress because he is breeding for specific physical traits that are only slowly emerging.
It was really interesting. On one that the sheer scale was impressive and it is obviously labor intensive but most of the work that goes into it seems relatively straightforward. Betta, for all their beauty, are relatively simple fish and in the native environment their care is easy. Needless to say I am intrigued by the possibilities...
As it was getting into the afternoon we decided to adjourn for some lunch. Mr. Preecha took us to a great place on the river. He said it was his favorite place and I can see why, the view was amazing and the food was spectacular. Two different kinds of fish served as a stir fry and as a soup; both were spicy and flavorful. An interesting dish of nuts, lime, coconut, herbs, and chilies was delicious but unfortunately was served towards the end of our meal so we didn't really have a lot of room left to enjoy it.
With an errand to run Mr. Preecha dropped us off close to the market where we hailed a cab back to our hotel. Much of what remained of the afternoon was spent planning and gathering of belongings together so that our early morning departure doesn't require much in the way of additional work. When we got hungry we popped over to Khao San Road for a quick bite to eat and a little last minute shopping.
Now we're getting cleaned up and packing away the things we won't need again until we get home. I know the heat was a bit of a shock when we arrived and I suspect the cold will be similarly traumatic especially because I probably don't have the most appropriate clothes for near-freezing weather. Shorts and flip-flops are what most people wear, right?
Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 35/f1.4R
35mm, f2, 1125 sec @ 200 ISO
Sunday, November 23, 2014
2014, Day 326 - Ice boys
After a couple long days in Bangkok following a long sleepless flight we decided that today should be an easy day. With that in mind we were still up early and ate a quick breakfast before hailing a tuk-tuk. We were on a mission that led us to Wat Pho first thing in the morning.
Associated with the venerable temple is a massage school and we felt that we deserved a bit of pampering. Not that it is a spa experience, far from in fact when you consider a room full of beds side by side where dozens of people are getting massages but the training that the masseurs have received is impeccable. So we were literally the first through the door and soon we were being worked like dough. Thai massage is vigorous and they use every part of their body to work out the knots while apply most of their weight to the targeted areas. It was a little intense but afterwards I felt like I was walking on air. And for the bargain price of less than twenty dollars for an hour.
Loosened up, we wandered the temple complex with take up much of a block. Walk around the massive and stunningly beautiful reclining Buddha. Watch the girls practice their traditional Thai dancing. Try to dodge the other children who were in some kind of weekend class. Past the forest of tiled stupas and all of a sudden we were back on the street.
When I was in Bangkok four years ago we missed the Jim Thompson house despite it being a short walk from our hotel. When Francene suggested we go I agreed and after two failed negotiations with tuk-tuks we hopped a cab instead who agreed to run the meter. As it turned out the tuk-tuk drivers wanted three times as much as the metered taxi, something I had suspected but not to that degree.
The Jim Thompson house is actually six old Thai houses that he transported to the current site and married together to create a larger western style home with Thai style. While the home was pretty the grounds were amazing and his art collection extremely impressive. All of the art is of Asian origin and of that the majority is from southeast Asia. Aside from the art Jim Thompson is a notable figure in Thailand for his work on reviving the Thai way of weaving silk which, until his intervention, had slowly been dying out. His story ends in a mystery as he disappeared in the late 60s in Malaysia when he took a solitary walk and never returned. Authorities searched for him for years before giving up and his fate remains unknown.
At this point it was getting hot so we decided to head back toward our hotel and find lunch. We decided to try another vegetarian restaurant we saw yesterday. It turned out to be a good choice because we has a wonderful meal and the staff was, probably unintentionally, quite funny. The kitchen is adjacent to the street and the chef kept calling out greetings to everyone who passed. She was clearly visible in the dining room and we really enjoyed her animated antics.
After eating we went in search of a duffel bag. On the way we came upon an old man selling amulets and charms. Francene couldn't resist and eventually she purchased a few despite the complete lack of a common language. Eventually we did find a duffle bag although it is bigger than we wanted it appears to be well made and the price was impossible to refuse.
Much of the rest of the afternoon we spent relaxing and we left the hotel only long enough to get dinner which was decent but ultimately unremarkable. The rest of the evening has been spent reviewing our pictures and contemplating how we will pack for our departure on Tuesday.
Pictured is a group of young men that I have come to think of as "the ice boys." From this storefront the grind ice which they bag and sent all over Bangkok by motorbike. There is always at least four of them there at all hours of the day though usually only two or three are working while the rest nap in the hammock or sit upstairs smoking. I suspect they own the business as I have yet to see anyone of apparent authority in their shop and we walk by a few times a day every day.
Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 56/f1.2R
56mm, f1.2, 1/125 sec @ 1000 ISO
Associated with the venerable temple is a massage school and we felt that we deserved a bit of pampering. Not that it is a spa experience, far from in fact when you consider a room full of beds side by side where dozens of people are getting massages but the training that the masseurs have received is impeccable. So we were literally the first through the door and soon we were being worked like dough. Thai massage is vigorous and they use every part of their body to work out the knots while apply most of their weight to the targeted areas. It was a little intense but afterwards I felt like I was walking on air. And for the bargain price of less than twenty dollars for an hour.
Loosened up, we wandered the temple complex with take up much of a block. Walk around the massive and stunningly beautiful reclining Buddha. Watch the girls practice their traditional Thai dancing. Try to dodge the other children who were in some kind of weekend class. Past the forest of tiled stupas and all of a sudden we were back on the street.
When I was in Bangkok four years ago we missed the Jim Thompson house despite it being a short walk from our hotel. When Francene suggested we go I agreed and after two failed negotiations with tuk-tuks we hopped a cab instead who agreed to run the meter. As it turned out the tuk-tuk drivers wanted three times as much as the metered taxi, something I had suspected but not to that degree.
The Jim Thompson house is actually six old Thai houses that he transported to the current site and married together to create a larger western style home with Thai style. While the home was pretty the grounds were amazing and his art collection extremely impressive. All of the art is of Asian origin and of that the majority is from southeast Asia. Aside from the art Jim Thompson is a notable figure in Thailand for his work on reviving the Thai way of weaving silk which, until his intervention, had slowly been dying out. His story ends in a mystery as he disappeared in the late 60s in Malaysia when he took a solitary walk and never returned. Authorities searched for him for years before giving up and his fate remains unknown.
At this point it was getting hot so we decided to head back toward our hotel and find lunch. We decided to try another vegetarian restaurant we saw yesterday. It turned out to be a good choice because we has a wonderful meal and the staff was, probably unintentionally, quite funny. The kitchen is adjacent to the street and the chef kept calling out greetings to everyone who passed. She was clearly visible in the dining room and we really enjoyed her animated antics.
After eating we went in search of a duffel bag. On the way we came upon an old man selling amulets and charms. Francene couldn't resist and eventually she purchased a few despite the complete lack of a common language. Eventually we did find a duffle bag although it is bigger than we wanted it appears to be well made and the price was impossible to refuse.
Much of the rest of the afternoon we spent relaxing and we left the hotel only long enough to get dinner which was decent but ultimately unremarkable. The rest of the evening has been spent reviewing our pictures and contemplating how we will pack for our departure on Tuesday.
Pictured is a group of young men that I have come to think of as "the ice boys." From this storefront the grind ice which they bag and sent all over Bangkok by motorbike. There is always at least four of them there at all hours of the day though usually only two or three are working while the rest nap in the hammock or sit upstairs smoking. I suspect they own the business as I have yet to see anyone of apparent authority in their shop and we walk by a few times a day every day.
Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 56/f1.2R
56mm, f1.2, 1/125 sec @ 1000 ISO
Saturday, November 22, 2014
2014, Day 325 - The center of Thailand
Today was busy but not necessarily exciting to the outside observer. We were allowed to sleep in a little but Bangkok's bustling life still woke up pretty early. Since there was no rush we took our time getting breakfast and slowly got ready for the day.
At nine o'clock Nut, our guide, picked us up and we left for Chatuchak Market. The market has over eight thousand official vendors but there are many more lining the streets that surround the thirty five acre site. You can find just about anything at Chatuchak from clothes to jewelry to food to antiques to plants to pets and more. We spent much of that day there, about six hours in total, and we still barely scratched the surface. It was really great having a guide because he knew, generally, where to find everything. Francene and I were careful to ensure that we made a list before leaving this morning so we could focus on the important tasks.
By about three o'clock we had enough and decided it was time to find some relief from the chaos of the market so we gathered our purchased and returned to the car. Although Nut was willing to help keep us occupied we decided to finish the day early so he dropped us off at our hotel and we went in search of a late lunch/early dinner which led us to an odd restaurant populated by some colorful backpackers but serving good food cheap.
And that is pretty much how we spent our day. After the sun set we ventured out to the Democracy Monument. It was built in 1939 to commemorate the Siamese Revolution of 1932. Although the intent was to set up a western style democracy what the nation ended up with was more a military dictatorship. Still, it was that event that set Thailand on the path to democracy which has been a bit shaky lately but the people here seem to support the changes that are coming.
Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 10-24/f4R OIS
10mm, f14, 20 sec @ 200 ISO
At nine o'clock Nut, our guide, picked us up and we left for Chatuchak Market. The market has over eight thousand official vendors but there are many more lining the streets that surround the thirty five acre site. You can find just about anything at Chatuchak from clothes to jewelry to food to antiques to plants to pets and more. We spent much of that day there, about six hours in total, and we still barely scratched the surface. It was really great having a guide because he knew, generally, where to find everything. Francene and I were careful to ensure that we made a list before leaving this morning so we could focus on the important tasks.
By about three o'clock we had enough and decided it was time to find some relief from the chaos of the market so we gathered our purchased and returned to the car. Although Nut was willing to help keep us occupied we decided to finish the day early so he dropped us off at our hotel and we went in search of a late lunch/early dinner which led us to an odd restaurant populated by some colorful backpackers but serving good food cheap.
And that is pretty much how we spent our day. After the sun set we ventured out to the Democracy Monument. It was built in 1939 to commemorate the Siamese Revolution of 1932. Although the intent was to set up a western style democracy what the nation ended up with was more a military dictatorship. Still, it was that event that set Thailand on the path to democracy which has been a bit shaky lately but the people here seem to support the changes that are coming.
Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 10-24/f4R OIS
10mm, f14, 20 sec @ 200 ISO
Thursday, November 20, 2014
2014, Day 323 - Idle
I didn't really sleep last night because out flight from Colombo to Bangkok left at 1:30 in the morning. With the time difference we landed three and a half hours later and what with insisting on serving a meal and handing out immigration forms there was almost no time at all to sleep. So we stumbled through customs in Bangkok, collected our bags, and went in search of a taxi.
We were able to get a taxi at the queue and were quickly mired in the traffic nightmare that is Bangkok. Our drive kept trying side streets because the main streets weren't moving. At one point he received and made a number of calls and then explained his father had been taken to the hospital so he needed to go. He had called another cab who would meet us and we wouldn't have to pay for the rest of our ride. Francene had some bad luck in Bangkok over a decade ago with cab drivers and was sure we were getting scammed. I didn't think so but you never can be sure. However, within minutes another cab pulled up and we transferred ourselves and our luggage over and the rest of the trip to the hotel was made without incident.
Of course it wasn't quite nine o'clock yet which is too early for check in but for an extra fee they let us into our room early. At this point we were both so exhausted that we couldn't sleep and were starving so we dumped out stuff and went back downstairs for breakfast. Once we had eaten we decided to have a little wander and find an ATM because the cab ride took almost all the cash we had left from our time in Chiang Mai over a week ago.
The obvious choice is Khao San Road which is a backpacker area. It wasn't terribly interesting or exciting but it gave us an opportunity to stretch our legs. When we returned to the hotel I took a quick shower and had a bit of a nap and when I got up again I was hungry so we left to find an early dinner. So we walked back to Khao San Road.
There were plenty of choices and we settled on a nice little vegetarian Thai place off a side street. It was clean and nicely furnished and the food was quite good. By the time we finished it was starting to get dark so we had a bit of a wander, stopped off for drinks and snacks for our room, and headed back to the hotel.
Our return took us on a different route and we happened upon a local street market. Most of the vendors were still setting up but it was quite lively already and a totally different atmosphere compared to the tourist area. We took our time and enjoyed the scenery on our way back.
Now we're ensconced in our room with the air conditioning on and relaxing. Tomorrow we have another early start so it is probably time to start thinking about sleep again.
Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 56/f1.2R
56mm, f1.2, 1/125 sec @ 2000 ISO
We were able to get a taxi at the queue and were quickly mired in the traffic nightmare that is Bangkok. Our drive kept trying side streets because the main streets weren't moving. At one point he received and made a number of calls and then explained his father had been taken to the hospital so he needed to go. He had called another cab who would meet us and we wouldn't have to pay for the rest of our ride. Francene had some bad luck in Bangkok over a decade ago with cab drivers and was sure we were getting scammed. I didn't think so but you never can be sure. However, within minutes another cab pulled up and we transferred ourselves and our luggage over and the rest of the trip to the hotel was made without incident.
Of course it wasn't quite nine o'clock yet which is too early for check in but for an extra fee they let us into our room early. At this point we were both so exhausted that we couldn't sleep and were starving so we dumped out stuff and went back downstairs for breakfast. Once we had eaten we decided to have a little wander and find an ATM because the cab ride took almost all the cash we had left from our time in Chiang Mai over a week ago.
