Gallery 3
Here are 20 more favourite photos with some text and additional pics to add to the flavour.
1. Above: Yokohama Funfair
Standing in the queue for the ferris wheel at Yokohama’s funfair, one is made aware of the adjacent roller-coaster as it thunders by, the screams being carried away on the wind. As it whizzes round some tight bend or careens down some precipitous drop, you can sense how vulnerable the whole thing is. Only slightly comforting is the sight of the walkway next to the track, probably just for maintenance, but you never know, for an emergency as well. The ferris wheel is one of those old ones that stop to load up the carriages every thirty seconds. This leaves you suspended high up and making only staccato upwards moves. Very high up. I found the process all rather disconcerting, Will pass on that next time.
Standing in the queue for the ferris wheel at Yokohama’s funfair, one is made aware of the adjacent roller-coaster as it thunders by, the screams being carried away on the wind. As it whizzes round some tight bend or careens down some precipitous drop, you can sense how vulnerable the whole thing is. Only slightly comforting is the sight of the walkway next to the track, probably just for maintenance, but you never know, for an emergency as well. The ferris wheel is one of those old ones that stop to load up the carriages every thirty seconds. This leaves you suspended high up and making only staccato upwards moves. Very high up. I found the process all rather disconcerting, Will pass on that next time.
2. Above: The Mon Bridge, Sangkhla Buri, Thailand
The longest wooden bridge in Thailand is called the Mon Bridge, the Mon being the Burmese community that inhabits the Thai villages adjacent to the border. As you walk along you pass the usual attempts at selling handicrafts; not too pushy, and all done with a smile. Having declined a photo of, or with, this little gang, I proceed to follow as they made their way home. Having my camera was round my neck, I was perfectly placed to capture this impish moment. The universal 'V'!
The longest wooden bridge in Thailand is called the Mon Bridge, the Mon being the Burmese community that inhabits the Thai villages adjacent to the border. As you walk along you pass the usual attempts at selling handicrafts; not too pushy, and all done with a smile. Having declined a photo of, or with, this little gang, I proceed to follow as they made their way home. Having my camera was round my neck, I was perfectly placed to capture this impish moment. The universal 'V'!
3. Above: Nikko, Japan
Nikko, north of Tokyo has been a centre for Buddhism and Shintoism since the eighth century. It is a World Heritage Site with many significant temples; it is also the location of the original three wise monkeys carving – see, hear and speak no evil. My first trip to Japan involved cycling to Nikko from Narita airport in the cold October air. Your first ever visit to a new country finds everything strange - like trying three times to exit the airport terminal or ordering at the motel on the first night. A request for a beer was met with a show of three sizes of glasses and a quizzical look. I motioned ‘okay’ to the middle one but was then served with three beers in all three glasses. Not a disaster if you are thirsty, but certainly a watch-point.
Nikko, north of Tokyo has been a centre for Buddhism and Shintoism since the eighth century. It is a World Heritage Site with many significant temples; it is also the location of the original three wise monkeys carving – see, hear and speak no evil. My first trip to Japan involved cycling to Nikko from Narita airport in the cold October air. Your first ever visit to a new country finds everything strange - like trying three times to exit the airport terminal or ordering at the motel on the first night. A request for a beer was met with a show of three sizes of glasses and a quizzical look. I motioned ‘okay’ to the middle one but was then served with three beers in all three glasses. Not a disaster if you are thirsty, but certainly a watch-point.
4. Above: Khlong Ong Ang, Bangkok
Khlong Ong Ang in Bangkok is a rejuvenated canal-side area near Chinatown. On the towpaths either side there are lines of stalls selling craft-type wares and clothes, along with sit-down restaurants. Live bands, buskers and street art all contribute to the lively vibe, as does the evening lighting. The part that puzzles me is that you can rent a canoe to glide up and down, but the water looks black and toxic, certainly not the place to practise your kayak-roll. Each to their own, I suppose!
Khlong Ong Ang in Bangkok is a rejuvenated canal-side area near Chinatown. On the towpaths either side there are lines of stalls selling craft-type wares and clothes, along with sit-down restaurants. Live bands, buskers and street art all contribute to the lively vibe, as does the evening lighting. The part that puzzles me is that you can rent a canoe to glide up and down, but the water looks black and toxic, certainly not the place to practise your kayak-roll. Each to their own, I suppose!
