Tag: Cambodia

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History & heritage Photography Travels

[2583] Phnom Bakheng

This is a temple called Phnom Bakheng. It is located on top of a hill and so, it does require, possibly, a 15-minute hike from the bottom.

Some rights reserved. Creative Commons 3.0. By Attribution. By Hafiz Noor Shams

Due to its altitude, a visitor has a good view of his surrounding. He can see Angkor Wat as well as an ancient reservoir.

As you can see, they are wooden structures raised to support some part of the temples. It is falling apart.

This particular temple was built in the 9th century when the Khmer empire moved it capital from Roulos, some 20 or 30 miles away from Siem Reap, to here.

And like most temples, Phnom Bakheng was built to replicate Mount Meru. The replication is less impressive than Angkor Wat, but Phnom Bakheng is still amazing. The view from the top is something to die for and Angkor Wat cannot match that.

Categories
History & heritage Photography Travels

[2582] Angkor Wat from afar

Cambodia was great, if I had not mentioned that earlier. My traveling partner said she felt like Indiana Jones and indeed, it did feel as such, especially when we were visiting those temples which were partially consumed by the jungle. I felt a sense of adventure that I had not felt for a long time.

I also appreciated Cambodia because I learned a number of things while I was in Siem Reap exploring temple ruins. I learned more about Hindu mythology while I was there then I ever had before. I also learned that Angkor Wat was a Hindu temple, along with some of its peculiarities. I was also excited because I did recognize some of the names associated with the builders of these temples.

Here is Angkor Wat, shot from afar from another temple ruins named Phnom Bakheng.

Some rights reserved. Creative Commons 3.0. By Attribution. By Hafiz Noor Shams

You can see some unnatural green from the photograph. Those are typical construction covers, put on by a conservation team. Cambodia is too poor to conserve its temple ruins and so, various conservation teams from all around the world are there to do what they do best.

You can also see a vignette effect in the photograph, where the edge is darker than the center. I used a long-range lens and it was working at its upper limit. Nevertheless, I thought it made the photograph looks quaint and charming. To me at least.

Categories
History & heritage Photography Travels

[2581] An apsara at Angkor Wat

I had a dream about Cambodia today and when I realized it was a dream as I woke up, I found myself lingering in bed, refusing to get up. That took half a day.

Some rights reserved. Creative Commons 3.0. By Attribution. By Hafiz Noor Shams

This is an apsara, which is an equivalent of an angel but not quite. Wikipedia translates it as a nymph. It comes from Hindu mythology of the Churning of the Milky Ocean. As the myth goes, the gods and the demons agreed to churn the Ocean of Milk to obtain something that is called amrita, which gives eternal life to its drinker. During the process of churning, a number of things are produced and one of them are the apsaras.

The asparas adorn Angkor Wat and many other temple ruins. The way the Angkor Wat is designed is supposed to replicate Hindu cosmology. The moat, the gallery, the towers are all mean to represent the seas, the mountains and the home of the gods. Demons, gods, apsaras and other being are represented at the appropriate places within Angkor Wat.

Categories
History & heritage Photography Travels

[2578] 312 kilometers from Phnom Penh

If you want to visit the Angkor temple ruins, Siem Reap is your base. It is less than 20km away from the Angkor Wat and other magnificent temples to the north.

Some rights reserved. Creative Commons 3.0. By Attribution. By Hafiz Noor Shams

I spent nearly two weeks in Cambodia, spending the first week in Siem Reap in the north before visiting Phnom Penh via Battambang in the west. Yes, it was a big detour but it was worth it.

Siem Reap is a cute little town, close to the former capital of the Khmer empire, which is now in ruins. And yes, it is 312km away from Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia.

Siem Reap itself means “Siam defeated.” The Khmer capital was captured by Siam in the 15th century. That caused the Khmers to move its capital to Phnom Penh. In the 16th century, the Khmers liberated Siem Reap from Siam in a complete fashion. Hence the name.

Unfortunately for the Khmers, the Siamese were eventually victorious over the Khmer empire. Cambodia remained under Siamese rule until the French came in the 19th century.

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Conflict & disaster Society

[2577] The cost of communism in Cambodia

Between 1975 and 1979, Cambodia came under the communist Khmer Rouge regime. The communist rule exerted considerable cost on the Cambodian society. Just how significant?

Never forget.

Data was obtained from the World Bank.