Gallery 13
Featuring first time visits to Ubon Ratchathani and Taipei as well as the usual Thailand and Vietnam observations.
1. Above: The climb to Elephant Peak to look down on Taipei 101.
This was tougher than expected! The walk up to the viewpoint for the iconic Taipei 101 tower (the world's tallest building 2004-2010) began innocuously enough as a pathway ambling through a natural park. This soon gave way to a rigid ribbon of stone steps etched into the hillside. The path was steep in some places and very steep in others, leading to much huffing and puffing enroute to several viewing platform choices. Incidentally, the view is exactly as promised on the postcards. One set of jelly-legs ordered and delivered the very next day!
This was tougher than expected! The walk up to the viewpoint for the iconic Taipei 101 tower (the world's tallest building 2004-2010) began innocuously enough as a pathway ambling through a natural park. This soon gave way to a rigid ribbon of stone steps etched into the hillside. The path was steep in some places and very steep in others, leading to much huffing and puffing enroute to several viewing platform choices. Incidentally, the view is exactly as promised on the postcards. One set of jelly-legs ordered and delivered the very next day!
2. Above: Jiufen Old Street, Taiwan
Up in the mountains Jiufen has hit upon a winning idea. The old lane winding its way through the village has been given over to streams of tourists running a commercial gauntlet. Shops seeking to lure you in include a variety of local delicacies begging you to sample a slice or a dollop. Mementoes aplenty, liquors galore and high-end perfumes are some of the treats proffered by store holders as you follow the throng. Night-time is best, when visitors can shuffle shoal-like under the glow of lanterns. Add a deluge from the heavens splattering the brollies under the awnings, and those coloured macs, to create a great in-the-moment vibe. Worth it? Yes – just the once though.
Up in the mountains Jiufen has hit upon a winning idea. The old lane winding its way through the village has been given over to streams of tourists running a commercial gauntlet. Shops seeking to lure you in include a variety of local delicacies begging you to sample a slice or a dollop. Mementoes aplenty, liquors galore and high-end perfumes are some of the treats proffered by store holders as you follow the throng. Night-time is best, when visitors can shuffle shoal-like under the glow of lanterns. Add a deluge from the heavens splattering the brollies under the awnings, and those coloured macs, to create a great in-the-moment vibe. Worth it? Yes – just the once though.
3. Above: Wat Sirindhorn Wararam, Ubon Ratchathani Province
Sometimes when you see threatening clouds in the distance you wonder if a storm is heading your way; on this occasion it was dead obvious what was in store. It certainly adds to the atmosphere when leaves suddenly start swirling and the sky darkens well before dusk. Huddled under a traditional-build shelter, the crowd enjoyed a recurring theme at places of worship – a leaking roof! GoFundMe alert, quite possibly. The ensuing royal soaking made sure that wet fingers skidded across a wet screen rendering photos nigh on impossible. Even the intended highlight of the trip, the luminous patterns, struggled to prevail in the murk, with blurred images the best that could be achieved balancing phone and umbrella.
Sometimes when you see threatening clouds in the distance you wonder if a storm is heading your way; on this occasion it was dead obvious what was in store. It certainly adds to the atmosphere when leaves suddenly start swirling and the sky darkens well before dusk. Huddled under a traditional-build shelter, the crowd enjoyed a recurring theme at places of worship – a leaking roof! GoFundMe alert, quite possibly. The ensuing royal soaking made sure that wet fingers skidded across a wet screen rendering photos nigh on impossible. Even the intended highlight of the trip, the luminous patterns, struggled to prevail in the murk, with blurred images the best that could be achieved balancing phone and umbrella.
4. Above: Na Jasa Tai Chue Shrine, Ang Sila, Chonburi Province
Walking round the temple grounds and taking in the explosion of colour, I had two thoughts. First: how are the photos going to look with the strong sunlight creating such deep shadows? Second: the contrast in styles across the world when it comes to worship. Here, anything goes from the full palette of all known colours (bright ones only it seems). And oddly enough, Helsinki Cathedral (from a recent trip) where no colours were allowed in case they distracted from devotions. Talk about 50 shades of grey - well, about two shades, actually. Finns and Thais – different strokes?
Walking round the temple grounds and taking in the explosion of colour, I had two thoughts. First: how are the photos going to look with the strong sunlight creating such deep shadows? Second: the contrast in styles across the world when it comes to worship. Here, anything goes from the full palette of all known colours (bright ones only it seems). And oddly enough, Helsinki Cathedral (from a recent trip) where no colours were allowed in case they distracted from devotions. Talk about 50 shades of grey - well, about two shades, actually. Finns and Thais – different strokes?
