The Photography of Dr. Jeff Harper

We left Denver early in the morning heading up the Interstate to Wyoming.  My four days in Denver were spent at a very vauable conference, but without my camera.  I was working.

 

Wyoming has very diverse topography: the high chaparral of the eastern half is contrasted by the high Titons and Yellowstone in the west.

 

RVs racing across the Wyoming planes to Yellowstone, apparently.

 

Contrary to popular myth, there IS a lot to see between Cheyenne and Casper Wyoming: Chugwater, for example.  We saw the "World Famous Chugwater Chili" sign out on the Interstate and just had to pull off.

 

Chugwater, Wyoming may seem to have seen better days, but it may actually be in the middle of it's best days: there is natural gas being extracted in this part of Wyoming, and the town was crawling with Haliburton trucks.

 

Main Street Chugwater has the charm and simplicity of aesthetic delapidation I crave.

 

Yes, people are actually living here.  The bright clear light and the incredible textures were fantastic.  I wonder if the residents share my indiscriminate enthusiasms.

 

If a local Chugwaterian were to see this photo, what might they think?  I love the symmetrical aesthetics, color, and lines of this shot.

 

The effects of severe winter weather is evident everywhere.

 

"If these walls could talk."

 

The old, and closed, Chugwater Cabins and Hotel had a nice new door.

 

Someone found a good (and ironic) use for an old "Speed Limit" sign.

 

I am always challenged while photographing an amazing scene to know what is the best cropping/framing. Chugwater was extremely challenging in this way.

 

The Chugwater Soda Fountain, founded in 1918, beckoned. I had Chugwater Chili on my mind.

 

I found The Chili From Heaven in Chugwater.  What a charming old place.

 

 

Lines and negative spaces in Chugwater, Wyoming.

 

Like habitations in vastness anywhere in the world, people pick up old stuff and drag it into town.  The old caboose was wonderful.

 

A new coat of red paint had been sprayed over eerything.

 

I love this photo: it wold print large very nicely.

 

Someone created a side yard Museum of Old Stuff Found Way the Hell Out There.  This scene reminds me so much of my childhood moving around America in the '50s and 'early '60s.

 

This may be an old shepherd's trailer from the 1940s.  Read, "This House of Sky" by Ivan Doig for a beautiful account of life out in the vast western wilderness.

 

We said a sad good-bye to amazing Chugwater and headed north to Casper to meet up with my old best college buddy, George, and his wife JoLynn.  I made friends with this thorn while making an unscheduled pit stop.  Ouch.

 

George and I have not changed one bit since we last saw each other in, er, 1974.  We looked very old when we were young.  George and I have lived very similar lives, his more remote than mine.  Although I have spent 10 years in The Congo, 17 in Thailand, and an odd 5 years in England, Denmark, and Germany . . . George has spent the same period in Lame Deer, Montana, and Hines, Oregon working with the U.S. Forest Service.  Hines and Lame Deer may be the remotest places in the USA and perhaps only exceeded by a wadi or two in the Sahara!  It was very thoughtful of George to wear a Harper Racing t-shirt for the occasion.  Thanks to the miracle of the Internet, friends like George and I have kept in contact over the years and miles.

 

George took us up to a iew spot above the berg of Casper, Wyoming.  He complained abut the traffic and congestion . .  I reminded him that I lived in Bangkok, a city of 11+ million people who seeming all just got their driver's licenses today and went out for a drive.

 

This some of what I miss by living in Bangkok: vast scenery, big sky, and mountains.

 

Our Sunday drive took us beside a gladed stand of Aspens where we saw young deer grazing.

 

We went back to George's house where he shared stories of license plate collecting out west.  George has a complete set of Oregon, Montana, and Wyoming license plates.  By complete sets I mean every year and every type of license plate ever made in those states.  Fantastic.  These are rare non-private vehicle plates form Montana.

 

George displays parts of his collection at collectors' conventions and through various associations organs.  We all went out  for a great dinner before we retired back at out hotel . . . we had an early morning call to get back out on the road to Wind River (George recommended the town of Thermopolis and the hot springs) before The Grand Tetons by the evening.

 

The drive west out of Casper took us through some breathtaking scenery.

 

Sometimes we would just stop the car and walk out in the vastness . . . under an emense sky.

 

As rain clouds gathered, we took a side trip (20 miles in, and 20 miles out) up the Wind River.

