Travels with Tricia

Category: Travelogues

  • Two pairs of devatas (goddesses) are shown carved into Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

    The Devatas and Apsaras of Angkor Wat in Black & White

    The 1,796 female figures rendered in sandstone on Angkor Wat’s pillars and walls have weathered war and a harsh tropical environment for more than 800 years. During my first visit to Angkor Wat in 2009, I was struck by the beauty and individuality of these devatas, which decorate the largest religious building in the world. When…

  • Six adults, dressed in traditional Cambodian costumes, stand near Angkor Wat.

    Angkorian Dress-Up in Cambodia

    The silken costumes with gold embellishments transform these Angkor Wat models into winged creatures, apsaras, and other mythological beings from Angkorian times. They position themselves in a prime location within Cambodia’s famed Angkor Wat complex.

  • A Bird’s Eye View of a Vietnamese Streetscape

    For Vietnamese standards, this Nha Trang street is a quiet one. And for the uninitiated, it offers a great introduction to Vietnam’s infamous traffic — sans dodging a plethora of motorbikes or without going deaf due to a cacophony of honking horns.

  • Bobbins of orange, cream, and fuchsia silk inside a drawer at a silk farm near Siem Reap, Cambodia

    Learning the Fine Art of Sericulture & Weaving on a Cambodian Silk Farm

    Throughout Cambodia, marketplace stalls overflow with mounds of beautiful shimmering silk. There’s everything from scarves and chic purses to fabric designed for tailor-made shirts, dresses, and jackets.

  • A father gazes at a landmine awareness exhibition in downtown Phnom Penh while his son curiously watches onlookers.

    A Landmine Awareness Photography Exhibition in Phnom Penh

    While walking along Phnom Penh’s riverside, we happened upon a landmine awareness photography exhibition. This child’s lively eyes and curious gaze caught my attention. His peaceful spirit contrasted sharply with the cruel creations depicted in the images at which his father was intently gazing.

  • People thresh rice in rural Cambodia.

    Threshing Rice on Christmas Day in Cambodia

    ‘Twas Christmas Day in Cambodia… The sun shone brightly overhead. Golden grass and towering palm trees danced in the strong gusts of wind. Cows mooed and baby chicks tiptoed about. Though we were far from our family and friends who are scattered throughout the world, we yearned to have a special holiday.  And indeed we…