I have done what I said I wouldn't do... purchased a full-frame camera and some lenses to go with it. I sold some other camera gear so the purchase was almost break-even. Taking photos has become a way for me to stay busy and get some exercise as well. Going on a photo hunt is hard work with very rewarding results.
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| I was planning to take some sunset photos at a small lake but was thwarted by the clouds. Instead I got this shot...Chinese tourists walking around taking pictures, completely oblivious of each other. |
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| Wildflower, with a background of a rice field ready to be harvested. |
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| This boy was with his family to attend ceremonies marking the end of Buddhist lent. |
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| Also on his way to celebrate the end of Buddhist lent, in a warm coat because the temps had plummeted to the low 80's. From the look of him I'd say he came from one of the hill tribe areas, and this time of year it does get chilly at night. |
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| For the most part, Thai kids love to have foreigners take their picture. Although my experience has been that boys are far more willing than girls to pose for photos, this time was different. The girl in the back just kept changing poses as fast as I could click the shutter. The boys on the right and left barely moved. |
The next set of pics was taken at Wat Kaet Noi, known as the Hell Garden or Buddha Hell. It is a collection of artistic displays depicting the consequences of living a virtuous life as opposed to one that is corrupted with vices. A Christian parallel might be that of the notions of "heaven" and "fire and brimstone." The Buddhist belief is that a person can experience both heaven and hell in their lifetime, and the exhibits are juxtaposed accordingly. As disturbing as some of these images might be, I did not post the extremely gruesome photos from that day. However, it is interesting to know that Thai parents and schools take children to this wat as an instructional visit.
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| This guy has a "Chang-over." Chang beer being one of the most popular in Thailand. |
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| Do you see the ghost? |
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| Buddhist goddess of compassion. |
The next set of photos are of Wat Prabudabath Si Roi. This wat is difficult to find without a guide to take you there the first time. To get there involves a beautiful ride into the mountains where it gets a bit cooler and the vegetation is lush. If you are staying in Chiang Mai you could make this a day trip. Just for fun I'm including the gps coords: N19° 01.004' E98° 45.705'