 

We drove through the wildly beautiful Wind River Canyon to get to Thermopolis.

 

The canyon continued to narrow as we went further in.

 

A railroad line followed the river on the far bank.

 

Construction of the railroad must have caused many sleepless nights for the engineers.

 

The railroad must require constant maintenance against rock falls.

 

At some points the canyon was so narrow there were tunnels on both sides, for cars and trains.

 

The Wind River Canyon eventually opened out as we neared Thermopolis.

 

What a beautiful place.

 

Thermopolis was a tourist town centered around hot springs developments, most of which seemed to be from the 1930s or 1960s.  The formally developed hot springs commerce was not too attractive, although there was one nice National Parks hot springs facility.  The park, however, was well maintained.

 

Geography buffs will appreciate this:  it seems the Wind River was "discovered" by two separate explorers on each side of the Wind River Canyon and was, therefore, name as two distinct rivers . . . to this very day! Even though it is the same rier (the Wind River), it is called the Bighorn River  (in 1805 by fur trader François Larocque) at Thermopolis . . . after a "Wedding of the Waters" somewhere up stream.  Amazing.  The park had a nice pedestrian suspension bridge over the Bighorn River.

 

The bridge proided a good vantage point for photographing the surrounding geological marvels.

 

Billed as the "Largest Hot Springs In The World," it was mighty impressive.  There were some amazing mineral pools and cascading mineral deposits running into the blue Bighorn River.

 

The Bighorn River as it seeks it's way to the sea.

 

The light was very bad for photography, overcast, but I did manage to find some interesting subject matter, like these thermal pools.  Notice the white rock sign on the side of the hill announcing, "World's Largest Thermal Hot Springs."

 

Sometimes the cascading hot mineral waters would leave a pattern of scales on the rocks.

 

One of the most interesting things I saw on the entire trip might be these life forms living in scalding hot thermal pools.  These things attract NASA exobiologists like free money.  If there is life on other planets, it'll look like this for sure . . . and what feeds on this stuff on another planet is anybodie's guess!  We stopped at a grocery store in Thermopolis for supplies (anything without sugar . . . which is NOT easy in the USA!) before driing back through the Bighorn/Wind River Canyon.

 

Once out of the Wind River mountains, the countryside spread out again into arid wilderness.

 

I love this kid of nature; so grand . . .

 

. . . and mile after mile of it.  As we drove to the northwest, our altitude rose.  The countryside began to change.

 

The earth became more red in color, the flora changed as well; more sagebrush now, and the occasional green oasis.

 

The geology of the hills became streaked with red.  Magnificent.

 

Like something out of a cowboy movie!

 

This dirt road was soooo tempting . . . . but we wanted to get to the Grand Tetons National Park before dark, and a rain storm was gathering.

 

As we rose in elevation the road often cut through rocky passes with mammoth monuments of red stone.

 

The American West in all its glory!

 

A storm was gathering over the red stone bluffs.  We drove faster and stopped less often . . . .

 

The road became very steep as we ascended into the Alpine meadows of the Grand Tetons . . . where it was raining a gentle, and cold rain.

 

The rain was becoming very steady as we reached the entrance gate of Grand Teton National Park.

 

By the time we reached our park cabin check-in it was dark and raining.  We had a nice meal (trout) in the central lodge.  We awoke to a perfect day . . . .

 

. . . a glorious morning . . .

 

. . . among the pines.

 

Our log cabin had been comfy and cozy.

 

What is it about a log cabin in the pines that makes one feel so . . . welcome?

 

We were late enough in the summer for wild flowers to be blooming at altitude.

 

We could have spent a week in the Tetons, but we were booked into Yellowstone for the next several days.  We hit the road early, and stopped to take a look at The Grand Teton mountains themselves across Janet Lake.

 

There couldn't have been better weather . . .

 

The Teton peaks were shrouded in billowy clouds.

 

The clouds would part now and then to give a glimpse of one peak at a time.

 

Fantastic!

 

An old high school friend of mine, Marty Stewart, spent months backpacking in the Tetons . . . and raved about them.  Now I see why . . . forty years later.

 

The whole of the Tetons; GRAND indeed!

 

We somehow pulled ourselves away from Lake Janet and the reflected high Tetons and headed up i altitude to Yellowstone National Park . . . and ever more natural beauty.

ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND

A road trip from Philadelphia to Virginia necessarily implies a side-trip stop for lunch in historic Annapolis, Maryland.  My daughter, Kirsten, joined my wife, Yoo, and I for this leg of our journey.

