#Cambodian beauty kings

[conandaily2022]

Leav Veng Hour biography: 13 things about Mister Friendship International 2023

Leav Veng Hour (លាវ វេងហួរ) is a Cambodian fashion model and beauty king. Here are 13 more things about him: He hails from Phnom Penh, Cambodia. From 2016 to 2021, he attended the University of Washington. On December 13, 2023, she represented Cambodia at Mister Friendship International 2023 and competed against 18 other candidates at the FA Theater of Khon Kaen University in Khon Kaen,…

[famousinuniverse]

Cambodian Traditional Dances

Traditional dance is a popular art form in Cambodia and so greatly revered that no visit to Cambodia is completed without watching at least one Khmer traditional dance performance. During the Khmer Rouge reign from 1975 to 1979, much of this Cambodian traditional art form was almost wiped out. However, huge efforts have been done to rekindle the ancient art from into new life. Dances in Cambodia are divided into three main genres: Classical Dance for the royal court, Folk Dance portraying cultural traditions and Social Dances performed in social gatherings.

1. Classical Dances.

Khmer classical dance, or locally known as Robam Preah Reach Trop, is a highly stylized performing art form originating from the royal courts. Originally, it was performed and maintained by attendants of the royal palaces, with the purpose of calling upon the gods and spirits, as well as expressing the respect to the royal courts. Later then, Khmer classical dance was popularized to the public in the middle of the 20th century.

Khmer Classical Dance was originated from the royal courts.

It soon became the symbol of Cambodian culture and often performed during special occasions like holidays, public events and for tourists in main tourism hubs. In the performance of classic dance, intricately costumed dancers perform slow and figurative gestures, with the musical accompaniment of a pinpeat ensemble. The classical repertoire includes dances of tribute or invocation and the enactment of traditional stories and epic poems such as the Ramayana. There are more than ten Khmer classical dances but the most performed and known dances are Apsara Dance (Robam Tep Apsara) and Blessing Dance (Robam Choun Por).

Apsara Dance.

The most popular form of classical Cambodian dance is Apsara, stretching back to the 7th century. A walk around the main temples of Angkor gives tourists general ideas about the importance of Apsara Dance in ancient Khmer culture, with the images of apsara dancers carved into the walls and bas reliefs. Its roots were found in both Hindu and Buddhist mythologies, with the concept that Apsaras were beautiful female creatures that visited Earth from heaven to entertain Gods and Kings with their enchanting dance.

Apsara is the most popular form of classical Cambodian dance.

The Khmer King Javayarman VII in the 12th century was said to have over 3000 Apsara dancers in his court. The dance moves in slow, hypnotic, and gentle paces in order to reflect the idea that spirits entrap mortals with their beauty. With more than 1500 exist, hand gestures are the main traits of the dance. Every single movement of the fingers has its own distinct meaning. Some movements even require dancers to bend their fingers almost to their wrists. Elaborate traditional costumes is the identification of Apsara Dance, and help to mirror the majestic moves of dancers. They wear elegant silk clothes with floral motifs, stunning jeweled headdress, and sparkling accessories like necklaces, earrings, bracelets and anklets. Due to the extreme complexity of this performing art, Khmer girls start training from a very young age to get enough flexibility in their hands and feet to execute intricate movements.

The Apsara Dance was almost wipe out because the Pol Pot-led regime took a massacre included Apsara dancers in Cambodia during the Khmer Rouge period in 1975-1979. Luckily, few surviving dancers kept the tradition remained by passing their knowledge and skills to the younger generations. The most outstanding event marking the new life of Apsara Dance was when Queen Sisowath Kossomak Nearirath Serey Vatthana, the wife of King Norodom Suramarit, visited the Sothearath primary school in 1940s.

She saw the school mistress prepare an inspirational Angkor Apsara dance performed by young school children in the paper apsara costume so she got the idea of rekindling the dance. She trained her first daughter, Princess Bopha Devi, to practice the dance and 5 years old and then princess became the first professional Apsara dancer in the 1950s and 60s. In 2003, Apsara Dance was recognized as the Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

Blessing Dance.

Robam Choun Por is performed to wish for good health, happiness, prosperity and success.

Cambodian Blessing Dance, or Robam Choun Por in Khmer language, is traditionally presented at the beginning of a ceremony or special occasion in Cambodia. This dance is performed by a group of young Khmer girls in odd numbers (3 – 5 or 7 persons) to wish for good health, happiness, prosperity and success. The female dancers are well-dressed with Khmer Classical Royal Ballet costumes to symbolize the Devata. Each carries a golden goblet filled with flower blossoms inside, like jasmine, lotus or Romdoul. In Khmer’s perspective, blossoms are represented for the blessings from the Gods. With charming and elegant movements, dancers hold the golden goblets, pluck the blossoms and gently toss them toward the audience with honor and wishful blessing. 2. Folk Dances.

Cambodia Folk Dances play important roles in highlighting various cultural traditions and ethnic groups of Cambodia. As opposed to the classical dances, these folk dances are faster paced movements and gestures are less stylized. Folk dancers wear clothes of the people whom they are play roles, such as Chams, hill tribes, farmers and peasants.

Typically, folk dance performances are accompanied by a mahori orchestra, including stringed and plucked instruments as well as flute. Cambodian folk dances are also regarded as ceremonial dances because they are not performed widely in public. They are inspired by countryside life and practices, and tend to be reserved for the particular rituals, celebrations and holidays among rural communities.

There is a wide variety of Cambodian folk dances with different meanings:

Cambodian Folk Dances highlight various cultural traditions and ethnic groups of Cambodia.

Trot Dance– a popular dance featuring a hunter who is chasing a deer. In ancient times, Khmer villagers got troubles from the wild animals going to their villages. Therefore, this dance was performed to protect them from this bad luck. Trot Dance is performed to ward off evil and bad luck from previous year and celebrate the coming of Khmer New Year.

Sneak Toseay Dance – a dance around animal characters, like tiger, peacock, and deer. The dance originates in Phnum Kravanh District, Pursat Province and depicts the Pear people.

Robam Kom Araek – a dance mainly used two or three bamboo pole which hitting every second. Farmers practice this bamboo dance at the end of a long working day in the fields as a way of entertainment. It is reported that the dance came from Kuy people but it is more believed that the birthplace is Philippines during the reign of King Norodom (1834-1904) when he was traveling in Philippines.

Robam Kngaok Pailin – a dance describing the movement and beauty of the peacock. This dance portrays the Kula people in Pailin and their amusement with a pair of peafowl, but also much influenced by Burmese dance.

Chhayam – a well-known entertainment dance about pleasure, including several comedic roles and beautiful girls. The dance is performed at holidays and is a pure Khmer dance.

Cambodian Coconut Dance – a dance performance involving coconuts with male and female dancers. Men wear a yellow shirt and dark red “Changkibin”. Women wear a button up shirt and a green silk “Changkibin”. The dance originated around 1960 from Romeas Haek District in Svay Rieng Province.

Cambodian Fishing Dance – a dance performance involving fishing that was composed in the 1960’s at the Royal University of Fine Arts in Phnom Penh. It involves male and female dancers.

Social Dances.

At social gatherings in Cambodia, social dances are performed with common types, such as: ramvong, ram kbach and ram saravan.

Ramvong is social dancing form in traditional events, modern parties or celebrations.

Ramvong in Cambodia, Lamvong in Laos or Ramwong in Thailand represent for the popular social dancing form in these Southeast Asia countries. Both men and women can participate in the same circle, continuously move in a circular manner and perform basic hand movements and simple footwork. This slow round dance style can be seen in traditional festivals, popular celebrations and modern parties. In Cambodia, ram vong dance can be found among ethnic groups of the Phnong, Krung, Tampuan and Brao people.

Ram kbach dance is generally similar to ram vong in terms of circle arrangements, as well as hands and legs gestures. But the movements in ram kbach are slower and more gentle. Besides ramvong and ram kbach, ram saravan dance style are also popular with Khmer people at festival time, when people gather and perform the dance together. Even being thought to traditionally originated from Laos, Khmer people love to perform it at special events like wedding parties, especially at Khmer New Year.

