Reflections on the Road: Angkor Wat

A family on holiday in Angkor Wat, Cambodia

For the past years, my friends knew of my intention of coming up with a coffee-table book, a compilation of sort of those photos I took on the road together with my self-made as well as written quotations that best describes my perspectives of my experience. This is what I have learned while on the road in Angkor, one the distinctly defines my own humanity and coupled with my own dreams pursued while on the road, I have rediscovered my own self-worth, one that will forever lead me to where I knew I am most comfortable: my heart.

Cambodia, the all inclusive cheapest holiday

This quote I made on a trip to Cambodia reminds me of my own dreams and my humanity

On a holiday jaunt to the Kingdom of Cambodia, I have found myself the most humbling experience day in and out. I have seen how blessed the country is, with its natural wonders, its rich cultural heritage and one of the best inter-country buses, plying out to Thailand, Vietnam and Laos, it is, I should say my best destination for cheap all inclusive holidays. It is in the Angkor Wat that I saw my humanity with the deepest meaning. I found that Angkor has more temples which nourish my thirsts for culture, heritage and the great lifestyle of the Khmer people. I also saw the most perfect sunrise in Angkor Wat, one which I will forever be seeing through in my lifetime. 

Travels 229: Fallen in love with the celestial nymphs and divatas of Angkor

Over time, tested by the years and moments altogether, the captivating and impressive celestial nymphs of Angkor captivated my heart in earnest. The entire Angkor Wat temples have excessive presentations of the Apsara known as Vidhya Dhari in Khmer culture. One has to take their time out to appreciate it in columns and door jams as well as in blind windows. In order for me to appreciate it the most, i forgo the group tours to the Angkor complex but had rented a tuktuk and took on the pace myself.

 

Set on the trail to redefining myself in the context of my journey through culture and tradition, I searched every columns, balusters and windows including walls for the dancing apsaras. At one time, I was taking my ever reliable Nikon for a spin, one European tourist comment it was too close for a photograph however I kept myself silent as I was engrossed at what I am in love with. Later on, I showed him what I captured on my camera and he was amazed and I started talking to him and his wife about my travel blog and how these figures have enriched me, they listened then suddenly he took his camera and took the same spot I took and had a good photograph of an apsara dancing.

 

Divata as seen in many of the walls and doorjams of the temples of Angkor are goddesses that resemble daily life and through which life of beauty and grace emanates. I believed that these figures guard the temples from intruders by seducing its unsuspecting journeyers and for it, life begins. As was had been for me, I had been in love to both divata and apsara.

 

Through what I saw and captured, the great contributions of Khmer culture to the world is preserved for all humanity to enjoy and appreciate. One need not fret for the apsaras are just awaiting to be discovered and like me, to be fallen in love with. As they said, apsaras are celestial goddesses of dance and they are out to seduce kinds and ministers, all men who love their graceful dances.

Apsaras are goddesses out to seduce you to fall in love and I had been smitten.