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  Sunday 22nd of June 2014 and I'm off to an Urban Safari with Bangkok Photographers. I spoke with my friend the organiser and there would be around 40 Photographers joining the urban safari. Plenty professionals to learn from. We will met under the Sapan Taksin Bridge at 2 o'clock in the   afternoon. We will take a River Taxi boat to the Memorial Bridge. We will then walk across the bridge to the Thonburi side of the river to begin our walk.
My friend was sick so no boxing today  and I was not very happy about it, but shit happens.
I took a taxi to the Sapan Taksin (Taksin Bridge) sky train where we were going to meet at 2 o'clock. I was 25 minutes early and I had time to walk around the area. There are a ferry station (Sathorn Ferry  Station) under the bridge. There was one stop for the “long tail” boats and there was a jetty for boat serving the hotels on the Thonburi side of Chao Phraya River  Fishing in the canal and we can only imagine how clean the water is
 Four different colours on the flags on the boats leaving Sathorn Ferry Station
And we can see that the green flagged ferry have this station as the start station going up Chao Phraya River
  Our route up the Chao Phraya River to Memorial Bridge
With 6 stops on the way as we can see on the map
  The best Chao Phraya Express boat map I have found - From http://www.theydrawandtravel.com
Artist: Yanika Keeratipaibul Facebook and you can see more of her work at http://ishshii.tumblr.com
Click HERE for bigger map!
I also learned how to see the difference between the different boats leaving from our jetty. We  are going to Memorial Bridge and we will have to take the boat flying an orange flag. There are four different colours.
I crossed the small canal and I bought a bottle of water from one of the vendors. Luckily enough they didn't had any Diet MAX for sale - We have Coke Zero - I would rather drink the water from the Canal So I bought a bottle of water and I was walking back to Sathorn Ferry Terminal and I was soon talking with a girl. It didn't take long before she wanted to take a picture of Mr. Handsome. Well, who am I to say  no. But of course, I took a picture of her taking my picture.
I'm walking around the jetty looking for a waste paper basket  to throw my empty water bottle.
It was not easy to find any trash bin and I had to carry my bottle. I was hanging around when I guy came up to me. He asked if I was with the Bangkok  Photographers. Must have been my camera that gave me away.
I had suspected several of the people at Sathorn Ferry Terminal to be members of Bangkok Photographers. But I'm not the kind of guy walking up to strangers starting a spontaneous conversation. So it was nice when the British guy came up to me. We talked away some time and we could soon see the others in the group outside Sapan Taksin Exit #2 and we moved over to them.  Chao Phraya River looking North from Sathorn Ferry Station
 Chao Phraya River looking South from Sathorn Ferry Station
 Bangkok Photographers meet outside Sapan Taksin Exit #2
 Bangkok Photographers meet outside Sapan Taksin Exit #2
We were about 40 people joining the Urban Safari “Hidden Gem” walk. I didn't recognise any of
They were afraid that we would have to take 2 boats, but we were lucky, the boat was empty when arriving to the jetty and all of us got on board and we were soon on our way to the Memorial bridge  and ferry station #6 where we will get off the boat and cross the bridge by foot. Well, this will be fun so hang on!
We left Sathorn ferry station and the Taksin Bridge behind and we made 5 stops on the way. I was soon to learn that a whistle meant that we were coming up to a ferry station. The Deck boy had a whistle in his mouth and he jumped ashore and he put the rope on the bollard on the jetty. He  whistle one more time when the rope was made fast. I never understood this, the boat was still making speed ahead when he made fast the rope.
Now it is easy to imagine what happened when the boat came to a full stop. I was almost flying across the boat. Thanks to my lightning fast reflections I had the time to grab a rail. But the girl selling the tickets felt together with more of the passengers. And they told me it was a nice ride today, it was usually much worse according to the frequent travellers. Well, I have only been on these boats once before, almost 25 years ago. A nice view of  the city and the Chao Phraya River. But a taxi is the safest way to get around.
