Lunch break in Chantaburi, Thailand-Cambodia border. Note that I am keeping my glasses, sorting a small parcel of Burmese rubies...Those did not tickle my fancy....

Picking from an exceptional parcel of freshwater, natural pearls in Hong Kong (note the huge pearl size in my hand...pearls were running from 16 to 22mm off round). 

Viewing a Burmese ruby with a loupe. The ruby buying in Thailand is done mostly on the streets of a specific area, where the "brokers" go around looking for potential buyers. Nowadays though, many gem offices will allow buyers and brokers to meet in a clean, air-conditioned atmosphere...Still a large number of simulants and synthetics is being offered to foreign buyers constantly.

...Thought I had found an exceptional deal.... As per the words of the dealer, that was an harvest dated 13 years back. Since then, pearls that large were not harvested. Did not buy any from that parcel, because the owner was asking an outrageous amount of money.

The Chao Phraya River in Bangkok

A pic of part of the Royal Palace in Bangkok.

Everywhere you go in Thailand, you will see men of any age in the traditional, Buddhisth orange colored clothing. It is a religious tradition that at least one son of the family becomes a monk for a certain period - most of the time after their period of being student - and just before their professional career...

Wat Pho - The Temple of the Reclining Buddha: The highly impressive gold plated reclining Buddha is 46 meters long and 15 meters high, and is designed to illustrate the passing of the Buddha into nirvana. The feet and the eyes are engraved with mother-of-pearl decoration, and the feet also show the 108 auspicious characteristics of the true Buddha.