The obvious choice is Khao San Road which is a backpacker area. It wasn't terribly interesting or exciting but it gave us an opportunity to stretch our legs. When we returned to the hotel I took a quick shower and had a bit of a nap and when I got up again I was hungry so we left to find an early dinner. So we walked back to Khao San Road.
There were plenty of choices and we settled on a nice little vegetarian Thai place off a side street. It was clean and nicely furnished and the food was quite good. By the time we finished it was starting to get dark so we had a bit of a wander, stopped off for drinks and snacks for our room, and headed back to the hotel.
Our return took us on a different route and we happened upon a local street market. Most of the vendors were still setting up but it was quite lively already and a totally different atmosphere compared to the tourist area. We took our time and enjoyed the scenery on our way back.
Now we're ensconced in our room with the air conditioning on and relaxing. Tomorrow we have another early start so it is probably time to start thinking about sleep again.
Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 56/f1.2R
56mm, f1.2, 1/125 sec @ 2000 ISO
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
2014, Day 63 - Choices
It's Nicole's fault that I am missing Thailand right now. She is posting amazing pictures from her the workshop with The Giving Lens that she is co-leading right now and it is making me nostalgic. From the people, to the landscapes, to the markets, to the food I am absolutely green with envy because it is a beautiful country. This was taken in Bangkok's Chinatown after a day in cooking classes. It was getting late but we were feeling brave so we took our little detour through this famously crowded and traffic-cogged district. It was amazing, there were so many people and there were so many shopfronts that they even lined what were alleys. Down the narrow alleys there is almost a roof where the awnings from one side almost touch those coming from the other. Everyone has their specialty and I suspect you could find anything you want if you know where to look but we just wandered aimlessly and when we got tired we flagged down a tuk-tuk and retreated back to our hotel.
Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 24/f1.4L Mark II
24mm, f1.4, 1/500 sec @ 800 ISO
Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 24/f1.4L Mark II
24mm, f1.4, 1/500 sec @ 800 ISO
Monday, July 16, 2012
2012, Day 198 - Bustle
I was going through my Lightroom catalog this evening reliving my trip to Thailand and I noticed this photo had never been processed. I don't know why but I suppose at the time I didn't really like it but I thought I would give it a go this evening and I quite like it. The colors, the vibrance, the unadulterated sky, it just works. Plus the building on the right provides a visual anchor by being lighter in color than those surrounding. Even the distortion allows the view to gain some additional measure of perspective.
Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 24/f1.4L Mark II
24mm, f1.4, 1/25 sec @ 1250 ISO
Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 24/f1.4L Mark II
24mm, f1.4, 1/25 sec @ 1250 ISO
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
2011, Day 257 - CO2
When trying to leave Chinatown we had preferred to take a taxi through the hustle and bustle of Bangkok's crowded streets but none of the drivers would take us back to our hotel, too much traffic I guess. With taxis eliminated we took a tuk tuk instead. It wasn't our preferred mode of transportation because they don't seem too safe and the speed at which they weave in and out of traffic is rather frightening. However they do move through traffic more effectively than cars so the trip the taxi drivers were unwilling to make took about fifteen minutes albiet we were gasping on the vehicle emissions every time we came to a stop.
Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 24/f1.4L Mark II
24mm, f1.4, 1/100 sec @ 800 ISO
Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 24/f1.4L Mark II
24mm, f1.4, 1/100 sec @ 800 ISO
Monday, September 12, 2011
2011, Day 255 - Incandescent
I often wonder why night markets are so rare in the United States. When the days get hot and the afternoon heat is unbearable a siesta makes sense and then, when you get up refreshed and revitalized, a market is ideal. You can pick up an inexpensive meal and the shopping for tomorrow all at the same time while being social.
As the sun sets purple over Bangkok's Chinatown all the incandescent and florescent bulbs flicker on to bathe the narrow alleys in their yellow-green light. Despite the sun's retreat the bustle of Thailand's largest city continues unabated and everything seems just a little bit magical, like the mushrooms that pop up out of nowhere, peddlers set up their wares in their cramped booths and vie for attention. It is fun and exciting and, for me, a grand adventure!
Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 24/f1.4L Mark II
24mm, f1/4, 1/400 sec @ 800 ISO
As the sun sets purple over Bangkok's Chinatown all the incandescent and florescent bulbs flicker on to bathe the narrow alleys in their yellow-green light. Despite the sun's retreat the bustle of Thailand's largest city continues unabated and everything seems just a little bit magical, like the mushrooms that pop up out of nowhere, peddlers set up their wares in their cramped booths and vie for attention. It is fun and exciting and, for me, a grand adventure!
Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 24/f1.4L Mark II
24mm, f1/4, 1/400 sec @ 800 ISO
Friday, September 9, 2011
2011, Day 252 - Learning
Part of the joy in traveling is not only seeing new places and having new experiences but learning about the people and their culture. I despise those people who travel and make a concerted effort to avoid contact with the people even if the reality of daily life of the locals is sometimes rather grim. Compassion is part of what makes us human and our capacity for good is born of that trait.
Anywho, while is Thailand last year I took the opportunity to enroll in some cooking courses. Being vegetarian there are some Asian cuisines that offer little that I can eat but Thailand's culinary tradition is one that accommodates vegetarianism with open arms. Before is a photograph of my instructor Noi and her assistant Golf in the background. I think at this point she was teaching us how to make duck egg custards; not my favorite dessert but one that reminds me of my childhood and evokes fond memories of my grandparents.
Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 24-70/f2.8L
24mm, f2.8, 1/100 sec @ 400 ISO
Anywho, while is Thailand last year I took the opportunity to enroll in some cooking courses. Being vegetarian there are some Asian cuisines that offer little that I can eat but Thailand's culinary tradition is one that accommodates vegetarianism with open arms. Before is a photograph of my instructor Noi and her assistant Golf in the background. I think at this point she was teaching us how to make duck egg custards; not my favorite dessert but one that reminds me of my childhood and evokes fond memories of my grandparents.
Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 24-70/f2.8L
24mm, f2.8, 1/100 sec @ 400 ISO
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
2011, Day 250 - A little nosh
With such warm weather that abates only slightly in the evening my thoughts are still on Bangkok. This is one of the street food courts that I mentioned in yesterday's post. People congregating around small tables eating, chatting and laughing by the glow of a bare incandescent bulb somehow manages to make me feel at home. While the setting is different the noise and bustle puts me in mind of some of the large family gatherings we used to have when I was a kid. I am certain that they seemed big, crowded and noisy then because I was a child and the world seemed a much bigger place then but the chatting and laughing over good food puts me in mind of my family and at times like this I wish we all lived a little closer to each other.
Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 24/f1.4L Mark II
24mm, f1.4, 1/640 sec @ 800 ISO
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
2011, Day 249 - Back streets
This is one of my favorite parts of traveling, exploring areas that are less frequented by tourists. This is Bangkok's Chinatown, a bustling and congested network of streets and allies all lined with shops and awash with people. Traffic is so bad that you often can't get cabs to take you into the area because it takes so long to get through traffic. If you just follow people some of the allies open into squares filled with street food vendors and makeshift eating areas.
Even though the alley was wet and dirty I was so excited I didn't pay much attention to the puddles or debris. Wearing flipflops means that I ended up with rather filthy feet but it was so interesting. Unfortunately we had spent all day on our feet so we didn't stay in Chinatown for very long, I could have spent all evening there watching people and exploring. If I had more time maybe I could have found a Thai David Lo Pan. One can dream, right?
Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 24/f1.4L Mark II
24mm, f1.4, 1/80 sec @ 800 ISO
Even though the alley was wet and dirty I was so excited I didn't pay much attention to the puddles or debris. Wearing flipflops means that I ended up with rather filthy feet but it was so interesting. Unfortunately we had spent all day on our feet so we didn't stay in Chinatown for very long, I could have spent all evening there watching people and exploring. If I had more time maybe I could have found a Thai David Lo Pan. One can dream, right?
Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 24/f1.4L Mark II
24mm, f1.4, 1/80 sec @ 800 ISO
Sunday, August 21, 2011
2011, Day 233 - Royal temple
This is a massive doorway into one of the temples of the Grand Palace in Bangkok. I love the exquisite friezes, the intricate tile work and the rich colors. It was stifling hot in Bangkok and the heat was made worse because we were required to wear long trousers on the palace grounds. While I don't regret going there I think if I were asked about what to see in Bangkok on a limited timeframe I would give the palace a miss, it is beautiful but are so many other interesting sights in this bustling city that I think are more exciting.
Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 16-35/f2.8L Mark II
16mm, f2.8, 1/60 sec @ 400 ISO
Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 16-35/f2.8L Mark II
16mm, f2.8, 1/60 sec @ 400 ISO
Saturday, August 20, 2011
2011, Day 232 - Peckish
Do you ever get up in the morning and ask yourself, "Where am I going to go that has a selection of dried squid in bulk?" If you do then your next trip should include a stop in Bangkok! Idle curiosity hasn't been able to get me to explore how one uses dried squid but at moments like these I am sorely tempted to find out. The only thing holding me back is a slight dread at finding out, if there is something that I eat that has dried squid in it I may choose to forego it, kind of like with hotdogs.
Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 16-35/f2.8L Mark II
35mm, f5.6, 1/60 sec @ 200 ISO
Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 16-35/f2.8L Mark II
35mm, f5.6, 1/60 sec @ 200 ISO
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
2011, Day 229 - Alms
I finished editing my photos from my travels in 2009 so now I am moving on to my photos from Thailand last year. Where better to start than Wat Pho, the temple that houses the Reclining Buddha? I will get to the statue in a later post (or you can look back through the archives), this is the view behind the Buddha where there are kettles along the wall for donations.
Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 16-35/f2.8L Mark II
34mm, f2.8, 1/640 sec @ 400 ISO
Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 16-35/f2.8L Mark II
34mm, f2.8, 1/640 sec @ 400 ISO
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
2011, Day 004 - Entrepreneurial spirit
As I noted a few days ago, part of this year's mandate is to work on past photos in order to try to get the most out of them. Today's posting is a photograph I took on my first day in Bangkok about three and a half weeks ago. After wading through crowds of tourists, many in the process of relatively harmless scams, we broke into a small park that borders the Chao Phraya river. Along the south side of the park were these shops with residences above and people working industriously at setting up their stalls and carts.
A park near the office of the Department of Internal Trade, Bangkok.
Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 16-35/f2.8L Mark II
16mm, f5.6, 1/250 sec @ 200 ISO
Friday, December 31, 2010
2010, Day 362 - Back to Bangkok, Day Two
Today is our last day in Thailand and the only full day Manuel is going to get in Bangkok. Yes, I know, he has had two partial days but that really does limit what you can accomplish. With that in mind, about a week and a half ago I contacted a guide and reserved this, our final day, with her. The object of our adventure today was to see Ayutthaya, the former capital city of Thailand.
Imagine our surprise when we went down to the lobby this morning to discover that our guide was a Thai leprechaun dressed in blue! Actually, her name was Vimonrat, and this distinguished older lady was our guide and driver for the day. When she isn't leading foreigners around the country she is a taxi driver and that was our mode of transportation today.
We first went to the Bang-Pa-In Palace which is really more of a compound of multiple small palaces built by the king and his family over generations. It still gets used but it looks as though the use is really only occasional. There are western-style palaces, Thai palaces and even a Chinese influenced palace on the grounds. It was all very nice but it felt a little too much like a museum, too cold and sterile, not a lot of warmth from use. So we kept a good pace and finished there quite quickly.
The European-inspired palace at Bang-Pa-In.
An observation tower from which all of the grounds can be seen.
The Chinese-style palace.
After the palace we decided to have an early lunch. While I managed to get up in plenty of time for breakfast my traveling companions were rushed just to get out the door on time so we had nothing to eat. I confessed my vegetarianism to Rat who then set out to find us a suitable place to eat. We were given a choice, we could eat at a western-style buffet or find a good roadside diner of the type the locals favor. Seeing as we were in Thailand we opted for the latter and, with Rat's help, we ordered lunch.
I will be the first to admit that pad thai is probably my least favorite Thai dish but with limited options that was my only choice. As it turns out the pad thai was quite good and with the help of a little crushed peppers it had enough heat and flavor to keep me happy.
While we waited for our food I had espied people selling fish on the roadside and went to explore. That in itself it no uncommon in Thailand but these aren't the kind of fish you eat, they are ornamental fish. There were small striped catfish and eels and turtles and snails of all manner of other aquatic life. I asked Rat about these roadside stalls and she explained that people buy these animals to set them free in the river. When you release an eel it is meant to take with it your illness and ailments whereas when you release a turtle it is supposed to give you a long life.
A roadside vendor of aquatic offerings.
Gouramis.
Repetilian offerings.
The competition...
Our bellies full we then headed to the object of our adventure, Ayutthaya. As the past capital of Thailand the architecture in the area is really quite phenomenal. There are walls, shrine and chides littered throughout the area in varying states of disrepair. Some are merely worn by weather and lack of upkeep but many of the images of the Buddha are vandalized so that they heads may be taken and sold to dubious collectors of Thai art.
Stop number one was at Wat Yai Chaimongkhon. This temple was initially constructed to serve primarily as a monastery and was quite prosperous. As this monastery flourished people flooded here to pray as is evident in the stairs that show bowing and cupping from the heavy foot traffic.