 

We weren't the only people who had the idea of an Annapolis lunch!  The old colonial sea port, and site of America's first fleet (and current Naval Academy) was packed with tourists, like ourselves.

 

Annapolis is a very pretty colonial town, well restored.  About half the buildings were occupied by estate agents, and the other half equally divided by curios and ice cream shops.

 

Because America's architectural history is so short, tourists drive a long way to see these kinds of structures.  In London you see this as ubiquitous.

 

I am not sure if the flags are displayed all year, or just for the 4th of July holidays.  Very pretty.

 

We walked around town in search of a lunch of perfect lump crab cake . . . .

 

. . . and found it here.  Highly recommended lump crab cake.  McGarvey's Oyster Bar.  Yum yum.  We left Annapolis for Virginia with smiles on our faces.

VIRGINIA HIGHWAYS

We trusted the GPS to get us through/around Washington, D.c. to my favorite highway: Virginia Highway 29N.  We noticed these cool works of art out front of a winery and stopped.

 

Virginia, like other States, are beginning to build a name for it's vineyard.  It turns out that grapes grow in places other than France and the Napa Valley of California.

 

The Northern Virginia countryside is already one of the most beautiful places on Earth, and the presence of vineyards has no damaged that.

 

Looks like a good crop this year . . . I guess.

 

We continued south on Highway 29 and pulled over at one of the roadside fruit stands which are plentiful this time of year.  Strangely, the woman running the fruit stall looked very much like my recently departed mother.

 

When you live in the tropics, as I do, you get a hankering for temperate climate fruits.

 

We bought cherries and nectarines for ourself, and a watermelon and these cantaloupes for gifts.

 

I am a sucker for old machinery and had to get some shots of the old Massey Furgeson tractor parked out back of the fruit stand.

 

"Lovely capture," as photographers say.  But enough of this dilly-dallying . . . . time to get on to the real reason of this journey . . . a return to the Follye of Mr. Jefferson's Old Age . . .

THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA

I earned my Ph.D. degree from the University of Virginia and have many warm and special memories of my time there.

 

Like all UVA grads, we are all conversant in the history and  traditions of our beloved alma mater.

 

The University of Virginia does not have a "campus," it has The Grounds.

 

The University of Virginia does not have a "quad," it has The Lawn.  Unfortunately The Lawn was under repair and restoration, seemingly like the rest of my beloved University.

 

The Uniersity of Virginia does not have a "student union," it has The Rotunda, which most of the White House is modeled after.  Again, The Rotunda was under major restoration.

 

A magnificent building.  I attended many a stimulating and edifying lecture in the Main Hall of The Rotunda.

 

Through these doors have walked great men and women. And me.

 

Just strolling around The Grounds brought back such wonderful memories.

 

Not everything was under renovation; some of the Pavilions that line The Lawn were in beautiful condition, ready to be photographed.

 

Thomas Jefferson, the founder of UVA and the architect of American Democracy and Religious Freedom, was also an architect of great talent and vision.

 

Being a student here, among this great architecture, was very inspirational.

 

My wife and daughter were somewhat patient of me as I wandered the columned aisles, teary-eyed in a swoon of academic nostalgia.

 

Another interesting architectural feature of UVA are the Colonnades, the original student rooms, separated from The Lawn by a series of serpentine-walled gardens.

 

The UVA Colonnades.

 

The Colonnades hold individual student rooms, who win the right to stay in them in a lottery.  A good friend of mine, the philosopher Marshall Parks, stayed here for a year.  We had great discussions of in this room about anti-foundationalism, neo-pragmatism, and the philosophy of Richard Rorty, his dissertation committee chair, and my mentor.

 

Edgar Allen Poe was a student at The University of Virginia and lived in a Colonnades room, here carefully restored exactly as Poe had lived in it.

 

The Jefferson Debating Society Hall on the end of the Colonnades.

 

The University is very careful to keep the architecture unified.  Even new buildings must conform to the Jeffersonian Colonial Style.

 

Jefferson included many enclosed gardens for contemplation and reflection.  I did a fair amount of reading in these gardens, weather permitting.

 

Some of the gardens are behind Pavilions and are used for receptions and such.  I put on a reception for Dr. Igor Girshunsky, a Soviet university president, in this garden.

