Stand for the King

IMG_0609, originally uploaded by HellonEarth2006.

The King of Thailand is revered by his people. He is now 80 years old and has been on the throne for over 60 years during which time he has gained the unwavering respect of all his people due to his commitment to them. The respect in which he is held can be witnessed every day in Bangkok at 8am and 6pm. In public places the National Anthem is played and everyone (and I mean everyone) stops what they are doing and stands still. This show of reverence is heartfelt as is displayed by the people in this picture. Taken in Lumpini Park, Bangkok.

Contortionist, Lumpini Park, Bangkok

IMG_0612, originally uploaded by HellonEarth2006.

Wandering through Lumpini Park this weekend, I came across this guy with his leg behind his neck. I am willing to bet that with a bit of practice he could kick ass - his own ass!

Beaches of Thailand - Nai Yang Beach, Phuket, Thailand

Nai Yang Beach, Phuket, Thailand, originally uploaded by HellonEarth2006.

Nai Yang is very close to the airport and there are 2 separate areas that are part of a National Park which hopefully will preserve its natural status to some extent. There are a couple of hotels but it is generally a fairly quiet beach, especially at its northern end. The water here is shallow and there are wide expanses of sand when the tide is out. There is also a reef which despite the shallowness of the water makes for good snorkeling. This beach has long been a favourite destination of ours for lunch. Beach restaurants serve some very good seafood.

Balloons on legs

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A colourful and slightly humorous picture snapped in Bangkok. I am sure this guy was feeling quite light on his feet.

Bangkok's Street Vendors - Satisfying the Thai passion for eating

I have been using Google Documents which allows you to create text documents, spreadsheets or presentations and store them online. As it is possible to embed these documents in a blog posting, I thought I would try it, and this is the result.

The embedded presentation contains several photos I have taken in Bangkok of street vendors. I find them a fascinating subject for photographs.The Thais love to eat and as every visitor to Bangkok knows, street food is everywhere. Some of it is very good and while visitors often doubt the wisdom of eating off the street, it can be very rewarding for the taste buds. It is easy to tell if the food is fresh and if a stall is busy you can almost guarantee that it is good and you will suffer no ill effects.

Sunsets of Thailand - Layan Beach, Phuket

Sunsets of Thailand - Layan Beach, Phuket, Thailand, originally uploaded by HellonEarth2006.

Layan Beach is not particularly well known on Phuket. It lies at the northern end of Bang Tao Bay. There is not much development up to now and part of the area is designated as a National Park. It is actually quite popular with the locals who can be seen swimming on their days off. New developments are in the pipeline however so I am sure it will become increasingly popular. For now, it is a great beach for a leisurely walk wihtout crowds. There are a couple of local bar/restaurants from which to admire the sunset.

Myanmar

Temple in Rangoon (Yangon), Burma(Myanmar)" , originally uploaded by HellonEarth2006.

Myanmar (Burma) is again in the news for the wrong reasons. This time, the country has been hit by a fierce cyclone that has devastated much of the country, killing thousands and leaving many more thousands homeless. Having visited Myanmar, I have some understanding of the conditions there. This event will have hit them very hard.
This picture is of the Sule Pagoda in the centre of Rangoon.

Basket Case, Hanoi Vietnam

Basket Case, Basketware Vendor, Hanoi , Vietnam

Basket Case, Hanoi Vietnam, originally uploaded by HellonEarth2006.

It sometimes seems that life in Hanoi, Vietnam revolves around people selling things. The streets are thronged with shops, markets, street and mobile vendors. It is sometimes quite amazing at what the Vietnamese can carry on a bicycle or motorbike. This particular vendor was pedalling (excuse the pun) basketware and made for an interesting photograph. I have many such photographs as I am quite intrigued by the mobile and street vendors that populate the South East Asian countries such as Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand

Thunderstorm over Phi Phi Island, Thailand

Thunderstorm over Phi Phi Island, Thailand, originally uploaded by HellonEarth2006.

The south of Thailand is particularly prone to thunderstorms and these can occur at any time. They are often also very localised. There can be a huge storm and yet a couple of miles down the road it can be bright sunshine. This is particularly true in Phuket. and the surrounding area. This photo of a thunderstorm over Phi Phi Don island illustrates the point very well. We were on a ferry on the way to Phi Phi and it was a beautiful day. Clearly, there is a thunderstorm raging over the island, but when we arrived there was not a sign of it. These storms, although short in duration, can often be quite violent accompanied by torrential rain, high wind and thunder and lightning.

Beaches of Thailand - Pattaya

Pattaya Beach, Thailand, originally uploaded by HellonEarth2006.

We made a visit to Pattaya recently. The beach there is narrow and crowded and to my mind has very little to recommend it. As far as I am concerned that goes for Pattaya itself as well. We stayed in the Marriott hotel which was excellent - just a pity it is in Pattaya as we will not be going back. Pattaya gets many tourists but it is not really a place for families. Jomtien beach may be different as I am told it is much nicer.

Sunsets of Thailand - Laem Thong Beach, Phi Phi Don, Thailand

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Thailand is one of those places that has wonderful sunsets. Like most amateur photographers, I cannot resist the beauty of a sunset picture. There are many beautiful sunset photographs and i even like some of my own. This one was taken on Phi Phi and is quite unusual because I was more or less facing east when I took it rather than west. The light from the fading sun was so powerful that it created a sunset all across the sky. Look out for a photo of the sunset taken pointing west which I will post shortly.

