Category: Uncategorized

MY FAVORITE PHOTOS – ALASKA

Tips From A Cruise Ship Insider – I AM CREW

Welcome to my NEW Playlist and this week’s video “My Favorite Photos – Alaska”.

Next month cruise ships start going to Alaska and I am a cruise ship insider… I am CREW. As crew I have a unique perspective on exploring the ports, the excursions, where to go, what to see. For the past 12 years I have been crew on various cruise ships around the world traveling with my camera and notebook in hand. For 8 of those years during the summer I have been on cruise ships in Alaska. This summer I am going back for my 9th summer on the Koningsdam. If you happen to be going on the Koningsdam stop by and say hello, I am the Acupuncture Physician.

I’ve have started this new playlist with the still photographer in mind but it is not just for photographers, it is for everyone. My thoughts are to show images of places that you my viewers might be considering exploring for yourselves or on a certain subject matter might hold interest for you.

For the photographer it will give them an idea of what types of images they may be able to capture for themselves. My hopes are that this will be valuable to photographers and videographers both amateur and professional. I will not only show my favorite images but also discuss the images and give some insight on how and where you will be able to capture photographs like these yourself.

Again, thank you for coming to Travel Guide and Photography and I hope you enjoy this new playlist

THAILAND – Walking the Streets of Nawa – part 2

Country Life in Northeast Thailand

Welcome to “Country Life in Northeast Thailand” and Nawa, a small farming community where my wife Pla and I live.

Pla and I had such a great response last week from you, our viewers, we decided to show you a little more of our town. Let us take you through a couple other neighborhoods and experience more of the town’s wonderful residents.

See how baskets are made from hand in a couple’s yard, cloth for clothing being made on a loom by a woman outside her home and go inside the Wat Phra That Prasit Temple to the handicraft center where they make traditional Thai clothes and sell in the centers gift shop.

Watch a group of young boys as the try their luck fishing in a small pond next to the road. And walk through the backstreets of town seeing how the locals and the Expat’s from several countries live.

Also enjoy some recent videos about Nawa on the channel. In last weeks video we showed you the street vendors selling everything from bar-b-que pork and chicken to the corner shops in the front of people’s houses where they vegetables from their garden to make a few baht to help provide for their families. And before that video I shared two videos on my morning hike through the rice paddies and surrounding countryside.

THAILAND… The Streets of Nawa – part 1

Country Life in Northeast Thailand

Welcome to “Country Life in Northeast Thailand” and Nawa, a small farming community where my wife Pla and I live. In the previous two videos I took you on my morning hike through the rice paddies and surrounding countryside. In his weeks video Pla and I are going to take you through the streets of Nawa showing you the town itself.

You will see everything from street vendors selling bar-b-que pork and chicken to the corner shops in the front of people’s houses where they vegetables from there garden to make a few baht to help provide for their families.

We will visit the open air market where people shop similar to a farmers market in the United States for vegetables, pork, chicken and seafood. Pla shops there every morning to get supplies for her very busy Som Tom Shop in the front of her parents house.

We will show you some of the stores in town like the local pharmacies, electronic shops and where to get handmade clothing and even the jewelry shop where everything is 24 carat gold. Stay to the end of the video and explore the Wat Phra That Prasit, a beautiful Buddhist Temple.

Enjoy Larry and Pla

THAILAND… Hiking the Rice Paddies – part 2

Country Life in Northeast Thailand

New Post on my YouTube Channel “Travel Guide and Photography”

The overall theme of this week’s video is a continuation of my morning hike. However prepare yourself for a heartbreaking story of determination and life. On my morning hike I met a remarkable man named Lerm and he is one of life’s heroes.

Lerm when he was fishing in one of the irrigation canals that weaves through a rice paddy in the rural countryside of Northeast Thailand. He allowed me to photograph and take videos of him as he fished the canal in hopes of feeding his family. Most of the fish are only 3-4 inches long but if you catch enough it becomes a meal.

Every morning Lerm carefully navigates down the steep bank to his boat. He balances himself and climbs into his small wooden boat partially filled with water and paddles the canal tending to his nets. Upon his return Lerm gathers a small handwoven basket that hold the days catch, places a “peg leg” of a reinforced cast that acts like a prosthetic limb on what remains of his lower leg and climbs back up the steep muddy bank.

Lerm lost the lower half of one of his legs from a venous ulceration years ago. He goes through his days routine of incredibly hard starting at dawn and never a complains. He has accepted what life has brought him without a second thought. I have an immense amount of respect for this man and he has become one of my heroes.

The next day my wife Pla went with me to the canal translate for me as I speak very little Thai. We had a photograph printed 8×12, framed and presented it to Lerm as a thank you. The image is the one used in the thumbnail for this video.

He looked down at the photograph and a smile came to his face. After a minute he looked at us and said “kob khun krap”… thank you in Thai. Then placed the photograph in his boat and offered us some of his fish, which we declined knowing that is food for his family before he paddled away to check his nets once again. It is me that was humbled by his story and I that received a gift from him.

