Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat ("City Temple") is a vast temple complex near Siem Reap, about 200 miles from the capital of Phnom Penh in Cambodia. Built in the 12th century by the king of the prosperous Khmer empire, Angkor Wat was built as a royal temple dedicated to a Hindu deity. After the city of Angkor fell to invaders, Angkor Wat receded into the jungle but continued as a Buddhist temple and a pilgrimage site over the centuries. Angkor Wat is the best preserved example of Khmer architecture in Cambodia and is so grand in design that some rank it among the Seven Wonders of The World.

Erm... too bad that I'm not feeling well, so the pic I took is so little only >.< (I think I eat something wrongly there)
Some more Angkor Wat now is underconstruction... every where is covered by the green thing, a lots of the statue and a wall already replaced with new one... really dissapointed >.<

We wake up early morning 4:30am for waiting this sunrise at Angkor Wat.

Is really a very nice spot for sunrise.
And is a lots of people here too! (too bad i forgot to take a picture of those crowd at there.)
They some more provide chair and coffee for $1

Here is one of the corridor at the gate of Angkor Wat.
Is a nice spot to take picture here ^^

They call this The Library.
And I love this shot!

Behind Guanyin Ma is one of four corner towers of the central temple.
The local people said we got luck, because that day we visit, is the 1st day they open for public to climb up there for visit.

We didn't climb up, because there got too many people and tourists waiting there to go up.
We just take some pics at downstairs.
You see, KahGiap and YingTze look so tiny when standing behind the huge wall!

After that we walk around inside of the temple, and we found this very nice spot.
Erm... a place like "swimming pool"?
still is incredible condition, considering that it is almost 1,000 years old.

Before we left Angkor Wat, KahGiap received a sms from Reinert,
he told us that we might can see the Solar Eclipse that time, so I just pull out a bit of film,
and look at the sun... and IS REALLY SOLAR ECLIPSE HAPPENING!!!
Just too bad we don have better equipment to shoot the Solar Eclipse >.<

Next temple to visit, The Jungle Temple of Beng Mealea.

To Be Continue...

The Baphuon

Ha, I'm so happy that actually really got people read my blog recently.
So I decided continue write a bit about The Baphuon before we continue with the photos:

"The Baphuon temple was built by King Udayadityavarman II in the 11th century. It is located within Angkor Thom, near the Royal Palace. In fact, when the Baphuon was built, there was no Angkor Thom yet. At the time of its completion in 1060, the Baphuon was the largest temple of its time, surpassed only when Angkor Wat was built a century later. The walls of Angkor Thom was also built much later, with the Bayon temple added in around then."

erm... if you wanna know more, you can click HERE! (Wikipedia will tell you more)

The place Guanyin Ma & YingTze standing is actually entrance gate to The Baphuon Temple.

All the temple wall collapsed into itself due to its massive weight and to rain that filter through its stones.

Although already collapsed... and now become a quite nice spot for photo shooting.

And here is this, The Baphuon Temple.
Before I reach here, I actually took a long long way from bridge that link to here.
(but i forgot to take the picture of the bridge >.<) By the 20th century, much of the temple had largely collapsed, they now still doing the restoring work, putting the pieces back together again.
The Baphuon also knew as the world's biggest jigsaw puzzle in stone.
They had to piece together 300,000 pieces of this monumental jigsaw puzzle.

1 of the Apsara I found between all this stones and stones.

After that we continue walk, and we visited to this, Terrace of the leper king.

And we follow a hidden passageway (look like a maze), inside here we can see a lots of Apsaras and Nagas occupy the seven metre high wall face and still in a very good condition.

LOL... Guanyin Ma also found that 1 piece of the Apsara carvings on the front wall of The Leper King Terrace already lost!

Ok, Lets head to the next temple, the spectacular temple of Angkor Wat!!!

To Be Continue...

The Bayon Temple

"The Bayon Temple, represents the intersection of heaven and earth.

Bayon is known for its huge stone faces of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, with one facing outward and keeping watch at each compass point. The curious smiling image, thought by many to be a portrait of Jayavarman himself, has been dubbed by some the "Mona Lisa of Southeast Asia." There are 51 smaller towers surrounding Bayon, each with four faces of its own."

Ok, actually the text you just read is copy from some where in google. ^^
you know i can't write so well and so details right? hahahaha...

Just wanna share some information details about Bayon before you start viewing the pics below:

Hooi & WeiWei at the South Gate Angkor Thom.

The statue of Hindu gods and demons on the bridge.

One of the five gates with Hindu gods and demons.
Take a look nicely on the 7th statue, the head looks different from others rite?
because they replace the statue with a new head already.

The entrance of South Gate Angkor Thom.
is only a gate of entrance, but they build it so nicely

I climb up to the wall of the gate and here is the side of the gate.
and actually when see we see inside the top of the gate, got a lot of bats hanging up there.

After a short distance of driving, and here we reach at The Bayon Temple.
you can see that is a lots of people hanging around there visiting this place.

erm... Hooi and WeiWei acting Bollywood style?

Faces of Avalokiteshvara at Bayon temple.
actually there are 51 smaller towers surrounding Bayon, each with four faces of its own.

Look! That's me at the window there and the view from top there is really awesome.
(this pic took by Guanyin Ma)

See! This is what I saw from the place I climb up, impressive rite?

Guanyin Ma and YingTze having some rest, because this temple is really very big!

Me and the statue of Avalokiteshvara... too serious?

then how bout this? hahaha... I making it smile ^^
(ok, I know I look stupid in this pic...lol)

And this is KahGiap version with the Avalokiteshvara statue.

Almost every where or any spot, the picture we took, can be very nice!

Guanyin Ma taking picture of Apsara sculpture on the wall.

This is the Apsara sculpture on the wall.

Two Apsaras dance on a stone pillar.

Inside Bayon Temple, almost every where even downstairs, you also can see the giant stone faces.

Before we left Bayon Temple, lets take a group pic,
and this is 1 of my favorite pic, looks cool rite? ^^


After we this we went for lunch and then we head to the next temple, The Baphuon...

To Be Continue...

Cambodia, The Land of Wonders.

Wondering where we traveling lately?
Yup, we just visited to The Land of Wonders, Cambodia!

Erm... I'm not so good in writing,
So I think is better to let the photos to do the 'telling story' job ^^

Well, here is the member who joining this trip to Cambodia, Hooi, WeiWei, KahGiap, YingTze and my lovely gf Guanyin Ma.

Let's take a snap before the flight take off.

Good Morning Cambodia!

Landed safely at Siem Reap Airport.
Blue sky, warm sunlight, windy air... really a great time for travel and shooting around.

Behind us is Angkor Voyage Villa, cheap and nice place, recommended.

The 1st lunch we having in Cambodia, just too bad I forgot the name of the restaurant, the food there is very nice and delicious! Specially the local pork rice I order, really love the taste.

After lunch, we take a walk around the area we staying and visited the Old Market.

We saw a lots of very creative and nice recycle bag, I love the graphic they using.
(actually the material is made from the rice bag)

Local Traditional Puppet, very details very interesting.

The street near to Angkor Voyage Villa.
Around here got a lots of guest house and restaurants, so is very convenience.

The other street around Angkor Voyage Villa.
Before we take this shoot, actually got a lots of bikes, motors and cars drive thru, and is very dusty.

Sleeping cat... Cats, you can see them every where.

One of the evening sunset shot inside the guest house we staying.

Guess what? Fish massage is now very popular there, we can see it every where in the town.

Stay tune for the next post, The Bayon Temple, to be continue...