Like people all over the world, Cambodian people consider dancing is an integral part of spiritual life and rites of passage, as well as a popular form of entertainment. Moreover, they also believe that all dance styles – both traditional and modern styles, can help create friendship and happiness among society. If you are interested in exploring Cambodian culture through traditional dances, don’t hesitate to contact Cambodia Travel to plan your customized trip to this lovely country right now!

Cambodian Traditional Dances (cambodiatravel.com)

[celiastjamesoscar]

You know angkor wat? That's surprising since not a lot of people outside cambodia know this ancient architecture beauty :) i've been to siem reap (where angkor wat is) about 3 times counting now. The two times before were like years ago and i barely remember

The area where the temple is located is different because some build another bridge to cross since the bridge apart of angkor wat was breaking sorta. They're trying to reconstruct it now i think.

As a cambodian, i appreaciate you recognizing angkor wat ♡ i apologize if i'm rambling about it too much. I can't help but tell people about things in my culture 😭

I’m a huge history buff, and I am pretty biased towards the history of Asia and some parts of Europe. I also love looking at the ancient buildings of those continents, such as the Changdeokgung palace of Seoul, and the Angkor Thom temple.

I also really love the myths of the Asian culture, such as the Oni in Japanese folklore and the Rahu king (I think that’s the name of it?)

I hope none of this sounds rude or off putting, culturally insensitive or inappropriate. I’m not Asian, but I really do love the history of the continent <3

Also, you don’t have to apologize for your rambling, I love listening to people talk about their home countries!

[alexracheltravel]

We Went Chasing a Waterfall and We Only had enough energy for this terrible joke

Today was day two of our Cambodian tour. We enjoyed our tour of Angkor Wat so much that we booked a second day with the same company and the same guide. Nak, our guide, was incredible over these two days and we appreciate him greatly.

After breakfast, we left Siem Reap and went north to Phnom Kulen, a national park, Cambodia's largest protected forest (or jungle. Unclear about the difference) and a holy site with historical and religious significance. It was a long drive and we spent it talking to Nak and our driver about various Buddhist rules and rites. For example, it is no longer illegal to eat meat in Buddhism. Now, the only animals that are not allowed include: dog, snake, bear, elephant, tiger, and leopard. This, of course, only refers to observant Buddhists. As far as we know, monks must abstain from killing animals, chopping wood, holding money, and even starting fire. We noticed parallels between these values and the traditional values of Judaism.

The first stop we made was a touristy viewpoint, in which we stopped and posed in front of a cliff face, gazing at the vast valley below. It was easy to see the beauty that Cambodia had to offer, with picturesque views and a skyline that could rival any country.

It wasn't long from there until we got to a very religious site. The reclining Buddha of Phnom Kulen drew crowds from around Cambodia and the rest of the world. It was a pilgrimage to go there. We spent some time on the temple grounds. Villagers played music. Children ran about. Pious individuals kneeled before their idols, clasping their hands and bowing again and again, muttering their prayers under their breath. We climbed a long set of stairs up to the top of the mountain. The Buddha was carved centuries ago, straight into the mountainside. It was about eighty feet long and portrayed the Buddha in a sublime state of Nirvana. At the end, we banged a gong, a ritual that signified our thanks to the Temple. Nak said it was a "good deed." We should have told him about the word "mitzvah." Along the way down, Nak introduced us to some street food that villagers made for the tourists. We ate waffles made from rice, and a coconut filled crepe called "khanom bueang." They were delicious and vegan!

We returned to the car and made our way down the hill towards a site called "the river of 1000 lingas." This specific site was important to Cambodian and Khmer culture, as it was the place where the first king of the empire declared his rule. The lingas were religious objects that purified water, the same way a mikvah might prepare one to bathe. The most interesting part was that the riverbed contained so many carvings, not just of these religious pillars (which represented phalluses) but also of the gods: Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma. It was not a long trip, but the serenity of the river and the calmness of the water relaxed us before our next exciting excursion.

Waterfalls! Yes! Phnom Kulen is home to a large, hundred-meter high waterfall! Visitors to the area gathered to the pool to take a dip. The water was cold, but perfect on the 87-degree day. We dipped out heads below the waterfall and felt the rush of the water hit our bodies. Is this what our island vacation will feel like?

Alas, it was time to leave the national park, and we hopped into the car and drove down. We ate a mediocre lunch, and then moved on to the last sight of our tour: Banteay Srei. The name translates to "citadel of women," but like many of these temples, they have other names, and this temple was among the earliest temples in all of Siem Reap. While it was quite dilapidated, many of the ancient carvings were still intact, or restored, showcasing incredible intricate images of gods, carved into brightly-colored stones. It quickly became one of our favorite temples that we had seen over the two day period.

We said goodbye to Nak, and our driver for guiding us over the last two days. He really made our trip special. We breaked in the hotel, showered, relaxed, and then, Alex had one last trip for his bucket list.

Cambodia's street food contains many delectable treats, but among them is one unique one: insects! For $5 he grabbed a bag of insects: grasshoppers, crickets, mealworms, larger mole crickets (or pillbugs), some roach-like creature, and tiny frogs. Yes, the latter are not insects but they were still part of the package. The morsels we're all along the night market, and customers can pick and choose which they wanted. They came mixed with fried Thai basil, scallion, and hot sliced chili. Mixed and combined, the treats were flavorful, seasoned, crispy, and aromatic. To be honest, the crickets and frogs tasted best. The mealworms were too soft and the others were too big. But all were part of the true Cambodia experience.

An easy dinner at the hotel and an early night followed. Tomorrow we make our way to Thailand.

Alex: On our tour today you said the Banteay Srei temple was one of your favorites. What did you most amazing about that temple? I mean I liked it too but let's tell the people what you think.

Rachel: First off, I did like it the most, but for different reasons than I did like Angkor Wat. The first and what feels the most obvious is the incredibly intricate carvings, each with a story from Hindu mythology.

A: I liked that part too and we saw some of that at Angkor Wat, and that was my favorite aspect of each temple. This one was not my favorite but I think it was absolutely worth seeing even if it was off the beaten path. It is not in the main temple area of Siem Reap and is about 45 minutes away. It certainly felt worth traveling to!

R: Agreed. And I think it paired nicely with the reclining Buddha we saw earlier in the day.

A: I did forget to check out where the Buddha was facing. Did you know that he faces Angkor Wat?

R: Yes I knew that. I think the other thing that felt nice was starting to better understand how to identify some of the gods in all of the carvings—today, Angkor Wat, and all of the other temples. Especially for the Hindu gods.

A: We even got a crash course and lesson on how Ganesha, the elephant god, got his cool head. I like this mythology, but I certainly don't believe in any of it. But it's really cool to see it as a part of history, and how it is inscribed into the architecture of the buildings.

R: I think in general this day 2 of our only two full days in Siem Reap allowed us to experience a lot of what the area had to offer.

A: What I am happy about is also seeing tourism return. Little by little I have seen more people every day since we arrived. Two days ago there was practically no one around at 8pm. Now, it feels like a real tourist city. That's good for the people who make a living here but I think I'm ready to ditch town.

R: Agreed!

[pronititravelagency]

Exploring The Wonders Of Cambodia: A Journey Through The Heart Of Southeast Asia

Cambodia, with its rich tapestry of history, culture, and natural beauty, offers an unparalleled adventure for those seeking an immersive travel experience. From the awe-inspiring temples of Angkor to the lush landscapes and vibrant local life, Cambodia is a treasure trove for adventurers. One of the best ways to uncover its hidden gems is through the "13 Days Cambodia Adventure Tour," a thoughtfully designed itinerary offered by Proniti Travel. Let’s delve into what makes this tour a standout choice for intrepid explorers.

Day 1-3: Embracing the Enchantment of Siem Reap

The adventure begins in Siem Reap, a gateway to the legendary Angkor Archaeological Park. The tour offers a captivating exploration of Angkor Wat, the world’s largest religious monument, renowned for its grandeur and intricate carvings. A visit to Angkor Thom, the last capital of the Khmer Empire, reveals the majestic Bayon Temple, with its enigmatic smile-clad faces, and the Terraces of the Elephants and the Leper King.

Beyond the ancient ruins, the tour includes a visit to the floating village of Kompong Phluk. Here, travelers can experience a unique boat ride through the flooded forest and floating homes, offering a glimpse into the daily lives of local communities.

