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Sawadee Khrap
A good way to start the new year is with a Merit Making Ceremony – giving to the monks for merit for future life – good karma. So at 8:30 they started setting up and at 9:30 the monks arrived – they also had food for everyone – lasted about 2 hrs in the parking lot right below my condo.
I like this shot – the young monk spotted me on my balcony with the camera – only one down there that I could see that looked up.
Ciao
Sawadee Khrap
This is my first attempt at making a video using Photoshop and getting it on the blog. Crude but shows the essentials. I’m not sure how to render for the web – also had to upload to YouTube using Microsoft Live Writer as a blog editor. just guessed at the settings.
The opening of the video was the local TV station’s coverage of the Bali High Port Celebration. The festivities started on Christmas Eve and lasted till New Year Eve – tonight. I just captured some footage from this evening – just before midnight and then the fireworks.
As I pan, you can see from Jontiem Beach area on the left to South Pattaya, right - with Bali High in the middle having the largest display. The screaming you hear in the background was the girls on the roof of our building enjoying the show – I stayed in my condo, safe from them and any mosquitoes.
It’s a hell of a lot more spectacular from the balcony than the video shows – so next year, plan on coming and see it in person, accompanied of course, by your favorite local young man – he and the show are waiting for
...Sawadee Khrap
To be truthful I’m not really in the Christmas spirit this year. No snow, and it is just a grand tourist shopping event here. Tonight I sat in front of the computer and this is the best I could come up with. Not depressed, just not into the festive mood. But for all of you out there MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR.
There’s going to be lot of parties around Pattaya and shows for the holidays and I will try to record some shots or maybe a video – but no promises.
Sawadee Khrap
Just went to the “Venue Christmas Show” – little darker than usual and the new LED background display is really bright and causes some problems for the camera. But still I think I got some good representative shots of all of the acts. Always something.
This is big slideshow – 307 photos
...Sawadee Khrap
Staying inside this day – don’t want to get wet or covered with powder.
Pattaya 2012 Songkran on ThapPhraya Rd in Jomtien
But here is a short clip out my window of the mayhem. It will go on for the rest of the day. Chuay stopped by and went to Jomtien Complex to throw water at his bar and celebrate with them – coming back later and then we will go to dinner. HAPPY SONGKRAN.
Ciao
Please help us and all of Thailand wishing H.M King Bhumibol Rama IX a very happy 84th birthday ( December 5th ) and continued good health.
Here is a great article for reference on His Majesty.
Happy Birthday and Long Live your Reign.
Sawadee Khrap
Friday 11th was Loy Krathong and the big evening parade. I went with Mohamed, Pea and managed to get some good shots. 
As usual I didn’t stay for the whole parade, it was slow coming and I only stayed for the first half or so – my back was really starting to hurt from all the standing. Anyway here are some examples and be sure and check out the
Sawadee Khrap
Just got back from an evening at Wat Ku Tao, a Shan (Thai Yai -Burmese) Temple located near Chang Puak Rd. I was invited to go with a friend, Wit, to see the celebration for Shan New Years. It began on Dec 6th and this was the last evening (8th). Wow
I tried to get some shots but my camera will not take good photos in low light – Damn – I am going to get a new one after the Christmas holidays – I hope the prices will drop by then. In any event here are a few of the shots I did manage to get.
First was Wit, in his traditional Shan dress (rather formal): Saifah was there in great traditional Burmese dress but I could not get any shots of his outfit – he was going on stage and I missed my chance.
Sorry for the bad quality but you can still see the outfit – the place was packed, I’s say over 3-4000 there. Great entertainment, many young men, singing, food,
...Sawadee Khrap
“Sawadee Pee Mai” – สวัสดีปีใหม่ Happy New Year April 12-16th – Water, Water everywhere – Don’t let the problems in Bangkok spoil your holiday.
