3-16 Continued: Old Town Phuket at Night

 I took 176 photos on Monday evening.  I have weaned it down to around 76.   It was the perfect climate for candid shots.  Everyone was out for a good time.  All taking photos of everything and everyone.  Even the locals seemed fine with having their photo taken. It seems that most of the tourists are young people in their 20's to 30's.  The only older Caucasian people I have seen here seem to be more settled - like they live here.

Political Note:  I try to avoid a lot of U.S. news when traveling as lately it has only been disturbing the last few years.  Michael and I had noted the lack of tourists while here in Thailand.  Was it not high season?  Well, yes it is - or it should be.  We were chatting with our Grab driver on the way to Phuket City and she said it is all because of that guy in the U.S.  Most of their tourists come from Europe - they can't get here or get home because a lot of their flights go through the Middle East.  All of those airports have been closed down because of the war in Iran.  We have not personally felt any animosity towards us.  But our driver kept asking - don't you want to go somewhere tomorrow?  I can take you.  When do you leave - Can I take you to the airport?  Michael had already booked all the rides we needed - so we just felt guilty.  And I feel a lot of anger - how can one person ruin so many people's lives and not give a crap at all.  

OK - Full Stop!  Back to beautiful pictures.

This tavern was interesting - its theme was spooky.  Note the crooked door and window.

A closeup of the lady in the widow! When I asked if I could take her photo she beamed!

2nd story balcony.

A commercial salesman - looks like bags of potatoes and onions.

Display in the middle of a traffic circle.

My favorite lantern.

It's hard to see, but there is a women in the cart and a man laying on his motorcycle scrolling on this phone.  I wonder if they are together.

Bananas anyone?

A temple.

Market closing down.  They called out to us - Mangos - don't you want mangos?  

Packing up everything that didn't sell at the market.

Wall Art.

Michael and the traffic mirror.

Wow that motorcycle is going fast!

Back at the Hawker mall for more to eat.  We have been so busy photographing we haven't eaten since the curry.

Not a great photo - but I loved the description under the word "Sixory".  "Introvert Specialty Coffee".

Crab restaurant.

Some of these photos you just need to blow up to get the full effect.

The intersection that had the simple gate - now suddenly has this!

Back at our pickup location at the Starbucks just across from the Buddhist Temple we visited on Friday.

3-16 Old Town Phuket at Night

 We purposely ordered our Grab to come at 5pm so we would get to Old Town as it got dark.  Again the Grab was early - we left around 4:30.  I thoroughly enjoyed doing night photography.

Same as the other day, we started at Thalang Street.

Walking through a mall to get to the next street.

Everyone was taking their photo with this.

Still  pretty bright out.

We decided we would "graze" for our dinner.  This was our first stop.  Just like the Hawker Food Malls in Singapore.

At least in Singapore, the people selling drinks own the building and rent out booths to food vendors.  You choose what of all the things offered you want to eat - order and pay for it - and they bring it to your table.

I ordered Massamon Curry with Rice, chicken and roti.  All of them hot and delicious!

Then out for more photos.

Lights are coming on as darkness spreads.

Some of the side streets don't look so pretty and clean.

At first we thought this was a new way to spell "Podolny". It is actually a brand of fashion wear.

The museum was already closed for the day.

A building yet to be renovated.

Reminds one of the French Quarters in New Orleans.

I was trying to get the red reflection on the face of the women on the left.

I love all the different lanterns.

This one is for Jojo.  The Ginger massage palor.

Massage workers out hustling for business.

There are so many shops selling cannabis in Old Town that a restaurant found it necessary to put up this sign.

It is a cycle culture here.  In fact cars stop well before a stop light to let the motorcycles que up at the front of the line.  And everyone looks at their phone.  Even our Grab driver taking us to Old Town Phuket, played on her phone at every stop light and even while driving.  I don't know if its a reason - but there is a lot of traffic between Phuket town and Rawai where we are staying and traffic is very slow moving.  It consistently takes 3-5 cycles to get across a busy intersection.

Scene at a bar.

These red trucks are actually busses.  They have flashing colorful lights inside.

I lived in Wichita, KS briefly in my 20's so I had to take this photo.

"Ice Japan" sells Japanese style ice cream.

This was a revolving - ever moving advertisement displayed on the ground in front of a bar.

Continued on next post.