Tag: Hinduism
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Vientiane, Laos: An Afternoon at Buddha Park
Marry Buddhism, Hinduism and a touch of whimsy, and the result is Buddha Park – a sprawling green space dotted with more than 200 concrete sculptures near Vientiane, the capital city of Laos. Hopping out of a minivan shared with French and Swiss travelers we’d met at Vientiane’s bus station, we expressed relief that we…
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Happy Holi! Celebrating the Festival of Colors in Goa
If you were in India today, chances are that you would now be sporting rainbow hues from head to toe, because today is Holi, the Festival of Colors. Holi is a Hindu celebration that welcomes spring and bids farewell to winter. Originally, Holi commemorated successful harvests. As we prepared to take on streams of colorful…
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Photo Du Jour: Quasi Cupid at Laos’ Buddha Park
It’s not your traditional Valentine’s Day imagery, yet these captures from our recent visit to Buddha Park — just outside of Vientiane, Laos — seemed so Cupid Day’esque.
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A Return to Angkor: The Tree-Adorned Temple of Ta Prohm
Regarded as one of Angkor’s most atmospheric temples, Ta Prohm is perhaps best known as the location in which the movie Tomb Raider was filmed (admittedly, I have not seen it). The circa 12th century temple’s gnarly, towering trees are at times indistinguishable from the stone walls, pillars, and foundations that they are devouring. And the setting…
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An Afternoon at Angkor Wat
During my maiden (and solo) visit to Angkor Wat, I glimpsed the majestic Cambodian structure at sunrise. Seeing the inky sky gradually awaken over the site and then illuminate it with a shrimp-colored hue was a magical experience. But in the years since, I’d read that the sunrise experience had lost some of its luster,…
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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…
