Temples of Ayutthaya, Thailand .. A photo essay
Ayutthaya
This was an ancient capital of Thailand. About 70 miles north of Bangkok. It was a major trading center and we do see influences of other cultures in the architecture.
I thought in this entry I would just show photos of the many temples , “wat” in the area.
They commonly say that the architecture displays Khmer influence. Yes the Kymer army did conquer and for a long time occupied the Indochinese peninsula, my view is that the Thai people took the influence in amazing and creative new directions so that the influence might be considered minimal. Look back at my prior posts and images of temples in Angkor to see for yourself.
Phnom Bakheng – Pilgrim’s Progress – Photo’s
A while ago, I projected the architecture of the Mountain Temple, Phnom Bakheng in Angkor influencing the devotees’ pilgrimage. I have a number of photos I took to help visualize the journey at Phnom Bakheng.
Koh Ker or The fall from Grace or The Graceless Fall
The seven tier pyramid tower at the western end of the Prasat Thom temple in Koh Ker. An astounding view as you walk along the path and then the view, bounded by the stone portal. A stunning view so wonderfully designed that you only see the imposing pyramid when you approach the portal. As you walk on the lower level, with the high wall you are not aware until the moment the door is approached.
Phnom Vihear – As a novel performative religious experience.
My driver arrived at 7:00 AM for the trip to Preah Vihear, a Khmer temple in an exotic mountain locale. I expected a long ride, but my driver, who called himself Tiger, drove very cautiously. The National Highways of Cambodia are paved two lane roads and even the back roads are paved, but they are shared with all manner of motorized vehicles. Motorcycle driven vehicles hauled trailers, pulling overly large and heavy farm materials.
To Phnom Da and Temples S of Phnom Penh
Saturday morning, my driver arrived precisely at 8:30 an off to our adventure to the Temple Phnom Da, Phnom was the furthest south of this day’s adventure so we began with a 2 1/2 hour drive. It is at the top of a hill with nice views of the surrounding fields. My driver Kim Lai, on his own, videotaped the day’s tour.
Travel South To Phnom Penh
Cambodia shares with Vietnam and Thailand what is called the Indochinese Peninsula. At the height of Cambodia’s military power dominated the peninsula, and with access to the Gulf of Thailand was able to conduct maritime trade…
Carvings
Within the spectacle of thousand year old buildings is the art displayed. Cambodian carvings, show a degree of animation and freedom of movement that is quite impressive for the time. European art had not managed much fluidity in the human form and would not for hundreds of years…
Early Temple - Bakong
Roluos was an ancient center of Khmer civilization prior to Angkor. It was established in the ninth century by the King Jayavarman II. Now it is a small town not far from Angkor Wat. In the town of Roluos there are three major temples built in the 9th to 10th century. They represent the earliest temple forms and we can see the connection with Phnom Bakheng which was in the early 10th Century…
At Phnom Bakheng
Phnom Bakheng was built in the late 9th to early 10th century when King Yasovarian decided to move the Capital from Roluos to nearby Angkor. Angkor being the town in which the famous temple Angkor Wat was built, about 100 years after Phnom Bakheng. He built Phnom Bakheng(PB) as a state temple. It is uniquely on a hill, only about 200 feet high, but giving a clear view of the surroundings…
What is the project?
Phnom Bakheng was the first temple built by the Khmers when they settled the area at the site called Angkor in the late 9th to 10th Century. It is built on the top plateau of a natural stone hill, a “mountain temple,” a five tiered central temple. The design is a “quincunx,” a cool word, which is a figure of five points, four at each corner of the square and one in the center…
At Work – WMF Offices
At work, Monday morning. Finally, three days of travel later, I am face to face with Ginevra, Project Leader for WMF in Cambodia/Angkor. She is quite warm and charming as she projected in many WMF videos and is quite respectful even though she is the boss. Probably my great head of grey hair..
Himalayan Yoga Academy Program - 8-Day Retreat
Arrival (Day 1):
Before 02:00 pm – Check-In; Room Arrange and Rest
03:30 – 04:30 pm – Free Time (Exploration)
05:00 – 05:15 pm – Herbal Tea
05:15 – 06:45 pm – Bhakti Yoga (Prayer/ Chants), Spinal Asana/ Suryanamaskar; Yoga-nidra, Mudra, Dhyana Yoga (Meditation)
07:00 – 07:30 pm – Dinner and Herbal Tea
07:30 – 08:30 pm – Bhakti Yoga (Prayer/Chants), Trataka (Concentrated Gaze), and Discussion…
Retreat? Never!
It was impulsive! I had finished arrangements for two months in SE Asia with World Monuments Fund (WMF) and was thinking about me-time. I will fly for nineteen hours and nearly three days to get to Cambodia and Thailand. I should find something fun in the neighborhood…
What Does A Retired Guy Do For Exitement???
If it is challenging I will try it. Even midway towards my 79th birthday, I create my own challenges. They are motivating; to keep healthy, to learn and to maintain a youthful spirit…
What to do in retirement
Shortly I am off on a trip of work and adventure to SE Asia. Cambodia for four weeks, documenting work done at and a small temple, Prea Khan, near Angkor Watt. Thailand and to Ayutthaya, the area of the old kingdom, where there will be preservation work. All under the auspices of The World Monuments Fund. Then for me time, off to an eight day meditation retreat in Nepal.
Hiroshige’s – Famous Views of Sixty Odd Provinces; Sado Mines.
Utagawa Hiroshige (1797 – 1858) designed the series “Famous Views of Sixty Odd Provinces” between 1853-56. They were published as a serialized form by Koshimuraya Heisuke. There are 70 prints in the series, 68 prints, one each of the 68 provinces at the time, one of Edo, the capital and one contents page.
Hokusai and the Rebirth of Sun Over Mt. Fuji - From Kajikazawa
Hokusai presented a new visual language with “Thirty Six Views of Mt. Fuji,” expressing multiple novel ideas in ukiyo-e single sheet prints. This was not a spontaneous creative act by the artist, but an evolution over a decade of preparatory work illustrating books and creating manuals. 1 With this series, Hokusai redefined landscape imagery in ukiyo-e printing, he synthesized European single point perspective with Chinese landscape perspective to create multi-point perspective, his exclusive use of blue pigment in five prints of the series integrated the skills of artist, block cutter and printer to create energetic images.
From the series, “108 Heroes of the Suikodan” by Utagawa Kuniyoshi. Chitosai Goyo, Chinese Name Wu Yong.
Utagawa Kuniyoshi in his body of work encapsulates the two hundred years of ukiyo-e print making and points toward the future. He displays in this series “108 heroes of the Popular Suikoden” his skill in creating highly animated single sheet prints with great color and detail, including quite extensive tattooing of the heroes, bridging between realism and fantasy.