All posts tagged: Angkor Wat

The paths we take

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“People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. Just because they’re not on your road doesn’t mean they’ve gotten lost.” ― Dalai Lama XIV

Light and shadow

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“There are no shadows in darkness. Shadows are created by light, and only exist in the presence of light. Refusing to acknowledge our shadow leads us to deny the presence of light in us.” ― Franco Santoro

Journey of life

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“It’s funny how, in this journey of life, even though we may begin at different times and places, our paths cross with others so that we may share our love, compassion, observations, and hope. This is a design of God that I appreciate and cherish.”
― Steve Maraboli,

Climb the ladder of life

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If you’re climbing the ladder of life, you go rung by rung, one step at a time. Don’t look too far up, set your goals high but take one step at a time. Sometimes you don’t think you’re progressing until you step back and see how high you’ve really gone. ~ Donny Osmond Cambodia was in my bucket list and a dream destination come true when I first visited it in 2011 (I traveled from Saigon, Vietnam to Phnom Penh to Siem Reap).  I stayed overnight in Siem Reap, the gateway of the ancient wonders of the Angkor temple complex and barely skimmed the explorations of these ancient wonders. The next year (2011), when the maiden flight of Cebu Pacific’s Manila to Siem Reap was launched, I was able to cover more of the temple ruins, enjoy its breathtaking vistas, experience the culture and marvel at its sunrise and sunset in my 4-day stay. In the biggest and highly elaborate temple complex called Angkor Wat, I laboriously climbed the top floor (the stairs had narrow, …

Waiting for chances

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“If you wait to do everything until you’re sure it’s right, you’ll probably never do much of anything. You can sit around and wait for the good things to happen to you, or you can go out and make them happen.” Entrance to Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia  © Jojie F. Alcantara

Life is an amazing journey

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“The best day of your life is the one on which you decide your life is your own. No apologies or excuses.  No one to lean on, rely on, or blame. The gift is yours – it is an amazing journey – and you alone are responsible for the quality of it. This is the day your life really begins.” ~ Bob Moawad Me in Siem Reap, Cambodia, April 2012 Taken by Ian Garcia

Walk in peace

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“The mind can go in a thousand directions, but on this beautiful path, I walk in peace. With each step, the wind blows.  With each step, a flower blooms.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh This was another of my “shooting from the hip” episodes.  I was going back to my transportation when I looked back and saw this monk walking towards the sunlit temples of Angkor Wat, from where I just had my sunrise shoot.  As the sun rose and cast a golden glow on its path, this monk became all the more visible and translucent, making his dignified stance a joy to behold in a backdrop of archaeological significance. What made me took a shot instinctively, though, were the silhouette of his ears.  It fused with the patterns of the temples.

Monk inside Angkor by Jojie Alcantara

Chance encounter

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“Sometimes our light goes out, but is blown again into instant flame by an encounter with another human being.” ― Albert Schweitzer He stepped into my frame by chance.  It was a wonderful moment, because he completed my picture. Inside Angkor Wat, passing through ancient walls and corridors…and catching a monk by surprise

Aloneness

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“We too are called to withdraw at certain intervals into deeper silence and aloneness with God, together as a community as well as personally; to be alone with Him — not with our books, thoughts, and memories but completely stripped of everything — to dwell lovingly in His presence, silent, empty, expectant, and motionless. We cannot find God in noise or agitation.” ~ Mother Teresa, In the Heart of the World: Thoughts, Stories and Prayers Deep inside the elaborate temple ruins of majestic Angkor Wat, I found people in zen-like composure, individuals who opted to stay away from the crowd, find their own quiet corners to meditate, and suck in all the spiritual energy these ancient walls have accumulated through time. Whatever it is, it must be a positive force, because we each end up going out of the archaeological wonders in a state of serenity, submission, and mystic calm– somewhat like a recharging of life. Okay, okay, she did remind me of that morbid character from “Drag Me to Hell”, so I was a …

Monks at Angkor Wat © Jojie Alcantara

Achieving serenity

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“We are not going to change the whole world, but we can change ourselves and feel free as birds. We can be serene even in the midst of calamities and, by our serenity, make others more tranquil. Serenity is contagious. If we smile at someone, he or she will smile back. And a smile costs nothing. We should plague everyone with joy. If we are to die in a minute, why not die happily, laughing?” ~ Swami Satchidananda, Yoga Sutras of Patanjali Another serene moment revisiting the Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia, April 2012  © Jojie Alcantara

Lost in time (Ta Phrom)

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“We cannot win this battle to save species and environments without forging an emotional bond between ourselves and nature as well – for we will not fight to save what we do not love.”~ Stephen Jay Gould I fell in love with the ruins of the Angkor complex in Siem Reap, Cambodia. I rode the bus for 7 hours to cross the border from Saigon to Phnom Penh, and another 6 hours from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap.  I endured three movies of Angelina Jolie on the bus (obviously, they adore her).