5. Above: Holy Water Temple, Bali
Bali is one of those tourist destinations where unfettered development has completely taken away the charm in many places. Try getting a taxi from Kuta Beach to Seminyak Beach, the three kilometres can take an hour at peak times. But once you put some distance in from those hot spots, you can reach areas where the charm is still intact. Bali’s unique culture also pervades not just society, but also the physical landscape. You just know you are in Bali. Pictured here near Ubud is the Tirta Empul holy water temple where people undertake the purification ritual to ward off evil and create a doorway to God.
Bali is one of those tourist destinations where unfettered development has completely taken away the charm in many places. Try getting a taxi from Kuta Beach to Seminyak Beach, the three kilometres can take an hour at peak times. But once you put some distance in from those hot spots, you can reach areas where the charm is still intact. Bali’s unique culture also pervades not just society, but also the physical landscape. You just know you are in Bali. Pictured here near Ubud is the Tirta Empul holy water temple where people undertake the purification ritual to ward off evil and create a doorway to God.
6. Above: Tokyo Dome, Japan
Exiting the Tokyo Dome after watching some exposition or other (no idea what it was for), with dance and music as well as a huge food-hall, I came across excited performers mingling with the crowd. There is a huge adrenaline rush following any public performance, and this transfers to the dressing room afterwards, or in this case the main exit. The excitement of being in a team, practising relentlessly, then pulling off a great show is clear for all to see. This shot of a part of a troupe of dancers squeezing into the frame of a selfie on a stick captures all that.
Exiting the Tokyo Dome after watching some exposition or other (no idea what it was for), with dance and music as well as a huge food-hall, I came across excited performers mingling with the crowd. There is a huge adrenaline rush following any public performance, and this transfers to the dressing room afterwards, or in this case the main exit. The excitement of being in a team, practising relentlessly, then pulling off a great show is clear for all to see. This shot of a part of a troupe of dancers squeezing into the frame of a selfie on a stick captures all that.
7. Above: Statues at Wat Phra Singh, Chiang Mai
Statues of holy monks are often so realistic that you have to double-take. Slight exaggeration, as a row of golden figures is not likely to contain a living one. But they do invite close scrutiny to take in the detail, and perhaps a probing finger to touch the ingenuity of the sculpture. As with all photography, the light will be the key to the success or otherwise of the picture. Here the light and shade combined to make one particular monk stand out, with a large aperture accentuating the effect.
8. Above: Wooden Prayer Blocks, Kawagoe, Japan
In temples or churches of any denomination you can usually make a donation and buy a votive candle. Commonly in Japan and Thailand there are alternatives to a candle, and you can actually make an inscription declaring your wish or prayer for all the see. Ribbons are a favourite in Thailand and easy to tie to their intended destination. A folded piece of paper is popular in Japan with different coloured paper enhancing a kind of washing-line effect, tied like bows on pigtails. Here in Kawagoe were wooden blocks (as in Meiji Park), for you to copy out your thoughts with the added power of their no longer being a secret - I am guessing there! There were certainly plenty strolling along reading strangers' non-private thoughts.
9. Above: Mandalay, Myanmar
The New Year water festival in Myanmar is called Thingyan and celebrated in April. In Mandalay they have got it highly organised with a VIP stand where you can sit and drench the revellers with your own private hose. It is possibly worth the $30 entrance fee which also includes a meal and drinks. I tried to stay out of it all astride my bicycle as I timidly revealed my camera, but I was a sitting duck to be fair, and a foreigner too – a free hit on every level imaginable. A plastic bag inside the bum-bag saw the point-and-shoot camera safely home, despite the 'Platinum Garden' dignitary's best efforts.
10. Above: Wat Yai, Phitsanulok, Thailand
Several times I have been at a wat, when suddenly music blares out from speakers and a senior ladies’ dance troupe takes to an impromptu stage – often just a clearing in the crowd. Without exception, they are graceful and elegant as they go through a faultless routine. What a great way to spend your evenings in your golden years, rehearsing at the village hall ready for an upcoming performance or festival. They also get to dress in some splendid finery when they step out.
11. Above: Temple of the Floating Pagodas, Lampang, Thailand
You can see the Temple of the Floating Pagodas from miles away. The white stupas are lined up on promontories on a high mountain ridge. As you get closer you realise that if you frame the pagodas to include the highlands, they will just look like white dots and the image will not do them justice. They will look like they are floating though! Once you’ve taken the baht-bus to the base, there is a sweaty 30-minute climb up the wooden steps to get to the top. The views are great as you lean over the fence next to the sign that probably says don’t lean on the fence. Question: if you read a sign in a language you can’t understand, have you read it? Technically yes, but no consolation as you fall precipitously into the void. In Hokkaido, the ‘Beware of the Bears’ sign in Japanese has a picture of a bear on it and two red exclamation marks. Yo!