Day 4-6: The Natural Wonders of Battambang and Phnom Penh

Next, the tour journeys to Battambang, known for its charming countryside and well-preserved colonial architecture. Highlights include a ride on the famous Bamboo Train, a thrilling and nostalgic experience as you traverse through the serene countryside.

In Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s bustling capital, travelers will explore the poignant history of the Khmer Rouge era at the Killing Fields and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. The tour also includes visits to the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda, showcasing the opulence and artistic heritage of the Cambodian monarchy.

Day 7-10: The Coastal Charm of Kep and Kampot

Moving south, the tour arrives at the coastal town of Kep, famous for its picturesque beaches and seafood. A boat trip to Rabbit Island offers pristine beaches and a chance to unwind amidst stunning seascapes.

The nearby town of Kampot, known for its pepper plantations, provides a more laid-back experience. Visitors can explore the lush plantations, learn about the region’s famous pepper, and enjoy a tranquil boat ride on the Kampot River.

Day 11-13: The Hidden Gems of Mondulkiri

The final leg of the journey takes travelers to Mondulkiri, a region known for its lush forests and diverse wildlife. Here, adventurers can partake in soft trekking through the verdant landscapes, visiting waterfalls, and immersing themselves in the local culture of the Bunong ethnic minority.

The tour also includes an exciting elephant experience where visitors can interact with these gentle giants in an ethical and respectful manner, learning about their conservation and role in local traditions.

Why Choose the 13 Days Cambodia Soft Adventure Tour?

The "13 Days Cambodia Soft Adventure Tour" curated by Proniti Travel offers a well-rounded and engaging experience for those looking to explore Cambodia’s diverse offerings. The tour is designed to cater to travelers seeking both adventure and relaxation, combining historical exploration with natural beauty and cultural immersion.

With a thoughtful itinerary, professional guides, and a commitment to responsible tourism, Proniti Travel ensures a seamless and enriching journey through Cambodia’s heart and soul. Whether you’re a history buff, nature enthusiast, or cultural explorer, this tour promises an unforgettable adventure in one of Southeast Asia’s most captivating destinations.

[cindyhangrad604]

Unpacking Choose Elements

Buddha Statue #1

Explain the Origin of this Element? Buddha’s position helps the viewer to understand what kind of figure he is. His presence shows that he’s in full possession of virtue and wisdom as he observes those who look upon him as a source of energy and joy.

Where did you get this Element? Mum had brought this object for our dining room, where the Buddha statue is displayed on top of our bookshelves. This exemplifies how cultural objects linger in our homes and are taken for granted.

Why is this Element Significant to you? This element is significant to me because the statute has symbolic meaning and has taught me to discover where my values and beliefs stem from. The values and beliefs of the religion want to teach others how to be resilient, learn how to let go, mindfulness and acceptance. This is the source of my beliefs and values; while I am not religious, it has helped me understand who I am.

How is this Element Significant to your Creativity? Acts as a foundation in how I approach a design issue. Religion can be intimidating to the general audience. This element is significant to my creativity as it encourages me to reframe how Buddha is represented visually.

Family Photograph #2

Explain the Origin of this Element? Photograph of my Grandmother and Uncle in a refugee camp. This photograph was used to show proof of their relationship in order for a refugee application to be accepted in New Zealand.

Between 1975 and 1992, many refugees escaped the murderous regime of the Khmer Rouge. Many had to leave their hometown and had to make sacrifices for the safety of themselves and their loved ones. Cambodian journeys. (n.d.). https://natlib.govt.nz/schools/teaching-and-learning-resources/te-kupenga-stories-of-aotearoa-nz/cambodian-journeys

Where did you get this Element? This object was found in my Grandmother's wallet. Photographs can have sentimental value and hold the power to evoke emotions, trigger memories and bring a sense of comfort.

Why is this Element Significant to you? This element is important to me because it allows me to feel connected to my heritage and gaining insight of the environment in which my family grew up. This had made me to learn and appreciate the sacrifices they've made for a better life.

How is this Element Significant to your Creativity? At first, the exploration of my family background and their cultural upbringing and heritage led me to realise a deeper meaning. This element is significant to my creativity is that I wanted to preserve and showcase the sacrifices my family members have made.

Sampot #3

Explain the Origin of this Element? The Sampot (Traditional Khmer Clothing) was created in the 1st century during the Funan era when Cambodian royalty was receiving Chinese government officials. The Cambodian king ordered his people to wear the Sampot in order to cover themselves and please the Chinese visitors.

Where did you get this Element? Tailor Made for the first temple visit in celebrating it's opening.

Why is this Element Significant to you? This element is significant to me. It was my first cultural clothing piece, where I felt connected to my ethnic background. Showcasing a part in who I am.

How is this Element Significant to your Creativity? These elements are significant to my creativity as I like to take inspiration from the style of the clothing. For example, how it’s presented (Elegant, Extravagent), taking inspiration from its patterns.

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The influence of Chinese culture in the creation of Sampots can still be seen in the patterns and colours of the silk used to make them. Generally speaking, Sampots are made from a beautiful piece of embroidered silk. The fabrics are normally dyed with rich colours and decorated with gold embroideries. Many Sampots are secured at the waist by a golden belt. Traditional dress in Cambodia. (2023, May 15). Personalized and Stress-free Experiences in Asia | Asia Highlights. https://www.asiahighlights.com/cambodia/cambodia-dress

Family Business #4

Explain the Origin of this Element? Bakery sign that was installed before my parents had brought the business.

Where did you get this Element? N/A.

Why is this Element Significant to you? Being a daughter who is a part of a family-owned business. My parents owned a bakery, where I had spent the majority of my childhood. This element is significant to me. The impact of being a part of a family business has its moments and hardships. What I miss about this place, was the community and the relationships I've developed while working there.

How is this Element Significant to your Creativity? Being able to serving a community.

Custom Handscroll #5

Explain the Origin of this Element? N/A

Where did you get this Element? I had gotten this hand scroll custom-made in Vietnam, celebrating TET New Year with my friend and her family. 成 – To be successful 德 – Moral & Virtue.

Why is this Element Significant to you? This element is significant to me as it helped me to feel a sense of belonging. It plays a crucial role in shaping how we view the world and feel connected to those who hold the wisdom and insights of those who came before us. It's also the time for loved ones to come together and celebrate the new year. I haven't celebrated it since my grandparents moved out. Growing up it has made me realise how much I missed the preparation and coming together with others to celebrate it.

How is this Element Significant to your Creativity? This element is significant in my creativity as Chinese calligraphy is to be seen as a form of art.

[stockton-ca]

Things to Do in Stockton CA

The city of Stockton, California is home to a series of traveler places, parks, and celebrations. Whether you're preparing a journey or are simply searching for things to do with the household, you can find plenty to keep everyone disorderly.

The Haggin Museum is a great location to go to. It lies in Achievement Park and holds more than 2 hundred forty art work. Visitors will likewise find Japanese woodblock prints, illuminated manuscripts, and other artifacts. This museum is complimentary to participate in.

You can likewise take a look at the Kid's Museum Of Stockton, which has a range of interactive exhibits and screens. It's likewise a remarkable location to read more about the city's history.

There are numerous museums in Stockton CA. The Haggin Museum, which opened in 1931, has a fantastic collection of artifacts and works by American and around the world artists. These consist of the best collection of Albert Bierstadt paintings. Other areas include an antique combine harvester, a brought back tractor, and a significant collection of J.C. Leyendecker's illustrations.

The city of Stockton has a long and many farming customized. If you have an interest in discovering more about the location's food and farming, you can go to the Stockton Accredited Farmers' Market. Regional veggies and fruit is utilized at helpful expenses.

The city of Stockton CA has numerous marinas. While you're there, you can similarly take in a computer game at the Stockton Kings, which is an NBA G League group. Throughout the season, they play computer game at the Stockton Arena.

If you have an interest in shopping, have a look at the Marvel Mile, which is a pedestrian-friendly area of Pacific Possibility in Downtown Stockton. There are stores, dining facilities, and clubs here. A lot of the dining facilities use an excellent choice of food and house-made sodas.

When you're in the area, you need to also have a look at the Downtown Asian Farmers' Market, which is the earliest outdoors market in the state. It uses local veggies and fruit and other Asian items.

