Buddha image at Phra Phut Kiti Sirichai Pagoda overlooking Baan Krud beach

Buddha image at Phra Phut Kiti Sirichai Pagoda overlooking Baan Krud beach

Baan Krud or Baaan Grood or even Baan Krut has all these spellings and possibly more. It is a very small town with a pleasant beach in Prachuap Khiri Khan Province which lies on the Gulf coast south of Bangkok. At the north end of the beach is a rather magnificent temple perched on top of a hill. There is a photograph of the temple itself in an earlier posting on this blog.

 http://hellonearth-livinginasia.blogspot.com/2011/05/wat-tang-sai.html

Sharing a joke - Khlong Toei Market, Bangkok



Sharing a joke - Khlong Toei Market, Bangkok

 These two porters were taking time out from their labouring duties to share a joke. They both work at Khlong Toei market in Bangkok which is Bangkok's biggest wet market selling meat, fish , seafood, fruit, vegetables as well as some rather exotic foods such as frogs and insects.

Vendor on Hua Hin Beach, Thailand



Vendor on Hua Hin Beach, Thailand

 Vendors walk up and down Hua Hin beach all day selling their wares. The purple umbrellas in the background all belong to a line of restaurants directly on the beach. They all serve fish and seafood as well as other Thai dishes and there is something rather special about eating lunch, sat in a deckchair with the sea lapping around your ankles.

Bang Saphan

Bang Saphan, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, Thailand

Bang Saphan is a small town located in Prachuap Khiri Khan province in Thailand. It is well off the tourist route, although there are several beaches nearby. It has a railway station and a couple of river estuaries of which this is one. Sleepy is the best way to describe the area. Fishing and coconuts would appear to be the main source of income for the inhabitants.

Fish Boats, Istanbul

Fish Boats, Istanbul, Turkey

Not fishing boats! Theses three boats rocked about in the wash created by the numerous ferries that go backwards and forwards. Nevertheless the boats mange to cook and serve fish to their eager customers. The boats are brightly painted and the servers are dressed in traditional costumes making the whole event of cooking and serving fish quite an event.

The China Inn, Phuket City

The China Inn, Phuket City

The China Inn is cafe/restaurant located on Thalang Road in Phuket City. It has been restored carefully to its present state and is a good example of what can be done with the many chinese shophouses that line several roads in Phuket City.

The shopkeeper and his wife, Chinatown, Bangkok

The shopkeeper and his wife, Chinatown, Bangkok

Chinatown in Bangkok is a fascinating area of the city. It is one of the oldest areas of the city and is a hubub of activity. It seems as though it is possible to by almost anything there and there are thousands of shops and businesses all of which spill out onto the streets. This shopkeeper and his wife were more than happy to pose for a photo.

Hua Lampong Railway Station, Bangkok

There is something about railway stations as with airports that always gives me a buzz. As someone who loves to travel it is not difficult to understand why. This is Hua Lampong, Bangkok's main railway station serving trains across Thailand and through Malaysia to Singapore.

Add captHua Lampong Railway Station, Bangkokion

Phuket People - Girls at the Annual Hungry Ghost Festival, Phuket City

Add captionGirls at the Annual Hungry Ghost Festival, Phuket City

Phuket People - Girls at the Annual Hungry Ghost Festival, Phuket City, originally uploaded by HellonEarth2006.

The Ghost Festival, also known as the Hungry Ghost Festival, or Yu Lan is a traditional Chinese festival and holiday celebrated by Chinese in many countries. In the Chinese calendar (a lunisolar calendar), the Ghost Festival is on the 15th night of the seventh lunar month (14th in southern China).

In Chinese tradition, the fifteenth day of the seventh month in the lunar calendar is called Ghost Day and the seventh month in general is regarded as the Ghost Month (鬼月), in which ghosts and spirits, including those of the deceased ancestors, come out from the lower realm.
(Wikipedia)
Phuket City which has many people of Chinese descent celebrates this festival each year.

Sunset, Otago Harbour, South Island, New Zealand

Sunset, Otago Harbour, South Island, New Zealand

This photo was taken just after a storm at Otago Harbour on South Island in New Zealand. The colours were fantastic.

Phuket People - Smile Girls!

I was walking around one the local villages named Ban Don, when I came across a man and his wife. I asked if it was ok to take their photo which I did but they then shouted to the back of the house and these two girls, who were obviously their granddaughters came and posed for a photo also.

