Thursday, February 23, 2012

Timeless Remnants of Time

I have been a regular participant for Donna's Word for Wednesday every 4th Wednesday of each month. She already told us last week that Time is the W4W this week. I thought this is a bit easier than those words we did for the past months. I even shot the cover of TIME Magazine, because i thought i will be naughty this time unlike the past with some deeper thoughts. 


I was there yesterday and saw nobody has linked yet. However today, a lot of them already linked and i still haven't done mine. So i decided already not to join, I even commented on some posts saying I am not joining this time. Then i wonder, why i feel jittery and unhappy. I thought maybe it's the feeling that i haven't done something i must have. It felt like being irresponsible, so here I am now, weaving something and re-sizing some old photos to post here. 


These are photos taken in 2008 in Siem Reap, Cambodia, dry season. I still wish to visit again during the wet season, when the expressions of the temples and the ruins will be very different. I have long wanted to visit some old sites, mostly UNESCO Heritage Sites, and they all make me think deeper and beyond. Time is always the essense!


the left wing of the famous Angkor Wat at sunrise 

 a wider view of Angkor Wat at sunrise

one of the right outside walls depicting the drama of the Gods and Men then. Can you imagine the length of time used to to make this timeless masterpiece of art on stone!

  another outside wall of another temple

 one of the temples in Siem Reap, a lot of these temples are scattered in these areas

 again another of the temples


even big boulders, no matter how strong give way to pressures, bit by bit through time 

this part of one of the temples already engulfed by this tree, and at the same time 
holding the temple from toppling down

Many of the ruins in some temples have trees already growing on them. This is not unusual, as these temples have been deep in the rainforest for centuries before being found them again.  It was Henri Mouhot, a French naturalist on expedition with the British Royal Geographic Society in 1850, who first published the wonders of Angkor Wat. From then on it became famous with the present generation. 


Thanks Donna of  gardenwalkgardentalk 

28 comments:

  1. What an absolutely fascinating place. It has an mystical air to it, and those magnificent trees growing through and around the buildings are simply an amazing sight! Despite the ravages of time, the wonders of Angkor Wat are fantastic.

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  2. Andrea I've mean meaning to join in with Donna for the last few months and keep forgetting as I'm always posting on Wildflowers then. I think your photos depict time so well. Those ruins are magnificent looking especially that one where the gnarled tree is holding the walls of the temple up - to me that is just the perfect illustration of time.

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  3. I've always wanted to visit Angkor Wat. looks amazing just by looking at your photos. the carvings are exquisite.

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  4. Fantastic place, and somewhere that I would love to be able to visit one day. Thanks for sharing!

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  5. Timeless . . . history or former times breathes in every stone and root that entwines with and by conditions, life and time there. A remarkable place. Your photos are quite telling and beautiful Andrea.

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  6. Nice blog Andrea! I've always wanted to see Angkor Wat in the flesh, maybe in the very near future!

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  7. What a wonderful subject for Time! These ruins still have such a powerful and majestic feel to them. I can imagine it was awe-inspiring to actually visit in person. I'm glad you joined in Donn's meme!

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  8. The architecture is so amazing, Andrea, and timeless too. Being an architect, I can really appreciate the time it took these craftsmen to produce such exquisite art and carvings. Thanks for joining.

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  9. Andrea I am glad you decided to post about time...if you hadn't I would have missed these beautiful temples giving way to time...at one time they took so much time to be built and now they fall into ruin through time...fantastic post!

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  10. one of the must see places, i don't know if i'll ever get to see it though.

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  11. Some photos, no matter how old are timeless, like your series here. I really like your travel posts. The second last picture has a lasting impression in my mind. It looks like someone looking down on all visitors - since when and for how many lifetimes?

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  12. Hahaha:) Hello there. I am just closing shop for the evening and then I find your comment:) Do you know that this place is on my list of places to visit before I die? It captures my heart and imagination....the fig crawling over the tree and covering the old structures is just incredible. I have dreams of visiting this sacred site someday. Very lucky person you are:) Hope you have a good weekend. Kreesh:)

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  13. What a magnificent magical place! I'm embaressed to say I hadn't heard of it before.

    I saw your post about the Mimosa in the tropics. Looks a beautiful but very annoying pest. I liked the inclusion of the touch sensitivity video!

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  14. I've also recently been to see the ruins of Angkor Wat, in the hot, dry season. It is truly well-preserved. Your photos take us back in time to a civilization that time has forgotten.
    Rosie

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  15. Amazing photos of this fascinating place! Your 'time' post is perfect even though you were reluctant. My favorite image that does represent time is the temple engulfed by the tree...stunning!

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  16. A timeless place & an ancient wonder.
    Thanks for sharing this.

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  17. What gorgeous photos of the temples. The trees growing onto the temples are amazing sights. You asked about the brilliant pink flowered tree. It's a flowering crabapple. I'm not sure what the cultivar is; as you know, crabapple blooms range from white to light pink to bright pink. It was a pleasure visiting you today.
    Blessings, Beth

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  18. These are wonderful pictures of the temples and ruins. Angkor Wat is magnificent, and although I would love to visit, I'll have to depend on the photos of others. I think this is a great post for the theme 'Time'.

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  19. Andrea - I smiled when I read your comment on being stressed about not posting, but I know what you mean. I'm still working on mine.

    Anyway it was worth the stress - great post!

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  20. Forgotten in time but it was just biding for the right time to be re-discovered. Thanks for these beautiful images.

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  21. that tree-temple pic is incredible! how fabulous...

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  22. This is something...the intricate construction. Also that it has lasted this long in a hot, wet-dry environment!

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  23. You've been there! This place is on top of my list of places to visit! Wonderful shots.

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  24. I have yet to visit Angkor Wat... envy you...

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  25. What a trip and sights!

    Re: your comment on my blog: the mall is AlabangTownCenter which I frequent for work ;-)

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  26. If I choose an early retirement, I would travel around Southeast Asia. The temples and ruins are worth the visit. I am sure I would bring along a lot of memory cards.

    Time is precious, and I will make use the most of it!

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  27. Ugh, I love trees growing in/around buildings although it scares me to think what's happening to the structure.

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Your comments inspire me to post more, and our conversations make life and gardening more meaningful.

However, Anonymous comments and personal back links give me problems, so i don't publish them. Anonymous + back links = SPAM = DELETE

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