You may similarly delight in Pixie Woods, a theme park in Stockton. The park includes a series of flights and tourist locations, consisting of a merry-go-round, a pirate ship, a Pixie Express train flight, a dragon water play area, and a terrific forest. Guests will also get to ride the Pixie Queen Boat through the Pirate Lagoon.

The city of Stockton has lots to utilize visitors, nonetheless you'll require to make your own strategies. There are numerous things to do, including a variety of celebrations, museums, and parks. Make certain to call ahead to find the opening hours of each place. Take a look at evaluations of the Stockton destinations prior to your go to, to ensure you delight in.

Among the most remarkable locations in Stockton is the Wat Dhammararam Buddhist Temple. This temple is distinct due to the fact that it was founded by Cambodian refugees. Here, you can see more than 90 statues of spiritual figures, and see the amazing temple building. In April, you can go to the temple's Cambodian New Year event.

The city of Stockton has good deals of parks and marinas, in addition to museums. You can discover more about the city's history at the Haggin Museum or the Kid's Museum.

RenewMD Beauty and Wellness, a Medical Spa in Stockton 3133 W March Ln Suite 1040A, Stockton, CA 95219 +1 209-952-2251 https://renewmdwellness.com/stockton-beauty-and-wellness-medical-spa/ Tuesday- Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm,

[travelingtracy-3]

Journey to Cambodia and Vietnam

Traveling Days

The journey to Cambodia and Vietnam was an adventure in itself lasting 38 hours over 14 time zones door to door… Denver to Philadelphia to Doha, Qatar, to Bangkok to Siem Reap, Cambodia. Yes, we flew east on Qatar Airlines which is amazing - 4 delicious airline meals (not an oxymoron in this case) and great service. 

(Not many photos for these traveling days - more starting Day 1) And Doha was a cultural experience as we were about the only people who looked like us. Of course there were separate prayer rooms for women located right next to the restrooms. The clothes were a mixture of cultures from bejeweled women covered in colorful scarves and long robes with the earrings attached outside the headscarf to young girls already covered except for the face. On the plane we were next to an orange clad monk and behind a young wife completely covered in smooth black except for eye slits revealing beautifully made up eyes and her hands were carefully manicured. She was accompanied by her protective, brawny husband.

Arriving an hour late in Bangkok, we had to dash to another airport to catch the flight for our last leg. I’m not sure that I have ever seen Eric move so fast on his replaced ankle. Luckily he had arranged for a driver to meet us and take us across the city in a crazy hour long dash. Traffic is chaotic with a free for all at blinking yellow lights where u-turns compete with those going straight and scooter# weave in and out. We made it and took the last hour long flight where even water had to be purchased. Finally Siem Reap, with its connection to Angkor Wat, and the lovely welcoming FCC Angkor hotel.

Day 1 - Two temples and lots of learning

So much to learn at the temples at Angkor which was the capital of the country 9th to 15th centuries, and each king created a new temple so the development of the art is beautiful.  During this time most of Southeast Asia was Cambodia (and now the Cambodians seem to have an inferiority complex about their standing in the area. ) The kings were Hindu and later the biggest temple was converted to Buddhism, hence Angkor Wat (Wat meaning Buddhist monastery).  Except for one forward thinking king who made one temple at Angkor Thom for both Hindu and Buddhism as a way to unify the religions.  

Ta Prohm is the temple where they kept the invading trees which create a very different feeling.

In the past Westerners have taken art which we enjoy in our museums, but it does seem better that it remain where it was intended; instead we see headless Buddhas and empty plinths. In some cases, the statue has been returned and we can see the seams where it has been reattached.

Banteay Srei was the only one built of rose-pink sandstone with its intricate carvings.  Some think it may have been carved by women.

The view after climbing the steps at Pre Rup was a delight. It was also a crematory and stupa (repository for ashes).

And along the way, our delightful guide told us many things:

Petrol is very expensive so it is smuggled in from Thailand and sold along the road in small stands where owners put it into the ubiquitous scooters using a funnel.

“We eat anything that is living except human beings.” This came from the starvation of the Khmer Rouge famine among others; even fruit bats are not safe from the sling shots.

Cambodians are often smaller due to reliance on rice, and they hope the next generations will show improvement.  

Sadly we saw women with white makeup because they think whiter skin is better, and sometime get nose jobs because the European nose is seen as more desirable.

Day 2 - Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom

Morning at Angkor Wat was breathtaking. The size of the undertaking and the use of bas relief to tell stories - so impressive! It has always been an active religious site and was converted to Buddhism- reportedly the largest religious site in the world.

Fascinating to me that all religions seem to have a means for promoting civilization-enhancing behaviors and punishing wrongdoers.  Here those who are judged as unworthy are sent to Hindu hell via a trap door.

It would be so wonderful to have been alive to see the apsaras (dancers). At one point they were all kidnapped to Siam/Thailand along with the intellectuals and artists - so much fighting between these civilizations over the millennials.

We saw several wedding shoots along the way which are a big deal.  Traditional weddings last 2-3 days and still often involve asking parents for permission and even arranged marriages.

Much renovation is occurring at many of these World Heritage site temples, funded and coordinated by such countries as India, Germany, Czech Republic. So grateful for the work of these engineers who oversee local workers.

Angkor Thom was a built as the capital city by the last great king Jayavarman VII in 12th century who also funded 100 hospitals and also rest stops along the major routes. Here the smiling faces which were atop the 54 towers.

In Bayon Temple, the bas reliefs are different and show everyday life included the birth of a child in a hospital.

and the support of the Chinese in fending off enemies.   Note the different eye shape and the hair buns.  Most cities even now have a “Chinatown.”

Our guide would take us to isolated lotus ponds or open fields to talk about politics.  

It is a repressive government where the head has maintained power since 1987 in “elections” where he gets 100% of the vote.  He was once part of the Khmer Rouge but claims that he also was a victim of the brain washing.  Opposition leaders are in exile or disappeared. Corruption is rampant.  

The pool at the hotel was a welcome respite from the oppressive heat and humidity although the locals wear long sleeves because they find it so much cooler in this season and to keep skin lighter.

Day 3 - Toward the boat

Good bye to Siem Reap as we boarded the bus with a group for a 5 hour drive to our boat for a week cruise with Pandaw on the Mekong River. https://www.pandaw.com/expeditions/classic-mekong.

So much to see as we traveled through villages on paved and unpaved roads. It is the end of the rainy season here,  the waters are receding, and the rice is being harvested.  Cambodia is very proud that it just got first prize again in the SE Asia rice competition.  The fields are so green.

Many harvest and thresh by hand but some use rustic machines. Then the rice is spread out in the yards to dry.  As we saw people walking through the rice to turn it and chickens pecking away, I decided that perhaps I need to sort my rice better before cooking and certainly I need to appreciate where it comes from.

 The rice is bagged, often by hand, and the delivered to the distribution centers.

Cows and oxen are used to plow the fields with some use of a tractor variation.  “Cows are part of the family.” They are a different breed which looked very skinny to us.  They don’t produce milk which is all imported from Thailand and Vietnam.

 Transportation: Scooters everywhere darting in and out of traffic which is surprisingly quiet without much honking - and traffic signals seem to be mere suggestions.

Scooters carry 1-4 people and often lots of merchandise; usually the helmet law is enforced.

Tractors usually used for plowing are converted into road transportation pulling the carts.

Tuktuks using motorbikes are a common way to get around.

Cars vary from used, good condition, clean, often high end to a few Mercedes, Porsche.

 Health care: There are few resources, lab equipment, etc. and although it supposed to be free, people are often asked to pay to receive better care. There is a lack of trust in the doctors as one guide reported that people are told they need surgery when medicine would cure.  

We saw this mother on a scooter taking her child home still attached to his IV. 66% of pregnant women are anemic so infant mortality is high.  

Arrived at the boat at Kampong Chan on the Mekong River. There are 27 in the group for this segment and only 2 other Americans; friendly Brits, Aussies, German couple, and a group of 8 Israelis who keep to themselves. Onward down the river!

Day 4 - Village life

I awaken on the boat to the sound of gamelan music and chants of monks from the shore.  This is an immense river that travels 2700 miles and rises and falls up to 40 feet! with the annual flood cycle in the rainy season. 60 million people depend on the river for livelihood.

The Buddhist monks came to the boat this morning to bless us. One of the monks just radiated in person, and his smile was incandescent; I want some of what he has! Almost all Cambodians (or Khmers as they prefer to be called) are Buddhist, and we are almost always greeted with a bow.

