Snapshots of Bangkok

I’ve posted few pictures of my time in Cambodia during my 2007 trip but I did also spend some time in Bangkok at the beginning and end of the tour.  It was the first south-east Asian city I’d been to and it was something of a revelation.  It was hot, humid and very, very busy.  Crossing the street to buy food or go to the atm was an experience somewhat similar to the classic arcade game of Frogger.  I didn’t take pictures of everything I saw there, mostly I was probably too busy gawking but here are a few snapshots that did turn out alright.

temple at Grand Palace

There were a lot of blue skies when I was in Bangkok, which made looking up at the tops of reflective gold temples and Buddhas a rather squinty experience.

view from hotel

This was the street view from the hotel.  I stayed in a few different rooms in this place and also have pics from the rooms overlooking the canal.  Talking with other travellers who stayed there about six months ago, it seems that the empty lot is still that.  A bit more full of rubble that may one day be a hotel but still resembling an abandoned lot.

view of Bangkok and the river from one of the tallest temples

For this picture I was on the other side of the river from where I’d been staying and sightseeing for the most part.  You can see all the new buildings and skyscrapers as well as the old ferries chugging down the river (which is what I’d used to get to the temple).

temple across the river

This is the temple I climbed to take the photos (I have the name of it written down somewhere).  You could actually climb a fair way up with the help of hand railings and no troubles with heights.

Faces and leaves carved in stone

Lacking any baked deliciousness to post about I though I’d put up some more pictures from my 07 trip to Cambodia.  A friend just got back from Thailand and looking at her pictures made me think of travels in neighbouring countries.  Most of these pictures are from the Ta Prohm and the Bayon. 

so serene

facing all directions

ancient tree

stone tree

Not sure where the tree was photographed but I do like the carving.  Trees have an important place in religion and mythology and I like seeing the representations of them that turn up about the place.

I’m a bit vague on placing the pictures because I have to rearrange the pictures on my hard drive. After loading them on this computer all the pics are out of sequence and I’m going to have to get the memory card out to put them in the right order.

And now for something completely different (or not)

I’m still needing to stock up on photos of my current environs.  I’ve got more of Mt Tamborine but I’ll save that for another week.  So, in order to invoke a total “I wish I was somewhere else!” response, here are some pics from my trip to Cambodia a bit under 18 months ago.

This was a lovely temple outside Battambang, not in any guidebooks I’d read.  We travelled there on motorbikes with local drivers down dusty country roads.  By the end of the day everyone was covered in the fine red dirt which swirled up from the unsealed road surface which our Cambodian drivers referred to as Cambodian “snow”.  I don’t think this picture does justice to the beautiful colours of the plants and stones, but at least I’ve got my memories (for now at least).

On the same day when we were travelling back into Battambang we came across a wedding party. The lurid pink tents they’re held in are visible from quite a distance, so we hopped off the bikes to take some pictures.  The bridesmaids were all standing in row, done up to the nines, waiting on the bride to arrive.  They were very happy to pose for photos while in their finery.

Yes, I walked up a very large set of stairs to reach the temple on the top of that mountain.  It hurt, but it was worth it.  It was also very hot and after I descended the mountain looking lovely, dripping in sweat it caused my driver to ask if I’d found a swimming pool – tres hilarious…