5. Above: Ropeway or Cableway?
A gondola has always sounded like something you find on a Venice canal. A ropeway sounds like a dodgy way of traversing a mountain. A cableway and a chairlift sound like what they look like, so what’s the difference? You can go down an engineer’s rabbit-hole of technical mumbo on Wikipedia, or you can just accept that they are essentially the same thing, but a ropeway describes the entire system (for rope, think huge wound metal cables). Whatever – they are almost always such a thrill to ride! Pictured here: Mt Daisetzusan in Hokkaido; Mt Takao near Tokyo; Lantau Island, Hong Kong; Hakone by Mt Fuji.
A gondola has always sounded like something you find on a Venice canal. A ropeway sounds like a dodgy way of traversing a mountain. A cableway and a chairlift sound like what they look like, so what’s the difference? You can go down an engineer’s rabbit-hole of technical mumbo on Wikipedia, or you can just accept that they are essentially the same thing, but a ropeway describes the entire system (for rope, think huge wound metal cables). Whatever – they are almost always such a thrill to ride! Pictured here: Mt Daisetzusan in Hokkaido; Mt Takao near Tokyo; Lantau Island, Hong Kong; Hakone by Mt Fuji.
6. Above: The Hotel Continental, Saigon
Wood panelling and cavernous rooms with high ceilings usually let you know that you are staying in an older hotel. In the case of the Hotel Continental, you are walking the corridors in the shadow of greats. Not just famous names but also momentous events in history. It is a past that the hotel proudly shares in the form of displays and plaques. There have been a few changes since those heady days, but you might wonder who was responsible for the refurbishments. Those carpets - what on earth were they thinking? By the time you have descended to breakfast you are practically cross-eyed. Luckily the B/F setting does rather uncross things quickly enough, sitting as you are in an elegant, old-style outdoor patio setting!
Wood panelling and cavernous rooms with high ceilings usually let you know that you are staying in an older hotel. In the case of the Hotel Continental, you are walking the corridors in the shadow of greats. Not just famous names but also momentous events in history. It is a past that the hotel proudly shares in the form of displays and plaques. There have been a few changes since those heady days, but you might wonder who was responsible for the refurbishments. Those carpets - what on earth were they thinking? By the time you have descended to breakfast you are practically cross-eyed. Luckily the B/F setting does rather uncross things quickly enough, sitting as you are in an elegant, old-style outdoor patio setting!
7. Above: Wat Phra That Nong Bua, Ubon Ratchathani
This striking tall pyramid is surrounded by four smaller ones at the corners of the square – a layout called a quincunx, like Angkor Wat. With a wide apron of tiles, there is quite a bit of padding shoeless as you make your way round; rather skiddy after a recent shower (having wet socks was less appealing). Once again, the interior of a wat offered up a surprise – you never know what to expect with odd-shaped exteriors – this one with a kind of lattice structure disappearing upwards. The OTOP styled market outside looked really promising but exiting the wat it was all but wrapped up. Off by 6 pm sharpish was the obvious instruction – I did wonder what the penalty was for missing the deadline – it clearly works!
8. Above: Taipei Metro
The Taipei MRT is like a city under the city. Just like Osaka, there are wide passageways connecting stations below ground. It is possible to wander for miles exploring malls or simply grabbing a bite to eat. As for Taipei Main Station, just like Shinjuku, you will be lucky to find the correct exit at the first time of trying. More than likely you will surface 100 metres away from where you are aiming for, necessitating a quick phone-map reorientation. Once up at ground level you will be left to puzzle over why there are so many homeless people camped alongside their life-paraphernalia next to the entrances and exits.
9. Above: Ximending, Taipei
The walking street hotspot of Taipei is in Ximending. As always, the neon-blitz pokes and excites your senses at the same time. Once you have criss-crossed the streets and intersections a few times the novelty might have worn off – there’s only so much kawai that you can take as you seek out a promising eatery. It is a kind of mini-me of any Japanese thoroughfare, but it somehow manages to be not-quite-me for reasons that are hard to put your finger on. Having said that, the crowds were out, so something was working, with folks jauntily strutting their stuff, managing to create a midweek buzz.
10. Above: Wat Maha Wanaram, Ubon Ratchathani
Early morning in Ubon with the city gearing up for the Candle Festival the next day, the wat and surrounds were eerily quiet. You would expect such an attractive wat and splendid golden Buddha to be normally inundated with devotees. Perhaps it was the hour, or just simply the town readying itself for the main event. Even the wat’s huge beeswax sculptured offering to the festival was only being worked on by one monk. Having said that, solitude and silence does rather amplify holiness.
