Sunset time at rooftop garden

Evening at rooftop garden

Sunset time

Evening sky

A few shots of Bangkok taken in the past few days

Evening panorama

View from Ratchadaphissek

Huaikhwang view after rain

Silom scene at night

View from 34F

At Silom

Silom street foodstall

Times Square Show in New York City

This is how it looked like on Times Square last night in New York City:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.820442821313870.1073741896.111327998892026&type=1

Lumphini Park, Bangkok สวนลุมพินี

Map of the Park

  This is an old and large park in the 'City of Angels'. King Rama VI had it created in 1925. This is why the former King's statue stands at one of the park main entrances near Silom. The park name derives from Lumbini, in Nepal, where Lord Buddha was born.

As it is located right in the center of the city and that it is really big, it operates like one of Bangkok breathing lung. There are many trees, plants and flowers. There are two man-made lakes on which you can rent and row a boat or a pedalo. It is particularly popular in the evening for crowds of joggers running the 2.5km jog track around the park. There are two places that also offer group exercises with music. But the park is a great way to get away from the city hustle & bustle, breathe some cooler air, take a stroll or sit in the shade near one of the lakes. The waters are populated by scores of monitor lizards, which do not seem to be too scared to walk across some of the lawns or even cross some of the park pathways. Some of these animals are so big that they can be mistaken for small crocodiles. You can see them any time, but it seems they are more actively taking their own stroll in the morning.  

Silom Skyline

Chinese Pagoda

The park has many interesting features. At the other entrance, near Sathorn, there is a big Chinese clock tower. Further away, there is a Chinese pagoda right across an open air gym, which attracts serious bodybuilders. There is also a Chinese white marble pavilion, an open air theater, a brand new public swimming-pool and a state-of-the-art gym next door. Toilets & showers are scattered everywhere in the park. There are some gazebos too. Children have their own playground corner. Of course, there are also a few statues as well and even a Buddhist shrine in one corner of the park.

In some aspect, this park resembles Central Park in New York, as it is now surrounded by skyscrapers.

It is also interesting to know that there is a quiet walk link along a khlong between Lumphini Park & Benjakiti Park further away. Many bikers use this path nowadays.

Christian Sorand

Websites:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lumphini_Park
• http://office.bangkok.go.th/office/ppdd/publicpark/english/mainpark/E_Lumpini.html

Newest Recognition from TripAdvisor

Hi, Christian Sorand    481 reviews    244 helpful votes

Congratulations, Christian S.! You're the #1 reviewer in Bangkok! (Not your town? Update it here.) RANK NAME HELPFUL VOTES TOTAL REVIEWS 1 Christmate11 244 481 2 Chattan_k 246 428 3 Raintree_Tha... 205 350 4 bob2bkk 273 338 5 メトロポ川山 656 314 6 TravelbugVie... 243 280 7 pemblin 220 262 8 BMF60 189 252 9 Charn P 120 245 10 PORhibido 502 232   Thank you so much for your 481 reviews. Don't let anyone bump you out of first place.

Huaikhwang Ganesha Shrine, Bangkok ศาลพระพิฆเนศ

Gold Statue of Ganesha

  Huaikhwang is a popular Thai area in Bangkok. It is always very animated at night because there are many huge nightclubs or massage parlors in the area. But also because there is a big night market there. At the corner of Rachadaphisek and Pracharat Bamphen Road, near exit 2 of the MRT station, there is one of the most famous shrines in Bangkok with the Erawan Shrine on Sukhumvit, near Siam Square. Ganesha Shrine is always busy. Night or day and perhaps even busier at night when people have more free time to come.

Now, Ganesha is the Elephant god of the Hindu pantheon. In fact, it is one of the 5 prime Hindu deities with Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva & Durga. Note the odd number five. In the Hindu mythology, Ganesha is the son of Shiva & Parvati. Although Thais are Buddhist, Ganesha is highly respected in this part of the world. It shows that Hinduism & Buddhism are intertwined. It also reveals the historical legacy of India in southeast Asia, from Indonesia to Laos.  

Student praying

Ganesha has many attributes.Because of his intellect and wisdom, it has become the patron of arts and sciences. He is the Lord of success and the destroyer of all evils and obstacles. Being the patron of letters and learning, he is also the god of education. This is why students come to pray here before their examinations.

Ganesha is often associated with a mouse, the lowest of creatures, therefore showing he is humble. He is standing with an elephant head and with four arms. This time, note the even number 4. He has a curved tusk and two big fan-like ears. He is always represented with a huge pot-bellied as he is also the god of wealth and the personification of material universe. The same principle is applied to the Chinese Buddhas. But Ganesha remains the destroyer of vanity, selfishness and pride.