We walk through a village seeing the typical houses on stilts for the flood water, and this construction also allows for a shaded living and storage space beneath.  The bamboo floor of the well-kept upper level allows for good air circulation.

A gracious woman and her husband greet us at her home which she is very proud to show with us. She and her husband were in a forced marriage ceremony with 25 others during the Khmer Rouge time. She was so happy to pull out pictures of her grown children to show us.

The husband did not want to smile big because his teeth were bad; but look at those eyes!  Both of them are 67 years old, and the elder son has come back to the village to be with them in their old age as there is not a system of pension or organized elder care.

It seems a bit surprising that there are no bad smells; everyone is clean, and laundry hangs to dry everywhere.  There is constant sweeping of dirt floors, washing scooters, and collecting leaves into a pile.  

And here two teens bathe at the back of their barge.

Visiting a silk making compound was interesting especially from my teaching experience where we raised silk worms.

There is a resurgence of interest in traditional arts among the young people, and we were treated to a demonstration of Bokator, a traditional Cambodian martial art and one of the oldest in the world.  We were so impressed with the obvious time these teens spent choreographing and practicing the close fighting; they didn’t even have an abrasion from the tumbles and contact with the cement floor.

Elaborate stupas are built by the rich to bury the family members who have died. Respect for parents is profound.  The disparity between the classes is disconcerting.

The days are full of sights, sounds, and attempts to understand this place where the smiles are genuine and the people are warm and eager to make us feel welcome.

[tiaramania]

It's not really a tiara but I wanted an excuse to feature the Cambodian royal family. They don't have any tiaras anymore and getting new ones is understandably not a priority. The current king's grandmother, Queen Sisowath Kossamak, had at least two tiaras that are now lost.

The bride is a niece of King Norodom Sihamoni and the daughter of Princess Norodom Arunrasmy and Keo Puth Rasmey. I don't know exactly how Cambodian naming customs work except that the first name is the family name and the second name is the given name. I've seen various combinations of Keo Ponita Rasmey Norodom to refer to the bride and she goes by Keo Ponita professionally as a photographer. Here is the couple with her parents.

During the ceremony, King Norodom Sihamoni and Queen Mother Monineath gave blessings to the bride and groom with a flower arrangement and palm flower petals dipped in holy water sprinkled over their heads.

And some more pictures of their beautiful outfits. The groom is a documentary filmmaker form Uruguay.

TIARA ALERT-ISH: Princess Ponita of Cambodia wore a palm flower headpiece for her wedding to Maximiliano Battaglia at the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on 12 February 2024.

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

back by popular demand: FRESH READS FRIDAY

first up: have you guys ever heard of a little indie novel called Song of Achilles?

but in all seriousness, the books I've read on this list - Song of Achilles and The Chosen and the Beautiful - they were both pretty excellent, and the synopses for the rest sound like some really interesting places to build retellings from. this list also has much more YA than most articles I share, for all my YA-heads out there.

also, as long as I'm gassing up Nghi Vo (author of The Chosen and the Beautiful)...

this list contains some of my most anticipated novels of 2022, namely Vo's Siren Queen and Grace D. Li's Portrait of a Thief (which I hopefully will have read by the time this post is published...). other gems in this list of fic and nonfic include the memoir of a Vietnamese restaurant, a Chinese American revenge western, and a pulsing short story collection centered on Cambodian-American life.

next up: that's right, we've got yet another longlist for a literary award none of you have ever heard of!

the Desmond Elliott Prize recognizes first time novelists in the UK and Ireland, and this year there's some bodacious competition. the shortlist and winners won't be announced until the summer, so there's plenty of time to read them all (you know, if you're a maniac with more free time than I can begin to imagine).

anyway, onto the obligatory SFF:

sometimes I get real cocky and go into these lists thinking there can't possibly be any titles I haven't already heard about - only to be abruptly and delightfully proven wrong! this list includes bruja vigilantes, an alternate history in which thousands of women turned into dragons in the 1950s, a space opera full of time travel and galactic politics, and a queer King Arthur retelling. personally, my interested is piqued by the delightfully odd-sounding Saint Death's Daughter.

and now for something completely different:

as I queue this up several weeks in advance, I am once again attempting to find my peace with poetry - thank you, Audre Lorde! this list contains not one, not two, but THREE collections I'm actually really looking forward to by Ocean Vuong, Akwaeke Emezi, and Saeed Jones, and if there's something here for me then there's got to be something for anybody.

lastly - quick! before April is over!

"37 books can't possibly be that many" you say, before you start scrolling through this article and see how fucking long it is. and it's got everything from witchy romance novels to generations of humans living in space to "Romeo and Juliet meets Chinese mythology." go peep it now!

[blacksunscorpio]

The Planets, Elevated

Sun

As the Most Elevated indicates a drive to express one’s creative essence and core ego values before the world. This individual will shine amongst their circle of peers. This person’s 15 minutes of fame can extend to a lifetime of fame in one area of life or another. The world is a stage they play on. They were put here on earth to display their creative gifts and talents. They tend to be leaders. Tend to be worshipped. Popular. If the elevated planet is conjunct the Midheaven, this is a strong indicator of celebrity. Martin Luther King had his Sun in Capricorn as the Zenith of his chart. Albert Einstein’s Sun was his most elevated as well.

Moon

As the Most Elevated is more inverted than the Sun. Whereas those born with the Sun highest in the chart can feel an urge toward leadership or expressing their egoic and creative impulses in a public way, those with the Moon highest are more often drawn to project their personality or their emotions into the spotlight. Many actors and musicians have this placement. Individuals with the Moon at the Zenith of their chart can become well-known for their nurturing talents. Their emotions. Their moods and the creativity surrounding them. Their temperament and what they create with them/ expressing their emotions to the public can gain them notoriety. The late John Lennon of Beatles fame had his Moon as his most elevated. Academy Award winner, Meryl Streep’s most elevated planet is the moon as well.

Mercury

As the Most Elevated indicates a native with an urge to project one’s ideas or verbal skills before the world. They will find many ways to get their voices out there or “broadcasted to the public”. The sign the Planet is in indicates how this will be done. This individual will be renowned for their linguistic, mental, and/or intellectual talents. Could become well known for their teaching abilities, writing abilities, communications abilities, or public relation abilities. Writer Sylvia Plath had Mercury in intense Scorpio as the highest planet in her chart.  

Venus

As the most elevated indicates a desire to project beauty and/or harmony in some way before the public. Widely desired/admired.  Marilyn Monroe was born with Venus as her highest planet, and she became virtually synonymous with mainstream ideals of beauty. They will be the Models, the creatives, The fashionistas, the person with a “nice girl or nice guy” persona.  This placement often leads to occupations directly or indirectly involved with aesthetics and design. Tom Hanks, widely considered as Hollywood’s nicest leading man [A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, anyone?] has Venus as his most elevated. Marilyn Monroe and David Bowie both did as well.

Mars

As the most elevated Indicates a drive to project energy and strength before the world. Muhammed Ali had Mars as his most elevated planet. Ruthless ambition. Renowned undefeated heavyweight champion in boxing. Martial arts ruled his life and where he received the most notoriety. Definitely a feisty placement as well as one that will make the native hard to ignore. This placement indicates a leader. The types to set shit off. The type to be the “boss” in whatever field of work they choose. Spearhead some sort of militant movement. The ‘Gangster” placement. Very often seen in the charts of those who take part in sports. Franklin D. Roosevelt had Mars as his most elevated planet and he was the driving for behind America’s decision to partake in WWII. Founding father of the Mafia Lucky Luciano also had Mars at the zenith of his chart.

Jupiter

As the most elevated Indicates there is confidence about matters of career or dealings with the public. As a result, this is one of the leading chart indicators of popularity and success, as well as general “good luck,”. Global awareness, travel, teaching, and philosophical/spiritual matters will be their forte. The “prophet” or “guru” aspect. Someone who’s calling in life may involve lots of travel or they can be a “citizen of the world”. Angelina Jolie has Jupiter at the highest point in her chart and not only was her film career a huge success, but she also became a bit of a 2nd Mother Teresa, traveling internationally to adopt children, and doing humanitarian work worldwide. There is also an interest in different spiritual teachings [i.e the Cambodian prayer tattoo on her left shoulder blade.]  This is one of the hardest-hitting horoscopic indicators of popularity and success, as well as general “fortune/luck” in life. Basketball heavyweight Michael Jordan has Jupiter at the Zenith of his chart as does Kim Kardashian. This is also an indicator of one who can become famous or well known for their ideas/thoughts on spirituality. If Jupiter is in Virgo, the native can become renowned for their writings on esoteric or spiritual matters.

