Monsters in The Parasol

A stroll at the beach this morning. The Thais are not water people so we had the place for ourselves as usual. Lots of stuff being washed up from the big blue, the plucked chicken was my first. Wasn't much left of the stranded fishing boat that washed up (see earlier post) after last month excellent terrifying monsoon storm.

P.S I have been asked about many of the cryptic titles of my blog posts. It's simple, just take the it from whatever song I have on at the moment.

Beating Around the Mangrove

Went out exploring the less beaten track a couple of days. Small hidden fishing villages, mold clad mosques from the never ending rain. Rusted corrugated shacks on the outline of a dens mangrove forest. I was not the first Scandinavian here, Maskinmester (Master Engineer) J.V Larsen met his end here in 1909. His stone was standing in a small clearing completely left to be forgotten and it was by pure curiosity I found him. Makes you think.

Click

The mangrove roots came to life in B/W (for me).

                              Be curious







.

Three Of a Kind

Unreal late afternoon sky

From my bedroom window just after a heavy rainstorm

…and the guys 

Yard Dogs

3 of her 4 pups gone, rumors has it that the Cambodian shipbuilders next door cooked 'em. 

Realm Of Chaos

From my bed room window, have a much better view now/

One wold think these big ones had deeper roots...

Pretty (pretty) severe storm hit Songkhla last Monday night. I decide that at peak chaos take a drive (4x4 truck) in this freak environment would be memorable. The street flooded, winds rocking the car and the sky completely filled of lightning, water and debris. Very cool but I slipped back drenched and roughed up into the apartment after just 10 minutes inside the car thinking, -"this is not me, letting something like this pass…getting soft!"

In a way glad I didn't go for that joy ride, the day after told another tale, most buildings damaged in some way, most trees broken. My company car stood parked proud between two fallen giants, only meters on each side from being crashed. The town paralyzed without electricity, water and moblie/internet dead. Took 3 full days for it to return to 21 century, neighboring town had a street water level at 3m, The show must go on!

Late dip

Pretty nice to live this close to the ocean.

New Home

Finally based out of Songkhla in Southern Thailand, just a day ride from Malaysia. Shot some in the old town the other night. Has a spooky feeling hanging in the air and not a human around. Old wood and stone buildings from when this was a bustling fishing port. Chinese, Malay and Thai influences in all, food, architecture and styles…

I'm on my bike (EAI Bareknuckle if you are interested) exploring the town, shooting with a Canon 5D, 35-70mm. Don't know how long I will call this home. As always, if something more interesting shows up I'm on the road again but it would be rather nice to be able to stay for a while, getting the feel of a place again after almost 20 years on the road whereof 10 based out of Tokyo.

My living quarters at the moment, a dark and cool apartment.

Going Nuts

Lately…feeding the monkey...

Squid fishing boats

Rugged kitten

In my bathtub

The guys in the yard where I make my money this year for future grand continuous photo journeys…

Night walk down the fishing pier.

So, what happened to continue on all those Nepal Mt.Everest Himalayan, Wild dolphin, trans China and American Highway, logger Elephants photo assignments? The continuous of my Japanese underground and heavy metal photo sessions, going deep into the theme and holding on to the frame? Is this a sign on me loosing my eye or is it phase II on a never ending passion of curiosity for places and experiences…hard to judge someone / something that never sits still and constantly slips through the net of social belongingness.

Well, it is what it is and while widen my horizon this is just that. Pretty cool in a way cos I am not usually the photographer that just feeds the monkey from the hip. Moved house to southern Thailand, to the city of Songkhla to be precise. An over 1200 km road trip through the country on great little roads. Got lost going through Bangkok and ended up on a dead end lane in Chinatown, got blocked by a huge "red-shirt" demonstration and only one cop road block demanding lunch money (200 Baht at 11:45), could almost touch Myanmar at some areas, bringing up memories hauling cameras in spectacular sceneries.

King of the Hill

Basil The dog

Chi photography

Great shot pumpkin!!

Daytrip with Chi

A daytrip with Chi. Snooped around the countryside in Rayong province this Sunday. It's here I call home now, for how long I do not know. We'll move on when the time is right, to new experiences.