Looking closely at the statue reveals the symbolic objects he is associated with. No less than 11!

1. His head represents the 'Atman' or the soul turned towards the sky.
2. His body reveals his 'Maya', the earthly existence of human beings.
3. His elephant head signifies his wisdom.
4. His trunk contains the 'Om' the sound symbol of cosmic reality.
5. His upper right hand holds a goad to lead mankind and remove obstacles.
6. In his left hand, he has a noose in order to capture oncoming difficulties.
7. The pen-like tool in his lower right hand is his broken tusk revealing his sacrifice to write the 'Mahabharata' according to the mythology.
8. He holds a rosary in his lower left hand, showing his continuous pursuit of knowledge.
9. He also holds a 'laddoo' (a sweet) in his trunk, as a symbol to discover the sweetness of the 'Atman'.
10. His large ears tell that he will be a keen listener of any petition.
11. Finally, he has a snake around his waist to show energy in all forms.

Temple scene

  The Huaikhwang Ganesha Shrine is always well attended. Perhaps Ganesha accounts to the fact that elephants are so widely respected in Thailand as well as in the neighboring countries of Myanmar, Laos & Cambodia. It is a gold statue like in most Thai temples. Yellow, and thus gold are both a Royal & Divine color in Buddhism.

The Thai are very superstitious. This is why, all around the shrine, there are a few established fortune-tellers, who seem to benefit from the aura Ganesha brings to their business, totally in keeping with the attributes of the Elephant God. For 500 B, you may have your fortune be revealed in the next twenty minutes!

Christian Sorand

→ Links:

• Ganesha, Lord of Success: http://hinduism.about.com/od/lordganesha/a/ganesha.htm
• Ganesha: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganesha
• Huaikhwang Ganesha temple: http://www.thaibis.com/bangkok/attractions/ganesha-shrine

BLIPFOTO

blipfoto

You've hit the spotlight Hey Christian, Your entry for 11 July just hit the Blipfoto Spotlight! The spotlight pages show the most popular entries from the last 24 hours on Blipfoto, so this is quite an achievement - well done! The Blipfoto Team www.blipfoto.com

http://www.blipfoto.com/Chrismate

My Photos on Times Square, New York!

Hi Chrismate, Congrats! Your work is going to be displayed in Times Square! The show is this Thursday, July 24th from 8-9pm! Here's your images that are going to be featured: https://Chrismate.see.me/post/2364342 The billboards are located at 46th St. and Broadway in the heart of NYC. We'll be photographing the show, in case you can't make it. We're also working on sending everyone exactly what time their work will be shown, but we haven't finished that yet. Such incredible work deserves to be seen, congrats again! Thanks for making the #SeeMeTakeover possible, we can't wait! Stay creative, SeeMe P.S. Here's a flyer to share with your friends!

TripAdvisor newest recognition

	Thanks for your opinions! You've added reviews of places in 110 destinations, and earned yourself an updated Passport badge. Bravo!

Benjakiti Park, Bangkok สวนเบญจกิติ

This is a lovely park in downtown Bangkok. It is next to Queen Sirikit Convention Centre on one end & closer to Asok Sukhumvit / Radchadphisek intersection on the other end. People go there in the morning or in the evening to exercise. There is a jogging track that goes counterclockwise for running and a cycle track that goes clockwise for serious bikers. But it is simply a nice place to go for a stroll. The skyline is particularly scenic and in the evenings, this is the place to go to watch the sunset. On the western side of the lake, there is a pretty boardwalk with benches to sit in the shade. The view is serene but it is also a cool place to sit & relax with a book. The western part of the lake has also a more conventional garden with lawn, trees & a few monuments. This is a better place to go in the daytime when the temperature is warmer. On the south-eastern side of the park, there is a booth where you can rent a bike by the hour (40B/h). You can also rent a kayak or get a swan-shaped pedalo to glide on the lake. In the daytime, you can sometimes encounter a few monitor lizards. 

As Queen Sirikit Convention Centre is right on the southern end of the park, you can enjoy more amenities while going to the park. There is a café & restaurant with a viewing terrace. And right inside the Convention Centre, there is Black Canyon Café, a True Café & even a Starbucks.

Yesterday evening, I went back there to take a few more pictures and just enjoy the breeze and the evening lights. I ended up having a fusion dinner at Black Canyon Café.