Phuket People - The Building Site Labourer

This girl was working on a building site loading concrete breeze blocks into a wheelbarrow. It is not unusual to see women acting as labourers on building sites in Thailand or elsewhere in Asia for that matter.

The Sleeper

Vegetable market stall holders get up very early normally in order to procure their vegetables from the wholesalers, which is probably why they often fall asleep on their stalls during the day. This lady was asleep on her stall in Denpasar, Bali

Phuket People - The Latex Roller

Phuket is well known for the production of rubber. The island is full of rubber trees. The latex is collected in cups every day and it is then rolled into sheets before being despatched to the factory for processing. This lady is engaged in the latex rolling process.

Old Woman, Denpasar, Bali

Denpasar is the major town in Bali  and has a bustling market. There is lots going on and there are many interesting characters to photograph. This lady was just one of them. She was looking rather pensive as I took this shot.

Mellow Yellow

Walking through Denpasar in Bali, I came across the guitar propped up against a wall. Something about it caught my eye and then when I processed the picture, I came to the conclusion that it would look better if it was in black and white except for the guitar.

Butterfly Kites, Bali

The Balinese love to fly kites. Wherever you go you will see kites flying. Some are quite large while others such as these are very colouful.

Market, Bang Tao, Phuket

 

Steampunk HQ, Oamaru, South Island, New Zealand

 

Nai Yang Beach, Phuket, Thailand

 

Nugget Point, Otago, South Island, New Zealand

Nugget Point is one of the most iconic landforms on the Otago coast. Located at the northern end of the Catlins coast down the road from Kaka Point, this steep headland has a lighthouse at its tip, surrounded by rocky islets (The Nuggets). The point is home to many seabirds, including penguins, gannets and spoonbills, and a large breeding colony of fur seals.

The lighthouse was built in 1869 and stands 76 m (250 ft) above the water. It was automated in 1980 and is operated by Maritime New Zealand.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nugget_Point

Hoopers Inlet, Otago Peninsular, South Island, New Zealand

Early morning at Hoopers Inlet, Otago Peninsular, South Island, New Zealand. Calm weather with beutiful reflections on the still water.

Thai Army in Ceremonial Dress at the Funeral of HRH Princess Bejaratana Rajasuda

 

Royal funerals are a big occasion in Thailand. There is usually a huge procession around the Grand Palce in Bangkok as the body is taken to a specially prepared site at Sanam Luang where the cremation takes place. This is one section of the Thai armed forces that took part in the procession.

A Thing of the Past?

Phuket City is full of old Sino Colonial buildings but there appearance is often marred by the power and telephone cables strung along the roads. The authorities are now busy putting these cables underground so photos like this one will soon hopefully become a thing of the past.

Elephants, Wat Chedi Luang, Chiang Mai

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These elephants are to be found at Wat Chedi Luang in Chiang Mai. The temple is about 600 years old and once housed one of the most important relics in Thailand - the Emerald Buddha which is now housed in its own temple in Bangkok. The chedi, which was destroyed either by earthquake or King Taksin cannons, was the tallest structure in Chiang Mai.

Jui Tui Temple, Phuket City

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This is the Jui Tui temple in Phuket City and located not far from the main market. It was previously in Soi Romanee in the old town but moved to its present location after a fire. The temple plays a big part in Phuket's annual Vegetarian Festival.

Hooper's Inlet, South Island, New Zealand.

This is Hooper's Inlet on the Otago Peninsular, South Island, New Zealand. It is a beatiful place especially at dawn on a nice day which was when this photo was taken. The peninsular itself is sparsely populated but the city of Dunedin is very close by.

Juice Bar, Bangkok

Juice Bar, Bangkok, Thailand

Juice bars are becoming popular everywhere including Bangkok. This is the Marina Juice Bar near Siam Square which is at the heart of the shopping district in Bangkok. All manner of fruits including apples, mangoes, kiwi, oranges, guava melon and dragon fruit can be seen on display.

Songkran 2012

Songkran, which is the Thai New Year, was traditionally a time to visit and pay respects to elders, including family members, friends, neighbors, and monks. These days it has become a huge water festival where the objective is to soak as many people as possible. Held at the hottest time of the year, it provides welcome relief from the heat.