11. Above: Busy Locations
Many of the photos suggest that I was practically on my own, when the truth was that there were often hordes all around. I often stand waiting patiently for a lone person to wander out of my viewfinder, regularly statuesque for minutes on end. Sometimes of course, it is impossible to make the crowds vanish so you may as well embrace the Bruegel-like occasion. Pictured here: buses lined up at Wat Sirindhorn portend what’s to follow as you approach the site. The Philosopher’s Path in Kyoto – not much time for philosophizing, I’m afraid. Mount Takao, near Tokyo – no chance of eliminating the crowd on a Saturday when everyone had the same neat idea for a day out that morning: 'Hello Cheek, meet Jowl!'
12. Above: Wat Huay Yai, Jomtien
Wat Huay Yai is not a million miles away from Jomtien Beach so you might go along expecting tour buses. The wat itself is another of those that have been driven past over the years while on some errand or other. Finally dropping by, it is a worthy stop; well-kept and full of gold and ochre intricacies. You might get caught out by the tour-buses though, which appear to be on the ‘local area trip’ sign-up for Russians. The poor old Thai group leader learned what it’s like to herd cats as wat etiquette went out of the window, with curious folks ambling all over the place for selfies in obvious no-go sections.
13. Above: Vietnamese Wedding Photos
Vietnamese weddings tend to be raucous affairs, set in the best hotel that the families can afford and with an MC leading the choreographed proceedings. The newlyweds then have to go table to table to be toasted, prudently not taking a sip every time – there could be 100 tables! the formal introductions have a backdrop of rolling slides of the couple looking their best in glamorous locations. Lots of greenery, a vintage car, famous buildings or just the plain daft – like the top of the Phu My Bridge. At these locations wedding planners arrange props as the couple glide through the pre-arranged photo ops. Quite serious stuff and a key feature of the wedding ceremony. Well, it is for life, and you are not going to do it twice – you hope!
14. Above: Wat Tai Prachao Yai Ong Tue, Ubon Ratchathani
How to describe this one? It seemed to be a mishmash of all the styles imaginable. Crammed into a limited amount of space. It was as if seven different people had been given a design brief just for their particular small plot, but no looking at others’ ideas. The result is an overpowering dash of colour and perspectives in whichever direction you care to look. Plenty of things for your camera to focus on, but how to come up with a pleasing composition is the challenge – parts of adjacent statues seem to protrude into your viewfinder whichever way you turn!
15. Above: EmSphere, Bangkok
When you look at old films that tried to envision the future, they always appear to be miles off, just nowhere near an endpoint that was unimaginable at the time. I’d offer the original Blade Runner as a clear exception. Walking round the top floor at EmSphere in Bangkok, it occurred to me that this is what 1971’s A Clockwork Orange should have imagined, but the leap was just too great. I would not have been surprised to bump into the protagonist, Alex, perhaps minus the maxi-coat. Neon meets pop-art, meets thumping music, all of which has to be sashayed through to get to the Gustav Klimt exhibition. Old art holding its own, albeit with a vibrant digital boost: ‘Welcome to the Immersive Space Content’ it said in the programme. Immersed, we certainly were, welcome indeed!
When you look at old films that tried to envision the future, they always appear to be miles off, just nowhere near an endpoint that was unimaginable at the time. I’d offer the original Blade Runner as a clear exception. Walking round the top floor at EmSphere in Bangkok, it occurred to me that this is what 1971’s A Clockwork Orange should have imagined, but the leap was just too great. I would not have been surprised to bump into the protagonist, Alex, perhaps minus the maxi-coat. Neon meets pop-art, meets thumping music, all of which has to be sashayed through to get to the Gustav Klimt exhibition. Old art holding its own, albeit with a vibrant digital boost: ‘Welcome to the Immersive Space Content’ it said in the programme. Immersed, we certainly were, welcome indeed!
16. Above: Longshan Temple, Taipei
Although founded in 1738 by immigrants from Fujian province in China the temple is lucky to be still standing. Having been rebuilt numerous times over the years following fires or earthquakes it was actually bombed in 1945, the Americans believing that the occupying Japanese forces had stored munitions there. Standing inside it is clear that it is a functioning temple as folks earnestly pray for a lucky break in matters of health, love and business. All this is set against the clatter of wooden moon blocks hitting the flagstones. These divination tools are thrown to answer a yes/no question. One up/one down is a solid YES. You do get the best-of-three throws to even up your chances of getting what you are hoping for, before finally ending up with the not very satisfactory ‘inconclusive’ - a YES, a NO and a 'the Gods are LAUGHING at the question'.
Although founded in 1738 by immigrants from Fujian province in China the temple is lucky to be still standing. Having been rebuilt numerous times over the years following fires or earthquakes it was actually bombed in 1945, the Americans believing that the occupying Japanese forces had stored munitions there. Standing inside it is clear that it is a functioning temple as folks earnestly pray for a lucky break in matters of health, love and business. All this is set against the clatter of wooden moon blocks hitting the flagstones. These divination tools are thrown to answer a yes/no question. One up/one down is a solid YES. You do get the best-of-three throws to even up your chances of getting what you are hoping for, before finally ending up with the not very satisfactory ‘inconclusive’ - a YES, a NO and a 'the Gods are LAUGHING at the question'.
