Angkor travel style – most styles possible

Being on a bike, my style of exploring Angkor Park, meeting a completely different style.

Here at the West Gate of the Angkor Thom old capital, this beautiful Rolls Royce had brought their guests to visit. The kind elder couple had wanted to take this trip to Angkor for a long time. And they wanted a ride to make it very special.
I’d say they succeeded.

This gate is named Ta Kav gate in Khmer. I t is one of the four main entrances to Angkor Thom, out of the total of five gates int the capital built by the great king Jayavarman VII.
Angkor in Siem Reap, Cambodia, is truly a Kingdom of wonders. And some surprises.

There are several companies renting stylish and/or classic cars for people looking for that special travel experience in Siem Reap. Or planning a very special event. I have found several classic Mercedes, Bentleys, Italian Maseratis, and US Camaros and Mustangs. And Vipers.

#westgate #angkor #thom #cambodia #kingdomofwonder #bikingintheangkorwonderland
#rollsroyce #luxurycar #luxury #angkorthom #takavgate #jungle #khmer #art #architecture #elephants #selfie #jayavarmanvii #travelinstyle #travel #visitcambodia #visitsiemreap

#3 Face à soi, enfin ✨

Dernière série de notre séance de 2022 avec Thom. Il se tourne vers moi, le regard accroché, le corps replié comme pour se protéger et se dévoiler tout à la fois. Les ombres enveloppent ses boucles, ses gestes restent modestes, mais je vois la décision intérieure : assumer cette part queer, androgyne, qui lui ressemble tant.

Pour continuer le voyage avec d’autres hommes sensibles, rendez-vous sur « Les Féminins » :
https://celinepivoineyes.com/le-blog/les-feminins-portraits-hommes-sensibles/

#celinepivoine #montreuil93 #studiophotolocation #thom #lesfeminins #portraitnoiretblanc #modelehomme #nuartistique #queervisibility

#2 Abandon à la lumière 🔥

Dernière série de notre séance de 2022 avec Thom. Ici, Thom bascule la tête en arrière, les boucles retombant comme une vague, le torse offert sans défense apparente. Je sens à quel point ce geste, simple en apparence, marque un pas de côté dans son histoire. Entre douceur et tension, sa part queer et androgyne se raconte sans mots.

Si ce trouble vous touche, je poursuis ce travail dans « Les Féminins » :
https://celinepivoineyes.com/le-blog/les-feminins-portraits-hommes-sensibles/

#celinepivoine #montreuil93 #studiophotolocation #thom #lesfeminins #portraitstudio #modeleandrogyne #nuartistique #queerportrait

#1 Dos courbe, cœur ouvert 🌙

Dernière série de notre séance de 2022 avec Thom. Je le guide sur le tabouret, de dos, le corps nu qui se replie légèrement comme pour mieux se rassembler. La lumière glisse sur son épaule, souligne sa fragilité autant que sa force. Dans ce silence, Thom explore une masculinité queer et androgyne, loin des clichés, tout près de lui-même.

Pour découvrir d’autres portraits d’hommes sensibles de cette série :
https://celinepivoineyes.com/le-blog/les-feminins-portraits-hommes-sensibles/

#celinepivoine #montreuil93 #studiophotolocation #thom #lesfeminins #portraitmasculin #nuartistique #queerart #androgyne

Visit to an impressing off the main track citadel temple

Banteay Thom, the big (Thom) Citadel (Banteay), is 10 km north of Angkor Wat and 15 km out Siem Reap City limits. It is accessible by motorbike or a proper bike only.

This temple was built during the rule of Jayavarman VII "the Great" in early 1200s CE. There is one main entrance to the east, and a gate blockaded by debris to the west. Remains of a moat surrounds the old temple.

As a temple built by a mighty god king, it is of stately qualities including some very advanced arts and stone carvings.
After the anteroom and Gopuras, the main three towers are of impressive sizes. But in some need of restoration.

Being outside the main Angkor Park area, there is no need for an Angkor temple pass to visit. It is a truly quiet place with spots and details to study closely, without the queueing and crowds in the more famous temple from JVIIs reign.
Unfortunately, its solitude location means that the temple has been a target for looting into quite recent times.

Banteay Thom is surrounded by rice fields. Visiting during harvest season means meeting and surprise a lot of locals tending to their fields. Including the field where the young Khmer works, where you can listen to the latest in Khmer pop music.

That is not a bad thing. Kh-pop is patent, modern pop worth listen to. And makes a nice cultural contrast to the old Archaeological structure.

#angkor #siemreap #visitsiemreap #cambodia #offthebeatentrack #kingdomofwonder #angkortemples 🎶🎶 #bikingintheangkorwonderland 🎶🎶 #AOTBT #offthebeatentrack #Banteay #thom #Banteaythom #bike #rice #ricefield #dirttrack #backcountry #greentourism #Jayavarman #VII #JVII #J7 #Angkor #Thom #1250CE

At the root of the Chenla kingdom

The three distinct Sambor Prei Kouk temple sites is an important archaeological area. The complex is just north of today’s Kampong Thom city in central Cambodia. It shows the bridging development from the Funan Civilisation into the Angkor Khmer Empire.

These temples were state temples in the old capital Isanapura of the Chenla kingdom.

The Funan state was a loosely organized confederation of cities and lesser kingdoms with large population centres and advanced technology. It was established about 2000 years ago and lasted for about 500 years. Funan covered southern part of today’s Cambodia, Viet Nam, Thailand and northern part of Malaysia.

The Chenla kingdom marks the rapid development of architecture, culture and society building into a unified centralised kingdom and culture. The Chenla kings reach north into today’s Laos, Isaan and Burma.

Isanapura was the core city of this pre-Angkor kingdom for 250 years, between 550 and 800 CE. The first writings in Khmer are found here, marking a continuous writing culture lasting into modern times.

By the end of the Chenla Kingdom unrest and pressure from outside slowly weakened and destabilized the realm. In northwest the Angkor Khmer Empire was declared in 802 CE to finally replace the Khmer Chenla Kingdom.

The Isanapura area is beautiful, with its fauna and flora adding to the experience. In 2017 Sambor Prei Kouk was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

#Pagoda #Prasat #Sombo #Preykuh #preangkor #Prei #Prey #Kŭh #Sambor #Sâmbor #sun #village #villagelife #honest #labour #buddhism #Lord #buddha #Kampong #Thom #2016CE #ancient #archaeology #architecture #architecturelovers #archive #art #ប្រាសាទសំបូរព្រៃគុហ៏ #Cambodia #capital #Central #chenla #citylife #countryside #culture #daytrip #Hinduism #imperial #khmer #multicultural #myson #southeastasia #statetemple #templecomplex #tree #visitcambodia #worldculturalheritage #Funan #isanapura #roadtrip #southeastasia