journal indo-china 2008
Indo-China 2008 Travel Journal
Angkor WatOct 19, 2008 Sun | |
| Morning | |
|---|---|
| 03:00 | |
| 08:38 | Built in 900AD to 1300AD
It took 100 years to built. Built around early 12th century. A temple dedicated to Vishnu. 65 meter for the first level below Meru is a thousand mountains below is the ocean - moats below is the earth body of a serpent temples oriented to four direction believe in karma carvings were created after rocks are locked some are pre carved sandstones here are not carved only pillar in front are carved |
| 08:45 |  ancient ruin |
| 08:51 |  angkor east entrance |
| 09:19 |  churning of the milky ocean |
| 09:40 |  angkor main towers |
| 09:41 |  temple walls |
| 09:42 |  angkor steps |
| 09:44 |  angkor tower |
| 09:44 | |
| 09:53 |  king of kalis |
| 09:57 |  angkor monkey |
| 10:02 |  angkor courtyard |
| 10:05 |  center of universe |
| 10:07 |  hall of hundred buddha or tourists |
| 10:10 |  angkor balloon |
| 10:11 |  angkor balloon and palm tree |
| 10:29 |  stag beetle fight |
| 10:29 |  stag beetle |
| 10:30 |  stag beetle death match |
| 10:30 |  stag beetle fight |
| 10:30 |  killer stag beetle |
| 10:30 |  stag beetle |
| 10:31 |  beetle boys |
| 10:34 |  angkor wat |
| 10:35 |  hello angkor |
| 10:59 |  angkor wat ballon |
| 11:10 |  phnom bakheng |
| 11:27 | |
| 11:33 |  elephant terrace |
| 11:35 |  stone lion in angkor thom |
| 11:35 |  elephant sculpture |
| 11:36 |  elephant terrace |
| 11:36 |  leper king |
| 11:39 |  hand of leper king |
| 11:41 |  elephant terrace |
| 11:43 |  stone man |
| 11:44 |  charoits in the khmer-cham war |
| 11:45 |  elephant trunks |
| 11:48 |  garuda |
| 11:50 |  elephant trunks |
| 11:51 |  elephant trunks in elephant terrace |
| 11:52 |  baphuon |
| 11:59 | pre: leaper king
elephant terrace Baphon temple |
| Afternoon | |
| 12:04 |  bayon temple |
| 12:10 |  face of jayavarman vii |
| 12:10 |  bayon temple |
| 12:11 |  faces of buddha and jayavarman |
| 12:11 |  bayon |
| 12:15 |  charoit of war |
| 12:18 |  jayavarman vii |
| 12:18 |  side face of jayavarman |
| 12:19 |  jayavarman |
| 12:19 |  jayavarman |
| 12:21 |  more faces |
| 12:22 |  dancing apsara |
| 12:24 |  broken face |
| 12:27 |  buddha face |
| 12:27 |  twin faces of jayavarman |
| 12:28 |  bayon temple roof |
| 12:29 |  thousand faces |
| 12:32 |  bayon temple complex |
| 12:37 |  south gate of angkor thom |
| 12:39 |  demons of churning of the milky sea |
| 12:39 |  angels of churning of the milky sea left angels
right demons tug of war of the milky galaxy |
| 12:55 | |
| 13:10 | Cost 4.5US$, the food is excellent
It serves in a coconut shell |
| 13:15 |  bbq suki and seafood |
| 13:15 |  lunch before angkor wat |
| 13:57 | 6 pair socks
4 under 2 pants 1 t shirt 3 shirts |
| 15:21 | Entry: 12 US$. It is as expensive as a western museum, I almost thought it was a scam. But like the salesman say, it's good. I spent 5 hour to milk the museum dry. It's a well spent 12US$.
