Vale C. Warren Bonython 1916-2012

Pioneer bushwalker, scientist and explorer Warren Bonython passed away this week and I’d like to dedicate my 2009 Heysen Trail assignment for Australian Geographic to his memory.

Warren marked the ground that established the 1200km Heysen Trail walk from Cape Jervis, Fleurieu Peninsula to Parachilna Gorge in far north South Australia

I photographed Warren at his Adelaide home with his wife Bunty and remember well, the humility and generosity of the couple as they welcomed a relative stranger into their labyrinthine home  - a shrine to the life of an adventurer.

The walls were adorned with fabulous outback art, the office, jam-packed with original sketch maps of his first forays into the South Australian outback in the late sixties. His list of academic achievements is as long as my arm.

See my blog links from my 2009 Australian Geographic assignment with writer Quentin Chester.
http://warrenfield.wordpress.com/2011/04/05/hiking-the-heysen-trail-in-south-australia-australian-geographic-2/

Click link for Australian Geographic Heysen Trail gallery:
http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/journal/view-image.htm?gid=3834

See: The Painted Trail,  Australian Geographic, issue 95 (Oct – Dec 2009)

© Warren Field / Australian Geographic 2012

Early to rise: Makha Bucha Day (full moon), March 7th 2012

March 7th 2012. Makha Bhucha Day. This is a day for ‘merit-making’ in the Buddhist calendar.

This third lunar month of March is known in Thai as Makha; Bucha is also a Thai word  meaning “to venerate” or “to honor”. As such, Makha Bucha Day is for the veneration of Buddha and his teachings on the full moon day of the third lunar month.*

Since I live close to the royal temple, Wat Bowonniwet Vihara School, it’s hard not to notice an important Buddhist event. An early rise is necessary to witness the procession of ochre-robed monks making their daily alms rounds and record the event as unobtrusively as possible.

Precepts for the day include: giving alms to monks, refraining from alcohol consumption and immoral behaviour. I was hoping my intrusive flash photography wouldn’t count as an affray to the rules.

This year’s Makha Bhucha Day, auspicious due to the fact that it falls on a full moon Wednesday, commensurate with the day it commemorates, namely, reminding the community of the time Buddha received around 1250 ‘sanghas’ or enlightened monks around 2600 years ago.

As I photographed the proceedings, an elderly monk of obvious high distinction, called me over to speak with him – in English. His followers didn’t belie his status. A humble but very authorative monk had now become my friend.

He invited me for breakfast on condition I observed the walking practice ‘vien tien’ or candle procession. He showed me his living quarters and I bade him a quick good day.

I participated in the ritual thrice circumnavigation of the temple grounds with many devout Thais, all of us holding the trinity of a lotus flower, smoking incense sticks and a candle, arriving at the Bot or main gathering hall ten minutes later to place the sticks and light the candle.

I found the monk eating with a fellow resident and he introduced himself as Won. Lay people such as myself are not permitted to eat until the monks have finished so Won told me of his trips to Sydney and Auckland in the meantime, not withstanding a few Buddhist lessons for good measure reminding me that this fortuitous meeting was itself, not without merit.

The monks are waited on by fellow laymen and when my turn came to eat I received a platter of fruit: mango, watermelon and the aptly named, red-spiked dragon fruit. I was delighted to be offered a coffee, slightly bemused by the fact I was getting ‘normal’ food. I guess I expected something more traditional – sweetbreads or a spicy porridge or the like.

The monks receive a bounty of alms from the ‘Yom’ or lay people. Won’s table was a cornucopia of jams, tinned food, more fruit and personal effects. I was offered a medicinal honey to sweeten my coffee which made the morning.

Leaving the monk to his duties I signed his visitor’s book in block letters (as he had requested) and took my leave as graciously as I knew how. Since I wander the temple grounds regularly I’d be sure to renew my acquaintance with the honourable gent.

Taken on OLYMPUS E-System, E3 SLR, Zuiko Digital 12-60mm F2.8-4.0 SWD Standard Wide Zoom lens.
*Sources: © Wikipedia

© Warren Field 2012

Thai expression in paint and dance. Local park activities in Bangkok.

Santichaiprakarn Park on Phra Arthit Road is a rare slice of green space in my locality. The area is crammed with arty bars and cafes, popular with university students as well as many travellers into martial arts, juggling, hula-hoops and dance. It makes for a perfect photographic outing and you’ll see many of my weekend images from the park on this blog.