Website: http://www.travelfish.org/sight_profile/thailand/bangkok_and_surrounds/bangkok/bangkok/1848

Classy Corner

→ Flickr album link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/chris_sorand/sets/72157645800546173/

Scenic View

Sunset

New SEE ME Photography Recognition

Hi Chrismate, Congrats! Your work is going to be shown on one of the biggest billboards in Times Square as part of a massive animated collage on Thursday, July 24th, at 8pm! More information coming soon! Stay Creative, SeeMe

https://www.facebook.com/SeeMe

SEE ME Photographic Recognition, New York City

THE STORY OF THE CREATIVE

OFFICIAL LETTER OF INCLUSION

It is an incredible honor to have your work included in this exhibition. This document is your official letter

of recognition for inclusion in  The Story of the Creative.

Your work was on view at the gala opening at the Angel Orensanz Foundation for the Arts at 172 Norfolk

Street, New York City, NY 10002, on Thursday, July 25th, 2013. Your work continued to be exhibited at

the See Exhibition Space, at 26-19 Jackson Avenue, Long Island City, NY 11101 from July 29th through

September 10th, 2013.

Without question, the act of creation has always been a historical marker; a civilization’s culture is

judged first and foremost by the art left behind. Just as archaeologists offer hypotheses about ancient

societies based on cave paintings, historians of the future will base their conjectures about us on the

contemporary art, fashion and music that is happening at this very moment. Creators around the

world—a vital force for social change, technological advancement, and innovative thought—have

evolved dramatically over the past decade. The digital age is molding the creative landscape before our

eyes.

The work showcased in  The Story of the Creative speaks to the diversity of voices so crucial to our

international cultural dialogue.

Your work has been selected to join an international collection of talent that speak to this vital story.

Thank you for sharing your talent with us and with the world.

Sincerely,

William Etundi Jr.

Founder & CEO of See.Me

26-19 Jackson Ave., Long Island City, NY 11101

| www.see.me |

JOURNAL D'UN PÉRIPLE DANS LE NORD-EST (ISAN)

Parti de Bangkok, le vendredi 04 avril, je ne suis revenu qu'aujourd'hui de ce périple de 6 jours dans le nord-est de la Thaïlande, immense région, appelée ISAN.

Bien que ce soit encore la saison sèche, j'ai essuyé quelques orages, annonciateurs de la saison des pluies qui approche. La fête du Songkran (fête de l'eau) commence ce week-end pour quelques jours.

Dans les villages campagnards du nord-est, je n'avais pas Internet, ni même de bonnes connexions sur mon téléphone mobile. Je n'ai donc ni pu écrire, ni communiquer correctement en ligne.

Voici donc les grandes lignes de ce périple.

L'ISAN au sud du Mékong.

La Thaïlande est un grand pays, tout en longueur. Elle fait deux fois la France du nord au sud. Parti à 4h du matin, le 4/04, je ne suis arrivé à destination que vers 15h. La distance était d'environ 660km.

Cette région est le grenier à riz du pays. Le paysage est plat, assez monotone et surtout brulé en cette fin de saison sèche. Ce doit être bien différent pendant la saison des pluies, lorsque les rizières sont vertes.

Les photos de l'Isan feront l'objet d'un album sur Flickr. J'ai déjà crée un autre album appelé 'Les Enfants de l'Isan' (puisque Frédérique m'a demandé de prendre des photos d'enfants pour l'association.)

Lien Flickr : https://www.flickr.com/photos/chris_sorand/sets/72157643704480383/

La route de retour vers Khon Kaen (1ère étape)

Parti lundi 7/04 en tout début d'après-midi, je suis arrivé à Khon Kaen en début de soirée, après avoir fait deux étapes découvertes entre Udon Thani et Khon Kaen.

• Premier arrêt : le village des cobras royaux, à une cinquantaine de kilomètres, au nord de Khon Kaen. J'y suis arrivé vers 16h après un orage. L'enceinte du parc fermait à 17h. Je n'ai pas pu voir le show, mais il y a un parc où il y a quelques animaux et surtout toute une collection de serpents vivants : surtout des pythons et bien sûr des cobras royaux. Je n'imaginais pas que cette variété de cobras était aussi longue : impressionant. Dans ce petit zoo, il y a également quelques espèces locales : un joli petit ours noir à grande queue feuillue, quelques crocodiles, des mangoustes, des singes et des oiseaux.
• Lien : http://www.lepetitjournal.com/bangkok/a-voir-a-faire/141052-sortie-baan-khok-sa-nga-le-village-des-cobras-royaux?utm_source=Oempro&utm_medium=Email&utm_content=Subscriber%238027&utm_campaign=NL%20Bangkok
• Deuxième arrêt : Le lac du barrage d'Ubon Ratana. Il faut quitter l'autoroute pour y aller et faire un A-R de 80km. Site étonnant. D'abord, parce que le lac de retenue est immense et se situe dans une région verte et boisée, au pied de petites montagnes, qui sont le site de la découverte de dinosaures, ancêtres des dinosaures nord-américains. La découverte est assez récente ; elle date de 1992. Cette race de dinosaures serait passée sur le continent américain par le détroit de Béring.

