roy ivankoe

songkran 2013 at silom road, bangkok

rivankoe — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:51:14 +0000

"Songkran Holiday, April 2013 at Silom Road in Bangkok, Thailand."

It’s my 2nd 2013 New Years celebration in Bangkok this year – Songkran, the Thai new year. A tradition of pouring small amounts of water onto elder family member’s hands has morphed into full on water dousings. Certain areas in Bangkok are designated for wet celebrations. I spent an hour or so on Silom Road in central Bangkok, one of the official celebration areas. I can only spend so much time in crowds so thick.

I put a 35mm lens on my camera, stuffed it into a ziploc bag, punched a hole for the lens/hood, sealed the lens hole with duct tape, put on some swim shorts and a running shirt, and I was good to go. I didn’t use the flash.

new years eve 2012

rivankoe — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 15:23:29 +0000

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"New Years Eve 2012/2013 behind the old Suanplu market, Bangkok Thailand."

Better late than never.

There are plenty of options for a night out on New Years Eve in Bangkok. When a small party took shape at the end of my soi (think small car free alley way) behind the old Suanplu market, I knew where I would spend the first part of the night. I went to 7-11, purchased a bunch of Leo, and joined the fun. Around midnite there was a short break with what I think was some type of prayer, before the party resumed. It all seemed genuine. Since August, I’ve been living where these folks work and live. I see many of them getting up at 5AM or earlier to set up their market shops. And I see them closing at 9PM or later. Six or seven days a week. It was great seeing them cut loose for New Years.

pictures while picking up dinner

rivankoe — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 16:19:31 +0000

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"My soi or alley way. I live in the house just behind me and to the left."

"A couple strolling through the rain on the way to the market. Close to the end of the rain season, It hasn't rained in five days or so."

"The ground floor of a shop house along the Suanplu market."

"The Suanplu market facing Soi Suanplu."

"Rain, cloudbursts, lightning, or no rain everything still goes on."

"Soi Suanplu."

"The 'banana guy' at Suanplu soi 8. He makes a great banana and egg crepe concoction."

"The Suanpu market during a rain."

"I've ordered dinner from these ladies a few times. Tonite I'm trying their neighbor and she's not happy about it."

"My choice for dinner tonite."

"That's a shih tzu on the motor bike under an umbrella in the rain. Shih Tzu are a popular breed in Bangkok."

"Suanplu soi 8 looking towards the Suanplu market."

"My som tam tang thai is prepared."

" "

I’ve been living in Bangkok since mid August and have neglected my website for some time. I haven’t made too many photographs either. I’m living in a renovated shophouse in a very traditional Bangkok neighborhood. Although I’m living in a nice modern space t’s very different than your typical high rise condo. Some day I’ll edit some pictures together and write about the place.

Not motivated to cook or venture out too far for dinner in tonights’s rain I grabbed an umbrella and camera to pick up some local street food. I ended up with gai yang (grilled chicken) , kung cha nam pla (spicy raw shrimp), cow niew (sticky rice), and som tam tang thai (think papaya salad made with cucumber rather than papaya, thai style). All excellent and the entire meal for $5.00. Sorry, I was too into the food to stop and take pictures.

no heat wave in san francisco

rivankoe — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 15:22:23 +0000

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"Crissy Field - San Francisco, California. July 8, 2012."

I read about a heat wave on the east coast in the newspaper . Some people on Facebook complained too.

At the moment there isn’t a heat wave in San Francisco. Yesterday at Crissy Field it must not have been above 60 F, which means it is OK to dress like it is 30 F. Summer in S.F.

Some pictures, mostly of my dogs.

Back to the Future: portraits by Irina Werning

rivankoe — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 13:48:57 +0000

I saw Irina Werning’s first Back to the Future series a couple of years ago and thought the idea was brilliant. The series became very popular – perhaps you have seen them. Irina takes an old photograph of someone, retouches it, reshoots the same image today, and then pairs the two. A new series of her photographs ran across my screen this morning, prompting this post. I think they are great. Click here to see her images from 2011 and here to see her set of images from 2010.

