“Market Bargaining” Photograph

Bargaining is not something I grew up with and I certainly struggle to do effectively. Most sellers seem quite pleased transacting with me.

This young tourist is obviously giving it a good go. Maybe he isn’t subtle in his technique yet but starting young there’s a good chance he’ll become an expert like many of the locals.

Photograph taken at “Saturday Walking Street”, Chiang Mai, Thailand

“Leg Over” Photograph

This man was a tuk-tuk driver taking a rest in the grounds of a temple.

Public sleeping like this is a common sight in Thailand and I see it as a combination of the refreshingly relaxed, laid-back attitude to living people have here, plus the hot climate that encourages siestas and the fact that a lot of people work long, irregular hours. He could easily have been driving customers around all night then slipped into the relative calm of this temple’s grounds for an hour or two’s nap before rousing himself for another long shift at the handlebars.

Alternatively, of course, he might have slipped into the relative calm of this temple’s grounds following an all-night celebration with friends.

Photograph taken at Wat Chedi Luang (temple), Chiang Mai, Thailand

“Sourface” Photograph

More sugar quick!

Although possibly a case of brain-freeze, I suspect this man’s drink was just not sweet enough for him, which probably means it would be just right for me. This seems to be a real physiological difference as Thai people (and further afield in east Asia I believe) generally retain a much sweeter-tooth into adulthood than the average person from the west. But sugar is a common ingredient in just about everything from fried noodles to curries and with typically less active lifestyles these days diabetes is becoming more and more of an issue.

Photograph taken at “Sunday Walking Street”, Chiang Mai, Thailand

"Cat Shadow” Photograph

This fairly old photograph was taken several pairs of trainers ago before I even owned a digital camera. It was one where I only had about a second to react from the point at which the cat started to enter the sunlight and I first noticed its emerging shadow on the ground below me. Fortunately, both the camera and I were ready.

Like most cats, these temple cats are usually quite aloof but this one probably came over to me because it knew I was at the temple hoping to take photographs of dogs.

Photograph taken at Wat Laksi (temple), Bangkok, Thailand

“Prisoner” Photograph

Just a young boy being guided along by female family members but there’s something about the way that both women are grasping him by the wrist not the hand that makes it look like restriction more than guidance.

Break away little boy! Break away!

Photograph taken at dawn at “Saturday Walking Street”, Chiang Mai, Thailand.

“No Beggars Here” Photograph

Many people from non-Buddhist cultures mistakenly call the alms bowl carried by monks a begging bowl. The monks are not begging, they are providing a service to the community who can earn merit by donating food and paying respects to the “robe” (not the individual monk).

And in a different situation a woman in this position might seem to be begging but here she is simply paying her religious respects, which in this particular case isn’t begging for forgiveness.

Then there are many dogs on the streets of Thailand that live a life of begging but here it was a well-fed pet left to wander around the busy street for a while. The woman was holding a cup of ‘holy’ water and the dog was just being inquisitive at an inappropriate moment.

Photograph taken at dawn at Chiang Mai Gate market, Thailand.