Travel Photographer - Dr. Jeff Harper Photo Blog

We drove north from our home about 30 minutes to a beautiful riverside restaurant, Baan Ta Nid. The restaurant is rather hidden on a tiny lane next to this small Chinese temple and a pier for a ferry that does not operate any more.

A sweet little altar . . .

This temple had these 'fortune' sheets. You roll a die and then choose the corresponding fortune.

Although I did leave a small donation, I did not roll the die and choose a fortune. Just looking at these two examples, I'm sure glad I didn't roll a 8 . . . the 9 isn't all that bad though. Imagine basing your life decisions on these!

A very red house next to the pier.

The lane to the ferry pier . . . honoring the departed King.

This is Baan Ta Nid . . . you really have to look to find this wonderful place.

Here we are . . . come on in.

You enter the old wooden Thai-style river house through an open kitchen/lobby.

Wonderful patina on the floor and ceiling planking.

View from the kitchen window out into an older Thai world.

You proceed along wooden planking through an old fashioned Thai house.

The restaurant is through this hall, out back on a pier over the Chao Phraya River.

Baan Ta Nid is also a small 'guest house' with a few small rooms. This old space serves as the guest lounge.

Such a charming place to relax.

Another lounge and the outside . . .

A second lounge in the old river house. Thai-style living from early last century. The proprietress said the house was 90 years old.

A table set for a party of 10 (turned out to be an old Thai rock star and his family).

Many small nooks here and there to sit and enjoy the day.

The dining area on a dock over the river among old Thai village houses. Very sweet.

A pleasant place for lunch . . . out of the city . . . and into the past.

A private dining sala out over the river.

The food was delicious, beautifully prepared and presented . . . and photogenic, as can be seen!

A little 1/4 inch paint and this could be liveable again . . . I still harbour the desire to live on the river . . . or any river.

The view from an upstairs window: this is Old Thailand . . . just 30 minutes up the river.

One last photo. A still life of Old Thailand.

Update on Sunday, March 4, 2018 at 4:10PM by

Dr. Jeff Harper

My wife's family from Hong Kong were visiting, so we took the opportunity to go back to this lovely riverside idyll . . . this time in the late evening/early hours of night.

With the sun almost down, the lights of Bangkok, 20K away, glowed on the horizon.

There was some deck railing near the water, so I used the opportunity to rest my camera for a few long exposure night photography.

It was a very calm, hot and humid evening in mid-February.

This is a very long exposure of a very slow moving river tug boat . . . the deck lights stretched as a line . . . and a moving bar of light reflected in the water.

Using available stools and tabletops, I took these remarkable photos of the beautifully old Thai residence - restaurant.

Teak decking planks out over the water and traditional Thai style architecture.

Beautiful rooms. Beautiful light.

I had fun in the post-processing of these photos too: This is a three image HDR stack done in Aurora HDR 2018.

We had a delicious traditional Thai meal on the riverside deck . . . old recipes made with loving care.

A captivating view to drink in along with dinner . . .

We stayed a little later than the kitchen staff might have wanted . . . but the conversation was good, and it was such a still and calm night.

The old house had a nice collection of antique plates and glasses for use in the restaurant. A nice touch.

Such tranquil spaces . . .

The kitchen and food preparation area.

I think the staff was happy to see us leave at last! They were very gracious . . . but we were the last customers to leave!

We gave respect to the old Thai King and headed home. A good time was had by all.