 

Beyond the old Jeffersonian Grounds, are newer (1920s) academic buildings.  This is the Alderman Library.  I spent many years in this building doing research among the ancient Hindi texts and documents . . . searching for the stories of elusive pratieka (pakeka) Buddha.

 

The newer sections of The Grounds are also very beautiful.

 

Inside those double doors was a student lounge with a grand piano.  Most afternoons there was a talented student playing marvelous music.  I stopped there often for thoughtful reflection.

 

This is a new Curry School building that wasn't there when I was a student here.

 

The University of Virginia is often called a "Public Ivy League" university.  It is currently the #1 ranked public university, and many rankings include UVA among the top 10 universities in the USA.  We left The Grounds of my beloved Uniersity of Virginia for old downtown Charlottesville and a light lunch.  Time to get to Richmond.

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA

We arrived at the home of my step-son, Piet, in the middle of a record-setting heat wave.  Needless to say, we didn't get out and see any of Richmond, Virginia.  We had fun hanging out and talking while Piet cooked and we all ate too much good food.  The previous week, they were out of power for three days due to freak storms that brought 100mph+ winds. 

 

Piet's kids were housebound, like us, due to the extreme heat (over 115f heat index!); not the best way for a child to spend a summer day.

 

We spent a wonderful two days with Piet, his wife, Marguerite, and their two boys, Finn and Elias, before driving to Dullas Airport for our flight to Denver, Colorado.

PHILADELPHIA, PA,  U.S.A.

I went to the U.S.A. this July (2012) to breathe some American air.  Pennsylvania did not disappoint.

 

My first stop was on the grid in Philadelphia, home of American Democracy, signed, sealed, and delivered here in Constitution Hall in 1776.

 

My daughter is a professional artist in the very artsy Philadelphia.

 

Philadelphia is an old city, a bit down at the heel and in need of some fresh paint . . . which has been slathered here and there: Philly is a city that feels like it is on the rebound.

 

There is much urban charm to be found in Philadelphia.

 

Some Philly residential areas remind me of my time in London.

 

My infatuation with street carts was fully satisfied in Philadelphia. I couldn't help but think of the similarities and differences between food carts in Philly, Bangkok, and Yogjakarta, Indonesia.

 

A trip to Philly would not be complete without engorging on the requisite cheese steak sandwich.

 

Philadelphia is also a modern metropolis of glass and steel . . .

 

. . . and all kinds of people in funny hats and clothing . . .

 

. . . for many, many years, it seems.

NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM of PHILADELPHIA

There is a fine Natural History Museum in Philadelphia definitely worth the visit.

 

You can actually touch dinosaur bones!

 

There was a large section containing many dioramas of current and extinct animals.  We enjoyed looking at the bison, moose, and bear dioramas in anticipation of actually seeing them in Yellowstone National Park later in the summer.

 

Like many museums, actual scientific study was going on.  There were glass windows overlooking the research labs.

 

There was a butterfly "room" filled with colorful butterflies from around the world . . .

 

. . . a photographer's dream (although I did not have my macro lens handy . . . damn!).

 

I chased this black example around the room until it sat still.

 

A fantastic environment for photography . . . I could have spent all day in there, but Vietnamese dinner in Chinatown was beckoning.

 

Philly does not have an especially large Chinatown area, but it makes up for it in colorful lights.

 

The Occupy Wall Street folks were in Philly to protest the 4th of July parade, but stopped off in Chinatown for food and beer.  Good people.

 

We were still a little jet-lagged, but we enjoyed the day.

 

The city that never stops  working . . . I imagined these guys to be secret operatives splicing into the Police Station communications net they were working next to . . . .

I LOVE A PARADE: 4th of July

A hot, sunny 4th of July morning in Philadelphia.

We where up early and out the door to get a good place to view the big 4th of July parade.  Thee side streets were full of staging floats and parade goers . . . .

 

. . . as well as a goodly number of Occupy Wall Street protesters, and an overwhelming police presence.  The Founding City of American Democracy seemed a bit intolerant to those who want to preserve it - for all.

 

We stopped for good coffee right across from Betsy Ross's Historical House . . . .

 

. . . where they were busy running visitors' hometown flags up the Betsy Ross Flag Pole (BRFP).

 

Everybody was eager with anticipation for the parade to begin.

 

And the parade began!

 

The 4th of July is America's Birthday party . . . a time to celebrate America . . . in all its aspects.