Saturn

As the most elevated Like Jupiter, Saturn near the top of one’s chart can show considerable success and prominence in one’s life. But unlike Jupiter, this usually involves far more work and a few tough building blocks along the way. There’s a “late bloomer” quality to the lives of these natives. Many instances, they can experience great struggle in building their career and reputation — that constant ‘between a rock and a hard place”. Yet these people often live to see great rewards and prestige as a result of said hard work. The types to be in inevitable positions of authority in whatever they do but also the types to hold themselves to impossible standards. They must be the best. They will often become well known/ be in positions that involve structure. For example, Queen Elizabeth has this placement, I don’t know a life more structured than the life of a monarch. Spanish artist Picasso was born with Saturn in Taurus as his highest planet; he was subject to enormous criticism regarding his art early on, but eventually found prosperity and fame as a result of his discipline and productivity. Bill Clinton has Saturn at his Zenith and became the leader of the free world. Jazz musician Louis Armstrong rose from an intensely difficult childhood in Louisiana to become a pioneering artist admired by audiences all over the world.

Uranus

As the most elevated indicates a native who possesses a fiercely independent streak and a desire to pursue uniquely personal or unconventional life paths. The weirdo who becomes famous for being.. well, a weirdo. Needless to say, this generally makes it difficult for these people to adapt to rigid routines and structured environments, and in terms of career, they like to have/need as long a leash as possible. They think outside the box and as a result, can gain prestige for doing just that. The “fuck it I do what I want” aspect. This attitude may make them famous and even admired. Geniuses. Actor Steve McQueen had Uranus in Aries as his highest planet, and virtually became Hollywood’s poster boy for the ‘Rebel’ archetype. He also spent time in reform school as an adolescent. The late great Nipsey Hussle had Uranus at the Zenith of his chart and he lived his life in unapologetic opposition to the law being part of the Rolling 60′s Crip gang. You can see this rebel spirit in many of his songs that went platinum. Many Astronauts including Edgar Mitchell have this placement. Those with Uranus as their most elevated see “beyond”. This also indicates the maverick spirit of innovation. This placement is often connected to technology or the media [remember, Uranus has an ‘electric’ energy to it]. A prime example is Apple computer founder Steve Jobs who had Jupiter and Uranus in conjunction as his highest point.

Neptune

As the most elevated indicates a spirit of “reaching for the stars”. I see this planet most elevated in the charts of those renowned for their artistic talents. ESPECIALLY in music and the arts. Many actors have this placement, which is fitting considering Neptune is the planet of dreams/fantasy, and actors are paid to pretend to be someone else. Famous for the mask they wear. Powerful spiritual impulses. An inspiring individual. Can become famous/well known for their idealism or the spiritual messages they send out to the world. When well aspected or unafflicted it can indicate an individual who can become revered for their fantastical ideas. Walt Disney’s most elevated planet was Neptune and I feel many of us can agree that his classic works of fantasy shaped our childhoods. His billion-dollar empire still stands today decades after his death. Elevated Neptunian Bruce Lee not only brought martial arts to the attention of thousands but also expounded on its spiritual philosophy in writings and interviews. He even created Jeet Kune Do, a martial art deeply rooted in spirituality, wrote a book about it, too. 44th President Barack Obama has Neptune as his most elevated planet and his campaign slogan “hope” gave many just that during the 2008 election. An affliction to this most elevated planet can still make one very well known but not necessarily for the best reasons.  When afflicted it can be a dangerous placement and one can suffer or make others suffer from fanatical or delusional teachings. Cult leader Jim Jones had Neptune has his most elevated and his spiritual teachings resulted in the death of hundreds of naive and innocent people due to drugged [Neptune] kool-aid.

Pluto

As the most elevated indicates that an individual’s career or sense of “calling” will be involved with any or all 8th house dealings. Sexuality, death, transformation, secrets, the occult. Megan Fox has Pluto at the highest degree in her chart, though she is a Taurus, her MC is in Scorpio and conjunct her Pluto which is the most elevated. She comes off an undeniable Sex [Plutonic/8th house] symbol. Same for the late great musician Prince, who was very public about sexuality. Vladimir Putin, President of Russia has his Pluto closest to his MC and he was a KGB spy. This is definitely a placement of someone with considerable power. Not one to be underestimated. Capable of covert manipulation and may/can become famous for it. They may also become well known for dealing with dark matters. Jack Kerouac, who celebrated the bohemian “underworld” had his Pluto elevated. Mary Shelly, author of Frankenstein became renowned for a book that had to do with a monster made of dead bodies transformed through supernatural means. It is now one of the first books parents will read to their children on Halloween.

Honorable Mentions

There’s been an ongoing discourse about Asteroids/Hypothetical Points being considered “elevated.” It’s a topic of debate within the astrological community. However, if we are to entertain them, this is what they can mean:

Chiron

As the most elevated indicates a calling in life dealing with healing. Dealing with the pain of others and making things better for them. A teacher that is known for helping others find their way.

Lilith

As the most elevated indicates an individual feared and admired for their rebellious sexual spirit. The seductress/seducer. The individual can become loved or hated for their ability to put their wily charms on both men and women. Audrey Hepburn had Lilith at the zenith of her chart, quite close to Saturn near the MC.

Juno

As the most elevated planet may become famous for their marriages or whom they are married to.

Vesta

Famous for their devotion or well known for becoming homemakers.

Pallas

As the most elevated can indicate someone known for their wisdom. How they temper their instincts with discretion.

[risinglotusproject]

Picture books to read during Cambodian New Year week

Happy TLC (Thai, Lao, Cambodian) New Years everyone! It is a time where we can celebrate our beautiful culture and holiday during the week of April 12th. 

If you are like me you might or might not be thinking, are there any Cambodian New Year books out there in English or bilingual for Cambodian kids? My motto is usually if it ain’t by Khmer, I won’t buy. It is because I want to support our Cambodian/Cambodian American authors. Although I make a few exceptions due to my personal curiosity. If you are like me browsing on Amazon, there are many people who would want to capitalize on the fact that there are really not that many children’s picture books, story books, etc. on Cambodian culture, holidays, stories, and more. Sellers would raise the price like crazy!

You can definitely check with your local library to see if they carry any copies of these books rather than buying first. Remember, your VOICE matters, and the public library is there to support our communities! If they don’t carry a copy, you can always make a suggestion for purchase.

Let me share with you with what I have found:

Cambodian New Year by Michele Dufresne 

Cost: $6.00

https://pioneervalleybooks.com/products/cambodian-new-year

Book Summary: A little girl recounts a Cambodian celebration at her school as well as interesting facts about this special day of the year.

My personal thoughts: Easy reader book with photographs. Published in 2006 and the photos are a bit blurry. Not too in depth on Cambodian New Year. The story is narrated in the voice of the young Cambodian girl. This book totally reminds me of my childhood, dancing the “Deer dance” in the school auditorium for all to see. Kinda embarrassing and fun for me.  

Sinat and the Instrument of the Heart : A Story of Cambodia by Chath pierSath

https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/sinat-and-the-instrument-of-the-heart-a-story-of-cambodia-make-friends-around-the-world_chath-piersath/

Cost: Varies, you can purchase from Thriftbooks, Amazon, etc. for $4.00 and up (also a cd might not accompany the book if purchased used)

 Summary: Sinat is a young boy in Cambodia. He learns to play a thousand-year-old string instrument from the last great living master who teaches him the special skill. The story is based on the real-life experience of a boy named Sinat, whose actual musical performance is recorded on the CD that accompanies this book.

My personal thoughts: To quote the Khmer author, “There are many ways to be human, as there are many ways to be Cambodian.” -Chath pierSath

The Last King of Angkor Wat by Graeme Base

Cost: $17.95

http://graemebase.com.au/book/the-last-king-of-angkor-wat/

Summary: A timeless fable full of adventure and beauty from a much-loved storyteller. Tiger, Gibbon, Water Buffalo and Gecko are sitting amongst the ruins of ancient Angkor Wat, wondering which of them would have made the best king. The appearance of a mysterious visitor leads them to discover their true selves in a race to a distant hilltop.

