OK, so tarantulas are arachnids, not "bugs", but there were bugs too, as you'll see later. 🙂
A “highlight” for tourists and travellers along Cambodia’s National Highway 6 between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap is the small town of Skuon, 75 kilometres north of the capital, where spiders – fresh and fried – are a specialty.
We, however, were going the other way – from Siem Reap south to Phnom Penh – so my fellow photo-travellers and I, under the tutelage of Karl Grobl, Gavin Gough and Marco Ryan, had all morning in our personal bus to anticipate our spider treats.
Our bus ride on the death-defying single-lane highway, which runs alongside barren fields with land-mine warning signs and gloriously green rice patties, was punctuated by stops. The first stop was at Spean Preah Toeus, the largest and most important of the 11 bridges remaining from the ancient Angkor Empire period. With 21 arches spanning the 86 meters across the Chhikreng River, this 12th Century laterite and sandstone structure (reinforced with modern concrete in the 1960’s) is a major part of an arterial network, and an excuse for a few shops and houses either end.
Spean Preah Toeus (Spean Kompong Kdey)
A Pause from Work: Spean Preah Toeus
A bright, unselfconscious smile lights up the face of a Khmer lad.
Solemn Faces: Girl and Grandpa at Home, Spean Preah Toeus
Old man at home in his "sampot samloy" ("pa kao mah" in Thailand), the woven cotton sarong worn everywhere in Asia.
General Store on the Main Road, Spean Preah Toeus
Modern traffic on the dirt surface of the ancient Spean Preah Toeus, Cambodia
Local Pony Express Transport Service: Spean Preah Toeus
The Pony Express Moving Men.
Our next stop was at the market in Kampong Thom.
I love the colour of local markets, but I find them challenging to shoot. This one was no exception; a roughly built wooden frame supporting a corrugated iron roof provided shade from the relentless afternoon sun bouncing off every surface outside, but made for a dark, stifling, hot and airless interior with blinding back-lights from the outdoors. The people were mostly very accommodating, but there were seventeen of us visitors in an already overly crowded space.
So, under-expose like mad and hope for the best!
Smiles for the camera! These vendors know there is little likelihood of making a sale from this busload of foreigners, but they are happy to be photographed anyway.
Chillin' with the Community
Timeless grace ~ Elderly Khmer Woman
Whenever I see water lilies in the markets, I think of the poignant multi-media piece put together by two of my colleagues. (It can be found at: https://www.jennykrasner.com/2011/10/blog/)
I haven't been keeping up with the latest Lightroom changes, so I spent a little time playing around with the new "curves". I rather like the effect of this over-coloured treatment of a woman making waffles on cast-iron forms in an open fire.
The waffles were pretty good, too!
Sad-faced khmer girl outside the Kampong Thom market.
Our last, much anticipated stop before reaching our Phnom Penh accommodation, was the small town of Skoun (or Skun), where people breed the high-protein local tarantula species (Haplopelma albostriatum) that is a popular delicacy. The street-side market at the junction of two highways also sells a variety of edible insects, as well as fruit and vegetables.
Tarantulas for sale! Skuon
"One man's meat is another man's poison." Delicacy? To me, they just look hairy and horrible!
More local treats: spicy fried cicadas.
Yummy! Battered crickets.
"Sexy Bitch" with an innocent smile.
Beautiful young woman ~ few opportunities.
No need to stress... Saleslady and her mangosteen, pomelo and pineapples.
The tarantulas on sale here have been called “edible spider” in Khmer for more than a hundred years. Although it has been suggested that they became more popular during the Khmer Rouge years when other foods were scarce, fried insects are also popular in Thailand (see “Buddhas, Bugs and the Burmese Border”) and other parts of Asia.
Ursula, this is a wonderful post… the photos are fantastic and they bring back such vivid memories of the trip down National Highway 6. You really captured the essence of that day and obviously,you also did quite a bit of research about the area, and about Cambodian culture and thus, you have provided me and all your viewers a “complete package”. Bravo on another amazing blog post! I can’t wait to see what you come up with next! All the best, KarlReplyCancel
WOW, great share as always, I’m with you on the waffles and the spiders, I respect them and try not to kill them but eat them NEVER….stir fried or battered no bugs for me thanksReplyCancel
Thanks for joining me, Signe. None of our group tried any of the six- or eight-legged treats. I have had to eat ant eggs once, to be polite, in Thailand – and of course, green ants in Northern Queensland, but I sure don’t make a habit of it!ReplyCancel
[…] the stalls, the faces of the people, the goods on sale. While some feature edible insects (e.g. Morning Markets and Bugs for Lunch, Cambodia), others specialise in flowers (e.g. Pyin Oo Lwin Flower Markets, Myanmar; Fragrant Flowers […]ReplyCancel
Buddha on a Hill, Sai Yok, Kanchanaburi Province, Thailand
I love the concept of a “new year”.