 

I liked that the parade organizing committee allowed such a wide swath of American culture, history, and institutions to parade themselves before the citizenry.

 

There were lots of Marching Bands . . . .

 

. . . and actual soldiers just back from Afghanistan . . .

 

. . . and soul singers on floats . . .

 

. . . antique milk trucks (I enjoyed these) . . .

 

. . . a Viet Nam Veterans Motorcycle Club . . .

 

Sometimes the contrasts between the parading groups was astonishing . . . like these members of the Confederate Antebellum Society . . . followed by the group representing the Underground Railway Museum.

 

A fervor of historical reverence was evident among the parade-goers.

 

They are proud of their police in Philadelphia . . .

 

. . . and their Beauty Queens.

 

Lots of Beauty Queens riding on convertibles . . . like the calmly Miss Philadelphia here.

 

There was a nice mix of Beauty Queens and Marching Bands . . .

 

. . . and old Fire Department machinery . . .

 

. . . and Marching Bands, some more wild than others!

 

I was glad to see the Shriners and their little parade cars racing about . . . the crowd loved them.  They do good work.

 

Uncle Sam was a part of the Red, White, and Blue orgy of patriotism.

 

For me, the highlight of the parade, in addition to the hot rods and classic cars, were the many ethnic communities represented.  The inclusiveness was admirable and exemplary.

 

The local Philippine community was out in force . . .

 

. . . Miss Philippines USA was on hand . . .

 

. . . as was this Filipino sailor, symbolizing the close historical connection between the USA and the Philippines.

 

The Chinese community was amply represented.

 

 Did I mention that there was a temperature record set on this day?  It was well over 100f degrees (37C) when the parade began.  These poor Chinese dragon masters were taking a well-deserved break.

 

The Philadelphia Tibetan Association was also present and received a very loud ovation from the crowd. It is very interesting how these conflicting groups (Chinese and Tibetan) coexist here in the U.S.A.

 

Thanks for calling our attention. Tibetan Lamas.

 

My own personal Grand Marshall of the parade, the Dalai Lama.

 

The Chinese also had to contend wiht a large presnce of Fulon Gong members in their yellow silk outfits.  The are banned in China.

 

I guess that's why they have so many old fire trucks in the parade . . .

 

. . . and Beauty Queens on very cool old cars . . . .

 

. . . and wonderfully loud drumlines: they separate the groups that might be in conflict.

 

Philadelphia is a National Football League (NFL) team hosting city: home of the Eagles.  This guy brought the crowd to life!

 

This was my favorite entry in the parade: teacher of the year.  To be a great teacher is to be living a great life.  I am glad the good people of New Jersey appreciate that fact.  If you don't know your American geography, Camden, New Jersey is just across the river from Philadelphia, Pennsylania.

 

There are large numbers of Cambodian refugees in The States . . .

 

. . . and apparently a large community in Philadelphia.  I loved seeing the young Buddhist monk being paraded down the street . . . . talk about a test of your inner peace and a challenge to your conscious awareness!

 

What a great idea: a Migrant Heritage Commission.  This poor guy had a hell of a time fighting this huge banner against the sudden hot wind.  The crowd really got behind his efforts.

 

What could be more fun than getting together with 15 of your best freinds to bang on the "sto" buckets while riding down Main Street, I ask you?

 

What could be more American than the Hot Rod! 

 

It must be nice to have friends on the parade Organizing Committee: you can drive your car down Main Street waiving a USD$0.29 flag.

 

Eventually, all things must come to an end.  The, by now, 103f heat had driven most of the children off the streets, along with their overheated parents. Flags play an important part of the American experience.

 

The Official End of the Parade float.

 

In Philadelphia, even the coolster HipShop owners get into the fun.  We headed back to an air-conditioned space for naps, then later in the evening . . . .

 

. . . we went to a delightfully post-modern Cuban restaurant.  I ask you, what could be more American on the 4th of July?

 

After a rousing engorgement of black beans and rice, we walked to the very popular Franklin Fountain for ice cream.

 

The Franklin Fountain is a very interesting business concept:  take an 1880s building and recreate an 1880s business in it.  In this case, a soda fountain.

 

Dress your staff in period costumes, find period furnishings, make your own ice cream with period recipes, and display antique fountain products.  Very good . . . . they even had sugar-free ice cream for me!

 

They managed to pull off a perfect illusion of the 1880s.  There was a line of 30 people waiting to get in . . . it was 7:30pm and it was still 90f . . . good ice cream weather.

