Mastodawn

Morning ride between Angkor Thom and Phnom Bakheng

Extensive bike tracks and easy rentals of sturdy, modern mountain bikes is a healthy option to explore Angkor and Siem Reap.

Early trips often gives the most exciting options regarding light and colours.

An added experience is to see and meet how locals live and make use of the cultural landscape bordering the archaeological marvels of the Angkor Park of Cambodia.

#phnombakheng #angkorpark #angkorthom #worldculturalheritage #AOTBT

Dag-Rune Z 5d ago

Morning landscape between Angkor Thom and Phnom Bakheng

Access to bike tracks and easy rentals of sturdy, modern mountain bikes is another quality and healthy option to explore Angkor.

Early trips often gives the most exciting options regarding light and colours. And of course not too crowded sites.

An added experience is to see and meet how locals live and make use of the cultural landscape bordering the archaeological marvels of the Angkor Park.

As always, travel with care and respect our common cultural world heritage. And the privacy and dignity of the locals.

#phnombakhenghill #phnombakheng #angkor #angkorpark #angkorwat #angkorthom #apsara #worldculturalheritage #AOTBT #countryside #buddhism #khmer #bikingintheAngkorWonderland #sightseeing #siemreap, #Cambodia #southeastasia

AskDRZ in Asia Apr 13

Getting b-roll from the locals

Having a talented, young photography assistant is always great!

Giving my backup mobile camera to the ever brilliantly and creative ms N* was a way of getting fresh looks at old sites.

The Preah Vihear complex is one of Cambodia’s most precious global cultural heritage sites, and getting around it takes time and visits.

Local knowledge and help is vital to get the most out of it.

#preahvihear #photoassistant #khmerlady #foreverCambodia #worldculturalheritage

AskDRZ in Asia Apr 5

The midway surprise Prasat Rorng Ramong

This small temple is by the main road between Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom.

A glimpse from the early, old capital,
Rorng Ramong was built during the reign of Yasovarman I, the great king that moved the Khmer imperial capital from Hariharalaya.

This temple is significant because it gives a good idea of how these early temples was planned and build into the city structure.

#angkorwat #PrasatRamong #visitcambodia #visitsiemreap #worldculturalheritage

AskDRZ in Asia Mar 30

Girl with the red ruby ring

The Lotus Pond Temple, Prasat Beng Mealea, was build about the same time as Angkor Wat, near the sacred Kulen Mountain.

We where a group of visitors seeking shelter for a sudden downpour. And this local girl was silently and curiously observing the various slightly soaked people.

With a portrait pose.

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

#Ancient #bengmealea #Cambodia #goldring #siemreap #worldculturalheritage

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

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

Dag-Rune Z Jan 29

The midway surprise Prasat Rorng Ramong

An early morning at Prasat Rorng Ramong. This small temple remain alone off the main road between Angkor Wat and the south moat of Angkor Thom. Enclosed by a narrow road and mostly hidden by trees. It may look insignificant and small, but it is larger than the entry track suggest. And well worth a closer look.

The temple has many names. Prasat Rorng Ramong, Rong Lmong, ប្រាសាទរោងរមុង and Rung Lmong. It is a Hindu temple not far from the entrance to the hill temple Phnom Bakheng.

It is built in the same style as Phnom Bakheng temple, with one tower foundation and walls in good condition, remains of a second tower but no traces of what was probably a third tower.

A small laterite causeway leads eastwards from the main remains. There are reported traces of a small moat around the temple, but it is dried out and most traces of it has disappeared.

A glimpse of the early, old capital
Rorng Ramong was built during the reign of Yasovarman I, the great king that moved the Khmer imperial capital from Hariharalaya. The god king/emperor founded the Yaśodharapura capital city near today’s Nokor Thom/Angkor Thom. This third Khmer imperial capital was centred on Bakheng Hill, in the early 900s CE.

This temple is significant because it gives a good idea of how these early temples was planned and build into the city structure.

https://drzinasia.wordpress.com/2025/05/15/the-midway-surprise-prasat-rorng-ramong/

#ancientangkor #angkorwat #architecture #archive #art #Asia #ប្រាសាទ#រោងរមុង #biking #bikingintheangkorwonderland #bluesky #buddhism #Cambodia #khmercapitalcity #citylife #countryside #daytrip #Empire #greentourism #hinduism #history #imperial #Kampuchea #khmer #khmerempire #life #Pagoda #PrasatRamong #Prasat #RongLmong #PrasatRorng #Siem #Reab #SiemReap #site #siemreap #southeastasia #temple #visitcambodia #visitsiemreap #worldculturalheritage