I don’t know if this picture can convey the stifling heat and the impending afternoon showers, but there was always a fine line between walking around Thailand and soaking in a hot tub. I took this while I was on a leased longboat that was captained by a man that appeared to have little concern for the value of his own life, much less mine.

Filed under the categories: Bangkok, Musings, Thailand, Travel

This is the market not too far from the docks in Bangkok. It wasn’t the cleanest place in the world and could not be confused with the sterile aisles of Whole Foods in Austin, but it was still a charming place to experience new strains of Thai bacteria.

Filed under the categories: Bangkok, Musings, Thailand, Travel

I was in the middle of roasting deep inside a Buddhist temple, in some sort of sweaty Bikram walking yoga, when I decided to stop and take this shot… It was just too perfectly composed with the clouds and everything for me to ignore. I had to make a dozen attempts because my sweaty fingers could not even push down the shutter button.

Filed under the categories: Bangkok, Musings, Thailand, Travel

Thailand is a big exporter. They export corn, which the Indians call “maize”. In sum, Thailand is a nation of contrasts.

Filed under the categories: Bangkok, Musings, Thailand, Travel

I am leaving on a series of planes that will eventually get me to the Russian border in the Ukrainian town of Kharkov. I also plan on spending a weekend day shooting in Chernobyl and visiting a few radiated and abandoned ghost towns. I think the weather will be cold, but I am hoping the 80 RADS keep me warm.

This shot below is not of a CCCP secret testing bunker, but I think it looks like one, at least according to my 1980′s cold war Bond-shaped vision of the Soviet nuclear program. It is actually of the airport in Bangkok, Thailand. If you zoom into the large version, you can see some nice details.

Asia has some amazing airports, but this one in Bangkok is perhaps the nicest. After getting through customs, the selection of shops, restaurants, bakeries, etc., rivals any other high-end airport or upper-crust mall in the world.

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Filed under the categories: Bangkok, Musings, Thailand, Travel

Here is a room which has the collective net worth of Thailand’s neighboring countries. Unfortunately, since Buddhists renounce wealth, this is both priceless and worthless at the same time.

If they were to trade in a few square feet of that gold, they could probably buy some iPod Nanos for the entire monastery. They can get on iTunes and buy some of that Buddhist chanting music, which may be a good escape for them.

I put a few other pictures below of some neighboring temples.

Filed under the categories: Bangkok, Musings, Thailand, Travel

Aru’s dream is to provide a good life for his children.

Aru is currently selling hand-carved Teak wood sculptures in the floating market about two hours outside of Bangkok. He is alert and alive, gladly tracing the markings on his body, explaining to me what they mean.

This shot of Aru comes from my “Portraits Portfolio“, where I try to take the opportunity to get to know some of these interesting-looking people.

This was taken in the floating market, where things got just a touch crowded towards the middle of the day. It could have been hotter in that boat, but I don’t know how.

Filed under the categories: Model, Musings, Thailand, Travel

Here is just another sunset in Bangkok with a series of longboats streaming by on the river.

Filed under the categories: Bangkok, Musings, Thailand, Travel

This was taken a bit after the coup, so I was not able to capture the Molotov cocktails or anything dynamic like that.

Filed under the categories: Bangkok, Musings, Thailand, Travel

This is a nice HDR shot I grabbed of a Buddhist temple in Thailand. I would have called this “Heaven Opening”, but I don’t think that makes sense over a Buddhist temple. If you squint, closely at the sun rays, you can see your other lives.

Filed under the categories: Bangkok, Musings, Thailand, Travel

Daily Photo: Stuck in Customs in Space

This shot is decidedly not Russian, not secret, not a bunker, but maybe it has held a few cosmonauts. Anyway, this place was just way too cool not to photograph.

Filed under the categories: Bangkok, Musings, Thailand, Travel

I was burning hot, sweating like a nearby migrant worker, but I just had to stop to take this HDR, since Buddha asked me to and all… you don’t want to ignore that guy.

Filed under the categories: Bangkok, Musings, Thailand, Travel