This traditional Thai dance piece from the Bangkok Theatre Festival Dance with very non-traditional hip hop accompaniment (similar music added for effect) appeared at my local park recently… (the main bare-chested actor appeared in the epic King Naresuan Films – big stuff here).

King Naresuan information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Naresuan_(film)

Another favourite park activity: Fine Art students recently participated in an art-reality show, a national competition with a top prize of US$3000 and TV exposure. Original paintings created to music and judged at the end of the day. Some great moves here. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWZ3IULM34E

Olympus OM is back with the OM-D EM-5…

Delighted to see the legendary ‘OM’ name on the new system of mirrorless digital cameras from Olympus.

OLYMPUS describe the EM-5 as the next ‘epoch’ of interchangeable lens digital cameras continuing the good work of the PEN series, started three years with the EP-1. I can’t wait to get my hands on one.

These cameras use an electronic viewfinder with 100% field of view. Having tested the EP-2 a few years ago, the viewfinder is extraordinary and great fun to use. Click on the E-3 and EP-2 link in the rght-hand column for some images and descriptions.

My career with OLYMPUS OM began with the manual OM-1n, OM-2n and OM-4ti. I’m keeping my OM-4ti until the end of time. Lightweight with superlative build quality and top-notch glass the OM-D is perpetuating this pedigree and I’m sure it’s going to be a hit.

Best to let OLYMPUS tell the story. See the website links below.

http://olympusomd.com/en-AU/

http://olympusomd.com/en-AU/omd/e-m5/overview/movie/

© Warren Field 2012

‘Hello!, hello!, hello!’ Support the kids.

Supporting charity is more than just a direct debit every month. See how your charity benefits all. It is a great opportunity for personal growth (go on, try something new), inspiring photography (endless faces, landscapes, wildlife) and getting acquainted with your fellow adventurer.

The faces below greeted us along the 350km fundraising ride: ‘CAMBODIA CYCLE’ which I completed with Childfund Australia in 2009. All along the route children sprang to their feet on our approach and began bellowing ‘hello, hello, hello’ as all 16 of us pedaled by.

‘The combined effort of all the Childfund Australia, Inspired Adventures staff and cycle participants have raised an astonishing $60,000 plus for the new school in Chouk Meas, Svay Rieng province, visited a couple of weeks ago on the inaugural Cycle Cambodia 2009.

Read the full cycle reports here:
http://warrenfield.wordpress.com/category/cambodia-cycle-2009/

Child from school in Chouk Meas, southern Cambodia

Children from Chouk Meas school, southern Cambodia

 

CHILDFUND AUSTRALIA has innovative fundraising opportunities.
http://www.childfund.org.au/

(Taken on Olympus Zuiko Digital 50mm f2.0 Macro and Zuiko Digital 90-250mm f2.8 Telephoto Zoom – top).

© Warren Field 2012

The Public and the King’s birthday

To mark the 84th birthday of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the government staged grand festivals for seven days and seven nights – this marks His Majesty’s seventh 12-year birthday cycle.

The Grand Palace, the spectacular conglomeration of temple and state buildings in the centre of Bangkok and the adjoining public square of Sanaam Luang hosted the events and remained opened til late this week. This attracted thousands of well wishers.

The spectacular light and sound show used the wall of the Grand Palace as a 200-metre-long screen and a 4,200-seat amphitheatre in Sanam Luang park directly in front of the Grand Palace.

The Grand Palace wall and temporary exhibition buildings provided endless backdrops for group portraits.

Sanaam Luang (below) is, rather solemnly, a royal cremation ground. Since the reign of King Rama 1 in the 1800s, the funerals of Kings and Queens took place here. It’s recently been re-turfed as a gesture of respect to the king.

An image from 2002 of Sanaam Luang.

© Warren field 2011

The Delicacy of Decay: Leaves of Lace.

Veined and reminiscent of butterfly wings, I discovered these decaying leaves in a grove of trees in a park in Trat province near Koh Chang, Thailand.

Pic 1

Image specs: Olympus E-3, f16, 1/2 second, ISO 125, Zuiko Digital 50mm f2.0 Macro, white balance auto, manual exposure, manual focus with live view 7x, vivid mode, reversed tripod, cable release.

Pic 2

Image specs: Olympus E-3, f16, 1/8 seconds, ISO 160, Zuiko Digital 50mm f2.0 Macro, white balance auto, manual exposure, manual focus with live view 7x, vivid mode, reversed tripod, cable release.

Pic 3

Image specs: Olympus E-3, f22, 1 second, ISO 125, Zuiko Digital 50mm f2.0 Macro, white balance auto, manual exposure, manual focus with live view 7x, vivid mode, reversed tripod, cable release.