I think it would be a lot of fun to do this.

one night at Bangsaen Beach, Thailand

rivankoe — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 03:33:12 +0000

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"Bangsaen, Thailand. View down the beach with Pattya in the background."

"Bangsaen, Thailand. View up the beach towards Bangkok."

"Bangsaen, Thailand. Umbrellas and cabanas line most of the beach."

"Bangsaen, Thailand."

"Bangsaen, Thailand. Not too much traffic on this section of the beachfront road."

"Bangsaen, Thailand. "Walking Street" - essentially a night market - a combination flea/farmers market."

"Bangsaen, Thailand. "Walking Street" - essentially a night market - a combination flea/farmers market. There were a surprising number of totally restored VW buses."

"Bangsaen, Thailand. "Walking Street" - essentially a night market - a combination flea/farmers market."

"Bangsaen, Thailand. "Walking Street" - essentially a night market - a combination flea/farmers market. The cupcake truck is popular."

"Bangsaen, Thailand. "Walking Street" - essentially a night market - a combination flea/farmers market. Waterfront dining."

"Bangsaen, Thailand. "Walking Street" - essentially a night market - a combination flea/farmers market."

"Angsila - just north (towards Bangkok) of Bangsaen, Thailand."

"Angsila - just north (towards Bangkok) of Bangsaen, Thailand. Young kids from Myanmar work on some fishing boats."

"Angsila - just north (towards Bangkok) of Bangsaen, Thailand."

"Angsila - just north (towards Bangkok) of Bangsaen, Thailand. Probably from Burma, this fellow spends most of his time on a fishing boat."

"Bangsaen, Thailand."

"Angsila - just north (towards Bangkok) of Bangsaen, Thailand. A great seafood shop along the road, looking over oyster beds. Very cheap, very fresh, and very good oysters."

"Angsila - just north (towards Bangkok) of Bangsaen, Thailand. Wan enjoys some sweets - a coconut mixture wrapped in banana leaf and grilled. Very good."

Another brief escape from Bangkok – one night in Bangsaen Beach. It takes a bit over an hour or a five to seven hundred baht (15$ – 22$) taxi ride to reach Bangsaen from central Bangkok. It’s not your postcard perfect Thai beach. Leave your snorkel, flippers, YSL hand bag and pretense at home. What is lacks in beauty, crystal clear water, and trash free beach it makes up for in accessibility, a steady fresh sea breeze and cheap, fresh, and very good seafood.

two nights on Koh Yao Noi and one night in Phuket Town

rivankoe — Wed, 30 May 2012 23:48:30 +0000

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"Ferry boat from Bangrong pier to Koh Yao. "

"A wedding party taking the ferry boat from Bangrong pier to Koh Yao. "

"A wedding party taking the ferry boat from Bangrong pier to Koh Yao. First stop Koh Yao Yai."

"Ferry boat from Bangrong pier to Koh Yao. First stop Koh Yao Yai."

"Ferry boat from Bangrong pier to Koh Yao. "

"Pasai Beach, Koh Yao Noi. It is amazing how connected the world is - a woman shooting pictures with her iPad."

"Traffic - Ko Yao Noi, Thailand."

"View towards Krabi - Koh Yao Noi, Thailand."

"Ko Yao Noi lunch. Sunset restaraunt."

"Pasai Beach, Koh Yao Noi."

"Phuket Town, Thailand."

"Fabulous seafood. Phuket Town, Thailand."

"The guy with glasses won one of the Thai TV show talent competions a few days earlier."

"Lunch. Phuket Town, Thailand."

"Phuket Town, Thailand."

"Desert Shop/Cafe - Phuket Town, Thailand"

"Phuket Town, Thailand."

A quick escape from Bangkok – two nights in Koh Yao Noi and a night in Phuket Town. It was mostly about sleeping, eating seafood, and a visit to my cousin’s place on Koh Yao.

not your typical morning at the market

rivankoe — Thu, 24 May 2012 02:45:14 +0000

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"Klong Toey market, Bangkok, Thailand. Chicken meet their fate in this area of the market where they are killed and dressed."

