Most importantly, I wanted to say that Mandalay looks so adorable in this rash guard! Second to that, what a fascinating ceremony to experience! Cambodia seems to be one of those countries where today and yesterday have converged so quickly that time seems to rush forward and stand-still in a paradoxical reality. Very curious to see how close you will get to finding "the" Beach...
Tibet ... with Pimms Reading thru had me grinning thinking of crossing Tibetan police checkpoints (and the odd sprint away) .. top effort! ... and then the Pimms in sand at the end. quality ;)
Tibet ... with Pimms Got me! If I ain't dodging checkpoints I ain't alive! The Pimms is a new addition to the repertoire, picked up at the behest of an ex-travel partner!
What an amazing experience! It really was quite amazing...even when I think back on it now. The sense of history seemed to be shared by everyone present. For the majority present their lives had forever been tied to this King, and the feeling that page was turning on a new chapter in their history was palpable, even for a tourist like me!
It really is interesting to think of how the photo lens, the video camera, and the internet have altered our experience of the world -- not just as tourists or travellers, but even as locals dining out or hanging out with friends/family and wanting to take photos for memories. I used to really like John Berger's "Ways of Seeing" and how he examines some of these ideas (I think he uses the Mona Lisa and its reproductions as an example) and how the reproduction of an original thing automatically begins to create a distance from the original thing. I think we can certainly be blind with idealistic desires overlaying reality or disappointed by unrealistic expectations in the face of reality -- I've definitely experienced both in travel and life. In the face of that, I loved your "Embrace it" to your children. Sometimes, I think, we have to work really hard (or is it relax?) to be truly present and, it could also be argued, being truly present is also an unattainable goal. Great blog!!! Really enjoyed reading it.
wonderful dear all costumer , my is sokphal I'm a driver in Siem reap, email:sokphaldeab@gmail.com, I would like to recommend you for your short holiday , angkor wat is very wonderful ,
Culture changes We're always a little bit saddened by the changes in culture that the outside world, including ourselves inflict. But some of those changes are positive even if we don't want or like to admit it. I would assume if making a list the negative list might be longer but certainly would depend on who was making the list. The locals, to our observations, don't always seem to mind those changes. It does not feel to us that unwelcome things have been imposed-- just an observation. Further research and conversations would be required and often times we do ask those questions. It may be a case of not knowing what you are asking for and how it will change things....good and bad. But we continue to travel to parts unknown so we personally must not be too bothered by the changes that will occur due to our presence, yours and all of those following in our footsteps.
Got me Yep...got me. Opened this blog expecting images of Jason shaking his hair with a lady boy, or Jennifer pursued by exuberent purveyors. But no. Only ones pursuing you were Koreans...and you didn't even let your kids jump in the Tongle Sap to be photographed as otters retrieving Ramen noodles! Jason...you can do better than that...gotta put your kids first!!!
fast learners Children are such little sponges, learning quickly how to get rewards. Your two had already learned that they wanted to be with the Korean tour groups for their treats, just as the Gangnam Style dancers knew how to attract attention for their goodies. And the restauranteurs weren't far behind, serving their customers the ramen that the latter had been dishing out. Ah, adaptation.
Adaptation The story of culture...turn your back for five minutes and it's changed! Yet seeing it change and why, with your own eyes, that's the real magic for me right there!
Tourism... ...will always influence a community, regardless of where the tourism originates from. It was very interesting to read your honest observations, I look forward to reading more. =)
Tourism... You are right, will always influence a community. The perception of that influence on the Other to us, the observer, will be most stark the closest that change is to what we know, our own culture. I look forward to more of your comments. =)
Worse then even the Taj Mahal! I never imagined that all those shots of Angkor Wat had involved a scrum with a thousand tourists all waiting to take the same photo. I thought the crowds at the Taj Mahal doing a similar thing were bad, but that looks insane. Of course, all photographers want that classic shot but, on my last visit to the Taj (blog: 'Agravation'), I found it just as interesting to point my camera at the tourists too!
Angkor Wat Tourist or not it is an impressive location in the world. We preferred sunset to sunrise but who cares in the long run. I had to laugh when you spoke of the ungodly hour you had to get up. We only had to get up about an hour earlier than our norm time getting up for work so it didn't phase us. I'm not sure we even thought about it. Funny. I often like that group energy. Looking around that pond I wondered what others were thinking of it? Did they see something of historical importance, spiritual or did they focus on the raw beauty. An we agree we would not want to be there when it is raining.
An hour earlier than our norm I think it was probably the same for us as the time difference with China took the sting out of it. Though I'm guessing your 'norm' would actually translate to about 3pm local time. Notwithstanding the assumption you generally allow yourself a little extra snooze time whilst on vacation!
Indiana Jones I seem to recall that Indiana Jones was hardly ever alone at any temple either, be it in the desert or the jungle, there were always those evil Germans just around the corner. I suspect he would have rather have had those camera totting tourists than the gun totting Germans... Anyway a ruin without tourists is just a bunch of old bricks decaying in the jungle ;)
Excellent! On our recent 3 month trip to Europe, I often had to choose between shooting over hundreds of heads or arriving 2 hours early to get a spot (only to hear the rude remarks from behind me later.). With the advent of cell phone photography, everyone has now become a photographer. I love photography and travel, but now find that I have to decide whether to "take pictures" or "have fun". I love the panorama with hundreds of photographers. It reminds me of a picture of the crowd around the Mona Lisa where all you can see is 60 cell phones taking video. Please remember that while thousands of people have pictures of the Angkor reflection at sunrise, no one has a photo of you and your daughter sharing a moment on the causeway. The photo you cherish later won't have a temple in it, I guarantee.
Embrace the moment Our paths nearly crossed at Siem Reap you may recall...but we weren't prepared to rise for the dawn service at Angkor Wat...nor stay in a hotel to watch planes overhead! As a result we missed your fantastic opening pic...preferring to be first at Ta Prohm as the mists rose in the jungle before the tourist rush...preferring to run to beat the cavalcade of Koreans into Bayon and Bantreay Srei. Tourism is about lines...queues...planning to choose your position. Yet when you get the balance right the joy is palpable. And when that tourist stands in front of everyone to hog the money shot...don't get me started...get out of the way!!!
Finding the right balance. The crowds tend to move in a fairly predictable pattern. Before the sun had even risen above the horizon that morning at Angkor, we were backing out and on our way to Ta Prohm. We were the first ones there that morning, though certainly not the only ones. By 8am we were back to the best hotel in Siem Reap for breakfast, a nap, a swim in the best pool in Asia and back out again to Bayon for sunset.
auspicious
Michelle Duer
Most importantly, I wanted to say that Mandalay looks so adorable in this rash guard! Second to that, what a fascinating ceremony to experience! Cambodia seems to be one of those countries where today and yesterday have converged so quickly that time seems to rush forward and stand-still in a paradoxical reality. Very curious to see how close you will get to finding "the" Beach...