I always have. As I said this time last year, I like to regard the period between New Year’s Day and my birthday, which follows closely after, as a time of quiet contemplation – to look back over the accomplishments (or otherwise) of the year before, and make some decisions about directions and priorities for the year ahead.
This coming year is the year of the water dragon in Chinese astrology and “will be marked by excitement, unpredictability, exhilaration and intensity.” With predictions of Armageddon by some religious groups (12/12/2012), and with Nostradamus purportedly predicting the end of the world on a date which coincides with the end of the Mayan Calendar (21/12/2012), many people are watching global natural disasters and political unrest with pessimistic interest.
For my husband and myself, this New Year marks the move from Bangkok, an Asian city of between 12 and 16 million people, to a small Australian coastal town of just over 3000. It also marks our shift from busy paid employment to slightly less-busy, mostly-unpaid employment.
The coming year will also see small changes in my “Wanders”. We will still be “globe-trotting” for work and family commitments – and for fun and photography – and we already have plans in six countries. But we will be exploring Australia, especially our own corner of it, a bit more. I may even get back to the archives and relive some “previously unpublished trips”.
The Buddha's Appeal for Peace
So, watch this space.
In the meantime, we will spend New Year’s eve and day unpacking: we’re surrounded by boxes and furniture from two separate locations piled into a house that is smaller than either.
But, we will always take time to count our blessings.
The photos here comprise a portrait of a Buddha on a hill in the middle of small roads and jungle in the Western reaches of Thailand. It was around this time last year that we were driving past it daily from our hotel on the River Kwai Noi as we played hosts to relatives from overseas. One of our guests asked if we could stop and see the Buddha up close; it hadn’t occurred to me to visit it because, living in Thailand, I had become so accustomed to buddhas on every hill!
Golden Hand of a Large Standing Buddha
Looking up to a Golden Gautama Buddha Image
Buddha's Back
Buddha's Blessings for a Happy New Year
As Buddha images go, it was a nice one. And it provides us with a timely reminder to stop and smell the flowers – and to pay respects to the Buddhas – especially in these “unpredictable” times.
Now I need to get back to unpacking; if the world is to descend into chaos, I want a orderly house!
Wishing you peace and happiness in the coming year.
seems to me boxes will be the order of the day for at least the next few. Have a great time, and may 2012 be all you’ve ever hoped for.. much loveReplyCancel
[…] This time last year we were barely into our current home, surrounded by boxes and chaos. In the intervening twelve months, we’ve managed to carve out some order and to adjust to a different kind of lifestyle in a vastly different environment. But we have also been “on the road” and away from our house for at least half that time. […]ReplyCancel
I’ve had a bit of trouble getting into the Christmas spirit this year – which is surprising, really, considering we spent last year in a country that doesn’t officially celebrate Christmas. But, even though December 25th is a normal working day in Thailand, the country goes all out to decorate for the season. Aside from a rather tacky Nativity scene at our local shopping centre, the neighbourhood around our (temporary) home in Sydney is, by contrast, remarkably clear of any seasonal decorations.
I thought it would be good to go in search of some Christmas cheer.
So, we left our preoccupations with builders and boxes behind and headed downtown to the bright lights and tinsel. Maybe it is the rising cost of electricity or a new environmental awareness, but we didn’t find any! Darling Harbour in Sydney sported several blow-up santas as part of it’s Santa Fest and a LED Christmas tree made from recycled materials, but not much that sparkled in daylight.
Santa is Watching!
Reflecting on an Aussie Christmas.
Recycled Tree
“Not particularly inspiring!” I thought.
Part of my problem, I think, is that we are still a bit dislocated (more than usual), and I haven’t been able to spend time doing the sorts of things I usually do this time of year in preparation for time with the family. The weather was unseasonal cool and overcast, and for a while it was hard to reclaim the spirit of the season.
But, Sydney is a lucky city in The Lucky Country. It could be argued that it should be Christmas everyday – and indeed, the joy of childhood and the beauty of the harbour are always around us.
Joy! Running on Water
The Sydney Olympic spirit lives on.
CBD Reflections in the front of the Australian Maritime Museum.
Cruise Boat, saying good-bye to Sydney Harbour.
So, I wish you good tidings where ever you are, and what ever Christmas means to you.
