Sign at the north end of Patong Beach.Shrine outside and across the street from the Patong Beach sign.My spicy Thai dinner – Act One: The Feast (I’ll be sure to post pictures of Act Three when it happens).Beach with Ao Por Pier in the distance.Boat near Panak Island.The limestone islands in Phang Nga Bay.The lagoon in Panak Island.Approaching Koh Hong Island.Sea canoes with paddlers/guides waiting for passengers.Sea canoe entering the cavernous passage from the first to the second lagoon in Koh Hong.Sky clearing up as boats collect their passengers at Koh Hong.Khao Phing Kan Island in the foreground with a much larger island behind it.The dock at Khao Phing Kan Island with leaning-rock in the background.Looking out from under the leaning rock.Koh Tapu Island.Another view of Koh Tapu Island.Beach with limestone rove overhead.Long-tail boats docked at the beach.Another view of Koh Tapu and the east side of Khao Phing Kan Island.Long-tail boats acting as water-taxis with our passenger boats in the distance.More limestone islands in Phang Nga Bay.The bow of our passenger boat.Photo of my sea canoe while exploring some overhanging limestone rock formations.Hall inside Wat Chalong with miniature boat for candles in foreground.Another view of the Hall in Wat Chalong.The front of the hall.Dragon creatures adorning the stair railing.Looking at the hall, with trees and elephant statues in the way.The entrance to the second hall I visited (with gilt statues inside).The terrace around the hall.A view of the hall from the gardens.Life-like statue inside the old wooden hall.Statue of Poh Than Jao Wat.Statue of Grandpa Khee-lek (the local multi-lottery winner)Wat Chalong Chedi, with giant pagoda on top.The first floor inside Wat Chalong Chedi.Bone fragment of Buddha encased inside glass.Another structure located in Wat Chalong.Elephant shrine near Promthep Cape.Promthep Cape.Another view of Promthep Cape.Rock cairns on Promthep Cape.The ferry approaching Ko Samui.Islands in the Gulf of Thailand.Pig roasting on a spit at a restaurant in Chaweng.Chaweng Beach, looking north.Chaweng Beach, looking south.Boats near the tourist pier on Koh Samui.Boats near the pier at Mae Haad on Koh Tao.Sairee Beach on Koh Tao.Looking north on Sairee Beach.Long-tail boat at the beach with Buddhist ribbons tied to the bow.Nangyuan Island to the left of Koh Tao.A SCUBA diving boat near Nangyuan Island.Air canisters set up on our boat near Nangyuan Island.The beach connecting the three islands that make up Nangyuan Island.Leaving Nangyuan Island for the day.SCUBA boats above White Rock near Nangyuan Island.Resort and lush jungle along the shore of Koh Tao.Approaching the pier at Mae Haad on Koh Tao.Shark Island.Divers preparing their SCUBA gear near Shark Island.A SCUBA Diver coming back on board the boat.Kayak passing by the southwestern tip of Koh Tao.One of the many bays surrounding Koh Tao.Trail leading to the east side of Koh Tao.Small bay on the east side of Koh Tao.Looking east on Koh Tao.Dilapidated bungalow on Koh Tao.Valid question sprayed on a derelict resort on Koh Tao.Small bay surrounded by boulders.Looking down at the clear blue waters.Sairee Beach.Long-tail boats docked along the beach at Koh Tao.Street in Sairee, Koh Tao.Another street in Sairee with a Ladyboy Cabaret club.Songserm pier at Koh Tao.Charoensattha Bridge in Nakhon Pathom.Phra Pathom Chedi Temple (“first holy stupa”).Closeup of Phra Pathom Chedi Temple.The train journey from Nakhon Pathom to Kanchanaburi.War Cemetery in Kanchanaburi.The adjacent cemetery (filled with the remains of local Thais) to the War Cemetery.The Kwae Noi Valley.View of the Kwae Noi Valley through the brush.Part of the old “Death Railway” (Thai-Burma Railway).Hellfire Pass.Another view of Hellfire Pass.The Kwae Noi Valley seen from the old railway.Hammer and Tap Pass.Another section of the “Death Railway”.View of Hellfire Pass from above.The stream of Erawan Falls.The jungle surrounding the stream.The second tier of Erawan Falls.The third tier of Erawan Falls.View of the surrounding mountains and jungle.Fifth tier of Erawan Falls.Part of the stream at Erawan Falls.Dresses hung up in the jungle at Erawan Falls – there were a few spots with dresses and ribbons.The third tier of the waterfall, captured using the neutral density filter on my camera.Steam locomotive on display at the Kwae River Railway Station.The Bridge on the Kwae Yai.View from the bridge.Floating restaurants located next to the bridge.The railway tracks on the bridge over the Kwae Yai.The bridge on the River Kwae Yai.Another view of the bridge over the Kwae Yai.Monument to the Japanese and the workforce (Allied and Asian laborers) who built the bridge and railroad.A floating restaurant on the Kwae Yai River in Kanchanaburi.A Buddhist temple shaped like a boat.A facade in the monastery with a relief depicting Muay Thai fighters.A bottle of sweet red wine produced in Thailand.Shrines outside in Ayutthaya.Stupa in Ayutthaya located in the median between the highway.The “floating ,market” in Ayutthaya – “It’s a [tourist} trap!”Buddha statue in Wat Samanakottaram.The ruins of Wat Khudeedao.Stupa at Wat Khudeedao.My dinner of fried beef with garlic, stir-fried minced pork with glass noodles, and beer.Wat Suwan Dararam with the ordination hall in the back.The inside of the ordination hall (“ubosot”).Painting on the wall inside the ordination hall.The sermon hall (“vihara”) in Wat Suwan Dararam.Inside the sermon hall.The large stupa (“chedi”) in Wat Suwan Dararam.The remains of Phet Fortress.A prang in Wat Borom Phuttharam.The ordination hall with a sandstone Buddha statue in Wat Borom Phuttharam.Wat Borom Phuttharam seen from across the canal.Reflection of Wat Borom Phuttharam in the canal’s waters.Wat Phra Ram seen from across a pond.Wat Phra Ram with its principle prang in the background.The principle prang of Wat Phra Ram.Tourists taking a ride on an elephant around Ayutthaya Historical Park.The ruins of Wat Phra Si Samphet.The three large stupas in Wat Phra Si Samphet.Another view of the three stupas in Wat Phra Si Samphet.The center stupa (“chedi”) in Wat Phra Si Samphet.Stupa seen from the entrance of another.The facade of Wat Phra Mongkhon Bophit.The giant bronze Buddha statue seated inside Wat Phra Mongkhon Bophit.A smaller Buddha statue covered in metallic leaf inside Wat Phra Mongkhon Bophit.Ruins in Wat Thammikarat.The sermon hall (“vihara”) covered with rooster statues in Wat Thammikarat.Buddha statue seated in front of where the principle prang once stood in Wat Maha That.Ruins in Wat Maha That.Three prangs in Wat Maha That.The sermon hall with principle prang in the background in Wat Ratchaburana.The principle prang in Wat Ratchaburana.Fresco on one of the four walls inside the crypt in Wat Ratchaburana.In Thailand, the lanes on the road adjacent to the curbs are for parking – this is not an exaggeration.Minced chicken with holy basil and garlic on the left and a half-eaten Thai-style omelette on the right.Wat Khunmuangchai.The Ayutthaya Historical Study Center.Phra Chedi Sri Suriyothai.Looking west across the Chao Phraya River.A home built in Thai-style architecture.Two wooden shrines outside in someone’s front yard.Wat Chaiwatthanaram.One of the entrances leading to Wat Chaiwatthanaram.The ordination hall in Wat Chaiwatthanaram.Two Buddha statues in the ordination hall.The remains of