Je suis arrivé sur le bord du lac un peu avant le coucher du soleil (photos sur album Flickr, à venir). Il y a là, un superbe parc avec golf. Comme c'était l'heure du dîner, je me suis arrêté dans un petit café-restaurant fort sympathique : pour découvrir qu'il appartenait à un français, marié à une thaïlandaise. En fait, c'était un dentiste du nord de la France qui est venu s'installer ici. Il vit en Thaïlande depuis 5 ans.

• Étape du soir : KhonKaen. J'ai donc passé la nuit dans cette grande ville de l'Isan (environ 160,000h). Mon hôtel était en plein centre, près d'une place où se trouve un superbe édifice thaï, qui abrite le pilier de la ville. (Photos sur album dédié à l'Isan).

La route de Khon Kaen à Khao Yai (2ème étape)

La matinée du 8/04 s'est passée à la visite de Khon Kaen où il y a un très grand parc autour d'un lac (Beung Kaen Nakhon). La curiosité locale est surtout un immense temple pyramidal à 9 étages : le Wat Nong Wang Muang. (Photos dans l'album sur l'Isan.)

Je ne connaissais pas encore cette ville. J'ai quitté Khon Kaen en fin de matinée, en direction de l'autre grande ville du sud de l'Isan (250,000h) : Khorat (appelée officiellement Nakhon Ratchasima.) Je savais seulement que j'allais m'arrêter aux alentours du Parc de Khao Yai, où j'étais allé de Vientiane avec l'école. Deux nouvelles étapes-découvertes étaient prévues :

• Première étape : le temple khmer de Prasat Phanam Wan. Il n'est pas très loin du superbe temple de Pimai (classé par l'UNESCO), et que je connaissais déjà. Il faut quitter l'autoroute et faire quelques kilomètres pour atteindre ce site. Entrée gratuite. Assez bon état. Aucun visiteur sur les lieux, à proximité d'un grand monastère bouddhiste.
• Lien Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/chris_sorand/sets/72157643702056285/
• Deuxième étape : Plus au sud de Khorat, après un autre très grand lac entouré de collines, on trouve un autre endroit assez étonnant : Chok Chak Farm. Il s'agit d'une immense ferme où on fait l'élevage des vaches et des produits laitiers. Très beau paysage de prairies verdoyantes et superbement entretenues, parcs, vergers, restaurant, ventes de produits laitiers (le yaourt dégusté sur place était délicieux!). On a peine de croire qu'on est toujours en Thaïlande.
• Troisième étape : Après la ferme, j'ai pris une petite route qui conduit au parc national de Khao Yai. Ce site est également classé par l'UNESCO. Le parc est considéré comme l'un des plus beaux au monde. J'ai donc trouvé un petit bungalow dans un hôtel, proche de l'entrée du parc. Le soir – après avoir failli marcher sur un magnifique centipède (mille-patte), qui m'a rappelé la maison de Balikpapan – j'ai dîné dans un restaurant italien tenu par un thaï qui a vécu en Italie.

Le retour sur Bangkok.

Aujourd'hui, j'ai donc passé une bonne partie de la journée à explorer les environs du parc. Découvertes encore étonnantes.

Dans ces vallées verdoyantes, entourées de montagnes, l'air est classé parmi les plus purs de la planète (7ème à l'échelle mondiale). Le paysage y est très beau. On se croit plutôt en Europe. C'est une zone de villégiature pour les habitants aisés de Bangkok (la capitale n'est guère qu'à 2h de route d'ici.) C'est donc dans cette vallée que j'ai découvert Tuscana. Comme c'est un lieu nouveau, qui est encore en construction, il n'est signalé nul part. Sur des collines, des architectes ont tout simplement reproduit des villages de Toscane, autour de lacs et de fontaines. C'est absolument époustouflant !

Lien Flickr : https://www.flickr.com/photos/chris_sorand/sets/72157643701101584/

Après Toscana, il y a également un jardin flottant, appelé : Khao Yai Floating Garden. C'est plus touristique et de toute manière, c'était un lieu désert aujourd'hui.

Bangkok n'est qu'à 160km plus au sud par l'autoroute.

Voilà donc tout le récit de ce nouveau périple. Et comme il est déjà 23h passé, je vais aller dormir !

Christian

Bangkok, le 09 avril 2014