I know I’m a couple of days late which is somewhat naughty of me, and the fact you will now be in Eden not Sydney, my suggestion that a house in Malacoff St Marrickville has outdone itself with Christmas cheer is all but too late. I like you went in search of those pretty decorated homes and found but a few, in years past Chipping Norton had the reputation of being the “place to be’ with whole streets decorated so much so they had to get approval for one way traffic to accomodate the crowds… alas as you say the cost of electricity seems to have dampened the glitter for many.
May the New Year Bring you much joy in your new home.. and I imagine a good share of unpacking 🙁 … We’re looking for a long weekend to accept your kind invitation.. I will be in touch LOL
I’m in a state of flux at the moment: we have just packed up all our belongings in one home and are in the process of transiting to a new home in another country. The Holmes and Rahe stress scale rates this as a reasonably stressful time on a number of counts: “change of residence” (+20); “change in living conditions” (+25); etc. In addition to the logistic considerations, we are coping with elements of “culture shock” and “re-entry shock” as we leave Thailand behind us – for a while, anyway.
As we’ve been preparing for our move, I’ve been reflecting on some of the things I’ll miss most about Thailand. The country’s delightful customs, especially those marking life-changes or special events, rank high on this long list. From the daily offerings to a spirit house to an elaborate ordination ceremony for monks, and beyond, specific traditional cultural rituals are closely followed.
Nothing says “change” and new beginnings like a wedding: the ceremonial recognition that two people are about to launch into life together. And, as with any other event in Thai life, a wedding offers ample opportunity for the modern practice – amid smiles and laughter – of some age-old cultural traditions.
This time last year, we were lucky enough to be guests at part of a Thai wedding ceremony.
I say “part of a ceremony” because a Thai “wedding” starts long before the ceremony. The date chosen must be considered auspicious, and determining this often involves consulting astrologers. It is not uncommon for potential guests to have a number of weddings to chose from on particularly auspicious dates.
Early morning of the wedding day (between 6 and 7 am), monks will arrive to bless the new couple (วันสุกดิบ) in a Buddhist wedding ceremony involving candles, holy water, chanting and prayers. This is usually only attended by very close friends and family, and is followed by breakfast.
There may be a formal engagement process, in which a ritual dowry (‘sinsod’) is agreed upon and paid, but this is often included on the wedding day itself. Leading a procession of his family and friends, the groom tries to make his way to his prospective bride. He is stopped at several “gates”, represented by chains of flowers, silken ribbon, or belt, held by two of the bride’s female relatives. To pass, he must persuade the gate-keepers that he is worthy of the young woman. This involves much joking and laughing, and pretend arguments about the size of the gifts (red envelopes of money) required.
The khan maak procession: The potential groom has to charm and pay his way past the gate-keepers.
The groom, having reached the door to his beloved, has to satisfy the guests that he is worthy.
The Bride and Groom together at last!
Guests Watch.
The parents welcome the new couple.
At any Thai ceremony, you will find jasmine garlands.
Attention to small details: plates of food and flowers.
The new couple give gifts to their elders.
The newly-weds join in lighting candles.
Wearing their ‘sai monkhon’, the sacred loops that are independent, yet interlinked, symbolising how the couple are still individuals but united in destiny, the new couple are anointed by the groom's parents.
The final ceremony of a traditional wedding is the ‘Rod Nam Sang’: guest pour holy water over the hands of the newlyweds and give them gifts, while wishing them well, .
Where there is a ceremony, there will be photographers!
The bride and her parents.
Getting married is 50 points on the Holmes and Rahe stress scale, but as stressful as this, or any other change is, there is also the exciting potential of the new “beginning”.
So it is for us, as we learn about life in a new place and once again come closer to a new year…
To new beginnings!
Photos: 18/12/2010.
My thanks to the bride and her family for including us in their special day.
I really enjoy your photos and commentary on the wedding rituals. An auspicious read as we just got home from a celebration dinner of Sally’s (my partner) daughter’s engagement to her boyfriend Dan. Lots of sweet rituals in the Thai wedding.
Also read your post about the southwest province of Laos.
Will return to your blog again.
Best wishes,
Elliot (E>mar) from flickrReplyCancel
I’m so pleased you stopped in and enjoyed my post. I was also also please to be introduced to your blog site; I’ll be back! I’ve always liked your portraits – especially your handsome sons! 😉
Nice post.
Wedding in Thailand is the best wedding destination in the world.
MarryMeThailand, Our intention is that your wedding day be as perfect as possible.ReplyCancel
In Thailand, architecture – especially temple architecture – is the highest form of art. The architect’s ability to combine beauty of form with functional utility; to plant a building in the ground and send it soaring to the heavens – is respected and revered.