My personal thoughts: Super fun book. I brought this book to a Khmer kids’ after school program and the kids loved it! The artwork is amazing. It almost feels like you are racing with the animals! Also a bonus search and find puzzle for readers. How many butterflies can you find in the pictures? It might be a challenge to find a copy of this book, but it's a popular book that you can probably find in your local library as this author published many other picture books as well. 

(I personally carry 2 copies and I might do a give away for one of them!)

In My Village by Lauren Iida and Carolyn R. Hall, Illustrated collaboratively

Cost: $12.00

 http://www.theantipodescollective.com/our-books.html

(The hyperlinks for purchasing these books will take you to Amazon.com) 

Summary: This Khmer-English bilingual story highlights things children would find in a typical village in Cambodia. This story is a beautiful journey into the traditional Khmer lifestyle. Illustrated collaboratively by a group of Seattle-based artists in paint, cut paper, woodblock print and more. ​

With its captivating illustrations and simple text, written in both Khmer and English, this book is designed to speak to Cambodian children in a fun and accessible way. 

My personal thoughts: Support Lauren Iida and the Antipodes Collective, period. They print bilingual Khmer and English picture books! Although I was told that the Khmer parts might have some typos, keep in mind, the wonderful projects they are doing to elevate the lives of Khmer folks. If I was to say, was there any Khmer narrative first person book that I enjoy reading, it has to be this one. I pictured the similarities in my life growing up in the states to the voice of the narrator growing up in Srok Khmer.

Other Great Reads:

Drawn Together by Minh Le

http://minhlebooks.com/drawntogether

Summary: 

“A beautifully told and illustrated story about a grandson and grandfather struggling to communicate across divides of language, age, and culture.” 

— Viet Thanh Nguyen, Pulitzer Prize winner for The Sympathizer

My personal thoughts: A beautiful book that really hits home for many of us growing up and losing parts of our identity. This book beautifully illustrated a relationship between a grandparent and child and how they found a common ground. 

Great news! More Cambodian story books to be published, follow on social media and stay tuned!

Support this Kickstarter! Sovann Macha retold by Vickie Hong 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sovannmacha/sovann-macha

Lunch With Samnang will be publish by Tangerine and Jade Press

https://www.facebook.com/tangerineandjadepress

Tangerine and Jade Press: Children’s books that celebrate diversity

[noona96n]

Rules: tag 9 people you want to know better/catch up with then answer these questions

tagged by @drivingsideways33

-

3 ships

(i'll go with the latest ships i read)

jo yeong/kang sinjae (the king: eternal monarch)

i haven't actually watched the drama yet lmao. i only went into jo yeong's page on ao3 because he's portrayed by woo dohwan and i got into woo dohwan because of my country the new age

my love for this ship is credited entirely to @drivingsideways33 & @rain-hat

the characters suffer so poetically, so heartbroken but so steadfast in their love, loyalty and devotion. they have so much potential and @drivingsideways33 & @rain-hat wrote amazing, beautiful, entertaining and profound fics for this pairing

(I don't have a pic of them from the drama, sowwyyyyyyy)

kurosaki ichigo/kuchiki rukia (bleach)

u know how we always complain about queerbaiting and how our non-straight ships 'would've been a couple if they're straight'? well....................... ichigo & rukia are straight & they didn't end up as a couple. SMH. rukia ends up with renji (which, okay, kinda understandable, childhood to lover) while ichigo ends up w/ orihime??????????

bruh, no

ichigo/rukia is IT, okay?

they are the human boy and the shinigami, the strawberry and the death, the black sun and white moon, the sand and the rotator.

he is the sun that locks Heaven and she is the moon that eclipses the night, the rain drags black sun down but the rain dried by white moon.

she saved his life, she changed his destiny. he went to rescue her but it was he who received help. the power in his hand, he gained it for her sake, he will (and did) pass through a thousand blades just to save her

he wondered if he can keep up with the speed of the world without her in it

and he knew that nothing else can change his world

because, thanks to her, the rain has stopped falling

(all those poetic stuff i just spouted? those are all CANON poems/quotes from the mangaka, okay? idk why tf he didn't make them canon)

(ironic how my absolute fav panel of them is the one where ichigo loses the ability to see rukia)

nakahara chuuya/dazai osamu (bungou stray dogs)

(i stopped by yokohama's chinatown on my way to shizuoka and was attacked by all yokohama sceneries, was reminded of bungou stray dogs, and went on a BSD rereading binge lol)

they are soukoku (双黒, twin dark, double black), the vicious duo of Yokohama, the sheepdog and the mackerel, the king and the demon prodigy.

they're the classic love/hate relationship, enemies to reluctant partners in crime (and to lovers).

they were forced to work together because 'diamonds can only be polished by diamonds' and their partnership is one of 'pure trust where both of them are capable of leaving each other's life on the other's hand without a second thought or doubt'

chuuya puts his life in dazai's hands every time he uses corruption, believing in dazai unconditionally; it doesn't matter that dazai already left the port mafia (and him)

as the creators themselves mentioned, chuuya was originally designed for dazai

(also, the they have unlimited potential as a yandere ship; i always love me some psycho and unhealthy relationships, they're interesting to read and dissect)

(yes, this is the official art for them. yes, dazai's head is tilted upward as if waiting for a kiss. and yes, the red camellia is 'their' flower)

last song

california sunset by matt pokora

last movie

miss hokusai (my absolute favorite Ghibli movie)

currently craving

i actually have a list of Cambodian food that i miss (but can't make because of the lack of ingredient and lack of skill lol) and i'm gonna eat them all when i visit home (i misS HOME ಥ_ಥ)

but the one i'm craving the most is... fish amok especially the ones served in banana leaves... THE SMELL, THE MOUSSE TEXTURE OF THE SOUP, THE CHEWINESS OF THE FISH... Y U M

i'm also kinda craving deep-fried tarantula tbh lol, the garlic-y smell, the crunchiness, the salty taste, U R G H, I WANT!

currently reading

adaptations of the metropolitan landscape in delta regions by peter bosselmann (it's related to my field of study, lol, im not currently reading actual books for pleasure)

-

i'm tagging @rain-hat & @goldengalaxies (only if u want to!)

[baldwincountyal-blog]

Baldwin County: Have some quality time

When you are on a trip, what you love to do most. Everyone loves to explore the place as per their own choice and enjoy time with family and friends. At Baldwin County, you can have some of the best options whether one wants to go for food, drink, locations, and entertainment. You can check with lots of places here and go for the most suitable one as per your choice and taste. Whether you love natural beauty, recipes, culture, animals, finance, games, or even food, you can have the perfect option to go. For more such info, you can check http://bayside-plumbing.com/. 

Here are some of the most visited places which are within a few kilometers from the city. 

· Bulls Eye Axe Throwing Newmarket: If you are willing to test your skills for axing and hitting the bull's eye, this is the location to spend some time. It is located in the Newmarket area with lots of games and entertainment where one can enjoy the moments. 

· Little Caesars: If you are in love with pizza and want to try some of the best pizza recipes. The visitors here are provided with some of the best pizzas with the local taste that can help one know the taste of this beautiful city. 

· Tatlows Broiler Bar: If you want to taste some of the best varieties in seafood, you cannot miss visiting this place. Located in the proximity of this city, this Bar offers not only seafood but also some of the best drinks, including local makes. 

· Fishbone Kitchen + Wine Bar: If you want to go for fish and other seafood as well as wine with wide varieties, this is the place you must check-in. You can find recipes which are famous as well as with local style and taste. 

· Cambodian Noodle King: For those who love to enjoy some noodles and taste of Cambodian food, this is the restaurant to check for. Here one can find not only Cambodian but also Asian and Chinese foods. For Thai food lovers also this is the right destination to enjoy a wide variety of food here. 

[ingek73]

Royals

8 Designers on What It’s Like to Dress Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex

8 Slides

By Gina Marinelli

August 2, 2019

Meghan Markle arrives at the Terrance Higgins Trust World AIDS Day charity fair at Nottingham Contemporary on December 1...

