But, what I found more interesting is the photo below, perhaps an engraving done hundred of years ago, by some inspiring artistic lovebirds.
Showing posts with label Cambodia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cambodia. Show all posts
Friday, January 22, 2010
CAMBODIA | The Artist within the Ruins
One can see so many inspiring artist within the site of the ruins.
This is an art on its own, the reddish sandstone plus the green moss had turned this facade into an art.
Just look at those paintings, yeap, paintings, hand painted on site, those are no photos, no, not that guy on the left, those thing on the canvas on the front right that is.
Look at this sketch, or doodle, or call it whatever you want.
Another close-up, by a different artist, inspect those details.
Another artist seeking for inspiration?
But, what I found more interesting is the photo below, perhaps an engraving done hundred of years ago, by some inspiring artistic lovebirds.
Maybe someone could decipher this coded encryption.
But, what I found more interesting is the photo below, perhaps an engraving done hundred of years ago, by some inspiring artistic lovebirds.
Saturday, January 09, 2010
SIEM REAP | Banteay Srei
Banteay Srei is about an hour journey by tuk-tuk from Siem Reap, passing thru the local villages, experiencing the lush greens of the countryside.
Banteay Srei means, citadel of the women, or citadel of beauty.
The facade is bit reddish due to the material used for the structure, i.e. red sandstone.
Banteay Srei is famous for it's meticulously detalied workmanship, just as shown in the photo, just to show a sample.
A close-up of one of the remnants.
Banteay Srei means, citadel of the women, or citadel of beauty.
Monday, January 04, 2010
SIEM REAP | Along the way ..
The first Monday in the first week of 2010, schools re-opened, new and not so new students will be going to school and colleges.
Roads will obviously be busier than usual.
But when I was in Siem Reap, Cambodia, I don't think there is such a heavy traffic jam. As most of the road users are either on two-wheeled or three-wheeled vehicles, hence they can just manoeuvre easily on the road.
Just look at the gas station above, it's almost deserted, but I like this "aura" looks like those in the film. This photo was taken whilst on a moving tuk-tuk (3-wheeled vehicle) along the bumpy and dusty road here.
Some might prefer riding those cosy air-conditioned tour buses. But at this time around I prefer the local tuk-tuk, feeling the cool air brushes your faces, smelling the fresh aroma of the countrysides's air, and hearing those bells and whistles of Cambodia.
After about an hour or so on the bumpy road, you then reached the destination with a gleeming smiles from the local traders.
One of the hand painted signage, I think it says something about WC or thereabout.
Roads will obviously be busier than usual.
But when I was in Siem Reap, Cambodia, I don't think there is such a heavy traffic jam. As most of the road users are either on two-wheeled or three-wheeled vehicles, hence they can just manoeuvre easily on the road.
Monday, February 02, 2009
Ta Phrom | Do U See What I See?
WARNING: Do not read this if you are alone at night! You've been warned!
Exploring more of the Ta Phrom ruins.
Tourists admiring the huge root "hugging" the ruins wall.
A wider view of the area where Lara Croft's did her action.
A different mystic view of the entrance, effect done in-camera.
Exploring inside the ruins. At times, there are no one in-sight, as I will try to avoid the typical touristy routes, hence I do came across some empty and eerie spot you might say.
Getting closer with the antique artifacts, sometime I do imagine that does "what if?" Just like those in the movie, which can gives you a crypt.
And finally, "something" came up, tell me what you see inside the trunk of that tree?
Exploring more of the Ta Phrom ruins.
Tourists admiring the huge root "hugging" the ruins wall.
A wider view of the area where Lara Croft's did her action.
A different mystic view of the entrance, effect done in-camera.
Exploring inside the ruins. At times, there are no one in-sight, as I will try to avoid the typical touristy routes, hence I do came across some empty and eerie spot you might say.
Getting closer with the antique artifacts, sometime I do imagine that does "what if?" Just like those in the movie, which can gives you a crypt.
And finally, "something" came up, tell me what you see inside the trunk of that tree?
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
CAMBODIA | Ta Phrom a.k.a. The Tomb Raider's
A visit to the Angkor Thom area is not complete without stepping your feet to Ta Phrom.