|
| 15:26 | |
| 15:26 | |
| 15:36 | This is what I have learnt from the National Museum:
Period of Cambodian History: Pre-ANGKORIAN 1st-8th CENTURY Angkorian 9th to 13th century Post Angkorian 14th to 20th AD Fu Nan 1st to 600 AD Chenla 600 to 800 AD Gods Vishnu has four arms: front top right to down left: disc for fire, shell for water, ball for earth and mace for wind Brahma is God of Creation. Vishnu is for preservation. Shiva is for dissolution. Vishnu has 10 reincarnations, including Rama and Christina Narasimha is the fourth, liked a lion, defeat demon Hiranyakashipu. He rides Garuda, a half bird half man creature. Buddhism has 2 vehicles: Hinayana: lesser Vehicle, Mahayana greater vehicle. Mahayana believes in the existence of many Bodhisattvas, while Hinayana believes in only one. Indra, god of war is east, use lightening bolt, ride 3 headed elephant rose from sea of milk. Yama, lord of death is south Kala is the lion head thing Linga has 3 parts top circular is shiva mid Octagonal means Vishnu cubic base means 4 faces of Brahma and four directions if it has a face, it is call Mukhalinga Yama lord of death naga important in Cambodia because it was formed by the marriage of the daughter of a naga king Vishnu also slept on a naga before the churning of the sea of milk naga is also the string in tug of war naga has 7 or 5 heads, always odd number |
| 17:03 | King: Jayavarman II
year: 802 AD to 805 AD temples: Ak Yum (a brick stepped pyramid) style: Kulen Treated as the first Emperor of the Khmers Angkor Kingdom. He died at around 805AD, and received the posthumous name of Paramesvara, "the supreme lord of Shiva." Everybody wrote about him but he didn't leave any writing himself. So basically a mysterious figure. King: Indravarman I year: 877 to 890 AD temples: Preah ko, Bakong style: Preah Ko Indravarman I was not too legitimate at birth and had to fight his was to power. He was the nephew of the Queen. He was credited for the building program at Angkor. He set the foundations for the future Angkorian kings to follow. He also built a big reservoir. King: Yasovarman I year: 889 to 910 AD temples: Lolei , Phnom [[Bakeng]], East Baray style: bakeng The son of Indravarman I, he beat his brother to the throne. He moved capital from Hariharalaya to Yashodharapura where it remained there for 500 years. King: Jayavarman IV year: 928 to 941 AD temples: Koh Ker style: Koh Ker This guy also had to fight his way to the throne. King: Rajendravarman II year: 944 to 968 AD temples: Banteay Srei, Pre Rup, East Mebon style: Pre Rup King: Suryavarman I year: 1010 to 1050 AD temples: Prasat Preah Vihear on Dangrek Mountain, and Prasat Phimeanakas, West Baray style: Khleang Suryavarman I was a Buddhist who was said be of Malaysian origin. He claimed to be the son of the Brahmin Kaundinya and Princess Soma. After nine years of war, Suryavarman I won the throne. King: Udayadityavarman II year: 1050 - 1066 A.D. temples: Baphuon, Sdok Kak Thom style: Baphuon was the successor of Suryavarman I but not his son; he descended from Yasovarman I's spouse. He built the Baphuon Temple to honor the god Shiva, but some of the sculptures are dedicated to Buddha. King: Suryavarman II year: 1113 A.D. to 1145-1150 A.D. temples: Angkor Wat,Beng Mealea style: Angkor Wat He is the Angkor Wat guy. He reunited the empire. He wroshipped Vishnu rather than Shiva. He tried to invade Vietnam (Dai-Viet) with the Chams but failed. But most of his other campaigns were successful. He also established formal embassy relation with China. King: Jayavarman VII year: 1125 - 1215 AD temples: Angkor Thom, Bayon, Preah Khan (for his father), Ta Prohm (for his mother), Ta Som, Neak Pean style: Bayon He was the main guy in Angkor Wat. Known as the Buddha King. He defeated the Chams and was responsible for most of the tourist attractions around Angkor Wat. He built 121 rest houses and 102 hospitals. |
| 17:27 | two types: foliage and scene
foliage branch usually ends with Makara, monster that sinks ship |
| 17:50 | surya - sun on chariot of horses
chandra - moon sit on pedestal yama - on buffalo varuna - god of west ride goose indra - east, ride 3 headed elephant kubera - god of wealth and north agni - god of fire , south west ride sheep rahu ? god of eclipses, hidden by cloud ketu ? god of comets, ride on lion |
| Night | |
| 18:00 | Brahma, I'm not sure who his wife is.
Vishnu, wife Laksmi Shiva, wife Uma or Pravati |
| 18:03 | according to George Coedes, is a replica of the Universe in stone and represents an earthly model of the cosmic world.
The main tower rises from the centre of the monument and symbolizes the mythical mount meru, situated at the center of the Universe. Its five towers correspond to the five peaks of mount meru, the outer gallery of the monument represents the mountains at the edge of the world, and the surrounding moat represents the oceans beyond. temple face west because it is dedicated to Vishnu who is the god of the west |
| 18:18 | west:
south east north corner |
| 18:22 | from the book Mahabharata
devas held tail asuras (demons) held head the naga is Vasuki devas and demons fought for Amrita (the Elixir for Immortality) but no result so Vishnu asked them to work together. so they churn the milk of ocean used mount madara as the pivot and Basuki as the rope later mountain sank so Vishnu incarnated himself as the tortoise Kurma and used his back to support the mountain. before producing the Amrita (elixir of immortality), the ocean of milk was churned for another 1000 years also produced Lakshmi (wife of Vishnu), the elephant Airavata, the horse Ucchaishravas, a wishing tree and a lovely Apsaras. Once produced, fight between devas and asuras to get Amrita. Vishnu intervened and helped gods to win. When peace was made, Indra was reinstalled as the king of gods. |
| 18:35 | 10 reincarnations
Krishna tatsya the fish kurma the turtle varaha the boar narasimha the human with lion head vamana the dwarf parasurama the man with axe rama from the reamkerti epic krishna buddha and kalkin (man with horse head) Lokeshvara (buddha of compassion) also got 4 arms, holding rosary, book, vase and lotus Rama the 7, wife sita, from the book Ramayana. Rama means the perfect man. |
| 19:01 | usually has four heads |
| 20:06 | located across the national museum
not too many veggie choice here, actually none but I special ordered a veggie fried rice and lychee drink I suspect seafood buffet here shouldn't be too bad, but I guess it is not too vegetarian friendly I am not too good at picking restaurant on this trip |
| 20:28 |  veggie fried rice pretty presentable
2.5US$ cheap too |
| 23:59 | |