#023: Bangkok
Hey everyone! This will be my last blog post for the year! When I started this website and blog in January, I was not sure of where I would go with this. It is still a work in progress and it has been a fun learning experience for me on how blogging works, and what I can or cannot do with it. Content-wise, I’ve been blessed with opportunities to travel and take photos and to share them with you, and its something I intend to continue doing in the new year. Especially more on the topics of street photography. I will continue to experiment with my photographic style and with the content of what I will showcase on the blog, I hope you’ve enjoyed what you’ve seen so far and will continue to check back in for more of my photographic adventures in the new year. Enjoy this last blog post for the year about my trip to Bangkok. :)
Bangkok!
Spent a few days in Bangkok to attend my wife’s cousins wedding and then eat and shop and eat and shop and eat, in that order. In between all of that, I was out on the streets capturing any interesting moments that were in front of me. Mostly taking photos as we moved from one place to another. I didn’t get a chance to fully immerse myself in any one particular area, so these photos are very “basic” touristy-street stuff, IMHO.
We ended up at MBK almost everyday… because its fun and cheap. If you’ve never been to Bangkok or it is your first time there, check out the MBK Center. Its a fun mall in the centre of what I’d call the shopping district of Bangkok. There are many other, newer, fancier malls around Bangkok but MBK has always been the fun one to check out. Lots of cheap clothing can be found here. We also ventured into the Chatuchak Weekend Market for a little bit. Chatuchak is also a must visit if you’re in Bangkok, especially if you’re a shopaholic. It’ll be your one-stop shop for almost anything you’d ever need or want. You can find almost anything in this market. Literally anything. You’ll be amazed at what’s on offer. Seriously, go check it out!
Then we found ourselves in Chinatown area and we checked out the Sampeng Lane market. A tiny narrow claustrophobic laneway full of shops selling stuff and mostly wholesale. The more you buy the cheaper it gets. Bring your bargaining skills in order to get the best deals, a skill I lack tremendously. Example below…
Scenario: Purchasing bracelets for Christmas gifts in Sampeng Market.
Me: Hi, I want these four bracelets. How much for these four? (holding up the four that I have selected)
Shop lady: Four pieces, 400 Baht.
Me: Can I get it for 350 Baht maybe? I’m buying four!
Shop Lady: No, this is the price. 400 baht.
Me: oh… OK... (hands over 400 baht)
Me: Kob Kun Krub (walks away).
I fail at bargaining.
The photos below are of what I returned happy with, from this short trip to Bangkok. It was a chance to test out the Sigma 16mm F1.4 DC DN lens again, that I paired with my Olympus OM-D E-M1. I was the only lens that I brought on this trip. It is rather large, especially considering its mounted on a MFT camera, but I’ve now gotten used to its size and I do like what I’m getting from this lens and camera pairing. I’ll have to see if this will be my go-to lens and camera set up for my future street photography stuff.
Anyway, I hope you like the photos.
I wish you all a great and happy new year!
See you all in 2019!
Cheers.
