The magic of Angkor Wat and magnificent Cambodian temples like Ta Prohm and Bayon is all in the details: richly-carved female devata and apsarabas-relief figures, a visiting Buddhist monk clad in a tangerine-colored robe spotted amid the grey structures, a handsome horse wearing a bejeweled bridle in Angkor Wat’s fore.
I’ve been fortunate to have explored the awe-inspiring Angkorian temples twice — once in 2009, and again last winter. I captured the image of this horse in 2009, just after watching the sun rise over Angkor Wat, as it has for about one thousand years.
Have you visited Cambodia’s Angkorian temples? What were some of your favorite details?
Tricia A. Mitchell is a freelance writer and photographer. Born in Europe but raised in the United States, she has lived in Valletta, Malta; Heidelberg, Germany; and Split, Croatia. An avid globetrotter who has visited more than 65 countries, she has a penchant for off-season travel. Tricia has learned that travel’s greatest gift is not sightseeing, rather it is the interactions with people. Some of her most memorable experiences have been sharing a bottle of champagne with distant French cousins in Lorraine, learning how to milk goats in a sleepy Bulgarian village, and ringing in the Vietnamese New Year with a Hanoi family. She welcomes any opportunity to practice French and German, and she loves delving into a place’s history and artisanal food scene.
A former education administrator and training specialist, Tricia has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s degree in international relations. She and her husband, Shawn, married in the ruins of a snowy German castle. They’ve been known to escape winter by basing themselves in coastal Croatia or Southeast Asia. Though they are currently nomadic, they look forward to establishing a European home someday.
Her writing has appeared in Fodor’s Travel, Frommer’s, and International Living.
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14 thoughts on “Photo du Jour: A Bejeweled Horse – Angkor Wat, Cambodia”
Oh it’s a horse, I thought it was this girl I use to know……….Just kidding, great shot Tricia, have a great weekend.
Such a classic it is! When I was in 2nd grade, my mother handmade me a Dorothy costume. I loved participating in the parade at school with our dog in a basket, wearing the shoes my mom crafted. She took her wedding shoes and adorned them with red sequins (and stuffed the backs so they’d fit me better). She still has them today, reminding us that “there’s no place like home…”
I read that the horses in the film were tinted with colored gelatin to achieve their vibrant glow and that they had to be distracted from feasting upon the gelatin.
Love the story about your Mom making the shoes. I believe the movie is the reason I love red shoes so much. I started out with red Mary Janes when I was about eight years old, and now I have a row of shoes in my closet that are all red. Always a pleasure to hear from Tricia. V.
What a charming anecdote, Virginia. A pop of red is always welcome, at home or in fashion. :)
Hi Tricia, Absolutely awesome photo! You captured it beautifully. Going to Angkor Wat was the main catalyst for our second RTW. We were there last year, and although we went for Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm was our absolute favorite. The roots – those awesome roots flowing over structures blew my mind. All the best, Terri
Terri, must admit that Ta Prohm was our favorite too. We found ourselves being torn that it was being restored so heavily. Of course, we want it to be there for future generations, but there’s something romantic about seeing it in its more natural state.
By any chance, did you make it out to Bantaey Srei? I wish we would’ve headed there after all. Something to explore on a future excursion.
Hi Tricia, We ran out of time and were not able to make it out to Bantaey Srei, much to our disappointment. So we’ve already put it on the list for “next time.” The photos look so enticing. ~Terri
Tricia, I am continuously amazed by your wealth of experiences!
Indeed, I’ve been a lucky lady to have seen so much, Yulia. But, as you know, since you’re such a globetrotter too, when you’ve seen a bit of the world, you realize how much there’s left to explore!
I agree. The struggle for me has been to find a way to keep doing it – I am almost ready to make the leap internally, just have to figure out how to do it externally :)
Travels with Tricia 
Oh it’s a horse, I thought it was this girl I use to know……….Just kidding, great shot Tricia, have a great weekend.
Mark, ever the jokester! Hope you’re enjoying your weekend too and staying out of mischief. :)
@rigmover, now, I have that song from Gotye in my head! I love this image, Tricia…so much beautiful detail in the headress…
Desiree, thanks for helping me make that connection to Mark’s comment. :) Now it’s a playin’ in my head too.
Now to quote a line from my favorite movie The Wizard of Oz – this is a horse of a different colour. V.
Such a classic it is! When I was in 2nd grade, my mother handmade me a Dorothy costume. I loved participating in the parade at school with our dog in a basket, wearing the shoes my mom crafted. She took her wedding shoes and adorned them with red sequins (and stuffed the backs so they’d fit me better). She still has them today, reminding us that “there’s no place like home…”
I read that the horses in the film were tinted with colored gelatin to achieve their vibrant glow and that they had to be distracted from feasting upon the gelatin.
Love the story about your Mom making the shoes. I believe the movie is the reason I love red shoes so much. I started out with red Mary Janes when I was about eight years old, and now I have a row of shoes in my closet that are all red. Always a pleasure to hear from Tricia. V.
What a charming anecdote, Virginia. A pop of red is always welcome, at home or in fashion. :)
Hi Tricia, Absolutely awesome photo! You captured it beautifully. Going to Angkor Wat was the main catalyst for our second RTW. We were there last year, and although we went for Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm was our absolute favorite. The roots – those awesome roots flowing over structures blew my mind. All the best, Terri
Terri, must admit that Ta Prohm was our favorite too. We found ourselves being torn that it was being restored so heavily. Of course, we want it to be there for future generations, but there’s something romantic about seeing it in its more natural state.
By any chance, did you make it out to Bantaey Srei? I wish we would’ve headed there after all. Something to explore on a future excursion.
Hi Tricia, We ran out of time and were not able to make it out to Bantaey Srei, much to our disappointment. So we’ve already put it on the list for “next time.” The photos look so enticing. ~Terri
Tricia, I am continuously amazed by your wealth of experiences!
Indeed, I’ve been a lucky lady to have seen so much, Yulia. But, as you know, since you’re such a globetrotter too, when you’ve seen a bit of the world, you realize how much there’s left to explore!
I agree. The struggle for me has been to find a way to keep doing it – I am almost ready to make the leap internally, just have to figure out how to do it externally :)