a Buddha statue in one of the eight chedi-shaped chapels – looks like something that belongs in Silent Hill.One of the corner chedi-shaped chapels seen from a middle one.Complete Buddha statue in one of the chapels.The principle prang of Wat Chaiwatthanaram seen from its base’s corner.The principle prang at Wat Chaiwatthanaram.The view looking east from the top steps leading up the principle prang.Wat Chaiwatthanaram seen from the east side of the comples (the ordination hall is in the foreground).Another view of the principle prang with chedi-shaped chapel in the foreground.The large chedi at Wat Phu Khao Thong with storm clouds coming in.Dinner of stir-fried chicken with cashew nuts, tom yum soup with prawns, steamed rice, and a pineapple smoothie.Bottle of dry red wine made from grapes grown in Australia and fermented in Thailand.Khao San Road at night.The Giant Swing – used for an old Brahmin ceremony, but discontinued after several fatal accidents.The Thai Ministry of Defense building.Elephant monument near the Grand Palace.Phra Siratana Chedi in the Grand Palace.section of the wall mural in the Grand Palace.Strange statue (mythical animal known as a “Dandima”) guarding an entrance in the Grand Palace.
The Royal Pantheon (“Prasat Phra Dhepbidorn”) in the Grand Palace.“Devils” holding up a golden chedi in the Grand Palace.Temple of the Emerald Buddha.The Royal Pantheon (right) and Phra Mondop (left).Miniature model of Angkor Wat.Chakri Maha Prasat Hall in the Grand Palace.Royal Thai guard in front of Chakri Maha Prasat Hall.Dusit Maha Prasat Hall.Reclining Buddha statue in Wat Pho.The Reclining Buddha Statue Hall in Wat Pho.Cool gentlemen-looking statue in Wat Pho.Buddha statues.Wat Pho.Another view in Wat Pho.Long-tail boat in Chao Phraya River.Wat Arun.Entrance to Wat Arun.Buddha statue in Wat Arun.Northern view of Chao Phraya River from Wat Arun.Southeastern view of Chao Phraya River from Wat Arun.Wat Arun.Democracy Monument in Bangkok.Rajadamnern Stadium in Bangkok.The first Muay Thai fight for the night.Fighter getting elbowed and then knocked out – they had to carry him out on a stretcher.The fifth Muay Thai fight for the night.Fighter getting knocked down during the seventh fight for the night.The start of the ninth and final fight for the night.The end of the ninth fight.Bringing the stretcher out for the ninth fight – the fighter ended up not needing it.Wat Ratcha Natdaram Worawihan at night.The King Ramkhamhaeng Inscription stone from the 13th-century and is the first inscription of the Thai alphabet (adapted from Khmer).A Jataka (previous life of Buddha) statue.Saber pistols that belonged to Prince Maha Mala, King Rama IV’s son.The Buddhaisawan Chapel.The Phra Buddha Sihing statue inside the Buddhaisawan Chapel.Mural of Mara (the Lord of Worldly Delusion and Desire) and his demon army assailing the meditating Gautama.An ivory Howdah (elephant saddle) – talk about adding insult to injury.Chinese puppets.Awesome looking revolver canon.Statue of Buddha protected by nāga (a snake-like being).A smaller royal chariot – not nearly as large as the “Royal Chariot of Great Victory”.Figure of a “Kinnaree” (half woman, half bird mythical creature).A sculpture of Richard Head? – one of several phallic sculptures found in the National Museum.The northeast corner of the Grand Palace with the Royal Monastery buildings in view.The City Pillar Shrine.Wat Ratcha Natdaram Worawihan during the day.Pom Mahakan (a small fort, one of many built around the old city of Bangkok).Highway in Bangkok.Canal in Bangkok.Bangkok Yai canal.Wat Arun.Sermon given near Wat Arun.An old drawbridge over one of Bangkok’s canals.Bottle of forest berry flavored wine.
