Photo Gallery & Impressions 20b

PHOTO SAMPLER - BANGKOK: Night Market, Canal, Jim Thompson's House (official web site) - 23-24 Aug. 2003

A rainy Saturday night at Banglamphoo Market area of Bangkok north of the Grand Palace.

This market was near a number of guesthouses popular with trekkers (young folks). If was a busy place after the rain let up.

What can we say?  It was raining heavily. Time to eat at a tiny sidewalk food shop.

Sunday morning and we walk by this Democracy Monument on our way to catch the canal boat to Jim Thompson's House. 

This striking "Metal Palace" or Wat Rachanadda caught our eye because it was so different.

Here one of the  khlong (canal) ferries that takes locals to various points along the route waits for the 9:30 passengers at this terminal.

While the Khlong Mahanak is less than pleasant because of smells and water pollution, there is some attempt to collect the surface litter as this boat shows.

Life along the khlong is crowded,  yet tries its best to deal with population density that would tax any system.

Here you can see the man sitting on his veranda.  Note the bird cages.  (This is not Amsterdam! - but an interesting way to see part of the city.)

Here is a flattering picture of the confluence of Khlong Krung Kasem into Khlong Mahanak as we pass. 

Disembarking and walking a short distance, we arrive at the Jim Thompson House.  Keith admires the traditional Thai building.

Here the water feature of pond and lotus exemplify the grace that was Mr. Thompson's home in the 60's before his disappearance.

While we wait for the requisite guided tour, we take a few photos of the grounds.  Photos were not allowed inside during the tour.  

Just outside the entrance foyer, Peg notices these fantastic pieces of Thai art collected by this American ex-pate who had revived the silk industry after WWII.

Peg stops before the fine torso of Buddha which dates from the 7th or 8th century

The teak wooden door carvings flank Keith who provides scale for these pieces.

Outside the gracious drawing room, Peg contemplates what it might have been like in the 60's before all the high rises that surround it today.  The view here would have been the khlong.

Leaving the city on our way back to Ban Pong, we catch this sight of the famous Pin Klao bridge 

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