Well, I got some pictures of the river and now I don't have to go on any Express boats for another few years. We got off the boat and we were soon on the Memorial Bridge walking across Chao Phraya River towards the Thonburi side.  Crossing the Memorial Bridge
 Crossing the Memorial Bridge
 Somdedprapokklaojaoyuhau Bridge from the Memorial Bridge
Bangkok River Park Condominium on the left hand side
 Crossing the Memorial Bridge
 Tug steaming up the river with empty barges
And they will most likely disturb the guests at our hotel in Bang-Pa-In with the noise
 Tuk Tuk coming up on the Memorial Bridge from the Thonburi side
It was a beautiful bridge, not one of those new constructions made out of concrete only to keep it cheap. I stayed a wee bit extra on the bridge to get a picture of a tug and her tow of empty barges passing under the Somdedprapokklaojaoyuhau Bridge next to the Memorial Bridge. Steaming North and they will pass the hotel we lived at in Bang Pa In disturbing the guests with the noise. We left the bridge as soon as we reached the Thonburi side. There is a small park on the left hand side coming over the bridge and I think it is a part of the Chaloem Phrakiat Forest Park. I left the bridge coming down the corner and the group was sitting in the stairs waiting for all of us to have crossed the bridge for a group picture.  I ran in to a group picture
 I ran in to a group picture
 I ran in to a group picture
 Click HERE for bigger picture
 We're ready and we can continue
Our first stop will be at the Goowatil Islam Mosque next to the Princess Mother Memorial Park not far away from the Memorial Bridge. But before getting to the Goowatil Islam Mosque we will have to cross a small Canal and walk through an area with housing so this promise to be interesting. We left the Memorial Bridge and we walked down Phaya Mai Rod until we reached the Uthai Alley and we crossed the small Canal. We turned left at the intersection. There was a lot of interesting stuff to ge ton picture, but the most fun was the Photographers taking pictures.  We're passing under the Somdedprapokklaojaoyuhau Bridge
 We're passing under the Somdedprapokklaojaoyuhau Bridge
 Bird cages with election posters
 Bird cages with election posters
 Stopping for something to drink
 Walking over the Canal
 Walking over the Canal
 A tree that have been growing through the bridge over the Canal
No need to go to Cambodia to see the “tree through the house” temple
 Walking over the Canal
        We reach the Goowatil Islam Mosque
 Goowatil Islam Mosque
 Goowatil Islam Mosque
 Goowatil Islam Mosque
 Memorial and Somdedprapokklaojaoyuhau Bridge
We can also see the Chao Phraya Express Boat ferry station #6  Long tail boat on Chao Phraya River
 Photographers at Goowatil Islam Mosque
 Goowatil Islam Mosque
We reached the Goowatil Islam Mosque and we had to enter through a very small door. 120cm and  not many cm wide, but thanks to my fruit diet I passed through the door without any problem.
I had been looking around the Mosque and I decided to go out to wait for someone coming out through the door. Might be a good picture. I came out through the door  and the first thing I ran in to was a girl taking my picture. So she had been coming up with the same idea and she was lucky, must have been hilarious to see me squeezing through the small door.
She left, of course, this was a once in a life time  picture she got, a cubic ton getting through the small door. I took a few pictures, but there was only small to normal built people passing through the door so I lost interest. The mosque was just next door to the Gong Wu Shrine opposite from the Princess Mother Memorial Park.
There was another Chinese temple or shrine in the area, the Chao Pho Suea Shrine. So I went to explore while waiting for the others to be ready at the Goowatil Islam Mosque. Well, there were quite a few of them members walking up the street towards the Chao Pho Suea Shrine.  One of the organizers outside the Princess Mother Memorial Park
We can see the Chao Pho Suea Shrine up the road
 Walking towards the Chao Pho Suea Shrine
 Walking towards the Chao Pho Suea Shrine
Thai or Chinese, never mind, just throw the garbage were you standing
 Passing a barber shop on my way to the Chao Pho Suea Shrine
 Passing a barber shop on my way to the Chao Pho Suea Shrine
 Walking towards the Chao Pho Suea Shrine
 Clothes out for drying
 Reaching the Chao Pho Suea Shrine
 Chao Pho Suea Shrine
 Chao Pho Suea Shrine
 Chao Pho Suea Shrine
 We take yet another group picture before going to the Gong Wu Shrine
 A group picture outside Princess Mother Memorial Park
I ran in to yet another group picture coming back from the Chao Pho Suea Shrine. And whtat's the
It was an interesting area and there was a lot to look at. We had a few people wandering off and they had hardly been able to find the way back. We took the picture outside the Princess Mother Memorial Park and the Gong Wu Shrine was just on the opposite side of the road. There was a recycling place outside the Gong Wu Shrine and there were 2 guys handling empty bottles. Good to see that something is getting recycled. They were also keeping a bonfire a live at the place. And that didn't smell too good.  Gong Wu Shrine
 Gong Wu Shrine
 Gong Wu Shrine - And we can see the smoke from the bonfire on the left hand side
 Gong Wu Shrine
 Gong Wu Shrine
 Gong Wu Shrine
 Gong Wu Shrine
We met outside the Gong Wu Shrine and when everybody was ready with the Gong Wu Shrine we
I have never heard of the park before but I understood that it was something special with the ruins in the park. And if you ever think about going to Cambodia to see the “tree growing through houses” temple you can save the money and come here instead. I was walking around and there was a house and I didn't paid any attention to it. Another souvenir shop? I was wrong, it was a house with glass walls and they showed how the inside of a Thai home looked like 100 years ago. There were some Thai people there and we started to talk. There were also a museum and I stepped inside. Someone told me that I had to take of my shoes. Well, I skipped the museum. And yes, I can understand why they take of their shoes in respect for holy building etc. But I cannot understand why the same people worshipping a building can come right out from the building throwing garbage all over the place. No respect for the earth and this is our home. And more important, this is the place where your children will live.  Entrance to the Princess Mother Memorial Park
 Princess Mother Memorial Park
 Ruins in the Princess Mother Memorial Park
And we can see the tree growing through the roof, so no need to go to Cambodia
 Princess Mother Memorial Park
 Princess Mother Memorial Park
 Tree through the roof in Princess Mother Memorial Park
No need to go to Cambodia
 Outside Princess Mother Memorial Park - Father and son?
