The colourful lives of monks

The living quarters for the monks at Wat Thmey monastery are not spacious, but definitely well cared for and maintained. And the details sure is a colourful statement.

This monastery is connected to Thammissararam Pagoda, ត្ត​ធម្មិស្សរារាម, in the Roluos village in Siem Reap Province.

I have visited this monastery several times, as part of attending Cheng Meng-rituals and Pchum Benh with Khmer friends. That includes attending to cleaning, maintaining and decorate their family graves and tombs. And the honour of attending the prayer ceremony in memory and support of the family history and spirits.

#2018CE #angkor #ត្ត​ធម្មិស្សរារាមរលួសវត្តធម្មិស្សរារាម #Buddhism #Cambodia #colour #colourful #countryside #Cultural #Heritage #Empire #hariharalaya #Khmer #livingquarter #monastery #monks #Roluos #village #RoluosGroup #Siem #Reap #Province #temple #ThammissararamPagoda #villagelife #visitcambodia #visitsiemreap #PrasatThammissararam #WatThmey

You came to a split in the road….

…and the Apsara-crew took the road less travelled, because they make all the difference.

To manage, develop and maintain the vast human cultural treasure of the Angkor Park, the Apsara Authority was established back in 1995.

It has ha monumental task, literally speaking, taking care of the approximately 420 km2 area of the main Angkor Archaeological Park. It contains more than 70 larger temple sites, and over 1000 smaller sites and remains.

Important task and employer
Easy recognisable with their green uniforms, the Apsara Maintenance staff are making the visit into the Angkor Archaeological Park and sites possible, safe and accessible. It is a highly respected and important effort on behalf of Cambodia’s long and proud history, civilisation and culture. And of course, the common human historic value as a World Cultural Heritage site for the rest of us.

With over 3 000 employees, the Apsara Authority is the largest single employer in the Siem Reap province.

#angkorwat #angkor #pond #sunrise #wat #temple #food #asiangirl #asian #villagelife #morning #AngkorWat #Apsara #ancient #art #architecture #sculpture #archive #worldculturalheritage #hinduism #khmer #empire #buddhism #greentourism #takeonlyphotos #leaveonlyfootprints #Cambodia #citylife #countryside #daytrip #history #imperial #biking #Site #statetemple #Apsara #maintenance #crew #staff #lunch #tiffin #carrier #Chanshrak #tiffincarrier #Nikon #D300 #NikonD300 #Nikkor #14_24mm #f2_8 #2011CE #Siem #Reap #siemreap #southeastasia #visitsiemreap #visitcambodia

Bringing food for mommy

A memory from my first visit to Angkor Wat. This couple, I guess brother and sister, had their priority and duty clear this early fall day in the green season of 2011CE.

It was bringing lunch to mommy, one of the Apsara maintenance staffers at Angkor Wat. Making sure the maintenance and operation of the 8th Wonder of the World was smoothly and efficient.

State Temple, tomb, now Wat
Angkor Wat was original a royal state temple built in honour of the Hindu god Vishnu in the mid-12th Century CE. It is a tomb for the God King Suryavarman II too.
As a usurper, he needed to show his right to the throne by building this enormous religious building. It is still the largest and probably the most famous religious buildings in our common human cultural heritage.

Later it was converted to a Buddhist temple and monastery for religious worship and learning, a “Wat”.

Classic combination
Angkor Wat represents two architectural styles for Hindu temples. We have the temple mountain as a reminder of the 5 sacred Meru mountain, home of the Hindu gods. And the later galleried temple.

The galleries are even more interesting than usual. In addition to honour the gods and religious rites, it is the history of the reign of a powerful emperor.

This is one of the temples in Angkor Park where it is highly advisable to have a guide on your first visit. The size is easier to understand when you have some knowledgeable to show the important highlights and the best photo spots.

#angkorwat #angkor #pond #sunrise #wat #temple #food #asiangirl #asian #boy #villagelife #morning #AngkorWat #Apsara #ancient #art #architecture #sculpture #archive #worldculturalheritage #hinduism #khmer #empire #buddhism #greentourism #Cambodia #citylife #countryside #daytrip #history #imperial #biking #Site #statetemple #khmerchildren #lunch #tiffin #carrier #Chanshrak #tiffincarrier #Nikon #D300 #NikonD300 #Nikkor #2011CE #Siem #Reap #siemreap #southeastasia #visitsiemreap #visitcambodia

Early morning enthusiasm in the forest
That time I had to share the bike track with two very enthusiastic youngsters in the Siem Reap countryside near Angkor Thom.