 

Our original plan was to walk to the river to watch the fireworks display, but they had moved the fireworks to the other end of the city.  It was getting late, and we wanted an early start for our road trip to Virginia, so we went back to the hotel to pack.

 

Good night Philadelphia.

I found an old wallet while cleaning up my office and did a little wallet archeology.  This is the admission ticket to the 1967 Yucaipa High School (Calif.) Homecoming Dance. I took my then-sweetheart, Barbara Lane, and we had a pretty interesting time sporting my borrowed suit and her borrowed formal gown . . . and our illegal smiles, of course.  A good memory.  I did not know I had this artifact of my personal history.  But there were other things going on in October 1967, just a few months into my Senior Year . . . .

 

June 14, 1968 . . . an evening I remember like it was last night . . . but not because of the commencement ceremony  . . . only Barbara Lane and I know why . . .

 

There were rumblings of war on the horizon.  These Selective Service System (a.k.a., Draft Board) cards tell my personal story for the next five years:  From classified as II-S (student deferment) to I-A (draftable, awaiting the call) and finally to my medical deferment status as I-H (draftable only if war is declared by the Congress, which never happened during the Viet Nam war).  That high school football knee injury had a silver lining after all!

ONE DAY IN MY LIFE:

I was up and on the way to Ayutthaya at 4:00am the other morning to meet some photography buddies for a shoot of the ancient Thai capitol.  Ayutthaya is about an 80 minute drive north on the good super highway from my home in the northern suburbs of Bangkok.

 

We all met up at an old traditional Thai teak house just across from the Ayutthaya Historical Park.  It was still quite dark when we arrived, but the main temple structures were bathed in orange light.

 

Everyone had a tripod, but me.  I'm pretty good with my hand held trusty Canon 5D Mark II and Sigma 50mm f1.4 lens. What a beautiful sight.

 

Slowly, slowly . . . . the morning light arrived in blues.

 

The sun gradually  rose and cast it's light upon the ruins of the ancient city.

 

Though it was still quite dark, there was so much of interest to see and photograph.

 

The five of us fanned out in different directions, with our curiosities diverging.

 

As one of three Buddhists in the group, I went looking for the Buddha images.  This one was magnificent.

 

Very old Buddha image.  Ayutthaya was a major  city between 1350 and 1765 (when it was sacked by the Burmese).  It is estimated that Ayutthaya was a city of 1,000,000 people by 1700.  These ruins are from the royal Buddhist temple.

 

We managed to be in pretty much the right place when the "magic light" showed up.

 

Beautiful morning light to shoot these awesome monuments.

 

These gigantic chedis may have held Buddha relics or the remains of beloved monks or abbots.

 

Interestingly, these chedis and Wat structures had not been rebuilt or restored by archaeologists, but have been continuously free-standing since the 14th century in the state you see here.

 

 

Although we started off in different directions, we all converged at about the same time at the famous Buddha head engulfed by a tree.  This image is so connected to Thailand that it could easily become the national symbol.  It is one of the most photographed objects in the world, no doubt . . . but that does not lessen the visual and spiritual impact of seeing it in the real.

 

It was getting lighter and the warm morning sun was beginning to find it's way under the large trees.  I took around twenty shots of the Buddha head at many different f-stops, shutter speeds, and ISO settings trying to find the best solution to capturing the mood of this place.  These two photos stood out from among the many I took.

 

Not fifty meters from the Buddha head in the tree is this wonderful monument and Buddha image.

 

The Ayutthaya-period Thais had a distinctive architectural style.

 

Sacred Lord Buddha.

 

We all moved on to the incredible main, central structure: Wat Ratcha Burana.

 

Phra Prang Prathan.

 

The temple architecture is unique to Ayutthaya.

 

There are so many chedis in and around Phra Prang Prathan that any window frame you walk by yields a great photo.

 

This area was the center of a city of one million inhabitants in 1700.

 

Phra Prang Prathan.

 

The sides of Phra Prang Prathan chedi are still covered with the original bas relief Buddha panels.

 

The carvings and other decorative details of Phra Prang Prathan are still in excellent, unrestored shape.

 

Part of the vast temple and royal grounds of Ayutthaya.

 

On the climb up of the chedi, there were great views of the temple complex.