A reclining Buddha in the out-of-doors.
Tourists climbing the steps worn down by the feet of the devout.
One of the Buddhas housed inside the temple.
A view from the back of the temple.
One of the temple's wards.
The blossom of a crazy flowering tree.
As the first temple became crowded we took our leave and went to Wat Phra Si Sanphet. The was the site of the palace belonging King Ramathibodi I and is significant because of the three main stupas that contain the ashes of King Boroma-Tri-Loka-Nat, King Boroma-Rachathirat III and King Ramathibodi II. As the royal temple of the kingdom of Ayutthaya it was the site of not only official ceremonies but it also served as the royal family's private chapel and because of this honor no monks resided on the grounds. The sprawling size of the compound is only matched by the obvious decay and disrepair.
Just a short distance from this historic site is another modern temple that is still in active use. Within the temple is an enormous Buddha, one of the largest made of bronze in Thailand, and just beyond the temple preparations are already beginning for the lunar new year. There are stalls and temporary shops set up with all manner of food and good for sale. While we were visiting the market a group of what appeared to be school children flooded the market and with their arrival we beat a hasty retreat.
An abbreviated view of the three stupas.
The tremendous bronze Buddha.
A vendor in the market behind the temple.
A woman making Thai crepes that are then filled with strands of silk-like threads of spun sugar.
Our flight from the children took us to Wat Chai Watthanaram. Built in the early 17th century by King Prasat Thong in honor of his mother's hometown this temple is reputed to have relics of the Buddha encapsulated in the central prang. The style of this site differs from others because it was meant to serve as a reminder of the triumph of Ayutthaya over the Khmer and thus was build with heavy Khmer influences.
All the structures are settling causing them to lean to one side or another.
A Buddha whose head has not yet been looted.
Temple puppy lounging in the shade.
Continuing our tour of the temples of Ayutthaya we next visited Wat Na Phramane. What makes this temple of particular interest is that the bronze Buddha that resides here is wearing jewelry. This anomaly is explained by the period of significant peace and exception prosperity during which it was sculpted. Here we were blessed by a monk, something I find comforting as tomorrow we're facing countless hours of travel by plane and an extremely small window to make our connection in Tokyo.
Buddha with bling.
Our final stop was Wat Maha That. This is the site of one of the iconic images of Thailand, the stone head of the Buddha emmeshed in the roots of a tree. It was also once the home of the Supreme Patriarch of the Buddhist order in Ayutthaya but was abandoned in ruins after the Burmese attacked and conquered in 1767.
Iconic Thailand from a slightly different angle.
As the length of the shadows across the ground grew longer we headed back to Bangkok. There was probably a lot more to see and I am sure we could have spent the entire evening in Ayutthaya but we have an early flight in the morning and still need to get ourselves fed, packed and rested before tackling a long day of travel tomorrow.
The rest of the day was unremarkable. We found a nice European bistro for dinner and went to bed early in the hopes that we wouldn't be too exhausted at five thirty tomorrow morning when the car shows up to take us to the airport. I expect there will be a delay in getting the images from today processed and posted but I hope you all bear with me as I travel back in time (we leave Tokyo at five o'clock on the afternoon of the thirtieth and arrive at nine o'clock the morning of the same day in San Francisco). Goodnight!
Imagine our surprise when we went down to the lobby this morning to discover that our guide was a Thai leprechaun dressed in blue! Actually, her name was Vimonrat, and this distinguished older lady was our guide and driver for the day. When she isn't leading foreigners around the country she is a taxi driver and that was our mode of transportation today.
We first went to the Bang-Pa-In Palace which is really more of a compound of multiple small palaces built by the king and his family over generations. It still gets used but it looks as though the use is really only occasional. There are western-style palaces, Thai palaces and even a Chinese influenced palace on the grounds. It was all very nice but it felt a little too much like a museum, too cold and sterile, not a lot of warmth from use. So we kept a good pace and finished there quite quickly.
The European-inspired palace at Bang-Pa-In.
An observation tower from which all of the grounds can be seen.
The Chinese-style palace.
After the palace we decided to have an early lunch. While I managed to get up in plenty of time for breakfast my traveling companions were rushed just to get out the door on time so we had nothing to eat. I confessed my vegetarianism to Rat who then set out to find us a suitable place to eat. We were given a choice, we could eat at a western-style buffet or find a good roadside diner of the type the locals favor. Seeing as we were in Thailand we opted for the latter and, with Rat's help, we ordered lunch.