17. Above: Wat Intharawihan, Bangkok
Wandering around the wat I happened upon some community work going on at the periphery. Young folks were training under supervision in giving haircuts and manicures. What a great idea. Regular folks were lined up to get a free session and no doubt save a few baht. What’s the worst thing that could happen? Electric shaver runs amok? Frosted pink wasn’t what you pointed at? No problem, with the overseer hovering to correct mistakes. And anyway, if the haircut was a total disaster, you would be well placed to become a monk for a month. ‘Want a haircut?’ the lady shouted to me. ‘Por lao,’ I replied, taking off my hat: ‘Enough already,’ in reference to my less than abundant thatch.
Wandering around the wat I happened upon some community work going on at the periphery. Young folks were training under supervision in giving haircuts and manicures. What a great idea. Regular folks were lined up to get a free session and no doubt save a few baht. What’s the worst thing that could happen? Electric shaver runs amok? Frosted pink wasn’t what you pointed at? No problem, with the overseer hovering to correct mistakes. And anyway, if the haircut was a total disaster, you would be well placed to become a monk for a month. ‘Want a haircut?’ the lady shouted to me. ‘Por lao,’ I replied, taking off my hat: ‘Enough already,’ in reference to my less than abundant thatch.
18. Above: Wat Nong Pah Pong, Ubon Ratchathani
‘Pah’ means forest and it was here that the wat’s founder set up in 1954 against a backdrop of brooding woods, ponds and accompanying mosquitoes. So compelling were Ajarn Chah’s teachings that his movement grew from its humble beginnings of huts amidst the trees, to achieve the grand other-worldly wat that was constructed in 1993. Approaching the spaceship-like base via avenues of trees, you wonder if the interior is going to be like Dr Who’s Tardis. As it turned out it was impressive in its subdued golden serenity of normal proportions. Folks now come from all over the world to meditate here,
‘Pah’ means forest and it was here that the wat’s founder set up in 1954 against a backdrop of brooding woods, ponds and accompanying mosquitoes. So compelling were Ajarn Chah’s teachings that his movement grew from its humble beginnings of huts amidst the trees, to achieve the grand other-worldly wat that was constructed in 1993. Approaching the spaceship-like base via avenues of trees, you wonder if the interior is going to be like Dr Who’s Tardis. As it turned out it was impressive in its subdued golden serenity of normal proportions. Folks now come from all over the world to meditate here,
19. Above: Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall, Taipei
The grandeur of the plaza flanked by museums on either side lets you know that you are approaching something of substance. Taking the steps up to the mausoleum and entering the cloistered marble interior you have arrived. All stand in silence in front of the huge statue of the seated Chiang. Outside, the changing of the guard on the hour draws a crowd who are treated to synchronised precision, faultless from start to finish. Toy soldiers all, brought to life in their shiny silver helmets and odd white bootlaces, pausing mid-step from time to time to extend the hush.
The grandeur of the plaza flanked by museums on either side lets you know that you are approaching something of substance. Taking the steps up to the mausoleum and entering the cloistered marble interior you have arrived. All stand in silence in front of the huge statue of the seated Chiang. Outside, the changing of the guard on the hour draws a crowd who are treated to synchronised precision, faultless from start to finish. Toy soldiers all, brought to life in their shiny silver helmets and odd white bootlaces, pausing mid-step from time to time to extend the hush.
20. Above: Shifen, Taiwan
Shifen Waterfall on this visit was fast and furious and justifiably so considering the non-stop rainfall. There is a 20m drop over the falls, which makes for a photo-worthy thunderous torrent. Not far away, Shifen Old Street is famed for its sky lantern experience whereby you paint on to the coloured four sides of the lantern your wishes to send skywards. Each of the seven colours on offer represents such things as health, family, business, love and so on – you get to choose four to match the lantern’s sides. Up, up and away (taking in a slight detour via somebody’s balcony) one’s hopes soar. Where do they all land, and who gets to clear up the sodden remains? Spare at least one good wish for them while you are at it.
Shifen Waterfall on this visit was fast and furious and justifiably so considering the non-stop rainfall. There is a 20m drop over the falls, which makes for a photo-worthy thunderous torrent. Not far away, Shifen Old Street is famed for its sky lantern experience whereby you paint on to the coloured four sides of the lantern your wishes to send skywards. Each of the seven colours on offer represents such things as health, family, business, love and so on – you get to choose four to match the lantern’s sides. Up, up and away (taking in a slight detour via somebody’s balcony) one’s hopes soar. Where do they all land, and who gets to clear up the sodden remains? Spare at least one good wish for them while you are at it.