12. Above: Sawara, Chiba Province, Japan
Sawara in Japan grew as an inland trading port with river access to the sea. During the Edo Period its canal system linked to the docks making it a key trading centre. All the canals are still there, and their sinuous forms are flanked by old trading houses, converted for modern-day uses now. The traditional buildings are mixed in with functional residences, shops and restaurants which all make for a photogenic backdrop to your canal boat trip, or morning wander.
13. Above: Katori-Jingu Shrine, Japan
Just outside Sawara, a bus ride away, is the Katori-jingu Shrine at the top of a hill. The approach way is a path through the trees flanked by Ishidoro (stone lanterns). These lanterns originally came to Japan in the sixth century and started to be used at shrines and temples from the sixteenth century onwards. The older ones always seem to be covered in moss. The clear sunny November day (same day as the previous photo) suggests a carefree morning amble through the woods. It was in fact bitterly cold, with a biting wind piercing every layer at the bus-stop. Thinking about it, bus-stops are always like that!
14. Above: Train Night Market, Bangkok
Generally, I don’t go for pre-prepared market food. It is usually deep-fried or full of sugar and MSG, or the meat cuts are mainly fat. I just find it unappetising. What you are used to I guess – I will also never get used to a bag of insects or grubs! Sometimes though, the quality is clearly up a notch or two, like with these kebabs at the Train Night Market at Srinagarindra, Bangkok. I assume that this is because it is not just a local market; folks come from far and wide to one of Bangkok's famous, train markets, so the ingredients and all a better cut. A few of these will keep your spirits up if you are wilting.
15. Above: The Buddha's Footprint, Khao Khitchakut, Thailand
Khao Khitchakut is a holy mountain near Chanthaburi. Pilgrims make the trek to the top to see the Buddha’s footprint. It is a decent climb, taking about three hours there and back; the way is mostly laid out in steps, so you just need a bit of stamina to see you through. There are great views once up there, although I was rather non-plussed as to the actual location of the footprint itself. ‘Pity we missed it,’ I lamented when we got back, only to be told that I was sitting right next to it as I threw my coins and coloured beads into its gold frame on the ground like everyone else. I did wonder what that part was about!
Khao Khitchakut is a holy mountain near Chanthaburi. Pilgrims make the trek to the top to see the Buddha’s footprint. It is a decent climb, taking about three hours there and back; the way is mostly laid out in steps, so you just need a bit of stamina to see you through. There are great views once up there, although I was rather non-plussed as to the actual location of the footprint itself. ‘Pity we missed it,’ I lamented when we got back, only to be told that I was sitting right next to it as I threw my coins and coloured beads into its gold frame on the ground like everyone else. I did wonder what that part was about!
16. Above: Koyasan, Japan
The mountain-top UNESCO site of Koyasan is the home of the Shingon branch of Buddhism. It was founded in 816 by Kukai who is buried there, apparently still in a state of meditation for the salvation of all sentient beings. South of Nara, the final approach to the mountain is by cable-car. There are over 100 temples on Mount Koya, many offering lodgings and courses in meditation. The main cemetery, Okunoin, is sometimes referred to as the cemetery of 20,000 monks; it has over 200,000 graves. Exploring the cemetery, you follow the two-kilometre pathway through tall trees and tombstones, which along with the dappled light, combine to create an ethereal experience, regardless of one’s own spiritual affiliations.
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The mountain-top UNESCO site of Koyasan is the home of the Shingon branch of Buddhism. It was founded in 816 by Kukai who is buried there, apparently still in a state of meditation for the salvation of all sentient beings. South of Nara, the final approach to the mountain is by cable-car. There are over 100 temples on Mount Koya, many offering lodgings and courses in meditation. The main cemetery, Okunoin, is sometimes referred to as the cemetery of 20,000 monks; it has over 200,000 graves. Exploring the cemetery, you follow the two-kilometre pathway through tall trees and tombstones, which along with the dappled light, combine to create an ethereal experience, regardless of one’s own spiritual affiliations.