Beaches of Thailand - Nai Thon, Phuket

Nai Thon Beach, Phuket, Thailand, originally uploaded by HellonEarth2006.

This is a relatively quiet beach compared to the likes of Patong and Karon that are 2 of the more well known beaches on Phuket. Nai Than is also on the west side of the island but further north and not far from the airport. For me, it is one of the most beautiful beaches on Phuket with a wide expanse of white sand and it is also safe for swimming. There are not too many hotels in this area and it is far enough away from Patong and Karon to deter most people from making the trek which is why it is still uncrowded and populated only by those "in the know". How long it will remain this way remains to be seen as apartments are being built nearby. If you go check out the rustic Reggae bar at the south end of the beach.

Chinatown, Bangkok, Thailand

Chinatown, Bangkok, Thailand, originally uploaded by HellonEarth2006.

Chinatown, Bangkok is a fascinating place and one of the oldest areas in Bangkok. The Chinese were moved to this area in the 1780's so the king could build the Grand Palace. This is Yaowarat Road which is the main street in Chinatown. It is famous for gold shops which line the street on both sides. Intermingled are Chinese medicine pharmacies, shark's fin restaurants and a few hotels. The pavements are also lined with vendors selling all sorts of things. This is just part of the fascinating area that makes up Chinatown in Bangkok.

Engines in Chinatown, Bangkok

Engines in Chinatown, Bangkok, originally uploaded by HellonEarth2006.

Sampeng Lane in Chinatown, Bangkok is a famous market. It is a very narrow bustling place full of shops selling jewellery, fabrics, toys, shoes and just about anyting else you can think of. In the streets around the other (eastern) end of Sampeng it is quite different. The streets are full of bits of car parts from complete engines to axles, gearboxes and suspension springs. The whole place is a dirty oily mess and, as you can see, the parts are piled up to the extent that you cannot walk on the footpath.

360 Bar, Phuket Pavilions, Phuket

IMG_0180, originally uploaded by HellonEarth2006.

The 360 bar in Phuket Pavilions is situated atop a hill with rather splendid views of Bang Tao Beach. As they have a happy hour from 5:30 to 6:30, there are few better places on Phuket to watch the sun going down whilst enjoying a cocktail. The cocktails here are prepared by expert bartenders using top brand spirits so they are actually quite a bargain as it is a "buy one, get one free" happy hour. Personally, I recommend the Long Island Ice Tea - two of those ensures that you are in for a good evening. Everyone we have taken there aged from 20 to 80 have enjoyed the experience.

Bangkok Garland Vendors

Garland Seller, originally uploaded by HellonEarth2006.

Garlands made of jasmine are very popular in Thailand. Most Thais usually have one hung from the back of their rer view mirror. They give off a pleasant scent and counteract the fumes fo Bangkok. It is quite normal to see the garland vendors at busy intersections risking life and limb as they parade between the cars trying to sell their wares.@0baht is the going rate which is about 25 UK pence.

Songkran & Thingyan

Myanmar (Burma) Water Festival (Thingyan), originally uploaded by HellonEarth2006.

Songkran is the Thai new year and is the time when people should sprinkle water over each other to cleanse for the coming year. It has, however degenerated into pitched water fights that many people clearly enjoy but others do not. We are just a few days from Songkran, and the Burmese equivalent which is called Thingyan, and the shops are full of water blasting machines. If anything Thingyan is even worse as it continues unabated for 4 days. Podiums are set up especially near lakes, and water is pumped through hosepipes and water jets to soak anyone who is within reach.

The Erawan Shrine

The Erawan Shrine is located next to the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Bangkok. It was built in 1956 after a series of mishaps had befallen the building of a hotel - the Erawan. No further problems were experienced in the building of the hotel which was later demolished to make way for the Grand Hyatt. The shrine has a statue of Phra Phrom which is the Thai version of the Hinu god Brahma and is very popular amongst Thais who come to pray for good luck. There are dancers at the shrine who are paid to perform by people who have had their prayers answered. I also have a new Canon EOS 40D camera and this is one of the first pict

Lumpini Park, Bangkok

Lumpini Park, Bangkok, originally uploaded by HellonEarth2006.

Lumpini park is one of the few open space areas in central Bangkok. The place is alive first thing in the morning and just before dusk with Bangkokians up to all manner of things. Jogging, Tai Chi, balroom dancing, Kendo, exercising, lounging, walking, aerobics and badminton are just some of the activities that go on here. I recently walked through the park at 6pm and there were literally thousands of people in there, many of whom were participating in aerobics. I saw at least 3 large groups of more than 100 people all following the movements of an aerobics teacher. It was quite a site and brought out such a sweat on me that I had to go and have a beer.

Lumpini is one of my favourite places in Bangkok and I never tire of wandering around the place watching what is going on. Even observing the Hari Khrishna lot is quite absorbing. One of these days I will count the number of times they sing "Hari Khrishna, Hari Rama" etc. It must get quite boring!

Banana Flower

Banana Flower, originally uploaded by HellonEarth2006.

This is a banana flower. Usually, the flower hangs down on a long stem and the banas grow up the stem behind it. This one was spotted hanging over a garden wall in Bangkok.

Bananas are native to South East Asia, are widely consumed and come in many different varieties. The Thais eat the flower as well creating a dish known unsurprisingly as Banana Flower Salad. It is something that my wife Ann is quite partial too although personally I can take it or leave it.