On my morning hike, if the timing is right, I see Lerm working his nets. We wave, nod our heads at one another and go on with our day.

This video is a continuation of the sights and sounds of the previous weeks video of my morning hike through the rice paddies of Northeast Thailand. This is what it is like to live in a small farming community far from the usual tourist locations where most visiting Thailand travel. It is “Country Life in Northeast Thailand.”

THAILAND… Hiking the Rice Paddies – part 1

Country Life in Northeast Thailand

New Post on my YouTube Channel “Travel Guide and Photography”

Have you ever thought about coming to Thailand on vacation or how about living in Thailand? I have lived in Thailand for three years when I am not working on a ship. And many people ask me what it is like to live in Thailand as an Expat from the United States.

Thailand is a beautiful country and has much to offer everyone. This new playlist is not about Bangkok, Pattaya, the islands or beaches in Southern Thailand. It is not about Northwest Thailand and the mountains near Chiang Mai or Pai. We have and will continue to take you to visit the tourist spots, cities and other remote areas on the channel but this playlist is about “Country Life in Northeast Thailand.”

My wife Pla and I have decided to show you what it is like in the rural countryside of Northeast Thailand where we live in a very small farming community called Nawa. Pla was born and raised in Nawa and we will give you the insiders view of the town, surrounding villages, open air markets, food stalls, the countryside and the people that live here.

The first video will be through the rice paddies on my 5 mile, 8km, hike that I take every morning. Pla joins me sharing her knowledge of the area. She talks about the different trees, herbs the occasional vegetable garden at a villager’s house. She talks to the locals living in the rice paddies and explains how they live off the land and harvest fish, shrimp and crab.

I hope you enjoy the “Country Life in Northeast Thailand” and we look forward from hearing from you. Enjoy… Larry and Pla

French Polynesia… Bora Bora, Moorea, Tahiti

New Video Post on my YT Channel | French Polynesia… Bora Bora, Moorea, Tahiti

Have you ever made “The Crossing”… Cruise ships will stop in French Polynesia going to and from the United States and the South Pacific primarily New Zealand and Australia. Do you want to revisit French Polynesia or are you thinking about your first vacation there…

This weeks video is on French Polynesia focusing on Bora Bora, Moorea and Tahiti. Although you can fly to French Polynesia most people arrive by cruise ship.

Typically they will spend three days at the islands before continuing their voyage. During the video you will hear my thoughts and see my photography giving you a good idea of what you can see when you arrive. If you are thinking of going to French Polynesia and had not made up your mind this might help you decide if you want to visit.

Calm Seas and Smooth Sailing…

Ha Long Bay, Vietnam – The Avatar of Southeast Asia…

New Video Post on my YT Channel… Ha Long Bay, Vietnam – The Avatar of Southeast Asia…

One of my favorite cruise ship destinations Ha Long Bay is magical with 1,600 limestone islands or karsts throughout the bay. It’s beauty is matched by nowhere else.

You can explore the bay by kayak, sailboats or traditional Vietnamese boats and even do overnight voyages on a boat. There are also many hiking trails and caves to explore.

You can also reach Ha Long Bay by flying into Hanoi and taking a 2 hour bus ride.

Enjoy

Hoi An, Vietnam “City of Light” – The Paris of Southeast Asia

NEW VIDEO POST on my YouTube Channel… “Travel Guide and Photography”

Explore the Possibilities of Hoi An, Vietnam in this weeks video. Whether you travel there by cruise ship or fly Hoi An has everything to offer on vacation.

It’s historic ancient city dates to the 15th century and is an UNESCO Heritage Site. It is a Foodie destination with many restaurants featuring wonderful food. It offers a number of art galleries, shops and over 200 custom tailors. It is also a photographers dream destination with the opportunity for very unique images and beautiful scenery.

I have traveled to over 80 countries and often asked where is my favorite place to travel. Vietnam is in my Top 5 with Hoi An being my favorite city in the country and I travel there as often as I can. It was also Anthony Bourdain’s favorite city in Vietnam and his favorite place for the cities famed Banh Mi Sandwich.

Death of a King – In Memoriam of Skybed Scar

NEW VIDEO POST on my YouTube Channel… “Death of a King – In Memoriam of Skybed Scar”…

This video features Kruger National Park in South Africa during a photo safari. It focuses on photographing lions but more than that it documents one of the most profound days of my life when I watched a majestic lion die before my eyes.

I still think about that day from years ago, what I witnessed and how Skybed Scar touched my soul… it changed me and it will change you too… Enjoy

“Angkor Wat | The Grand Circuit – Lost City of Ancient Temples”

NEW POST on my YouTube Channel Travel Guide and Photography… “Angkor Wat The Grand Circuit – Lost City of Ancient Temples”

This week’s video is on the Grand Circuit completing the two part series on Angkor Wat. It is a look at the remaining temples adding to the Small Circuit Temples of last week’s video… Enjoy