Tag Archives: photos

DAILY PHOTO: Reflections in Rangsit, Thailand

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Rangsit, Thailand

Rangsit, Thailand

I thought I’d take a break from posting pictures of either monuments to wealth and power or pristine nature scenes. I took this in Rangsit, Thailand, which is a northern suburb of Bangkok out past the Don Muang Airport. I was there studying at the Muay Thai Institute for one week. (Muay Thai is a martial art and the national sport of Thailand.) If you’re curious about what my experience with that was like, I have posts about it here and here.)

It was fascinating to see what a love/hate relationship water has with these people. It nourishes them. It bathes them. But every once in a while it tries to kill them. A kindly restaurateur showed me pictures of his landlocked restaurant underwater during the floods of 2011. At that time the tree tops you see were probably just jutting out of the water– if they weren’t entirely submerged. (I base this on the height of the elevated express way to the left that I think was at water level, based on pictures I’ve seen.)

DAILY PHOTO: Danube Bank in Budapest, Hungary

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The steeple is Matthias Church in the Castle District

The steeple is Matthias Church in the Castle District

The Danube River flows through the middle of Budapest. Budapest was originally two cities that grew together. The hilly west bank (seen here) was Buda, and the flat east bank was Pest. High in the background one can see such tourist attractions as the Fisherman’s Bastion and Matthias Church.

DAILY PHOTO: Isla Contoy, Mexico

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"The beach is that way," says crab to lizard.

“The beach is that way,” says crab to lizard.

Isla Contoy is a bird sanctuary off the northeast corner of the Yucatan peninsula. There are no hotels or permanent residents there, but one can easily make half day trips by boat from either Isla Mujeres or Cancun. The only buildings on the island are a ranger station, an observation tower, a small educational display, and some picnic shelters. Because people don’t live here (besides maybe a few park rangers and scientists) and the number of visitors is limited, the wildlife density (particularly birds, but also lizards, crabs, rays, etc.) is tremendous.

Because they try to limit where people go to avoid interference with the wildlife, a few hours here is sufficient. However, there is a pristine white sand beach that, as I indicated, is visited by rays and fish.

DAILY PHOTO: Old Town of Tallinn, Estonia

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Looking over the old town toward the Gulf of Finland

Looking over the old town toward the Gulf of Finland

The Estonian capital is a study in contrasts. The old town is medieval, yet fully wired for wi-fi. While it’s historical, it’s not one of those highly homogenized historical districts. The colors are varied and vibrant. One can see the iconic, silo-shaped towers and the steeples from many churches. In the background sit the cruise ships at port. The port is one of the vestiges of the Soviet era, a concrete monstrosity that will be built over soon enough– if it hasn’t been already. Outside the historic district, modern glass and steel buildings are shooting up all over. In the old town one spies the trappings of wealth; just outside it one witnesses poverty.

DAILY PHOTO: Guy Fawkes at DragonCon

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Guy Fawkes in Georgia

Guy Fawkes in Georgia

This photograph was taken on Labor Day weekend a couple of years ago after the DragonCon parade.

It reminded me of the poem “The Fifth of November.” I don’t believe its author is known, it’s usually cited as a “traditional English folk verse.”

 The Fifth of November

Remember, remember!
The fifth of November,
The Gunpowder treason and plot;
I know of no reason
Why the Gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot!
Guy Fawkes and his companions
Did the scheme contrive,
To blow the King and Parliament
All up alive.
Threescore barrels, laid below,
To prove old England’s overthrow.
But, by God’s providence, him they catch,
With a dark lantern, lighting a match!
A stick and a stake
For King James’s sake!
If you won’t give me one,
I’ll take two,
The better for me,
And the worse for you.
A rope, a rope, to hang the Pope,
A penn’orth of cheese to choke him,
A pint of beer to wash it down,
And a jolly good fire to burn him.
Holloa, boys! holloa, boys! make the bells ring!
Holloa, boys! holloa boys! God save the King!
Hip, hip, hooor-r-r-ray!

DAILY PHOTO: Closing Ceremony of the Beijing Olympics

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Taken by my wife.

Taken by my wife.

DAILY PHOTO: Night Falls Over Bangkok

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Sunsets on Bangkok

Sunset over Bangkok

People trying to get out of the city before they get trapped by debauchery.

DAILY PHOTO: Church at Tims Ford, Tennessee

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On a cloudy night, this place would be CREEPY!

On a cloudy night, this place would be CREEPY!

Have you ever seen an idyllic, pristine setting, and thought, Under different circumstances this would be the perfect location for a horror film?

That was my feeling as I walked out of the woods and saw this solitary, white church and its graveyard on a hill in central nowhere (No offense, Tennessee.) Picture what this place would be like under a low, roiling, gray clouds. It’s spitting cold rain, the graveyard is leaf-strewn. From which grave will a clawing hand protrude? You don’t know. You don’t know.

Where in the World Photo Game #15

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WitW #14 (skyline) was Montreal, Canada.

Knowing your international foods may help with guessing the location of this little food shop.

Where was I?

Where was I?

Where in the World Photo Game #14

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WitW #13 (Coca-Cola Sign) is in Atlanta, Georgia.

This time one gets to see the big picture. This is most of a city’s skyline.

Where was I?

Where was I?