24-JAN-2007
The Walkway
Banteay Srei was built in the year 967 AD, during the reign of King Rajendravarman. Built of pink sandstone instead of the grey stone that dominates at the other temples of Angkor, Banteay Srei is the most intricately carved of all temples at Angkor. Experts believe that the temple was built as a tribute to the art of wood-carving, since many of the motifs are identical to wood motifs found in the architecture and decor of the period. For instance, door frames and some of the roof eaves are carved to imitate the details of traditional wood building motifs.
24-JAN-2007
Carvings On The Wall (I)
Banteay Srei means 'Citadel of the Women', or 'Citadel of Beauty', and presumably refers to its size and the delicacy of its decorations. It's also described as the 'Jewel of Khmer Art'.
24-JAN-2007
Carvings On The Wall (II)
This is a bigger picture of the carvings on the walls of Banteay Srei.
23-JAN-2007
Entering The Sanctuary
As we entered the compound of the Buddhist sanctuary, we were approached by several children selling souvenirs. They followed us and kept on asking us to buy something from them. Typically they would try to get you to buy their goods, when you say you will come back later, they usually oblige and let you go but they will always ask `What's your name?.....Come and buy from me later and I will remember you!' Cute kids. I decided to take a shot of `me' teddy bear with the kids. I suppose they were extremely thrilled not only to see a teddy bear (probably never owned one! I won't be surprise) what more thinking that I gave Teddy to them. After the shot I took Teddy with me.......yes I know what you are thinking.....but I have no choice, it's a special bear. It travelled with me in Angkor.
23-JAN-2007
Rituals
Rituals conducted by a monk at the village for protection. In this respect the motorcycle and the entire family were blessed. The bike for safe journey along the road. We saw this act, requested the guide to stop and asked if it was alright to shoot and he said ok. It's always better to ask the local the customs of the people than to just do what we want. You never know your act of kindness can be a gesture of insult. I was told never touch the head of the locals. I am fond of touching children heads as a sign of affection. To me it means nothing, but to the locals it's a sign of bad luck. Fortunately that doesn't apply to children. So I was spared when I accidentally touched a kid's head after a photo shoot. This shot was taken on our way to Preah Palilay, a small Buddhist sanctuary in the north of Angkor Thom.
23-JAN-2007
Preah Palilay
This chimney-like tower is a small Buddhist sanctuary located in the north of Angkor Thom. Unlike any other tower at Angkor, it may have been faced with other materials. Buddhist images can be found and the coexistence of Buddhist and Hindu imagery is part of the problem of dating this temple.
23-JAN-2007
Nose Kissing Experience
The Bayon is a temple at Angkor, Cambodia. It was built in the 13th century as the state temple of king Jayavarman VII, and stands at the centre of his capital, Angkor Thom. Its most distinctive feature is the multitude of smiling faces on the towers which rise up to its central peak. It also possesses two sets of bas-reliefs, which depict an unusual combination of mythological, historical and mundane events. There are 49 towers located in Bayon originally. And each tower has 4 faces. This angle in particular is interesting in the sense that the nose of these two images touched each other like - kissing.
23-JAN-2007
Attempt To Kiss The Nose
I tried to kiss the nose of this face. Unfortunately I wasn't much of a listener, so the photographer who shot this picture had a difficulty in adjusting the right spot. Just missed a bit and it looked kind of funny me having a nibble of the nose instead.
23-JAN-2007
More Faces
The Bayon was the last state temple to be built at Angkor, and the only one to be built primarily as a Mahayana Buddhist temple (although various local deities were also worshipped there). It was the centrepiece of Jayavarman VII's building program, and the similarity of the faces on the temple's towers to other statues of the king have led many scholars to the conclusion that the faces are, at least in part, representations of Jayavarman VII (although Avalokitesvara is another possibility). Under the reign of Jayavarman VIII in the mid-13th century the temple was converted to Hinduism. In later centuries Theravada Buddhism became dominant, before the temple was eventually abandoned to the jungle.
25-JAN-2007
An Ocean Out There
For most of the year the lake is fairly small, around one meter deep and with an area of 2,700 square km. During the monsoon season, however, the Tonle Sap river which connects the lake with the Mekong river reverses its flow. Water is pushed up from the Mekong into the lake, increasing its area to 16,000 square km and its depth to up to nine meters, flooding nearby fields and forests. The floodplain provides a perfect breeding ground for fish.
25-JAN-2007
Bananas For You, Sir?
The typical standard call for the sale of bananas by these Vietnamese(s) - "One dollar" and they would reach out their plates of bananas to you. They are seen everywhere along the lake looking out for tourists to sell their bananas. Previously they only begged for money.
Note: Vietnamese make up the largest minority group with about five percent of the population and Chinese make up another one percent.