As you can see from the above photo, tourists are flocking their way to Ta Phrom, it is quite difficult to capture a tourist free photo.
What is so unique about Ta Phrom if you may asked, besides the delicate carving on the walls?
Obviously, carvings can be seen everywhere, done in meticulous fashion.
But what actually stands out in Ta Phrom, are the huge tree roots that seems to hug the structure.
The tourists are captured in this photo to show the size of the tree roots!
And this is the infamous doorway where Angelina Jolie passed through in the film Tomb Raiders, as the ultra sleek Lara Croft.
As you can see from the above photo, tourists are flocking their way to Ta Phrom, it is quite difficult to capture a tourist free photo.
What is so unique about Ta Phrom if you may asked, besides the delicate carving on the walls?
Obviously, carvings can be seen everywhere, done in meticulous fashion.
But what actually stands out in Ta Phrom, are the huge tree roots that seems to hug the structure.
The tourists are captured in this photo to show the size of the tree roots!
And this is the infamous doorway where Angelina Jolie passed through in the film Tomb Raiders, as the ultra sleek Lara Croft.
Friday, January 09, 2009
CAMBODIA | Sowree & Friends Go to School
Hi all, Sour Sdei, Happy New Year 2009!
Traditionally, education were offered by the wats (Buddhist temples). Then in 1975 when Khmer Rouge regime came into power, education systems were abolished, destroying learning materials and schools. But in 1979, the new Cambodian Government came into place, and soon after that modern education came into order.
And this is my short humble story.
My name is Sowree*, I am a year 3 student in Cambodia. My parents said that, if I study hard, when I grow up, I can become a succesful entrepeneur, and helps to improve the live of our family and also to better improve the living quality of our country.
I know most of my friends around the world started their new school term last week, and now I would like to share our daily school day in where we live.
We have a very small wooden school in our village, it only have a single clasroom, and we have to take turn to use the area for our study.
Not all children are able to study, my friend Sokha, is still not eligible to study, but he always come to school, watching and observing what the student are learning.
These are two of my friends, Samay and Channe. Samay feels sad because this is the first time he attended the class and the first time being away from his family.
This is what we are learning today, and on the board is our alphabets. That is our teacher, Ms. Rom Chang. We love our teacher because, our teacher have taught us how to read and write.
Mr. Montha is also one of our teachers. He is a very humble guy, and when we are sad, he always entertained us with his magician skills and his joke, although his jokes and magics were sometimes lame, but we just laugh with him as not to hurt his feeling. (Don't tell him that, that is our secret.)
This is when my friends were shown one of our workbooks, and they were praised of having a good high marks. I am proud of them.
Breaktime is one of our favourites. We can eat our food. The food are usually prepared at home by our parents, so we eat it and share it with our friends.
Oh, I have not actually mentioned the whereabout of my school.
This is our school. It is actually a floating school. I was informed that some of my friends in Brunei also have lots of schools built on the water, and some are connected via jetties.
Unfortunately, we do not have jetties connecting from one school to another, as each individual establishment are built on its own boat or barrage. So how do we get to school?
This is how we get to school, by human powered paddle boat. That is my friend, Prak, rowing the boat to school, carrying along his small sister, Veatta. It will get more interesting if it is a rainy day. Although at times we wanted to just swim to school but the teacher do not allow us, because it will wet our school uniforms.
Now, I will also share with you, how my other friends living on land travel to their school.
For those lucky few, they are sent to the school by their father on motorbike.
Otherwise, we just cycle to school. A good form of exercise to keep ourselves healthy, who knows we might represent the country for the Olympics!
And for those who cannot afford to get a bicycle, we just walk to school, mostly in groups, comes rain, comes shine, despite not having those fancy footwears, we just walk ahead, because we wanted to gain knowledge and change our living condition.
And even with having no footwear at all does not stop us from coming to school! For the sake of knowledge we will walk all the way to the peak of success.
So my friends, I hope we all should not waste our resources, be thankful of what the government have been providing for us. Some are lucky to be chauffered around in an airconditioned vehicle, yet some have been denying the privileges of schooling on their own accord, like escaping from school, being lazy and such.
Please my friends, do not quit school, they are many more unfortunate children who are longing to have a proper school environment, as opposed to writing from the "ink" of the dark forest roots, and writing on the dried papyrus leave.