Culture and nature
Water buffaloes are still of some importance in agriculture in Cambodia. Traditionally used for ploughing the fields and carting heavy loads, those tasks are increasingly done by mechanised tractors and specialised machinery. But for milk, meat, fortune and for breeding they are popular and even exported.
These animals live well of ordinary grass and water plants. All easily accessible food with no need of industrialised special fodder. They return valuable quality fertiliser in return, and they are important in keeping and being a vital part of the cultural landscape.

Respect and distance
These buffaloes are domesticated livestock, and normally quite docile. But they are each still 2 pointy ends backed by 200 kilo+ of bones and muscles, so respectful distance is smart when encountering these animals unexpected.
Me, sitting on my bike in a crossroad in front of these two fellows, continued out of their track on my way after I had taken this shot. I saw these two rumbling on their way crossing the road behind me.
Hope they enjoyed this moment as much as me.

https://drzinasia.wordpress.com/2023/04/10/physical-distancing-pre-covid-times/

#2022CE #Angkor #angkorwat #archive #Asia #backcountry #bike #biketrip #bikingintheangkorwonderland #bluesky #bubalisbubalus #bubalus #bubalis #calf #calves #Cambodia #citylife #citywalk #classic #Khmer #dirttrack #domesticated #forest #run #greentourism #Kampuchea #Keepnothingbutmemories #khmer #Killnothingbuttime #Leavenothingbutfootprints #livestock #Morning #offthebeatentrack #AOTBT #roadtrip #running #Siem #Reab #Siem #Reap #siemreap #countryside #southeastasia #sunrise #Takenothingbutpictures #travel #visitsiemreap #Water #buffalo #waterbuffalo #waterbuffaloes #youngfun

1. #Take #PFG #Scarz #Opzich in #Utrecht
2. #Reap #Pase #Seko #Schim station Driebergen Zeist
3. #K-R In #Maarn 😭
4. #Woah vgm, piece uit 2008 in Maarn, staat fietsenhek voor duskonn geen goeie foto maken
5. zelfde
6. #Brick

#DutchGraffiti #Graffiti

When your home is a temple

Some of the temples and pagodas in Cambodia are marvels of intrinsic details. Sometimes the cohabitants are, too. Like this one at Wat Sampov at Phnom Sampov/Phnom Sampeau near Battambang.

The monkeys at most of these temple sites are peaceful. They are adjusted to be relatively safe and have access to food and water. But they are also nosy and cheeky, and any seasoned traveller know to keep their belongings, food and water well contained or hidden around these rascals. They will try to steal anything they fancy from the humans.

And never, ever feed the monkeys. It reduces their ability to hunt and gather their own food, leads to malnutrition, and they become more aggressive and can be dangerous towards humans.

Challenging small gene pools
Another challenge for these monkeys is the small number of members in some of the temple groups. That is causing some problems with inbreeding due to limited gene pools.

We are talking severe Habsburgian jaw and bulbous lips, to use a European reference to tragedy and disaster when science is absent. I have personally observed this inbreeding problem to have become lesser over the last few years. Hopefully it means the caretaking of these cultural heritage sites improves. Including for the animals.

The monkeys also ad personality to the visits to the temple, and scale to photos taken there. I would miss having them around, if they were to disappear from the temple grounds.

https://drzinasia.wordpress.com/2021/05/04/when-your-home-iff-a-temple-some-of-the/

#2016CE #Angkor #architecture #art #batcave #Battambang #bluesky #Buddhism #Cambodia #countryside #gallery #gold #Hinduism #Kampuchea #khmer #Nikkor #Nikon #PhnomSampeou #roadtrip #Siem #Reap #siemreap #sightseeing #asia #southeastasia #templevisit #Cambodia #visitsiemreap #watsampeou #guardianhill #landscape #macaquemonkey #Mountains #nature #Pagoda #Phnom #Sampeau #PhnomSompov #teeth #temple #visitcambodia