Nowhere is more iconic in Old Phuket Town than the twin yellow Sino-Portuguese style Standard Chartered Bank and the clock tower/police station built across the street to protect it. Sitting at the intersection of Phuket and Phang Nga roads, they are popular spots for tourists and locals alike to photograph or paint. Now that a trickle of tourists have returned to the province, once again I need to weave through the clusters of people trying not to walk into someone’s shot while on my way to or from the bus stop.

On those rare occasions when nobody else is around, I will attempt a shot that is somehow different than the dozens of other shots I have of this street corner. Some are more successful than others. Here are a couple of pictures taken at the start of December, on a rare respite from the heavy rain.

The photo below, of course, is the shot that everyone makes although most have themselves in the photo as well either by having a friend take the picture or as a selfie.

Finally, a bonus picture: This is the front of the historic Tavorn Hotel which is where I catch the bus going to my agency’s offices in Central Festival. As do the old bank and police station, inside there is a museum that, like the others, I have never been inside of. This particular museum has been closed for the past year and a half; it shows no sign of reopening anytime soon. There is an old horse-drawn carriage sitting outside as well as some old automobile under a dust cover. Someday, I will look under the cover to find out exactly what kind of car it is. The tables outside have been converted from tin mining equipment.