*NOTE: All the names are fictional.
Traditionally, education were offered by the wats (Buddhist temples). Then in 1975 when Khmer Rouge regime came into power, education systems were abolished, destroying learning materials and schools. But in 1979, the new Cambodian Government came into place, and soon after that modern education came into order.
And this is my short humble story.
My name is Sowree*, I am a year 3 student in Cambodia. My parents said that, if I study hard, when I grow up, I can become a succesful entrepeneur, and helps to improve the live of our family and also to better improve the living quality of our country.
I know most of my friends around the world started their new school term last week, and now I would like to share our daily school day in where we live.
We have a very small wooden school in our village, it only have a single clasroom, and we have to take turn to use the area for our study.
Not all children are able to study, my friend Sokha, is still not eligible to study, but he always come to school, watching and observing what the student are learning.
These are two of my friends, Samay and Channe. Samay feels sad because this is the first time he attended the class and the first time being away from his family.
This is what we are learning today, and on the board is our alphabets. That is our teacher, Ms. Rom Chang. We love our teacher because, our teacher have taught us how to read and write.
Mr. Montha is also one of our teachers. He is a very humble guy, and when we are sad, he always entertained us with his magician skills and his joke, although his jokes and magics were sometimes lame, but we just laugh with him as not to hurt his feeling. (Don't tell him that, that is our secret.)
This is when my friends were shown one of our workbooks, and they were praised of having a good high marks. I am proud of them.
Breaktime is one of our favourites. We can eat our food. The food are usually prepared at home by our parents, so we eat it and share it with our friends.
Oh, I have not actually mentioned the whereabout of my school.
This is our school. It is actually a floating school. I was informed that some of my friends in Brunei also have lots of schools built on the water, and some are connected via jetties.
Unfortunately, we do not have jetties connecting from one school to another, as each individual establishment are built on its own boat or barrage. So how do we get to school?
This is how we get to school, by human powered paddle boat. That is my friend, Prak, rowing the boat to school, carrying along his small sister, Veatta. It will get more interesting if it is a rainy day. Although at times we wanted to just swim to school but the teacher do not allow us, because it will wet our school uniforms.
Now, I will also share with you, how my other friends living on land travel to their school.
For those lucky few, they are sent to the school by their father on motorbike.
Otherwise, we just cycle to school. A good form of exercise to keep ourselves healthy, who knows we might represent the country for the Olympics!
And for those who cannot afford to get a bicycle, we just walk to school, mostly in groups, comes rain, comes shine, despite not having those fancy footwears, we just walk ahead, because we wanted to gain knowledge and change our living condition.
And even with having no footwear at all does not stop us from coming to school! For the sake of knowledge we will walk all the way to the peak of success.
So my friends, I hope we all should not waste our resources, be thankful of what the government have been providing for us. Some are lucky to be chauffered around in an airconditioned vehicle, yet some have been denying the privileges of schooling on their own accord, like escaping from school, being lazy and such.
Please my friends, do not quit school, they are many more unfortunate children who are longing to have a proper school environment, as opposed to writing from the "ink" of the dark forest roots, and writing on the dried papyrus leave.
*NOTE: All the names are fictional.
Sunday, January 04, 2009
SIEM REAP | The Town in B&W
It was a bright sunny day in Cambodia. A nice weather to explore the town of Siem Reap.
Bicycles for rent were available almost at every corner, but thinking of inconvenience (parking, bike safety and such) so I decided to ditch the idea and just explore the town on foot.
At every corner one can find something to buy for souvenir, be it postcards, used books, all those small fancy items, could be bought at a bargain.
There are also loads of peddlers, people selling stuff on wheels. Eventhough the local currency is Riel, but US dollars are widely used, hence you do not need to change from the US currency to their local's.
One can also venture into their market to experience their market ambience.
And after those bustling and haggling, one can just walk along the river park, to get away from the busy town traffics.
The sun's setting down, it's time to slow the pace down, back to rest for awhile, to be continued for the upcoming posts.
Bicycles for rent were available almost at every corner, but thinking of inconvenience (parking, bike safety and such) so I decided to ditch the idea and just explore the town on foot.
At every corner one can find something to buy for souvenir, be it postcards, used books, all those small fancy items, could be bought at a bargain.