Pic 4

Image specs: Olympus E-3, f16, 1/8 seconds, ISO 160, Zuiko Digital 50mm f2.0 Macro, white balance auto, manual exposure, manual focus with live view 7x, vivid mode, reversed tripod, cable release.

© Warren Field 2011

 

Bangkok’s fading tide: A gallery of recent events.

*Quick Flood Blog no. 3*
Observation from my locality.

A market near a pier on Chao Phraya river still inundated with floodwater.

The water begins to recede and the city surfaces again.

I’ve experienced only a week in total, of what has been months of trauma for many families. Great barriers of sandbags, still holding as I write, stand as battlements from which the flood’s frontline is being fought, keeping out the worst of the flood from the inner city.

Instead the deluge snaked through the already flooded northern and western sectors of Bangkok, as unfortunate residents on the wrong side of the barriers watch their homes succumb to a metre or more of overflow, reluctant hosts unable to benefit from Bangkok’s extensive canal system, moderately effective in channelling water away from the city through to the Gulf of Thailand only 35km away to the south.

The affected residents fought back, frustrated with the prolonged inaction from the FROC (Flood Relief Operations Command - it’s been two months now). They went as far as breaking down the main sandbag barriers, demanding an immediate action plan to relieve the crisis, gaining concessions in the process – a review of the timeline that keeps their homes underwater.

Originally built as defence for the new capital of Bangkok on the Chao Phraya river (on Rattanakosin Island) after the sacking of Ayuthaya by the Burmese in 1767, the canals (khlongs) virtually encircle Bangkok. Nowadays they provide boat transport around the city but are currently closed due to the flood crisis.

Fire engine geared for flood rescue, Phra Athit, Bangkok.

Flood defences in the city have been extensive, mostly cement walls with delicate, loose brick staircases and the ubiquitous sandbag. Even luxury department stores surround their perimeter with sandbags covered in blue PVC tarpaulins which almost look as exclusive as the products sold inside. As you read in previous blogs, artists decorated the cement walls with cartoon characters, children play on sandbags and swim in park overflow pools.

Sandbagging begins as floodwater strikes the locality.

Walking the sandbags.

My locality remained mostly dry but not unaffected. I remember well, watching people frantically buying wellington boots, queueing at supermarkets with bumper boxes of instant noodles, bottled water and what was left of the fresh fruit and vegetables.

The plight of pets or street animals has also been of concern to Thais. So much so that I recently saw an illustration of how to make a life jacket for the dog! (see below). Earlier, it was reported that pets would not be allowed to accompany their owners when rescued from their flooded homes. I don’t think many people would be happy with that?

Illustration of how to make a life jacket for your dog using a t-shirt, inner tube and plastic bottles.

An alleyway near Khao San Road has turned into a nursery for abandoned dogs and from what I can learn from my Thai friends the dogs will be re-homed if possible.

Over the last week, I’ve seen ‘tinnies’ (Aussie lingo for small metal boat) and dinghies equipped with outboard motors and a long pole (for pulling people out of the water) in the car parks of monasteries, sports centres, gas stations and government buildings. Life jackets are for sale in many suburbs.

Following are additional images from the last month taken in my locality on the Chao Phraya river.

The bench in Santichaiprakarn park which has featured often in my flood pics.

Relaxing in the build up to the floods. The bench at Santichaiprakarn park was 'unusable' a week later.

Sunset on Chao Phraya river, Santichaiprakarn park, Bangkok.

Receding floodwater along the Chao Phraya river in Santichaiprakarn park, Bangkok.

Receding floodwater mirrors the Rama VIII bridge. Santichaiprakarn park, Bangkok.

The worst of the floods (October 4th) near Santichaiprakarn park, Bangkok.

See related blogs:
Bangkok’s rising tide: This week in my locality: http://warrenfield.wordpress.com/2011/11/06/2114/

Bangkok’s rising tide, fading hopes: http://warrenfield.wordpress.com/2011/10/29/bangkoks-rising-tide-fading-hopes/

© Warren Field 2011
Images taken on Olympus E-system, 4/3 SLR (E3).

Bangkok’s rising tide: This week in my locality.

*Quick Flood Blog no.2* 

4 November 2011: Children enjoy the pool created by the flooded riverside walkway in Santichaiprakarn park on the banks of the Chao Phraya River. 

Anxiety has been running high over the last few weeks as the Bangkok CBD braces for the arrival of flood water, marking an unthinkable state of affairs only a couple of weeks ago.

