Saturday, December 24, 2005

South East Asia















Cambodia, bordered by Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, has a fabulous heritage, warm friendly people and an untamed wild landscape. The beautiful and extensive temple ruins at Angkor, now a UNESCO Heritage site, represent the glorious Khmer civilization and one of the most
spectacular historical sites in Asia.Adventure seekers will love Cambodia's wild north east with its stunning scenery, alternative hill tribe cultures and wildlife. Go trekking, mountain biking or simply explore.


The legacy of Cambodia's artistic past can still be seen in the handicrafts and silverware found in the bustling markets of Phnom Penh. Excellent craftsmanship at excellent prices.
http://www.visit-mekong.com/cambodia/index.htm

Angkor Wat -Built to honor the Hindu god Vishnu, is the world's largest religious building and took some 50,000 artisans, workers and slaves, and nearly 40 years, to complete. Virtually every surface in the maze of chambers and courtyards is richly decorated with low-relief scenes of legends, wars and everyday life, enhanced by carvings of nearly 2,000 apsaras, or celestial dancers. The amazing structure as a whole is best viewed in soft light.


Angkor - Some Amazing Facts


1. Built from 879-1191 AD at the zenith of the Khmer civilisation, the temples represent one of the world's most amazing and enduring architectural achievements.


2. Angkor had a population of over one million, and was the spiritual centre for the Khmers until it was abandoned after being sacked by the Thais in 1431. The ruling Khmer God-kings controlled a vast territory in the twelfth century, extending south, to the Mekong delta in present-day Vietnam, north into Laos, and west over large tracts of what is now Thailand. In its heyday, 1.


3. The surviving structures today are but a fraction of the whole stunning picture, which included a huge city whose wooden buildings - houses, markets, shops, palaces, and public buildings - have long since been destroyed by war and time.


4. The best preserved, and most visited, are Angkor Wat, the Bayon, and Ta Prohm, which were first restored by the French, who established an Angkor Conservancy in 1908.









No comments:

Post a Comment