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17. Above: Wat Khao Angkhan, Thailand
This wat in Buriram Province is on top of an isolated hill in a red sandstone area. It has fairly distinctive grounds, everything being a rust colour, but its upkeep takes away from the overall effect. This is often noticeable in country wats where it is clear that the budget just doesn’t take care of the day-to-day maintenance. Whilst the royal wats in Bangkok are immaculate, freshly painted and not a brick or tile out of place, many of their countryside juniors are languishing rather. At this wat a key feature is the large reclining Buddha with a big shade over it like a football stand. When I was there a storm had flattened the cover which lay on top of the Buddha. I wondered how long it would be before it was fixed?
This wat in Buriram Province is on top of an isolated hill in a red sandstone area. It has fairly distinctive grounds, everything being a rust colour, but its upkeep takes away from the overall effect. This is often noticeable in country wats where it is clear that the budget just doesn’t take care of the day-to-day maintenance. Whilst the royal wats in Bangkok are immaculate, freshly painted and not a brick or tile out of place, many of their countryside juniors are languishing rather. At this wat a key feature is the large reclining Buddha with a big shade over it like a football stand. When I was there a storm had flattened the cover which lay on top of the Buddha. I wondered how long it would be before it was fixed?
18. Above: Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park, Thailand
When you drive between Bangkok and Chiang Mai you are on Highway 1 for a fair distance. About half-way up the country you pass signs for Kamphaeng Phet, but you are on a mission so you never detour to take a look. This time it was part of the plan – stop for one night near Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park! Not only was the site fantastic but, just after covid travel restrictions had been lifted, there was nobody else there. Literally nobody but us. What good fortune to wander unhindered amongst 13-15th century ruins dating from the Sukhothai period and have it all to oneself. Not only were they in excellent condition, but they were also situated in beautifully landscaped grounds. Chalk that one up as a win-win!
When you drive between Bangkok and Chiang Mai you are on Highway 1 for a fair distance. About half-way up the country you pass signs for Kamphaeng Phet, but you are on a mission so you never detour to take a look. This time it was part of the plan – stop for one night near Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park! Not only was the site fantastic but, just after covid travel restrictions had been lifted, there was nobody else there. Literally nobody but us. What good fortune to wander unhindered amongst 13-15th century ruins dating from the Sukhothai period and have it all to oneself. Not only were they in excellent condition, but they were also situated in beautifully landscaped grounds. Chalk that one up as a win-win!
19. Above: Mabprachan Cyle Track, Chonburi, Thailand
I am full of admiration for my local municipality. Just about everything they spend on seems to benefit the community. The 10 km walking-cycling track that goes round Lake Mabprachan is a case in point. I have learnt not to cycle in the evenings though when it is a bit chaotic. You simply can’t gather speed for fear of crashing into a group taking a selfie, a couple walking their dog, a tandem weaving all over the place, or a gaggle of small children oblivious to other users. I go in the morning when the whole place is in exercise mode. Regular users are out by 7 am and are generally off the track before it gets too hot. Pictured here, the sun going down by an avenue of exercise equipment to the side of the track.
I am full of admiration for my local municipality. Just about everything they spend on seems to benefit the community. The 10 km walking-cycling track that goes round Lake Mabprachan is a case in point. I have learnt not to cycle in the evenings though when it is a bit chaotic. You simply can’t gather speed for fear of crashing into a group taking a selfie, a couple walking their dog, a tandem weaving all over the place, or a gaggle of small children oblivious to other users. I go in the morning when the whole place is in exercise mode. Regular users are out by 7 am and are generally off the track before it gets too hot. Pictured here, the sun going down by an avenue of exercise equipment to the side of the track.
20. Above: Phu Ruea, Loei Province, Thailand
It is surprising how many people go camping in Thailand. You would think that being under canvas in the heat and being accompanied by legions of mosquitoes would make it a complete no-no. Looking round Decathlon sports outfitters there is tons of camping gear – tents, boots, backpacks, hats, trousers, and all the outdoor paraphernalia that goes with wilding. What becomes clear later is that the camping is really confined to the highlands where morning temperatures can be sub-ten degrees, and the trekking doesn’t involve being dripping wet with sweat before you have even set out.
It is surprising how many people go camping in Thailand. You would think that being under canvas in the heat and being accompanied by legions of mosquitoes would make it a complete no-no. Looking round Decathlon sports outfitters there is tons of camping gear – tents, boots, backpacks, hats, trousers, and all the outdoor paraphernalia that goes with wilding. What becomes clear later is that the camping is really confined to the highlands where morning temperatures can be sub-ten degrees, and the trekking doesn’t involve being dripping wet with sweat before you have even set out.