It is perhaps not surprising, then, that two recognised Thai visual artists, Mr Chalermchai Kositpipat and Mr Thawan Duchanee, both born in Chiang Mai province, would turn to large architectural projects as expressions of their respective Buddhist philosophies.
Born over ten years apart, both men studied at Silpakorn University, Thailand’s premier visual arts school, before heading overseas to further their studies and their careers. Both are award-winning, recognised, national artists. Both have been controversial: the murals Chalermchai was commissioned to paint in Wat Buddhapadipa in London were criticised for being too contemporary and “not Thai”; Thawan’s paintings, which combine Buddha images with grotesque and erotic human figures comprised of animals or insects, have been called “immoral”.
The buildings designed and built by these men are both within range of Chiang Rai, and one day in late October, we were able to visit both.
Koi Pond Reflections ~ Wat Rong Khun. The pond represents the Ocean of Sitandon.
Wat Rong Khun (วัดร่องขุ่น), known as the White Temple, was started in 1998 by Mr Chalermchai Kositpipat on the site of the original Wat Rong Khun in his family’s village. Traditionally, temples are golden, but Chalermchai wanted his temple to be white to represent Buddha’s purity. The work is ongoing, and he believes it will take 60-70 years to finish.
Head from Hell, Wat Rong Khun, Chiang Rai
Hands of Hell
Security detail.
The bridge to the Wat symbolises the transition from life to the land of the Buddha.
White-Icing Gables ~ Wat Rong Khun
Buddha like a Cloud
White Pavilions
And this is just the toilet block!
But, as much as there are similarities between their work and world views, there are contrasts between the two artists.
Even the weather changed to overcast and rain as we entered the domain of National Artist Mr Thawan Duchanee, the Baandam Museum, north of the city. Aptly named the “Black House” (บ้านดำ), the artist’s residencial complex includes a huge Lanna-style vihara, held up by pillars carved like totem poles and filled with dark wooden long tables and the skins of animals.
Pillars and Skin: Baandam, Chiang Rai
Ornately carved animal snout on the pillars.
Snakeskin on a table in the black vihara.
Buddha in the Black Vihara
Two of the forty galleries on the Baandam Museum grounds.
Open by appointment...
Old wooden Buddhas in the sala
Animal horns, wheels and drums.
Craftsman at work on a pillar.
Talking to Mum while Dad works on his carving.
Gargoyle in the Garden
Reflected Thai Treasures
As different as these masterworks are, they both represent the artistic visions of their creators: two men who have devoted their lives to the integration of buddhist philosophy into their buildings and artworks.
[…] between temples as we walked around Chiang Rai, visiting five complexes on foot, and another by car (Wat Rong Khun, which I’ve talked about before), essentially in the space of a day. This little provincial city has the odd church and mosque as […]ReplyCancel
Very beautiful set of images Ursula of a very unique place. It is a shame the temple was damaged so badly during the earthquake last Monday.ReplyCancel
- Performing the Ganga Aarti from Dasaswamedh Ghat, Varanasi
- Buddha Head from Shwedagon Pagoda, Myanmar
- Harry Clarke Window from Dingle, Ireland
- Novice Monk Shwe Yan Pyay Monastery, Myanmar
Packets of 10 for $AU50.
Or - pick any photo from my Flickr or Wanders blog photos.
Me, I settled for the photos.
As Buddha images go, it was a nice one. And it provides us with a timely reminder to stop and smell the flowers – and to pay respects to the Buddhas – especially in these “unpredictable” times.
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As different as these masterworks are, they both represent the artistic visions of their creators: two men who have devoted their lives to the integration of buddhist philosophy into their buildings and artworks.
Ursula, this is a wonderful post… the photos are fantastic and they bring back such vivid memories of the trip down National Highway 6. You really captured the essence of that day and obviously,you also did quite a bit of research about the area, and about Cambodian culture and thus, you have provided me and all your viewers a “complete package”. Bravo on another amazing blog post! I can’t wait to see what you come up with next! All the best, Karl
Thank you so much Karl. You’ve made me blush!
That day (and all the others) was such a joy. 🙂
WOW, great share as always, I’m with you on the waffles and the spiders, I respect them and try not to kill them but eat them NEVER….stir fried or battered no bugs for me thanks
Thanks for joining me, Signe. None of our group tried any of the six- or eight-legged treats. I have had to eat ant eggs once, to be polite, in Thailand – and of course, green ants in Northern Queensland, but I sure don’t make a habit of it!
[…] the stalls, the faces of the people, the goods on sale. While some feature edible insects (e.g. Morning Markets and Bugs for Lunch, Cambodia), others specialise in flowers (e.g. Pyin Oo Lwin Flower Markets, Myanmar; Fragrant Flowers […]