 

Once up the many chedi steps and inside, we all contorted ourselves to capture every small and interesting detail of this ancient structure.  The textures were remarkable. (Here: "BASIL THE CONTORTIONIST")

 

While in the upper inner chamber of the Phra Prang Prathan chedi we were confronted by a perturbed park ranger who asked us to leave immediately.  It seems the park does not open until 8:00am.  Oops!  NOT!  We walked back out through the old royal buildings that were now streaked in light and shadow.

 

Timelessness.

 

Looking back in the Wat compound and reflecting on what a great morning it was.

 

The ancient ruins of Ayutthaya are not just some destination for tourists, a lost civilization.  They are still revered and pilgrims still come her to worship.  They are a living monument to a living spiritual practice.

 

A picture post card.

 

The wear on the ancient Wat walls carry the patina of time.

 

Here and there traces of ancient inscriptions can be made out, along with shards of Chinese ceramics embedded in the ancient walls.

 

There is a beautiful monument at each gate, corner, and change of direction along the old walls.  Strong morning light illuminated all the detail.  Nice.

 

A decorative wall monument, Ayutthaya Historical Park.  We left the Historical Park central area and went in search of the giant reclining Buddha.

 

The entire area, for many kilometers, is all chedis and old royal Thai structures.

 

After a while of walking around in a constant state of wonder at these huge and beautiful chedis, I was left in a photographers quandary: what to shoot?  There is too much of interest here . . . and what will I do with 100 photos of chedis, albeit wonderful chedis?

 

I shot the incredible ensembles and arrangements of chedis . . .

 

I shot the details of the chedis . . . . .

 

I tried not to shoot the same chedi too many times . . . . the light was so perfect for this kind of large architectural structure.  Magnificent!

 

I love this magnificent colossal Thai style.

 

Magnificent!

 

More chedis . . .

 

There are so many royal and Buddhist sites in and around Ayutthaya.  We stopped here to marvel at the three enormous white chedis.

 

We encountered very few tourists on this Wednesday in mid-June, but the few we did encounter, like this busload of Japanese tourists, were very well behaved and quiet.

 

Basil and I had fun taking photos of each other in interesting locations.

 

We left the chedi enclosure and walked to a nearby Wat to see what marvels it held.

 

The Wat was, of course, filled with marvelous images.  Here a "tree of donation receipts" and an old Buddha with a perectly lit wall.  Yummy!

 

The effect of the whole wal with the natural window lighting.  (NO, the darkened corners are not an artifact of the lens . . . it looked that way!)

 

The Wat held a Buddha Colossus . . . but just.  It also held many very old relic Buddha heads from ancient Wats that no longer exist . . . that were incredibly lit by the reflections of the colossal Buddha and a very red carpet (see below).  FANTASTIC!

 

The giant Buddha image sat upon a magnifiscent base.

 

Ancient Buddha head relic bathed in reflected light from a red carpet in the sunshine.  Incredible!

 

Ancient Buddha head relic bathed in reflected light from a red carpet in the sunshine.  Incredible!

 

Ancient Buddha head relic bathed in reflected light from a red carpet in the sunshine.  Incredible!

 

Ancient Buddha head relic bathed in reflected light from a red carpet in the sunshine.  Incredible!

 

Ancient Buddha head relic bathed in reflected light from and open window on one side and a red carpet in the sunshine on the other.  Incredible!

 

Ancient Buddha head relic bathed in reflected light from and open window on one side and a red carpet in the sunshine on the other.  Incredible!

 

Ancient Buddha head relic bathed in reflected light from a red carpet in the sunshine.  Buddhist pilgrims to sacred Wats place/stick gold leaf squares on revered Buddha icons as a devotional act, these catch and reflect the light.  Incredible!

 

Red carpet reflections on a gold leaf'ed Buddha.  fantastic!

 

Buddha image framed by pink donation strips . . . . beauty.

 

There was much to see and photograph in Bo Phit Buddha Wat, like these colorful breeze-blown festoonments.

 

 

Young novice Buddhist monks and their teacher arrived for meditation and  prayer.

 

Buddhist monk in meditation.

 

After meditating, the monks walked around the large Buddha image three times clockwise.

 

The old teaching monk engaged his young novices in spiritual talk from he Buddhist sutras.

 

Very few tourists meant a not very well developed tourist industry.  There were very few curious shops, and no touts at all pestering us.  Thank you Thailand.

 

Strangely, recent construction was rapidly disintegrating in the harsh tropical climate, but only a few yards away were works and constructions from many hundreds of year ago still standing.

