ASIA
Stepping on the ancient, lichen covered stones of Beng Mealea, in the deep, dark shadows of late afternoon, is almost meditative. No armies of tourists to vie with for the best camera angles here. Just us and a couple of nimble footed little descendants of the Khmer. Beng Mealea – meaning ‘Lotus Pond’ – situated 45 km East of […]
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Imagine for a moment, that you are an early French explorer. You are stumbling upon these crumbling ruins in the shadowy half light of dense tropical jungle and making the startling discovery that those tree covered towers are, in fact, eerie, mysterious faces! Hundreds of them! With hooded staring eyes and implacable smiles. In the […]
Read MoreMy sister suggested we get our futures foretold at the Kau Cim stall in the Asakusa shrine in Tokyo. I didn’t think it was a good idea. I do not believe in divination and felt it would play on her mind if she didn’t ‘draw’ good luck. But she was insistent and so we went […]
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If only one of two historic monuments were to be saved from the wrecking ball based purely on antiquity, cultural relevance or singularity, which factor do you think should take precedence? In a city full of Wats, the sacrifice of a heritage Art Deco theater to expose yet another Wat concealed behind it for years, and one of later vintage, […]
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If I have to, I can do anything. I am strong, I am invincible, I am Woman I remember lying in bed one night and the words, ‘I am strong, I am invincible, I am woman’, kept going over and over in my head. That part I consider to be divinely inspired. I had been […]
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We found the children of Cambodia even more enchanting than the temples of their ancestors that we had come to see. They are pesky, persistent and beautiful. And most, exceptionally bright! Like the little girl in the purple blouse, who rattled off numbers from 1 – 10 in Hindi, before I had time to react to her question about […]
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When Meenakshi of Laughing Penguins kindly agreed – thank you Meenakshi! – to pair her verses with my images of the iconic ‘Lara Croft’ temple of Ta Phrom, I knew she would bring more to this post than just her evocative words. Here is her homage to the desolate grandeur of the tree strangled monument. […]
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These are two images from the Wat Mai Suwannaphumaham, in Luang Prabang. The first is the generic landscape view of the red interior nave and altar, with its array of gilded Buddhas. Gorgeous enough. Take the trouble to perambulate around to the back however, and you will be rewarded with this peculiar, but stunning detail […]
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Psah means market in Khmer. Located roughly mid way between Angkor and the remote jungle temple of Beng Mealea, and far from the tourist heart of Siem Reap, is one of the largest Psah’s in the area, where villagers from surrounding hamlets buy and sell produce. No sign of tourist tat here, no souvenir T shirts […]
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Bridges become frames for looking at the world around us. ~ Bruce Jackson I cross my 200 mark, with these bridges! Look forward to your company on the journey to the next 200.
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Discover the symbolism behind Angkor Wat temple architecture and details on how to visit these magnificent temple ruins in Cambodia.
Read MoreMy Angkor posts are long overdue. While I struggle to finish my draft between house guests and trips to Bangalore, here is a scene that was the realisation of a longstanding dream. As breathtaking and unforgettable as we had imagined, despite the partly cloudy sky and the scaffolding in the center. Until next time…..happy travels, no matter […]
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The Urge To Wander 