In the late ninth century CE, the Khmer people witnessed the establishment of a new capital of their fledgling empire under the rule of Yasovarman I, whose predecessors previously ruled from Hariharalaya. Called Yasodharapura (modern-day Angkor), the new center of administration began seeing the construction […]
All posts tagged: ancient temple
Candi Bubrah & Lumbung: Overlooked and Underrated
Wildflowers can be interesting and pretty. But if there is an orchid sitting next to them, people’s attention would almost certainly be fixated on the latter due to the extravagant colors and shapes of its blooms. The same thing can be said about two ancient […]
Prambanan: The One that Keeps Calling
Do you have a special place that, for whatever reason, keeps calling you to return even though you’ve been there many times? I do. Those who have been following my blog for years wouldn’t be surprised if I tell you that such a place for […]
Great to See You Again, Cambodia!
Eleven years ago, in my early years of blogging, I went on a whirlwind trip to Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam in just one week. Back in those days, I was focused on seeing as many countries as possible despite the brief time off from work […]
No Peacock at Candi Merak
Merak. In your language this word may or may not mean something, but in Indonesian it refers to the peacock, one of the most extravagant-looking birds whose visually-arresting plumage varies from metallic blue to bright green. It also happens to be what a candi (ancient […]
Candi Selogriyo: A Picturesque Detour
Candi (pronounced chaan-dee). It is a broad term Indonesians use to refer to ancient structures dating back to a period in history when the archipelago was predominantly Hindu/Buddhist. It can be a temple, a bathing compound, a gate, basically anything even if its original purpose […]
Batujaya: Dawn of an Era
It rises conspicuously amid green rice paddies as far as the eyes can see. Rectangular in shape and made from red bricks that are much older than other structures in its vicinity, Candi Jiwa is a low-rise ruin of a Buddhist sanctuary that was long […]
Candi Ijo: A Silent Witness of Change
We as modern-day tourists often see ancient sites as places that inspire us, leave us spellbound, or whet our curiosity of the world we live in. We perceive them and give them attributes based on our standpoint, making them objects of our fascination. But what […]
Sambisari & Kedulan: the Underground Temples
Imagine an alternate world where ninth-century cathedrals across Europe and mosques throughout the Middle East and North Africa were buried deep in the ground for centuries until being rediscovered in the 20th century. People only knew a little about their existence, mostly from stories told […]
Ngawen & Losari: Temples on the Outskirts of Jogja
A pair of big round eyeballs are staring at mine with a curly mane accentuating the creature’s fierce face. Standing on its hind legs, with mouth agape and chest puffed up above its forelegs, one of the prancing lions of Candi Ngawen stands before me, […]
The Temple of the Wine God
Day two in Baalbek, and we are awakened after a night-long power cut. It turns out that in this part of Lebanon this disruption in daily life happens more often compared to Beirut. Back in the Lebanese capital we were told that regular blackouts were […]
A Valley Between the Snows
Lebanon has been amazing so far. While Beirut is enchanting in its own way – a city full of contradictions that make it even more appealing to explore – and Bsharri provides us with a jaw-dropping view of the lush and historic Qadisha Valley, our […]
What an Amazing World! 