 Outside Princess Mother Memorial Park - Father and son?
 Outside Princess Mother Memorial Park - Enjoying the day
 I'm wandering around outside Princess Mother Memorial Park while waiting for the others
Another interesting “Off the beaten track” in Bangkok
 I'm wandering around outside Princess Mother Memorial Park while waiting for the others
Making small omelettes and the children called me LARDASS
 I'm wandering around outside Princess Mother Memorial Park while waiting for the others
Making small omelettes and the children called me LARDASS
 I'm wandering around outside Princess Mother Memorial Park while waiting for the others
Interesting way to wear the eye patch
  This shirt must have won some kind of prize
 I was wandering around checking out the area around the Princess Mother Memorial Park. It is really nice just to walk around Bangkok, always people moving around and they live their daily life just outside the door steps. And most of them are very friendly. The rest of the group were still in the Princess Mother Memorial Park but they started to come out one by one. We started to walk up Somdet Chao Phraya Soi 3 towards the Somdet Chao Phraya Road. I was very hungry and I had asking the family making the omelette where I could buy Pineapple. They had offered me omelette but I told them that I was on diet and the children started to call me LARDASS immediately. Well, I was really looking for something to eat, a few weeks ago and I would have bought a snickers bar in the MOM & PAP shop. But as I'm on to something here I wanted fruit only.  The rest of the group is coming
 The girls found something interesting to take picture of
 The girls found something interesting to take picture of
 Somdet Chao Phraya Soi 3
 Somdet Chao Phraya Soi 3
 Somdet Chao Phraya Soi 3
 Somdet Chao Phraya Soi 3
 He had been studied at Lund's University - But he didn't spoke Skånska
 Somdet Chao Phraya Soi 3
 We reach Somdet Chao Phraya Road
 We reach Somdet Chao Phraya Road
 Waiting for the bus at Somdet Chao Phraya Road
 Cats on Somdet Chao Phraya Soi 3
   We walk down Soi Chang Nak
A fantastic wooden house - Looks like wallpaper or like the window covers are a paintwork
 We walk down Soi Chang Nak and the sky turns black
Bangkok River Park Condominium sticking up
 We walk down Soi Chang Nak and the sky turns black
Black sky and approaching rain with strong winds. The garbage was blowing around the Soi
 We walk down Soi Chang Nak and the sky turns black
 On Somdet Chao Phraya Soi 3 again walking towards Princess Mother Memorial Park
 On Somdet Chao Phraya Soi 3 again walking towards Princess Mother Memorial Park
 On Somdet Chao Phraya Soi 3 again walking towards Princess Mother Memorial Park
 On Somdet Chao Phraya Soi 3 again walking towards Princess Mother Memorial Park
 On Somdet Chao Phraya Soi 3 and the sky opens up and we have to take cover at a laundry shop
 2 of the girls in the group join me to take cover in the laundry shop
 We can leave the laundry shop
 We're back at the MOM & PAP shop outside Princess Mother Memorial Park
 We're back at the MOM & PAP shop outside Princess Mother Memorial Park, it starts to pour down again
No more making omelettes outside the shoe shop/ store room or whatever it was
 2 girls pass us in the rain
 He take the opportunity to clean his motorcycle
 He take the opportunity to clean his motorcycle
 Today's Urban Safari
When we turned down Soi Chang Nak the sky turned black and it started to blow. Should have been a hard hat area with all the garbage flying around. After 10 minutes it started to pour down and I had to seek refugee in a laundry shop. I was joined by 2 other girls from the group after a minute or so. The rain gave up after 5 minutes and we continued towards Princess Mother Memorial Park. Most of the group members had left us when we reached the Somdet Chao Phraya Road and we were around 8 people remaining, all of us taking shelter in the MOM & PAP shop because it was pouring down again. And no sign of any taxi. We were really of the beaten tracks and I expected to have to wait here until the rain stopped so we could walk to the main road. I saw a taxi coming down the small Soi, but the “FREE” light was off. But I decided to wave at him just to make him aware that here was a customer waiting when he had dropped his passenger. I don't know how long time it was, but I saw another taxi coming down the small Soi, and the “FREE” light was off. I gave it a try and he stopped and I was surprised to see that the taxi was empty. Obviously the “FREE” light was broken and we were soon off towards Sukhumvit Soi 23. Time for a VISA run, I'm on overstay so I will have to pay a fee at the airport Immigration. Well, I'm off to Las Vegas and I will have 30 new days when I return to Bangkok on the 6th of July July 2014 and Bangkok Photographers Group published the first issue of the magazine “Bangkok Photo Walks” Click to read Issue #1 “Hidden Gem Photo Walk”
    
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