Cambodia FEB 2015

These photos were taken in Cambodia. We went there to see the ruins but we aslo found that there are some wonderful wetlands there too.
All the pics are taken in the Siem Reap area around Angkor, and at TonleSap Lake's waterways.  I will finish labeling them once I am certain of the details.
The people are mainly Buddhist nowadays but  they were Hindus first  and as such there reference to some of the hindu gods in their temples as well as Buddha.

                                      

                                                 

 

face of Brahma

 river of a thousand lingas waterfall.

      Birdwing butterfly Cambodia. This part of the world has more butterfly species than europe and australia combined.

fertile farmland. In some areas the cambodian people can raise three crops of rice each year. In the country areas people dont have a lot of money but they are able to grow a lot of what they need.  They have small farms in comparison to asutrallia but the ground is fertile. They grow rice in these paddocks but closer around their homes they have all sorts of other food plants growing.

a

Birds at Lake Tonle Sap, Cambodia.

Lake Tonle Sap is the ;argest freshwater lake in south-east asia. Part of this large lake area is protected to save habitat for the many water birds and other creatures that live here.

  grey headed fishing eagle.-juvenile

 grey headed fishing eagle.

    

    

 

cormorants

 great egret

 great egret

 intermediate egert

 egret

tern

kingfisher.

grey heron

 Little Egret

little black cormorant.

 Great Egret.

Grey Heron

 rescued cormorant..was near death, caught up in old fishing line and our bird guide on the lake pulled him out of the water and let it rest for a little while. it flew off on its own accord.

 Great Egret.

 tern

  little egret

RUINS Angkor, Cambodia.

the ruins in the area date from around 9c ad -14thc. The beginning of that period of that period the Khmer people were Hidu but they converted gradually to Buddhism. Elements of both can be seen in their art.

 igneous rock that is used as foundation stone  under all the ancient ruins.

 an alcove of Buddhas at Banteiy Seri.

Banteiy Seri

Angkor Wat seen from

our guide Mr Pahl.

Vishnu,  a Hindu god. The four arms tell us that this is who this statue represents. at one thousand lingas river.

The square shapes carved into the floor of the river are called Lingas.  The synbol itself represents male and female gentitals lovked together and symbolising fertility.

Than Tao Mahaprom is a Brahma god, full of kindness, mercy, sympathy and impartiality. These four virtues are represented by his four faces, each radiating serene grace.  Buddhism in this region  has always been influenced by the Brahma beliefs.

traditional building methods of the cambodian people are still used. Every few years they redo damaged areas of their homes with readily available vegetation that grows all around them.