I’ll have some photos this week on the New Year Celebrations and I have just complete a photo session with the Adam’s Apple Ladies – Cabaret show dancers. They are approving them now and I will post some examples here. Stay tuned.
Ciao
Sawadee Khrap
Wow – I just got these great pictures from our friend Max — He and several of his friends spent the weekend at this great place in Lampang. On Kew Lom Lake – at the Wang-Kaew Isle resort. Approx. 160Km from Chiang Mai past Lampang but before you reach Phayao.
Looks like a very peaceful place to relax and enjoy the company of good friends – he says that they took a bamboo-boat from the resort for a 2 hr round-trip tour of the lake – caves, landscapes, – then back to the resort’s natural gardens and comfortable rooms with WC/hot showers and a balcony overlooking the lake. Very reasonable – they paid about 1200 Baht ($40 US) person/night for lodging, food, drinks and tours — not bad.
P.S. I just ran across a web-site for “big game” fishing and it shows the Kew Lom lake – Don’t know how they do for the fishing, or how big they are BUT judging from the photos of the boys in Max’s shots, there must be a lot to catch at the resort (
). New and I will have to check it out and let you know – fishing and the resort – ha ha .
Ciao
Sawadee Pee Mai – Happy New Year
Nu and I want to wish all a very happy and prosperous new year. Sorry I didn’t make up a fancy graphic or the like – I still haven’t got my computer working as it should – at least that’s the excuse I have used so far – it’s hard to admit that maybe I am also a bit lazy.
Sawadee Pi Mai
Here are some shots from the top of “Huay Kaew Road Central” shopping center down the street from us – just up from the moat. There were 4 dancing stages, each with their own bands playing within the same block – here is the one in front of Central itself – If you look closely you can also see the stage up and on the other side of the street – in the upper left, below the “MK” sign. There was also another at the Orchid Hotel. 
And then we ventured into the streets – These are shots from Jerry’s car – windows up naturally, or we would have been really soaked, going down the moat street at Chang Puak Gate. Figuring that each side of the moat surrounding the Old City area of Chiang Mai is about 1.3 miles – that means just here alone there is a gauntlet of almost 5 miles of people on both sides of the street throwing water on all passers by – especially those on motorcycles – and almost any one who had one was riding there – It’s not Songkran unless your soaking wet. ———— 
Today we went to make merit for the Thai New Year (Songkran). We went to a small temple outside of town in the Mae Rim District. Tasanai wanted to find a small temple in the remote areas that needed supplies and didn’t have a large congregation. We found a beautiful, small temple, Pong Yang Nai Temple.
The inside was painted with these colourful murals:
The Head Monk and second weren't there so we left our merit offering with a novice monk who was meditating when we arrived – The baskets had food, medical supplies and other needed items. Plus a envelope with a little bit of cash.
Then we headed back home. Along the way we stopped at a roadside coffee shop and got ice cream shakes – great in the heat of the day – Sitting in the place next to us was a cute kid. His father was a worker for the inn and we bought a shake for the kid too.
He really had a great expression when they brought the shake to him.
For the next few days we will be celebrating SONGKRAN – the Thai New Year – the “water festival” as it is
...Sawadee Khrap
Here are some shots from the Chiang Mai Wat Papao Festival on April 5th.
First the Temple (Wat) This is a very old Burmese Temple and local police are not allowed in the temple grounds – they police the area themselves – that can be scary, especially after they have been drinking all day and then celebrating at night. Lot of fights here – but during the day they are friendly but we did not see a lot of smiles, I was the only Farang in the complex.
The temple area is very large and sets back from the main road – you don’t realize the size until you enter the complex – it also has a little market with vendor/food stalls. Almost like a little Burmese city.
At this festival every family with a son about 10 y/o or so will spend all their money to dress their sons in royal princess clothes and carry them through the streets to the temple for presentation to the Abbot for monk-hood. Here are some images starting from Thapae Gate and the procession leading to the Temple:
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