I will be the first to admit that pad thai is probably my least favorite Thai dish but with limited options that was my only choice. As it turns out the pad thai was quite good and with the help of a little crushed peppers it had enough heat and flavor to keep me happy.
While we waited for our food I had espied people selling fish on the roadside and went to explore. That in itself it no uncommon in Thailand but these aren't the kind of fish you eat, they are ornamental fish. There were small striped catfish and eels and turtles and snails of all manner of other aquatic life. I asked Rat about these roadside stalls and she explained that people buy these animals to set them free in the river. When you release an eel it is meant to take with it your illness and ailments whereas when you release a turtle it is supposed to give you a long life.
A roadside vendor of aquatic offerings.
Gouramis.
Repetilian offerings.
The competition...
Our bellies full we then headed to the object of our adventure, Ayutthaya. As the past capital of Thailand the architecture in the area is really quite phenomenal. There are walls, shrine and chides littered throughout the area in varying states of disrepair. Some are merely worn by weather and lack of upkeep but many of the images of the Buddha are vandalized so that they heads may be taken and sold to dubious collectors of Thai art.
Stop number one was at Wat Yai Chaimongkhon. This temple was initially constructed to serve primarily as a monastery and was quite prosperous. As this monastery flourished people flooded here to pray as is evident in the stairs that show bowing and cupping from the heavy foot traffic.
A reclining Buddha in the out-of-doors.
Tourists climbing the steps worn down by the feet of the devout.
One of the Buddhas housed inside the temple.
A view from the back of the temple.
One of the temple's wards.
The blossom of a crazy flowering tree.
As the first temple became crowded we took our leave and went to Wat Phra Si Sanphet. The was the site of the palace belonging King Ramathibodi I and is significant because of the three main stupas that contain the ashes of King Boroma-Tri-Loka-Nat, King Boroma-Rachathirat III and King Ramathibodi II. As the royal temple of the kingdom of Ayutthaya it was the site of not only official ceremonies but it also served as the royal family's private chapel and because of this honor no monks resided on the grounds. The sprawling size of the compound is only matched by the obvious decay and disrepair.
Just a short distance from this historic site is another modern temple that is still in active use. Within the temple is an enormous Buddha, one of the largest made of bronze in Thailand, and just beyond the temple preparations are already beginning for the lunar new year. There are stalls and temporary shops set up with all manner of food and good for sale. While we were visiting the market a group of what appeared to be school children flooded the market and with their arrival we beat a hasty retreat.
An abbreviated view of the three stupas.
The tremendous bronze Buddha.
A vendor in the market behind the temple.
A woman making Thai crepes that are then filled with strands of silk-like threads of spun sugar.
Our flight from the children took us to Wat Chai Watthanaram. Built in the early 17th century by King Prasat Thong in honor of his mother's hometown this temple is reputed to have relics of the Buddha encapsulated in the central prang. The style of this site differs from others because it was meant to serve as a reminder of the triumph of Ayutthaya over the Khmer and thus was build with heavy Khmer influences.
All the structures are settling causing them to lean to one side or another.
A Buddha whose head has not yet been looted.
Temple puppy lounging in the shade.
Continuing our tour of the temples of Ayutthaya we next visited Wat Na Phramane. What makes this temple of particular interest is that the bronze Buddha that resides here is wearing jewelry. This anomaly is explained by the period of significant peace and exception prosperity during which it was sculpted. Here we were blessed by a monk, something I find comforting as tomorrow we're facing countless hours of travel by plane and an extremely small window to make our connection in Tokyo.
Buddha with bling.
Our final stop was Wat Maha That. This is the site of one of the iconic images of Thailand, the stone head of the Buddha emmeshed in the roots of a tree. It was also once the home of the Supreme Patriarch of the Buddhist order in Ayutthaya but was abandoned in ruins after the Burmese attacked and conquered in 1767.
Iconic Thailand from a slightly different angle.
As the length of the shadows across the ground grew longer we headed back to Bangkok. There was probably a lot more to see and I am sure we could have spent the entire evening in Ayutthaya but we have an early flight in the morning and still need to get ourselves fed, packed and rested before tackling a long day of travel tomorrow.
The rest of the day was unremarkable. We found a nice European bistro for dinner and went to bed early in the hopes that we wouldn't be too exhausted at five thirty tomorrow morning when the car shows up to take us to the airport. I expect there will be a delay in getting the images from today processed and posted but I hope you all bear with me as I travel back in time (we leave Tokyo at five o'clock on the afternoon of the thirtieth and arrive at nine o'clock the morning of the same day in San Francisco). Goodnight!
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