Mastodawn

A day at the aqua fish farm ponds

Inland aquafarms is one of the newer entrepreneurial efforts to use the land and water resources in Cambodia. The goal is to extend access to aqua based protein and quality farmed fish.

Classic Khmer food resource
Fish and seafood are the main sources of animal protein in classic Khmer cuisine. Access to an everlasting supply of fish, crayfish and shellfish was traditionally coming from the large waterways. The Mekong river complex, the Tonlé Sap and Tonlé Sap river and the coastal regions.

Tonlé Sap is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. And among the richest and biological most diverse sources for water based protein and other food produce in the world.

A source for an empire
With regional pressure and increasingly utilisation of these resources, modern technology like aquafarming is a way of keeping the flow of traditional food and nutrients at an acceptable level.

The nutritional benefits of eating a lot of fish and crayfish/shellfish is well known for health and human development. And there should be no surprises in an empire fed by healthy food, should be able to build art and architecture for the ages. Leaving a unique world cultural heritage for us all.

In addition to rich flavours and quality of produce, there are several good healthy reasons to enjoy Cambodian food. And drinks.

#2018CE #ancient #angkor #aqua #aquafarm #architecture #art #ទន្លេសាប#biking #bluesky #buddhism #Cambodia #citylife #countryside #dinner #fish #fishing #aquafood #food #khmerfood #drinks #khmerdrinks #greentourism #healthyfood #hinduism #khmer #kingdomofwonder #ក្រុងសៀមរាប #ព្រះរាជាណាចក្រ#កម្ពុជា #lake #tonlesap #Mekongriver #Mekong #people #roadtrip #seafood #SiemReap #siemreab #siemreap #TônléSab #TonléSap #TonleSap #usaid #village #villagelife #visitcambodia #visitsiemreap

Dag-Rune Z Mar 25

Girl with the red ruby ring

Beng Mealea is one of the temples that take some time to visit. It is an hours drive outside Siem Reap city on the way to Kulen Mountain.

The Lotus Pond Temple, Prasat Beng Mealea, was build around the same time as Angkor Wat, but nearly seventy kilometres away. It is near the sacred Kulen Mountain. It is a large temple, and the last few years it has been heavily renovated. The accessibility both to the temple itself and inside it has been upgraded as well.

Refreshing green season
We where a group of visitors seeking shelter for a sudden downpour. Visiting Cambodia in green season means some short downpours morning or afternoon. And this was morning mid-September.

A small bridge-like shelter over a small river leading into a small lake was suddenly filled up. By visitors in different levels of soaked. And their guides. And some locals from the stalls selling food and drinks nearby.

We were all under visual scrutiny by this local girl.

Whether it was the general appearance of slightly soaked foreigners, or the typical curiosity Khmer children often have, is a mystery. But she did a perfect pose for a portrait.

Potential World Heritage
The Lotus Pond Temple was added to the list of tentative World Heritage Sites in 2020.

To visit Beng Mealea you need a separate ticket if you do not have the Angkor main pass. A daytrip here will often include a visit to Phnom Kulen, the river, waterfall and the Reclining Buddha, and highly recommended the beautiful temple Banteay Srei.

And meeting some nice locals.

#angkor #art #bengmealea #Buddhism #Cambodia #citylife #countryside #daytrip #girl #redruby #goldring #siemreap #2011ce #temple #worldheritage #ankorwat #khmergirl #nikon #greenseason #tourism #hinduism #history #khmer #child #Kulen #Mountain #KulenMountain #Lychee #LycheeMountain #Nikon #PhnomKulen #portrait #rain #shelter #jewellery #Siem #Reab #Reap #visitsiemreap #southeastasia #visitcambodia #worldculturalheritage

Dag-Rune Z Mar 23

Not to be judged by appearance

Khmer Classical Dance is intriguing and fascinating. From encountering it first time 15 years ago it really triggered my interest for the rich variety and historical longevity of the Khmer. Over 2000 year of cultural history, that is.

UNESCO added Khmer Classical Dance to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on 2003, and reaffirmed the listing in 2008.

Informally the dance style is referred to as Apsara Dance. It is named after the female nymphs playing an absolute central role in the stories told in the dance. Apsara dance refers both to a specific dance piece performed by the Royal Ballet of Cambodia. But any dance developed and inspired by the dancing style including the costumes are referred to as Apsara dance.

The curious, clumsy monkey god
Hanuman is a monkey deity, or demigod, with roots in early Veda culture. His importance grow in the first millennia CE, and he is a central protecting spirit in Khmer history and culture from the Angkor era. Hanumans disfigured face is due to an accident as a young, curious child. He tried to eat the sun.

The symbolism of not judging anyone by their appearance, but by their actions, is not to be missed.

Reamker is the Cambodian national epic poem, based on the older classic Ramayana from Hinduism and Veda writings. But Reamker is adapted to Khmer cultural history and to Buddhism.

The story of Hanuman and the relations to the Apsara nymphs plays a much larger role in Reamker than in Ramayana. The Apsara structure and gracefulness needs a rougher contrast, Hanuman is perfect.

#2011CE #ancient #angkor #apsara #archive #art #buddhism #Cambodia #citylife #costume #culturalheritage #dance #demigod #Empiregod #hanuman #Hinduism #Khmer #monkey #nationalepic #nymphs #reamker #Siem #Reab #siemreap #southeast #asia #southeastasia #visitcambodia #visitsiemreap #worldculturalheritage #world #intangiblecultural #heritage #royalballet #ramayana #veda

PugJesus Mar 5

Imposing ruins of Banteay Kdei, Angkor, Cambodia

AskDRZ in Asia Feb 27

One of the great yearly events in Siem Reap in February is the Great Puppet Parade.

