Sydney's Opera House

Sydney's Opera House

"The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It was conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, opening in 1973 after a long gestation that had begun with his competition-winning design in 1957. " - Wikipedia

Undoubtedly, once of the most photographed landmarks on Earth and it is not difficult to see why.

Two Famous Landmarks

Sydney Harbour Bridge & the Opera House

Two of the most famous landmarks in the world are Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House.As they are close to each other, they can be captured in a single photo as here. The Opera House was opened in 1973, but the bridge has been there since 1932 and until 1967 was Sydney's tallest structure.

The Motorcycle Mechanic, Chinatown, Bangkok

The Motorcycle Mechanic, Chinatown, Bangkok

The streets of Chinatown in Bangkok are bustling with people working. Many streets concentrate on a particular article or service. For example there are whole streets selling car tyres, other streets carrying out sheet metal activities, a street clutterd with engine parts and a street selling just shoes. It is a truly fascinating area and you never know what you are going to find around the next corner. Just about each time I go I find something different. This guy is a motorcycle engine and worked on a street selling motorcycle tyres and wheels. He was kind enough to let me take a photograph.

     

Bangkok History - Fort Phra Sumen, Phra Nakhon District, Bangkok

Fort Phra Sumen, Phra Nakhon District, Bangkok

Phra Sumen Fort is in the Phra Nakhon District of Bangkok. It is one of the original forts that were built to protect the Chao Phraya from invasion.It was built during the reign of Rama I in 1783 and is one of only two remaining forts from the original 14. Fortified with cannons, the fort sits on the confluence of the Chao Phraya River and the Banglamphu canal.

Give us a wink

VW Beetle with Eyelashes

I was wandering around Phuket Town when I came across this new VW Beetle resplendent with eyelashes. To say it is cute is a little of an understatement.

Sunset over Surin Beach, Phuket



Sunset over Surin Beach, Phuket

  Another sunset picture this time taken at Surin Beach in Phuket. Taken from a new bar which has just opened there called Salt. It is owned by the same people who own Peppers bar in Cherngtalay.

Sunrise over Phang Nga Bay, Phuket



Sunrise over Phang Nga Bay, Phuket


Amazing sunrises and sunsets are a feature of Phuket and because sunrise is not too early, it is not too much of a hardship to get up and go take some photographs. This picture was taken at 6:53 in the morning. The sun had actually risen but was hiding behind clouds and creating a wonderful golden hue.

Chinese temple, Chinatown, Bangkok

Chinese temple, Chinatown, Bangkok

Bangkok's chinatown is pretty big and as a consequence there are a large number of Chinese temples dotted around. This is one such temple located in the heart of the China town District. As with all Chinese temples, the predominant colour is red which is considered by the Chinese to be an auspicious colour.

Sunrise, Cape Yamu, Phuket

Sunrise, Cape Yamu, Phuket

Cape Yamu is a small enclave on the less fashionable east side of Phuket. It has a very sheltered bay with a pier which can just be seen in the photograph. The last few years has seen some development of villas but the area has still retained its natural charm.

Mangrove tree, Layan Beach, Phuket

Mangrove tree, Layan Beach, Phuket

High season in Phuket and it is not difficult to see why lookoing at the blue sky in this photo. This is a mangrove tree that flourishes in salt water. Layan is a particularly beautiful and quiet part of Bang Tao Bay in Phuket especially on a day like this one.

The Royal Pavilion Hua, Hin

The Royal Pavilion Hua, Hin

Hua Hin railway station is Thailands most beautiful railway station that attracts many visitors because of the architecture. The wooden building on the platform used to be a royal pavilion in Sanamchan Palace, Nakhon Pathom province. It was transported and rebuilt in Hua Hin in 1968. This is the seond photo I have posted of this magnificent building.

Hunting Jellyfish in Phang Nga Bay, Thailand



Hunting Jellyfish in Phang Nga Bay, Thailand

At a certain time of year there is an influx of jellyfish into Phang Nga Bay which prompts the local fishermen to go out hunting for them. Rumour has it that they are shipped to Japan where they are considered something of a delicacy.

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.