Glimpses of Angkor

It seems somewhat pointless to try to put into words or pictures the experience of visiting the temples of Angkor as either can only be a faint and partial reflection. Still here are some pictures of details and scenes that caught my eye, as little bits and pieces of the monumental Angkor puzzle.

Sunrise in the Bayon.



Everywhere, every direction, you see the faces and the faces watch you. I actually ended up "seeing" the Bayon faces elsewhere, in rocks, tree trunks or clouds, like their shape had been engraved in my mind!



More sunrise/set. No need to present the profile on the first picture.



Light and shadow playing in the ruins.

Somewhere inside the maze of Preah Khan.

The bas-reliefs gallery in Angkor Wat.

Angkor Wat. 2nd floor. Maybe. But definitely Angkor Wat. And two monks.

The greenish light of Ta Prohm.

Cos it's not all grey in the ruins...

One of the entrances to the Bayon.

In the entrance of Angkor Wat. Did Buddha have 8 arms? He must have been Vishnu in a previous life. Litterally.



And definitely no grey in the jewel that is pink sandstone Banteay Srei.

Carvings and other exquisite details (or how to skirt on the technical terms).


I can never resist a drummer... even in carving!

Old sage resisting the passing of time. For how long still? I guess that's what i love about ruins, the reminder that even stones don't escape the inexorable time.

Detail of the heaven and hell part of the bas-reliefs in Angkor Wat.




Angkor's ladies, full of grace and beauty.

Nature's embrace. Delicate...

... or mighty.


Trunks like lava or walls, that's gotta be Ta Prohm.

Kids nestled in Ta Som.

A favourite, quiet little Ta Nei lost in the woods.

With a visitor.

You might lose your heart there...

You're warned if you decide to go to Laos. But if you do, first, hurry as it's a rapidly changing place already (too) affected by tourism and secondly, you won't regret it. What might happen? Well, maybe...

Lose yourself gazing at gorgeous sceneries.




Be overtaken by the perfume of fragrant jasmine or frangipani.


Se voir offrir une private joke sur un plateau... ou plutot deux enseignes!



Get on an 11-hour "VIP" bus ride with air-con... for the first 5mn of the trip before it breaks down, unlike the wonderful lao pop music playing full blast all through the night. Have a flat-tire stop, but also a nature-call stop, dinner stop (optional: rushing back to bus and "forgetting" to pay your meal), midnight snack stop, and of course, the final 5am stop in the middle of the night. Fond memories. Really.

Enjoy sticky rice, pains au chocolat, croissants and baguettes (bless the french, i know) as well as... korean kimchi! Yes, there is a korean restaurant in the capital of Laos and it was actually a lovely surprise that made for a new kimchi convert! Kimchi power.


See many (young) monks - including extra-cheeky ones, half-appalling and half-amusing - especially in Luang Prabang that has now mostly become an upmarket buddhaland attraction for tourists...





... and come across a fantastic photo exhibition of a forest meditation retreat giving precious and inspiring glimpses into monks' genuine practice and efforts to keep Buddha's teachings alive and relevant. You can see some of the pictures on the photographer's website: http://www.hansgeorgberger.de/


Amaze kids with your alien shoes...

... and dogs too.

More of the kids, just because they were so damn cute. They would scream and laugh and get over-excited when i showed them their photos. Funniest moment was when the star of the trio below kissed the camera, i think he was going for the girl on the picture... unless he was very fond of himself. I say it's the former.



See a buffalo for the first time. Under the wary look of an old monk who obviously couldn't understand my interest, i observed the animal hoping for an answer to my (maddening) buffalo zen kong an -"A buffalo passes through a window. His head, horns and four legs all pass through. But why can't the tail pass too?" Doesn't make any sense? Leaves you feeling stuck and frustrated? Welcome to zen!


See beautiful wats...

... stencils and...


... some of the finest buddhas in the world.


Get a pre-taste of Angkor at Wat Phu.





Be persuaded by the hot hot heat of southern Laos to try a short haircut at last. The grin comes from sporting the cheapest haircut in the world, guesthouse-bathroom-made using a razor. Less than 1 dollar, who says better?


Experience a different feel of time, as you watch boatmen gliding by on the river whistling and laughing.


Succumb to the Lao charm, the cheerful sabaidees, luminous smiles and humbling generosity.





So all in all... it might be too late when you realize, you have already lost your heart to Laos and Lao people.