Another quick bit of news. “To Thailand with Love”, the latest book in the “To Asia with Love” series published by Things Asian Press, has just been released. Described as a “travel guide for the connoisseur” it is a collection of articles and insights by writers who known Thailand better than most – including yours truly. None of my photos this time; just words.  However, the book does feature a handful of great images by Marc Schulz. My two contributions are on the Phi Ta Khon Festival in Dan Sai, and the island of  Koh Sichang. The book can be ordered through Amazon.

If you are a budding photographer, check out Marc’s blog. I think it’s one of the best around – full of useful information and inspiration to help you make better images, and more importantly, devoid of all the egotistical bullshit that inhabits many other photo blogs.

One of the many things I love about my work is the contrast. Last week I was in rural Chiang Rai photographing rice planting, the next in a bustling metropolis.

I’ve just returned from Shanghai. Although time was short I did manage to discover a few of the city’s more interesting areas and photograph its famous skyline.

Prior to my visit I had heard a lot about big shiny Shanghai but truth be told I was underwhelmed by the experience.

Try as I might I found it difficult to find its soul. Sure, there’s the historic grandeur of the Bund and its promenade that buzzes with life in the evening but other than the discovery of the city’s few remaining old districts (more on those in a later post) that have somehow managed to survive the demolition ball of progress, Shanghai left me cold.

In its defence, many I spoke to where keen to assert that city was unlike anywhere else in the country and should be considered as a separate entity. And that’s probably the best way to view it. I certainly look forward to exploring more of China in the future.

Although less than inspired,  I did mange to capture some striking images. May be I’m just spoilt living in colourful, creative and friendly Bangkok…

It has been disturbing to witness what has happened to Angkor over the last few years. Even now with the rainy season in full swing visitor numbers are still high. As one hotelier said to me, ‘for the Chinese and Koreans there is no low season’. Nevertheless, the next month or two is without doubt the best time to go. Leave it until November and you won’t be able to turn sideways without hitting another tourist in the face with your 70-200 mm lens.

The highlight for many is Angkor Wat; dawn ‘til dusk it simply heaves. The temple complex covers an area of one square kilometre and comprises of three levels around a central tower. The entranceway is particularly impressive and is the site of the early morning pilgrimage for the obligatory sunrise photo shoot. Inside the confines of the temple the inner and outer walls are covered with exquisite bas reliefs. If you want to get a detailed explanation of what you are looking at, you can hire an official guide at the entrance to the site.

Due to the millions of visitors, the monks of Angkor are powerless to resist the lure of the dollar, and the monumental site which was once lost to the jungle now functions as a temple again. At its heart is a small shrine where a monk sits patiently waiting to extract money from the faithful (or gullible, depending on your perspective) in return for a splash of holy water and a blessing muttered in Sanskrit. If you are there early enough and sit quietly within the shaded cloisters you can almost imagine a time before Buddhism was corrupted by cash, egotism and self-interest, if indeed such a time ever existed.

While I was there, a nun approached a monk who had been quietly reading and presented his breakfast as an offering. As she handed over the food, he averted his eyes, recited his blessing and then tucked into his food while she moved on and prayed to an image of Buddha. It was a timeless scene played out at Angkor Wat for centuries.

Getting there:

Flying into Siem Reap from Thailand you are at the mercy of Bangkok Airways’ monopoly of the route and its grossly inflated price for the 50 minute flight. At this time of year, expect to pay around 11,000 baht.  Flights leave several times a day from Suvarnabhumi Airport. A visa on arrival is available at Siem Reap airport for $20. The entry procedure is quick and efficient. If you have arranged your accommodation in advance, ask for an airport pick-up. The ride into town takes around 20 minutes.  There is no longer a departure tax at the airport.

Here’s a bit of good news if you are Dutch or can read the language, ‘Enchanting Thailand’ or rather ‘Betoverend Thailand’ has just been launched in Holland. The hardback book has been released by my publisher, John Beaufoy in association with Atrium and in keeping with other books in the series features an informative text providing insight into the country and culture, accompanied by 180 colour photos.