There are also loads of peddlers, people selling stuff on wheels. Eventhough the local currency is Riel, but US dollars are widely used, hence you do not need to change from the US currency to their local's.
One can also venture into their market to experience their market ambience.
And after those bustling and haggling, one can just walk along the river park, to get away from the busy town traffics.
The sun's setting down, it's time to slow the pace down, back to rest for awhile, to be continued for the upcoming posts.
Monday, December 29, 2008
CAMBODIA | Siem Reap Town
Siem Reap is not the capital of Cambodia, as what many people have thought. The capital is actually, Phnom Penh.
Nevertheless, Siem Reap is the 2nd largest after Phnom Penh, but out of the two, I think it is more worthed to visit Siem Reap due to its historical sites.
Siem Reap town centre itself is not that huge, one can easily cover the whole town within one day, unless you hop in and out at each shop, then it could take you days, but for me, I did manage to cover it in half a day.
The town is easily explored on foot, as it is still developing, it is quite an interesting walk. Walking around the town is an adventure of its own.
If you are expecting those huge luxurious shopping mall, then you have come to the wrong place. If your main intention is to go for those type of shopping, then coming here will only make you frustrated, perhaps maybe the next 5 - 10 years, but not now.
As you can see, it is still developing, and hence the infrastructure is obviously as what you can see from the photos, even the road is quite dusty, expecially during the dry season, for those having asthmatic problem, you better be prepared.
Bicycles, motocycles, tricycles or any two-wheeled vehicles are the most popular mode of transport in Cambodia, as one can carry almost any type of goods on the vehicle, table set, huge TV, livestocks, fruits and even lots of passenger! One need not go to the reknown Cirque de soleil just to watch a circus balancing act, just sitting along the road would gives you the same kind of amusement.
And this is called the "tuk-tuk", the most convenient way to chauffeur you around the town, easy, convenient and you can smell the fresh air! But make sure you confirm your fare before making any journey, and if it suits you, you can hire one with driver throughout your stay in Cambodia.
Well, this is another fascinating scene.
No, they are not selling fake Jack Daniels or cheap booze along the street, but these are in fact petrol to fuel their motorcycles, as filling station is not that common within the town.
As mentioned earlier, the town area is still developing heavily, so such scene is quite common within the town centre, so one of my many tips, wear your most comfortable footwear, those which can easily be cleaned later but not those prize ones, and enjoy your trip.
Nevertheless, Siem Reap is the 2nd largest after Phnom Penh, but out of the two, I think it is more worthed to visit Siem Reap due to its historical sites.
Siem Reap town centre itself is not that huge, one can easily cover the whole town within one day, unless you hop in and out at each shop, then it could take you days, but for me, I did manage to cover it in half a day.
The town is easily explored on foot, as it is still developing, it is quite an interesting walk. Walking around the town is an adventure of its own.
If you are expecting those huge luxurious shopping mall, then you have come to the wrong place. If your main intention is to go for those type of shopping, then coming here will only make you frustrated, perhaps maybe the next 5 - 10 years, but not now.
As you can see, it is still developing, and hence the infrastructure is obviously as what you can see from the photos, even the road is quite dusty, expecially during the dry season, for those having asthmatic problem, you better be prepared.
Bicycles, motocycles, tricycles or any two-wheeled vehicles are the most popular mode of transport in Cambodia, as one can carry almost any type of goods on the vehicle, table set, huge TV, livestocks, fruits and even lots of passenger! One need not go to the reknown Cirque de soleil just to watch a circus balancing act, just sitting along the road would gives you the same kind of amusement.
And this is called the "tuk-tuk", the most convenient way to chauffeur you around the town, easy, convenient and you can smell the fresh air! But make sure you confirm your fare before making any journey, and if it suits you, you can hire one with driver throughout your stay in Cambodia.
Well, this is another fascinating scene.
No, they are not selling fake Jack Daniels or cheap booze along the street, but these are in fact petrol to fuel their motorcycles, as filling station is not that common within the town.
As mentioned earlier, the town area is still developing heavily, so such scene is quite common within the town centre, so one of my many tips, wear your most comfortable footwear, those which can easily be cleaned later but not those prize ones, and enjoy your trip.
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