Imagine waking up to a view of fiery skies with silhouettes of volcanic peaks. And when the sun has risen higher on the eastern horizon, its soft rays cast a gentle warmth that brings the forests and rice terraces on nearby hills to life. The […]
All posts filed under: Southeast
Eating Well in Siem Reap
In July 2011, when I was in Cambodia during a week-long whirlwind backpacking trip across three Southeast Asian countries, I took a photo of the dish above. Called lok lak, it was touted as the country’s national dish and it happened to be the only […]
Kbal Spean & Ancient Khmer’s Holy River
When Jayavarman II united the Khmer people and founded a kingdom at the turn of the ninth century, he would probably have never imagined that centuries later his country would eventually become the mighty Khmer Empire, nor would he have envisioned that his nation would […]
In Remembrance of My Mother
“What is your hobby actually?” This was a question I asked my mom a long time ago with me expecting her to say cooking, singing, or dancing. But she didn’t even need one second to reply. “Putting on make up!” she answered spontaneously, followed by […]
Candi Barong and the Prayer for Abundance
It shouldn’t come as a surprise why we are the dominant species on Earth today, so much so a geological epoch called the Anthropocene has been proposed due to the dramatic and profound impact humans have had on the planet. We are capable of creating […]
Trying to Love Jakarta, Again
It was three months ago when the idea of writing this post crossed my mind. At that time, the air pollution in Jakarta, a city I’ve called home since 2008, was at its worst in recent years. Videos circulating online taken by airplane passengers showed […]
Candi Sojiwan: Life Lessons in Frames
Today, teaching life lessons to help others become better human beings can be done in many ways. Some people prefer to make educational videos, others choose to do this through engaging social media content, and quite a few still enjoy sharing their thoughts and experiences […]
Quy Nhon: Easy and Breezy
I must admit, before learning about the ancient Hindu temples built by the people of Champa in what is now Binh Dinh (Bình Định) province in Vietnam, I had never heard of Quy Nhon (Quy Nhơn). This city in the south-central part of the country […]
When the Sun Set over Champa
The 13th century was not a good time for many empires and kingdoms across Asia and Europe as this period marked the incredibly rapid expansion of the Mongols, who also happened to be the Yuan dynasty rulers of China. The Khmer Empire, a long-dominant power […]
Khmer’s Last Push for Glory
There’s probably nothing more humiliating for the rulers of a nation than being defeated by another nation they once conquered. In 1177 CE, Champa occupied Angkor following their successful naval attacks right at the heart of the subjugated capital. This was an unprecedented event as […]
Vijaya and the Defeat of Angkor
Trying to imagine how Vijaya looked during its heyday is difficult when you see what it’s like in the present. The day after we went to Tháp Bánh ĺt and Tháp Bình Lâm, we ventured even closer to what used to be the center of […]
An Introduction to Champa
Across the globe, many ancient civilizations are still remembered by people today thanks to their achievements, or unique characters, or inspiring stories (whether they were true or not) that have been passed on for generations. However, in a world where physical appearance often overshadows other […]
What an Amazing World! 