From the jacket: “A country of intrigue and adventure, Thailand’s exotic mix of glistening temples, extraordinary annual festivals, idyllic tropical islands, and genuinely hospitable people has made it one of the world’s most popular and rewarding travel destinations. The country is home to a distinctive culture that enables old traditions to sit comfortably within a prosperous and progressive society and enrich the lives of all who visit. One of the original “Asian tiger” economies, over the past two decades Thailand has survived boom and bust, undergone recovery, experienced political upheaval, and still welcomes all travellers with a warm and gracious smile.Enchanting Thailand is a vivid and colourful introduction to all the major tourist sights and places of interest throughout the country, from the cosmopolitan metropolis of Bangkok to fascinating but little visited regions in the northeast.”

If you’ve enjoyed the series, namely “Enchanting Laos” and “Enchanting Cambodia”, watch out for the timely release of “Enchanting Myanmar” in November. There’s also a couple of others on the horizon but more on those at a later date.

While in Phnom Penh I stayed just around the corner from the Monument of Independence.  Flight delays meant that I arrived just as the light was starting to fade. I checked in, threw my bag on the bed and dashed out to take advantage of the ‘blue hour’. I was just in time to catch a couple of long exposures. The next day a crane moved in, fences were erected and workmen started ripping up the marble around the monument for renovation…

The Monument of Independence is a memorial to Cambodia’s war dead and also commemorates independence from the French which was granted in 1953. The impressive structure acts as a busy traffic circle at the junction of Sihanouk and Norodom boulevards.

The recent flurry of activity of late is because I am flying off to the UK on Friday for an photography exhibition and awards night and won’t be able to post for a while. More on this later.

On a recent trip to Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, I spent a couple of mornings at a school that teaches youngsters the art of classical Khmer dance. Watching the elegant teacher instruct the children was an experience I found much interesting than seeing an actual performance.

During the Khmer Rouge years, the brutal regime made a concerted effort to wipe out artists and craftsmen, and they almost succeeded. Many of Cambodia’s traditional arts, particularly Cambodian dance, were almost lost forever. Today, following a concerted effort to retrain young people, it is once again being acknowledged for its grace and beauty.

It is thought that 90% of Cambodia’s dancers and musicians were killed during the Khmer Rouge years. The chain of oral traditions passed down from generation to generation by masters of the arts was almost entirely broken. Organisations such as Cambodian Living Arts tracked down a few survivors and employed them to train a new generation of musicians and dancers.

Cambodia classical dance drama is based on the epic poem, Ramayana which has its origins in Indian literature.  The dance too draws on the traditions of Indian court dance and is often referred to as Apsara after the female nymphs described in Hindu mythology that were born as dancers to the gods. Images of celestial Apsara dancers dating from the 12^th century and earlier can be seen carved on the temples walls at Angkor, evidence that this highly stylized art form has been part of Cambodian culture for centuries.

A Cambodian dance troupe, dressed in glittering costumes, elaborate headwear and masks, performs with beauty and grace, their slow movements punctuated by a percussive ensemble that sits to the side of the stage. Acts of the drama are often separated by a narrative read out by one of the musicians.

Cambodia’s growing tourism industry has contributed to the revival of traditional dance. In Phnom Penh, regular performances by troupes such as the Children of Bassac can be seen.

The good folks at Asian Journeys recently used an image of mine to grace the cover of their magazine. Hats off to the publisher, editor, adventurer and explorer of the Singapore-based mag, Mr. Floyd Cowan for choosing the picture of a young Thai Yai boy at the Poi Sang Long ordindantion ceremony. Apologies from me for the rather dodgy scan of the cover. However, you can see more images from the annual event on an earlier post here.

In late March or early April, Poi Sang Long takes place in towns and villages all over Mae Hong Son province. The Buddhist ordination ceremony is part of the Shan or Tai Yai tradition and was brought to Thailand by settlers from neighbouring Myanmar.  During the event known as the Festival of Precious Gems, young boys are ordained as novices and spend time studying Buddhist doctrine. A colourful spectacle to witness, it is one of the most delightful festivals in the country. On the first day of the four day ceremony, the boys have their hair shaved off at the temple and are then bathed and anointed with consecrated waters. The following day they are dressed in brightly coloured clothes and paraded through the town as sang long— precious gems.