"Klong Toey market, Bangkok, Thailand. A python visits one of the chicken cages, probably looking for a meal."

"Klong Toey market, Bangkok, Thailand. The python started a retreat, pulling its head back into the cage, and a worker tries to pull it out by the tail."

"Klong Toey market, Bangkok, Thailand. A couple take higher ground while the snake disappeared into the cage."

"Klong Toey market, Bangkok, Thailand. Chased out from the other side, the python reappears and make a beeline for the drainage but this brave guy grabbed on to the tail."

"Klong Toey market, Bangkok, Thailand. The python was at least 7 feet long. They want to get the python into a bag."

"Klong Toey market, Bangkok, Thailand. Hopping around with an agitated python at your feet."

"Klong Toey market, Bangkok, Thailand. After hopping and dancing around for a minutes, the python's head finds its way to the bag."

"Klong Toey market, Bangkok, Thailand. The victor emerges. He released the python into the canal out back."

You won’t experience this at the San Francisco Ferry Plaza farmer’s market, your local Safeway, or Whole Foods.

I fell asleep really early last night and as a result I woke up very early today. Feeling well rested, I decided to grab a camera and visit Klong Toey market, which I’ve written about in the past. I wandered through the market and found myself in what I call the “live bird section” – an area where chicken and duck are prepared. As I was shooting a few pictures of the guys working I heard screams from a few nearby women, at which point I saw them hop up onto large coolers that were sitting next to a few chicken cages. I thought of the classic scene – women standing on a chair, screaming, a mouse running around, although I was thinking a rat. I was wrong.

I’ve never been a fan of snakes and do my best to avoid them. The ladies up on the coolers must like snakes less than I do – a seven foot long python came out of the drainage system and slithered into a chicken cage! I would have been startled too. It took a minute for calm to return at which point a couple of guys started stalking the python. It took a few minutes, but they bagged the python and set it free in the canal behind the building.

Just another morning at the market.

red shirt rally – may 19, 2012

rivankoe — Sun, 20 May 2012 07:02:40 +0000

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"Bangkok, Thailand May 19, 2012. A red shirt decides to help direct traffic at the Chidlom/Langsuan intersection."

"Bangkok, Thailand May 19, 2012. Coincidentally, the Louis Vuitton window display was made of red arrows."

"Bangkok, Thailand May 19, 2012. People set up shop, competing with the nearbt Prada shop."

"Bangkok, Thailand May 19, 2012. A crowd of 45,000 or so."

"Bangkok, Thailand May 19, 2012. Red shirt rally."

"Bangkok, Thailand May 19, 2012. A news photograhper takes a timeout and poses with the UDD and red shirt leadership."

"Bangkok, Thailand May 19, 2012. Red shirt rally crowd of 45,000 or so at Ratchaprasong."

"Bangkok, Thailand May 19, 2012. A crowd of 45,000 or so."

"Bangkok, Thailand May 19, 2012. Red shirt rally crowd of 45,000 or so at Ratchaprasong. From the main stage."

"Bangkok, Thailand May 19, 2012. Red shirt rally."

"Bangkok, Thailand May 19, 2012. Red shirt rally. Rajadamri Road was lined with buses, waiting to take everyone home."

"Bangkok, Thailand May 19, 2012. Basket of sticky rice in hand, walking down Rajadamri and heading home after the rally."

"Bangkok, Thailand May 19, 2012. Red shirt rally. Quiet from the Rajadamri sky train."

There was a large rally in Bangkok yesterday, marking the two year anniversary to the end of the spring 2010 demonstration/occupation. Upwards of 45,000 people participated in the Ratchaprasong shopping district in central Bangkok.

Personally, I’m not too familiar with the history of Thai politics and government, so I don’t have an informed opinion on all of this. The rally took place just a short walk from where I am so I ventured out with curiosity and camera in hand.

Pictures from my 2010 experience are here.

songkran 2012

rivankoe — Mon, 14 May 2012 02:47:49 +0000

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"A family sets up for some Songkran fun along Langsuan Road."

"Ride around in any open air vehicle and you will get wet."