In a boon to myself and those residents who have stayed in Bangkok, the traffic congestion in the city is now marginal as neighbouring towns to the north such as Kanchanaburi and Pattaya to the south-east of Bangkok, have become bolt holes for the majority of the populace.

Since I last wrote, my street has dried out completely and for now, it seems like everything is back to normal (I must stress this report covers my immediate locality – my hopes for relief from the flood go out to the many people who have lived with this crisis for months now).

Another high tide and we will probably see scenes similar to the previous blog.

http://warrenfield.wordpress.com/2011/10/29/bangkoks-rising-tide-fading-hopes/

Water from the Chao Phraya River leaks into a small low-lying channel near the park only a few metres wide (flooding a small business in the process) but has the power to completely swamp the road within an hour.

More images from recent weeks…

27 October 2011 (below): Seating area on the riverside walk, Chao Phraya River.

27 October 2011 (below): Cement walls erected overnight become canvasses for local artists to brighten up the gloom of imminent floods. Rising water has enabled some rather large crocodiles to escape their enclosures in the farms further north and inspired the wall art no doubt, together with turtles, sharks and octopus. Sponge Bob also makes an appearance.

15 October 2011 (below): Water from the Chao Phraya River reached the second step of the riverside walkway. The steps are now completely submersed as you see in the first picture.

*Some statistics from the Government FROC (Flood Relief Operations Command):
Flooding has displaced over 700,000 households in 25 provinces which accounts for more than two million people (including FROC itself ironically enough, as their base at the domestic airport of Don Mueang was also washed out a couple of weeks ago). 437 have died to date. It’s looking like early next year before Bangkok flood waters will have subsided and the clean up can begin. Its five months since the first provinces in the far north were hit by the flood.

*Source: Bangkok Post, November 4 2011

© Warren Field 2011

Bangkok’s rising tide, fading hopes.

*Quick Flood Blog no. 1*

The Bangkok floods arrived on my doorstep this morning in Banglamphu district near Khao San Road. After a month of Government warnings advising residents to stock up on supplies, the shelves of the 7-11 grocery stores remain devoid of fresh food, cars and vans sit awkwardly on blocks, even the bridges have become giant parking lots, to the extent that emergency vehicles cannot get through on some of the remaining dry roads.

Brick walls, erected around many doorways, seemed an extreme option only a week ago. Now, they may just have saved an entire business from ruin.

I look at the people who have no option but to stay and protect their properties. Children sit on high walls with their younger siblings, gazing at the police diverting motorists from flood zones. Pick-up trucks now serve as rescue vehicles. An elderly woman walks away from her submerged shop front helped by passers-by. Young motorcyclists weave along the narrow Banglamphu streets looking for an escape route. Faced with a 20-metre wide lake in front of them, they met our pessimistic but concerned gazes and back-stepped, hiding their disappointment as best they could. Still, some cyclists pushed themselves along the waterways taking photos.

It is a shocking sight to see my main street under water, after being bone dry only the night before. Banglamphu, one of the main tourist enclaves here, was forecast to be better off than most of the outlying areas to the north, east and south, mooted to suffer only a mere 10-15 cm of water. Looking at it this morning this is more like 30 cm already. God knows what it will be tonight.

Standing in the middle of my main street photographing the poor souls whose smiling faces belied the hard work ahead to rescue their businesses, the water crept around my ankles within a matter of minutes. I backtracked to keep myself dry but was overrun as I kept my eyes on the viewfinder.

My biggest worry concerns the notorious pollution in Bangkok’s water. The khlongs (canals) around my area must contain the filthiest H2O on the planet. Longboats churn diesel into its blue-grey swirl, animals die in it, not to mention the litter that is ‘accidentally on purpose’ thrown into it. If this toxic waste finds its way onto the streets I’m sure we’d have a bigger problem than food supplies alone.

I left Bangkok this afternoon on probably the last of the minibuses that have the luxury of negotiating dry roads. What is normally a 45-minute drive to the neighbouring district of Nakhon Pathom took over 2 hours, diverting through back streets and then leaking back onto elevated sections of highway. As we passed over the car-clogged bridges I peered down into the streets below. Kilometres of water along every street.

We’ve all been warned, taken precautions and now face the enemy head on or ‘legs in’ I should say. The apprehension behind the threat of imminent flooding has built up over weeks and left communities drained even before the high tides turned bad. The Government announced a public holiday from Thursday 27th October through to Monday 31st October. At least now residents can concentrate on protecting their businesses and property and hope for a clean up soon. The floods could remain for months though. I pray Bangkok copes over this time.

© Warren Field 2011