Photos and the Reasons Why

Camera: Nikon D300S
Exposure: 0.005 sec (1/200)
Aperture: f/1.8
Focal Length: 35 mm
ISO Speed: 1600

The Chao Praya River runs directly through Bangkok. Temples and other important buildings line the banks creating a series of beautiful sights.

When night falls, the lights change these temples into even more exotic views.

This temple is Wat Arun, Temple of the Dawn. The intricate layers are indicative of it’s Khmer (Cambodian) style, which is fairly unusual in the area.

The central spire is representative of the Hindu mythological Mount Meru. The hindu’s believe that Mount Meru is the center of the universe and everything revolves around it.

Mt. Meru is hidden in the center of the earth and is 1.082 million km tall. It’s hidden well.

Camera: Nikon D300S
Exposure: 0.01 sec (1/100)
Aperture: f/1.8
Focal Length: 35 mm
ISO: 1600

The Grand Palace is gorgeous from any point of view, but I particularly enjoy seeing at night from the river. The palace has been the home to the current dynasty since Rama I built it in the late 18th century. The current King, Rama IX, no longer officially lives in the palace, his official residence is elsewhere in the city. He doesn’t live in his official residence, he has been living in a hospital since September.

Camera: Nikon D300S
Exposure: 0.003 sec (1/320)
Aperture: f/1.8
Focal Length: 35 mm
ISO Speed: 1600

The first 5 of so images I will post on here come from a river cruise I took the night before the Chinese New Year. It was a fairly large boat, holding a couple hundred people. It started with a international buffet which was, as usual, mostly Thai with something silly like fried rice from China and stew from America. Shortly after dinner, a band took the stage and I headed upstairs. There was another band on the top deck, but I found a relatively uncrowded place, put on my fastest lens, and got ready to take some pictures.

There is something magical about

Camera: Nikon D300S
Exposure: 0.017 sec (1/60)
Aperture: f/1.8
Focal Length: 35 mm
ISO Speed: 1600

Rama VIII is the current King’s predecessor and brother. Rama VIII’s real name was Ananda Mahidol or Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramentharamaha Ananda Mahidol Phra Atthama Ramathibodindara, but we’ll stick with Rama VIII.
Rama the VIII ascended to the throne when he was only 9, studying abroad in Switzerland. The government was under a constitution at the time, and the prime minister was running the government. When he was 13, visiting home before returning to Switzerland, he was shot. The conclusion came that he was playing with a gun which fired accidentally.

He had never been crowned king, but when his brother ascended to the crown as Rama IX, he gave full honors to his predecessor.

This bridge was built in his memory. Building bridges is an interesting and somewhat more useful way to honor past monarchy than the pyramids.

This is a nice full size profile view of the bridge.