Chilling Pai

Nikon 7100, 105mm, 1/500s @ f/4.5, iso 140, in pastel

Nikon 7100, 105mm, 1/500s @ f/4.5, iso 140

If Pai could be described in one picture, for me this would be it. In short: too many tourists, too little local flavour. Good place to visit, not so good to stay for longer.

Of course, I mean the village part. Full of "farangs" sitting around in typically western restaurants and bars. Going rounds on the walking street, getting Thai food that is never spicy enough. Buying "I love Pai" and "792 curves to Pai" t-shirts. There is nothing wrong about that. Still, it feels like a nice place was conquered and lost its original spirit.

But back to that cute big bear on the picture - I could not resist to use a pastel filter. Which version is better you think?

Running down

Sony RX100M3, 70mm, 1/3s @ f/11, iso 80

Going up the road to visit the highest spot in Thailand it is easy to miss this gem. The actual waterfall is bigger and a bit more downstream, but I liked this not-so-crowded spot better.

Afternoon on River Ping

iPhone, auto

And here is this water magnetism again. No other camera with me, so iPhone was the only way to capture the moment. Cropped too much to be useful anywhere else, but it still holds in the 2048px width resolution.
The B&W post-processed in Nik SilverEfex.

Warm evening

Nikon 7100, 75mm, 1/50s @ f/1.4, iso 1250

So thanks to meetup.com/ we went to an evening stroll through the centre of Chiang Mai to learn some of the history of this place. Tomorrow I'm trying that pad thai Tony recommended!

Oh, and here's more pictures from this walk.

My God, it's full of stars!

Nikon 7100, 75mm, 1/2500s @ f/1.4, iso 100

Sometimes you take a photo, open it in Lightroom, and no matter how long you stare at it, you cannot think of any fitting title. I learned the hard way that this means the photo - though it may be technically perfect - is no good.

For this pic the caption came to me as soon as I saw the blue tint on the black-ish background. And it's a damn good pic! :)

Fruitarian paradise

Nikon 7100, 75mm, 1/50s @ f/5.6, iso 3200

Walking the streets of Thai cities leaves a little wonder why for example Steve Jobs became a fruitarian. Of course, there are countless opportunities to eat something else (and usually uber-delicious), but you can live off fruits without problem. Some of them you've never saw before...

Three colours: Pattaya

Nikon 7100, 75mm, 1/50s @ f/5.6, iso 125