Updated Photo Exhibition online

I have just added 35 new photos to my existing online exhibition. They are now ready to be seen on SEE ME website:
https://chrismate.see.me

Chinese New Year Celebrations

Banners

Golden Dragon

Performers 

Giant goldfish

Calligraphy

Thailand Welcomes the Year of the SHEEP

Thai people like to celebrate. After Christmas and the New Year, it is now the time to welcome the Chinese Year of the Sheep (or Goat, or Ram).

Many Thais are from Chinese descent. This accounts why Chinese New Year has such an importance in this country. It is said that half the population of Bangkok alone is from a Chinese background!

Lanterns

Links: 

• Chinese musical instruments
• Gu-zheng

An Eye on the City of Angels

This is a short selection of snapshots showing Bangkok as you may not have seen it yet.

Urban sunrise

Behind the glass wall

Shaded tower

Nursery hideaway

Siam Centre

Benjakiti Lake

Shrine in the woods

Lumpini Park

Siam Square

Lights & shapes

Eye up

Designing spirals

Blue maze

Japanese Eyes

Sathorn Square

Street vendors

Sathorn sky view

Chong Nongsi street street food vendors

Sathorn pedestrian bridge

Sathorn buildings

Colored shapes

Silom Skyline

Third Dimension

Stairs of lights

Space Trek

Dusk of Fire

Move to a new location in downtown Bangkok

On 9th February, I moved to a new place in town. It is a prime condominium with great facilities and an excellent geographical location. The MRT line is 5 minutes' away. There is a coffee-shop & a supermarket open round the clock downstairs. There is a big shopping-mall across the street, where they are now building the highest skyscraper in ASEAN. Makassan Airport link is only one metro station away.

Newly completed building

Lobby

Swimming-pool

Reading-room

Roof garden

Fitness

Laundry

The living quarter is smaller but very convenient and quite pleasant to be in & equipped with all the necessary appliances.

Living-room corner

Enclosed balcony

Trip in the Northeast of Thailand (Isan)

1. After a short flight from Survanabhumi Airport in Bangkok to Udon Thani, I drove along Road 22
to Bang Khon on the way to Sakhon Nakhon. Then I turn left on Road 222 to the small village of Si Wan Chai, near Wanon Niwat.

From Udon Thani, Mueang Udon Thani District, Udon Thani

To Sakhon Nakhon, Mueang Sakon Nakhon District, Sakon Nakhon

2. I stayed over a week in the village attending local ceremonies and observing local life. 

Vegetable garden

Morning ceremony at local temple

Sunset

Village karaoke night

Water buffalos in a field during the dry season

3. I thought it would be interesting to report on the daily life and the local feat ivies while living there. So, I wrote an article on Si Wan Chai, which will be added to the section called 'Pages' with the other published articles.

Search Resul

ts

1. 

   Niwat District Sakon Nakhon
   
   4. Besides going to Sakon Nakhon, the provincial capital, I visited a few more interesting Buddhist shrines in this area.
   
   

   

   History of the temple

   
   

   

   Holy monk's shrine

   
   
   

   

   Main entrance

   

   New temple under construction

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

   

   Temple pond

   
   5. After a brief stopover in Udon Thani, the regional capital, I headed north to drive along the Mekong River westwards.
   

   

   Map of the road along the Mekong to Chiang Khan in the Loei District

   

   View on Vientiane (Laos) across the river

   

   Roadside cafe with a view

   

   View over the Mekong & its islands

   
   6. Chiang Khan is a charming little town on the Mekong bank north of Loei. It is quite popular with backpackers and many Thai or Asian tourists.
   

   

   Sunset over the river from a guesthouse terrace

   
   

   

   A town corner

   

   Guesthouse entrance & decoration

   
   
   

   

   Temple at night

   
   
   

   
   
   
   
   
   7. From Chiang Khan, I drove on to Phu Ruea in the district of Loei. This area has the reputation of being the coldest zone in Thailand. Phu Ruea Peal is 1,365 m high and is a national park. Phu Ruea region has many orchards and a great variety of flowers.

   
   

   

   Colorful resort with flowers

   

   At the top of Phu Ruea (1,365m, 16ºC)

   
   8. Finally, I drove from Phu Ruea to Phu Tub Berk in Petchabun province. At 1,768m, Phu Tub Berk is the highest mountain in this region. It is inhabited by Hmong tribes, who now grow cabbages in place of poppies.
   Website on Phu Tubberk
   
   

   

   On top of Phu Tub Berk

   
   

   

   Hmong villages at night

   --> Link: Google+ slide-show