The puppets in the parade are made by local school children and teenagers. It is organised by local NGOs. Supported by professional artists and designers the result is mind-blowing.

Along with the puppets, there are live performances by artists and musicians. Showcasing what a vibrant art & culture scene the 2nd largest city in Cambodia have.

#puppetparade #visitsiemreap #vibrantcitylife #angkor #visitcambodia

Dag-Rune Z Feb 19

A bad frog day: Trade my pet for your camera, sir?

This young gentleman follow me around while I was visiting Preah Ko in Roluos the first time. After figuring out I was friendly, and being fascinated by my camera, he was offering a trade.

I had much more need of my camera than a highly annoyed frog, so I declined. He wasn’t that pleased, but his mom come over, preventing a possible meltdown.

Sometimes the care and maintenance crew from the Apsara authority bring their kids to work at the Angkor sites. Earlier it was common to use this as an opportunity to learn some English for the children, but instances of begging and worse has reduced this kind of contact in several of the sites.

Maintenance of the first temple
Preah Ko was the first Royal temple in the first larger Angkor capital Hariharalaya, appx 20 kilometre south-east of the more famous Angkor Thom city and Angkor Wat temple. The “bull temple” was honouring the Hindu deity Shiva, and was consecrated in 879 CE.

Three kneeling bull statues are in front of the main five buildings, and Ko/Go is a Khmer word for bull. Funny enough, “Ko” is the Danish word for cow, in Norwegian the word is “ku”. Making it easy for northerners to remember the name of this six tower temple.

For anyone interesting in parallel historic timelines, 878 CE was the year of the first unification of the kingdom of Norway under one king. This was the first kingdom in what would become the three kingdoms of Scandinavia today. Denmark got unified in 935, and Sweden a couple hundred years later.

#hariharalaya #roluosgroup #temple #Roluos #Group #Roluos #រលួស #2011CE #879CE #angkor #angkorpark #angkorwat #annoyedanimals #architecture #Cambodia #oldcapitalcity #Empire #entrepreneurship #frog #hariharalaya #hinduism #Kampuchea #khmer #khmerboy #lolei #portrait #roadtrip #rolousgroup #SiemReap #Province #trade #visitsiemreap #visitcambodia #cameratrade #Nikon #NikonD300 #Nikkor #Nikkor24mm #worldculturalheritage #cultural #heritage

Dag-Rune Z Feb 17

Throwback to a giant puppet parade a few years ago.

One of the great yearly events in Siem Reap in February is the Great Puppet Parade. It is normally just after sunset on the 3rd Saturday.

The puppets in the parade are made and showed off by local school children and teenagers. The effort is organised by local NGOs. Supported by professional artists and designers the result is mind-blowing. Local businesses sponsor the activity and materials over several months.

Along with the puppets, there are live performances by artists and musicians. Showcasing what a vibrant art and culture scene the second largest city in Cambodia have. Siem Reap have a lot to offer in addition to the World Cultural Heritage site of Angkor Park.

The sunset parade along the riverside gathers close to 20 000 spectators.

After the parade, the puppets are exhibited in parks and at sponsors places for everyone to enjoy, even if they lost out on the parade itself.

This year the theme is Wildlife, celebrating Cambodia’s spectacular nature and fauna.

Earlier years this Apsara Dancer Lady in the photo showcased the ancient art of the Angkor Empire.

#art #puppetparade #culturalscene #visitsiemreap #vibrantcitylife #angkor #worldculturalheritage #architecture #archive #art #Asia #bike #bikefriendly #Buddhism #Cambodia #life #Empire #puppet #design #greentourism #Hinduism #history #imperial #khmer #siemreap #southeastasia #visitcambodia

chuls Feb 15

#Angkor #TaProhm #divine #Cambodia #TravelPhotography

Spirituality & Religious Studies Feb 14

Angkor Wat

This is a Theravada Buddhist temple complex & the largest religious complex in the world. It means “Temple City” or “City of Temples” in the Khmer language. It is located on a site measuring 162.6 hectares (401.8 acres; 1.6 km squared) within the ancient capital of Angkor. It was built between 1113 & 1150 during the reign of the Khmer King Suryavarman II. It originally was dedicated to the Hindu god, Vishnu.

From the late 13th century forward, the complex was/is a Buddhist temple & has remained an active center of Buddhist worship for centuries, specifically Theravada Buddhism. It’s a national symbol of Cambodia & shows up on the Cambodian flag. It’s also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in 1992.

The temple’s architecture is a literal map of the Hindu universe. It’s commonly interpreted as a symbolic representation of Mount Meru. The 5 central towers represent the peaks of Mount Meru, the home of gods. While the massive moat represents the cosmic ocean surrounding the world.

Most Khmer temples face east. Angkor Wat faces the opposite way: west. In Hindu iconography, west is the direction associated with Vishnu. But it’s also the direction of the setting sun & death.

By the end of the 12th century, King Jayavarman VII was at the helm. Angkor Wat was then dedicated to Buddhism. Because the queen, Indradevi, was a devout Mahayana Buddhist. She encouraged the king to convert.

In the 20th century, a considerable effort was launched to clear the plant overgrowth & restore the Temple following centuries of disrepair. Conservation d’Angkor (Angkor Conservancy) was established by the Ecole Francaise d’Extreme-Orient (EFEO) in 1908. This organization was disbanded in 1975.

The Conservation d’Angkor was responsible for the research, conservation, & restoration carried out at Angkor until the early 1970s. Major restoration works were undertaken in the 1960s.

Cambodia gained independence from France on November 9, 1853 & has controlled the Angkor Wat site ever since.

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