Category Archives: Thailand
Muy Thai in Bangkok
I have a huge amount of photos that I’ve never posted on-line that I want to share. So I will start with photos from my trip to Thailand last year.
Last year I went to Bangkok for a week. It was the most beautiful and interesting place I have ever gone. It really left a serious impression on me. I previously posted photos of the temples and palace that I visited.
One of the really cool highlights of the trip was when I bought front row tickets to an evening of Muy Thai matches at a stadium in Bangkok.
Muy Thai (Kickboxing) full of culture. The fighters pray and do a ceremonial dance around the ring before each match begins. Their coach also symbolically removes the fighters headbands for them. I had an amazing chance to capture this in pictures and want to share it as most people probably think of kickboxing as a violent sport and don’t realize the culture and ceremony contained within it.
Despite recent civil unrest in Thailand, do not take it off of your list of places to go. Bangkok is AMAZING so SO WORTH the trip. I would definitely choose Bangkok over Tokyo or any other major Asian. The people are warm and smile, the prices are cheap, and the food is delicious!
Sayonara Michael … ;_;
You were one of the most original, creative, unique entertainers that this world has ever or will ever see.
Sadly the more amazing you are in this world the more shit people give you. People can criticize your looks and call you a molester (even though you were found innocent and you must be extra skeptical of accusers who stand to gain a LOT with their accusations.) But none of that can overshadow the fact that Michael gave more to this world than almost anyone. I grew up with him, and even now that I live on the other side of this planet I still sing his songs along side Japanese people at karaoke who know him just as well as I do.
It’s ironic that just this past Monday my 7th graders watched a video about the making of "We Are the World" a project that Michael played a significant role in.
I will definitely do a lesson about Michael Jackson to ensure that my students, who grew up after his era, understand his great contributions and don’t just see the distorted images that the media loved to paint.
I’ll miss you man … お疲れさまでした。さようならポップの王様。
William Milberry
The Grand Palace, Bangkok, Thailand
The Grand Palace
The Grand Palace is a major attraction in Bangkok. Thailand is the only Asian country with a monarchy. The Thai people love the king. Everyone speaks highly of him saying how he never stops working for the country and people. There are large photos of him displayed everywhere. Meanwhile he lives and operates in an opulent palace (only a tiny portion is represented in these photos), while I saw countless poor people suffering and begging on the streets…
Wat Arun (”Temple of Dawn”), Bangkok, Thailand
Wat Arun is one of my favorite temples I have visited in my travels around Asia (Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand.) In my limited knowledge I would say it is heavily Hindu-art influenced. It is very different from the many other beautiful temples of Bangkok. It is extremely tall with very steep and scary stairs that you can climb and walk around high levels of it for a stunning view. The outside is mostly stone and some form of concrete with extremely ornate etchings, carvings, statues, and such. It sits along the river and makes a lovely scene from a boat. You pay a nominal feel of 50 baht (hmm, about $1.50) to enter and can walk around freely. There is quite a nice gift shop too where I bought some traditional Thai color/pattern fabric table cloths for a steal compared to the inflated prices I would pay in Japan for similar items.
I visited this temple twice, once in a rush as a 15 minute stop of a boat tour and once for several hours on an afternoon.
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Photo of Bangkok taken from the top of Wat Arun with a telephoto lens.
aSPIRE to great heights
Wat Pho, Bangkok, Thailand
Wat Arun “Temple of Dawn”
Wat Arun (aka "Temple of Dawn") along the banks of the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok was one of my favorite temples. It is very tall, with very steep steps that you can walk up. It is extremely detailed and ornate with countless carvings and decorations embedded in the outter walls. In my limited knowledge of Asian religeous art it struck me as very Hindu/Indian influenced. This temple is a MUST SEE if you visit Bangkok.
Young monks contemplating why I am taking a photo of them :-P
Another candid photo of some monks in Bangkok.
I really loved the scene of the setting sunlight and the two looking contemplatively out over the water. Before I could take the shot however the one guy looked at me. I think the fact that he is looking at me adds to the photo.
I gave them a smile and a little nod and they gave me an amused smile back.
Young monks at Wat Phra Kaeo in Bangkok, Thailand
While walking around the absolutely amazing Wat Phra Kaeo (the large, ornate, Buddhist temple next to the Grand Palace in Bangkok), a group of young monks came walking by. It was a shot I had to get and had only a split second to take.
City of Angels – Bangkok Thailand
I recently spent a week in Bangkok, Thailand. Based on a traditional Thai name for the capital established where present day Bangkok is, Bangkok’s nickname is "the City of Angels." A better nickname might be "the City of Monks."
There are may beautiful Buddhist temples and monks. Thai people seem to be very religious.
This photo was a spontaneous, candid shot I took near the Grand Palace. The symmetry and angularity of the way they happened to be facing for this split second couldn’t even have been choreographed if I wanted.
I took many candid street photos in addition to beautiful photos of some of the amazing places I saw. I will be posting them over the next little while, so please add me as a contact and come back!
The City of Angels – Bangkok, Thailand
The City of Angels is a traditional Thai nickname for Bangkok because that was the name of the capital established on the West bank of the river in 1782.
I just spent a week in Bangkok, Thailand. It was one of the most amazing and moving experiences I’ve had. I’ve never seen such wonderful beauty, and crushing poverty in the same place. It is the most exotic place I’ve visited yet.
Over the next week or two I will upload my "City of Angels" photos as I edit them.
I took this photo at Wat Phra Kaeo – a Buddhist temple of such grand decor that Disney would have trouble imagining or matching such place. It was truly amazing.