You can also visit the Asia Journeys’ website.

Fringed by gently swaying coconut palms, Ngapali Beach is an idyllic three-kilometre stretch of white sand lapped by the clear waters of the Bay of Bengal. Just 45 minutes flying time from Yangon, the area is quickly attracting developers keen to exploit its natural beauty. Visitors can enjoy lazy days on the beach, snorkelling trips, watch fishermen land their catch at daybreak, and tuck into delicious seafood in the restaurants on the beach road.

One of the great things about Ngapali Beach at the moment is that it’s still a working beach. Fishing boats anchor off the shoreline throughout the day, heading out to sea at around 5 pm and returning at daybreak.

The catch is mostly tiny fish which are laid out on sheets of bright blue netting to dry in the sun. A few mackerel, barracuda, and squid are also landed. I’m not usually a big fan of beach break, preferring instead to head for the hills on a dirt bike when I need to unwind, but at this moment in time I love Ngapali. That could soon change though as it is about to experience a huge boom in development and tourist arrivals. I fear the fishermen and their families who live here will be booted off to make way for resorts and sun loungers will replace the daily catch. Despite the fact that I’d hate to see the beach lined with resorts, the possible silver lining is that some of the teenagers will be able to find employment within the tourism industry.

The fisherman already say they are experiencing reduced catches and cannot make enough money to sustain themselves throughout the year.

Sometimes I think given half the chance I would simply hang out in the fresh markets of South East Asia and let my photography focus on the details. You may recall that I touched on this topic before when I visited Cambodia last year in the post Finding Beauty in Detail. Alas, magazine editors seem less enthusiastic about an old rice sack covered in fish heads than they should be. But what the hell.

This handful of images is from my recent visit to Myanmar. Wandering around the street markets in Yangon is like walking into a painting, a canvas brushed with colours from Gauguin’s palette and more than a touch of Dali’s surrealism.

Speaking of Cambodia, following the succes of ‘Enchanting Cambodia’ it seems like a second book on the country is in the pipeline. This time, with a more comphrensive text and more photos so I expect to be spending a considerable amount of time there this year.

Inle Lake has long been on the itinerary of adventurous travellers and those who quite rightly ignored the calls to stay away from Myanmar. Now of course, with a thaw in international relations, it is one of the country’s top 5 destinations and has quickly seen an increase in visitor numbers. As with all tourism this is of course good and bad but I’m not going to touch on those issues here. This is a primarily photo-blog after all.

As numbers on the lake increase, it’s a must for photographers to rise early – but then when hasn’t that been the key to better photography. As the British landscape photographer David Noton says, ‘the great thing about photography is that it forces you to be in the best place at the best time of day.’ On Inle Lake this is the crack of dawn when locals head to the market which moves from village to village on a 5 day cycle. Fortunately most tour groups prefer a leisurely breakfast and don’t get out and about until the best light has faded, leaving the markets free of the hoards during the early hours. It’s just me, the market traders…and other photographers ignoring my smile and morning greetings. But you know how most of them are…I must have interupted their Myanmar moment.

Inle Lake is ringed by mountains inhabited by several different hill tribe groups who come down to the markets to buy and sell. With their chequered headscarves, the beautiful Pa O girls are easy to identify and add flashes of colour to an already vibrant market scene.

It’s a curious thing but Westerners and others living in a media-merchandised world, who by their very nature are vocal about the rights of the individual and self-expression, are intrigued by the group identity and strong sense of community of hill tribes. Spend any time around ethnic minorities and it’s easy to feel that in our self-obsessed lives we have lost a great deal.

The markets are actually quite difficult to shoot as they a extremely busy and with a lot of contrast with people sitting half in shade and half in full sunlight. Nevertheless, there are opportunities for some good portraits. I’m already looking forward to a return visit.