"On the way to RCA, looking out a plaster splattered taxi window."

"Songkran revelers at RCA near Route 66."

"Silom Road/Saladang BTS - the crowd below on Silom Road."

"Songkran revelers at RCA near Route 66."

"Silom Road view from a Saladang BTS station walkway. Wall to wall people and water."

"Silom Road view from a Saladang BTS station walkway. Wall to wall people and water. Natural light meets the lights under the skyway."

"A couple of fire trucks help everyone get into the Songkran spirit along Silom Road. They were indiscriminate in using their water hoses."

"Water fun along the skyway about Silom Road."

"Songkran reveling along Silom Road - Bangkok, Thailand."

"What a traffic mess - Rajadamri meets Rama 4 and Silom Roads."

"Songkran crowds along Silom Road."

"Saladang walkway - some folks prefer to stay dry."

"Songkran revelers along Silom Road - Bangkok, Thailand."

"Songkran revelers along Silom Road - Bangkok, Thailand. When the music is thumping and water is flowing it kind of feels like this. Not to mention the Leo."

"Songkran revelers along Silom Road - Bangkok, Thailand. Waiting for passersby with a pucket of white face paint."

"Songkran reveling along Silom Road - Bangkok, Thailand."

"Songkran revelers along Silom Road - Bangkok, Thailand. When the music is thumping and water is flowing it kind of feels like this. Not to mention the Leo."

"Songkran revelers along Silom Road - Bangkok, Thailand."

"Ready for Songkran - a cup of Leo and a water gun."

"Songkran revelers along Silom Road - Bangkok, Thailand. The crowd in front of the Dusit Thani hotel where they had a pretty good sound system set up."

"Songkran revelers along Silom Road - Bangkok, Thailand. Take that!"

"Songkran revelers along Silom Road - Bangkok, Thailand. Officially alcohol is not allowed, Unoficiallyâ¦"

"Pran and Otto mix it up in front of the Dusit Thani."

"On ttheir way to Silom Road. people pile out of the trains at Saladang station."

"songkran-bangkok-thailand-20120415-0851"

"Otto holding court in front of the Dusit Thani along Silom Road."

"Songkran revelers along Silom Road - Bangkok, Thailand."

"Songkran revelers along Silom Road - Bangkok, Thailand. Selling iced water. Getting sparayed by water is OK, but when someone gets you with ice water you really notice it."

Songkran, the Thai new year, is celebrated from the 13th to the 15th of April (at least in Bangkok). It’s known for large celebrations with lots of water and white face paste. But there is more traditional beyond the popular water celebrations and the same new year is celebrated throughout southeast Asia, but in different ways. You can learn about that here.

When in Rome, do as the Romans - I hung out with a couple of families on Langsuan Road, getting sprayed and spraying others driving down the road. I checked out a couple of the more popular celebrations in Bangkok, spending time at the RCA/Route 66 area and Silom Road. It’s quite a party.

Knowing I would get wet, I had to decide what to do about a camera. I ventured out with my less expensive camera, a Fuji X100. I put the X100 in a ziploc bag, cut a hole for the lens, sealed the lens/hole with tape, and put a cheap UV filter on the lens glass. The water proofing worked great. I decided to rely on the Fuju X100′s much less than ideal autofocus system, which turned out to be a bad decision. In less than ideal conditions, and sometimes even in ideal conditions, the X100′s autofocus just doesn’t focus. It’s obvious in a number of the pictures, but I still like them – when the water is flying, your face is getting painted, and there’s a cold Leo in hand, you get out of focus anyway. In hindsight, I should have gone manual focus with a preset focus distance. Some people were squirting ice water – nothing like getting shot with ice water when it is 90+ degrees. When ice water hit the UV filter protecting the lens, the filter would fog for 5 minutes or so. Not a big deal.

The second night I decided to use a Canon SLR with a larger ziploc bag. It worked great until the tape sealing the lens/ziploc bag started to come loose. For some reason the tape did not stick well to the plastic lens hood. Before long it all fell apart and I decided it wasn’t worth risking the camera, so I put it away and enjoyed my time with the masses.