 

We left the amazing Wat and walked back a different path through the chedi complex to my truck.

 

Basil and I decided to have a competition to see who could take a photograph worthy of a Hallmark Schmaltz Award.  This is my candidate.

 

We spotted this Buddha in a window frame and knew the view from the other side would be remarkable.

 

The scenes inside the ancient Thai Royal quarters was astonishing.

 

Beautiful framing.

 

We left the main Historical Park and headed out into the town.  Aided by my GPS, we fund the giant reclining Buddha.

 

I performed a devotional ceremony at the golden Buddha altar.  It was a fantastic day.  The reclining Buddha is one of my favorite Buddha poses.  He is relaxing, at peace.  I went in for a closer look at the yellow draping cloth.

 

The found the strong light and strong transparent yellow color against the ancient weathered surfaces fascinating.

 

Amazing textures, patterns, color, and light.

 

The carved garments of the giant Buddha overlaid with the yellow garments of todays' followers.

 

Patterns upon textures, upon age itself.

 

Beautiful abstract images found.

 

I was reluctant to leave the reclining Buddha, but it was  time for lunch . . . and maybe a massage before moving on to the King's Summer Palace.

 

We drove into Ayutthaya proper looking for fried chicken . . . and found it, and alot more.

 

Street food vendor's arraying art.

 

The Thais hae steadily substituted materialistic consumerism for their Buddhism, and this photo perfectly captures the current state of affairs in Thailand.  Buddhism hangs on in many important ways, but it is in decline.

 

We managed to endure 90 minutes of head, neck, and leg massage.  We suffer, don't we?

 

We left our massage lightheaded, as usual, set the GPS for the King's Summer Palace, and hit the road.  We arrived at the Summer Palace at 3:50pm and were greeted by a sign saying "Closed at 16.00" and a guard waving his finger back and forth, "No No."  So we decided to go home.  I set the GPS again to take us home the long way, next to the river.  Along the way we spotted a red colossal monk on the horizon and turned down the small farm road to see if we could fid it.  We passed a forlorn looking Wat with crematorium and pulled in to take a look. 

 

The Wat had a creepy feeling about it, but some very beautiful Buddha images outside.

 

We walked around the outside until we found a door next to yet another ancient Buddha.

 

We went inside and this is what we found:  a great effort had been made to save the collapsed original Wat with elaborate steel girders supporting the original walls.  Around all of this, a new shelter had been erected to keep the old Buddhas out of the weather.  There was a very strange feeling inside, like we shouldn't be in there.

 

A fine old Buddha.

 

After first complaining that the light was "bad," we realized there were some fantastically lit old Buddha images after all.  We rushed about taking photos, in a hurry to get out.

 

Wonderful light indeed!  Unfortunately a cat sauntered up to Basil and bit him on the leg.

 

Our bright orange shirts were reflecting the "bad" back lighting, so we carefully positioned ourselves to get the best lighting.

 

We rushed around taking photos when we realized there were red ants falling on us from above.  We left the Wat in a hurry with a feeling that there was "bad gamma" associated with the place . . . and the dogs looked like they would bite.

 

We drove a few more kilometers on a dirt road and finally found our Mega Monk in a Mega Wat along the Chao Praya River . . . a Mega Wat in the same sense of a Mega Church in the USA: wildly over built, with facilities and parking for thousands of people.  This Wat was a huge investment for someone!

 

We walked around the Megsa Wat taking only a few photos as the light began to fade into dusk.

 

I found this lovely Bikku in the pose of receiving understanding from the Buddha Siddhartha.  I walked to the river to see if there would be a sunset to redeem this otherwise disappointing side trip.

 

I found a pier along the river and was confronted with many barge trains being pulled down the river by there rumbling tugs.

 

A river barge train in the fading light.

 

I left the river and went looking for Basil with the idea of just going home . . .when I looked up and thought, "this could be an interesting sunset" . . . .

 

. . . . it's getting better all the time . . . .

 

. . . . and an interesting sunset it turned out to be!

 

A sunset like this, experienced at a Buddhist Wat, is very spiritual.

 

The sunset kept getting better and better . . . .

 

. . . . I was stuck in a perpetual OH WOW! moment for the longest time . . . .

 

We took our last photos and got in the car, sustained by the spirit of that sunset, and drove back into the madhouse Bangkok traffic . . . and home.  It was a wonder-full day.