Christopher Furlong

Everyone remembers their first time. They compare it to feeling like a kid on Christmas morning and recall their phones exploding with more notifications than humanly possible to respond to. Some need to take a step back in order to fully understand the significance of the moment—when Meghan Markle gave their fashion brand her personal stamp of approval.

Influencer marketing may be powerful, but these brands can attest: Not much compares to the Duchess of Sussex's being photographed wearing one of your pieces, triggering the Meghan Markle Effect. It can shift conversations entirely for those already established brands, and it can throw a little-known at-home operation onto the global stage in an instant.

“In terms of growing our business exponentially, Meghan has enabled us to do this in a very tangible, immediate way,” says James Bartle, founder and CEO of Outland Denim. The Australian brand is on a mission to create responsibly made denim while supporting ethical work conditions, especially in its facility in Cambodia. Markle wore the label repeatedly during her royal tour of Australia in 2018, and its sales skyrocketed, allowing the under-the-radar business to grow. “You cannot put a price on the brand recognition nor the credibility that the duchess is able to bestow on a small, socially oriented enterprise such as ours,” says Bartle.

Outland's success story isn't unique. Many other designers that the Duchess of Sussex has touched since her public persona shifted from actress to royalty, British Vogue guest editor, curator of her own fashion collection, and [pal to Beyoncé],(https://www.glamour.com/story/beyonce-meghan-markle-lion-king) can attest to her impact. In their own words, the designers ahead explain exactly what happened when Markle wore their creations.

1/8

Sentaler

Meghan Markle was initially introduced to Sentaler when she visited the flagship showroom while living in Toronto. She had been seen wearing Sentaler coats in Toronto while out and about as well as while she was filming Suits. Before her engagement to Prince Harry, it was amazing to see her continue to wear the brand. She was seen wearing the Sentaler Royal Baby Alpaca Classic Wrap in Sand Grey, which instantly spiked global demand and we now call the Meghan Wrap.

The most significant appearance—and one of the most memorable days for me as a designer—was when Meghan once again appeared in Sentaler during her first official appearance with the queen, during the Christmas service in Sandringham in 2017. She wore the Long Wide Collar Wrap Coat in Camel, a signature style that has been in my collections from the early days. She styled it impeccably, and I was so honored that she chose to wear Sentaler on such a significant day for her.

Meghan appeared in Sentaler once again in early 2019, wearing the Long Wide Collar Wrap Coat in our fall 2019 Color of the Year, Scarlet Red. This was one of Meghan’s most memorable appearances. The bold, unconventional red and purple color combination was striking and so perfectly put together.

We've experienced the Meghan Markle Effect many times. The impact of her appearances are tremendous and always cause a major spike in our e-commerce traffic and social media channels. Every coat she has worn has immediately sold out and gone on multiple back orders, while also causing similar ripple effects throughout our entire product offerings. We received media attention and awareness from all over the world. She's an incredible style icon, and her influence is simply palpable. —Bojana Sentaler, president and creative director of Sentaler

2/8

Karen Walker

Her royal highness’s style feels very authentic to me. It isn’t forced at all—it’s real and captures her personality. That’s what people love about her approach to fashion.

She first wore our designs in 2014 and many times since, but I think my favorite moment would have to be when she emerged from a plane, after touching down in New Zealand, wearing our Banks Trench. It was a thrill to have her first official appearance in my country wearing one of our pieces—and wearing it so well.

Obviously, anytime the right product is worn by the right person at the right time, there’s a commercial impact. We’ve been lucky enough to experience that on countless occasions with all sorts of people and from all areas of our work. However, with her royal highness, there was something even more: an interest, intrigue, and genuine curiosity about her that reaches past any other notable person we’ve ever had wear our pieces. She’s probably the person I get asked about most, and I think that that speaks to the real affection people have for her. —Karen Walker

3/8

Charlotte Elizabeth

On March 23, 2018, the Duchess of Sussex stepped off a plane in Belfast, where she was attending a royal engagement alongside Prince Harry. This was one of their final outings before the wedding, so the Meghan Markle Effect was in full force. At the time Charlotte Elizabeth was running from my bedroom—among bags here, there, and everywhere in my parents' house!—so it felt monumental seeing the duchess happily wearing the Chestnut Bloomsbury bag so beautifully among other well-respected designers. It was the most surreal day of my life.

Within seconds of the duchess wearing the Bloomsbury, we had orders from around the world. Our Instagram pretty much broke my phone. At that moment in time, I was a one-man band, so it was a pretty crazy experience, to say the least!

Over the weekend that followed the royal engagement, I began to realize the [impact of] the Meghan Markle Effect. Because each bag was handmade, we had to extend the wait time to eight months. We worked tirelessly to fulfill every order. It was tough to go from bedroom business to a larger one overnight and sacrifice other parts of life, but I have learned so many invaluable lessons throughout this experience, which has set me up for our future at Charlotte Elizabeth. An industry expert told me that what I experienced in a year was what most start-ups would in 10 years, so I’m grateful for every lesson and challenge I learned from.

Eventually we caught up with our wait list, which was the greatest sense of relief ever. I ordered myself a big cheesy pizza and I finally got some sleep (without dreaming of packing up bags for delivery)! I'm really excited to announce that we will be launching new Charlotte Elizabeth products later this year. It really is down to each and every individual supporting us to get us to where we are and where we are going. I'm deeply grateful to have been given such a tremendous opportunity and wish to use our success to inspire other women to go after their own dreams.

If I’m totally honest, it definitely didn’t sink in for about a year…. I have loved watching the gentle transition of Meghan’s style since announcing her pregnancy through now. As women, we all experience changes throughout our life that influence how we wish to portray ourselves in the world through fashion and beauty. It must be even tougher in the scrutiny of the public eye to go through such changes, but the duchess continues to inspire through her fashion choices and ability to create a look according to the event. Meghan gives us all a sense of realness, and ability to re-create attainable looks fit for a duchess! —Charlotte Elizabeth Jones, founder of Charlotte Elizabeth

4/8

Outland Denim

The first time the Duchess of Sussex appeared in Outland Denim was October 17, 2018, during the duke and duchess's visit to Dubbo. At the time I was in Cambodia visiting our production facility. I woke up to hundreds of notifications on my phone. Our staff couldn't quite believe a duchess was wearing our jeans! Meghan continued to wear her Harriet Black jeans several times during that visit.

Meghan's choosing to wear Outland Denim once is a reflection of alignment with our values. But the fact that she has chosen to wear the brand multiple times shows her preference for the product’s fit, comfort, and style, and perhaps a desire to help us achieve our mission as well. It's her subtle, dignified way of saying she cares about the work we are doing.

Meghan has opened doors for Outland Denim. She’s enabled us to not only create visibility for our brand globally but also to tell our story around the employment of vulnerable women and sustainability. Retailers, the media, and the public alike have been very keen to get to know Outland Denim thanks to her endorsement.

The immediate effect of the duchess's wearing the jeans was a website traffic increase of 3,000% to our home site and about 948% to our global group of sites. Sales increased 640% for the week following the first sighting of Meghan in our jeans. The black Harriet jeans she wore sold out in Australia in the first 24 hours.

Thanks to the Meghan Markle Effect, we were able to employ a further 46 seamstresses in our Cambodian production. When you think about the fact that what we try to do with Outland is imbue our staff members in Cambodia with a sense of dignity in their work and their value as human beings, a quiet, dignified royal endorsement such as this—while unofficial, in the sense that we don't have a Kensington Palace seal/badge—is incredibly helpful. —James Bartle, founder and CEO of Outland Denim

5/8

Strathberry

We were simply delighted when Meghan Markle chose to carry our Strathberry Midi Tote during her first royal engagement with Prince Harry in Nottingham in 2017. Then seeing her in our hometown of Edinburgh with our East/West Mini was an absolute honor. Her outing in Dublin was a special one for me, being from the Emerald Isle.

Immediately following her first outing in Nottingham, we saw sales increase considerably (by 200% to 300%). Visitor numbers to the website were also amazing. At one stage, they were up tenfold against our daily average. We had already started to take the brand international, but the support from Markle has definitely helped elevate Strathberry further. It has been such an exciting time of growth for the brand. We now employ over 30 people in our Edinburgh headquarters, with smaller teams working in Spain, London, and China. We have also just opened our second flagship store on London’s iconic Mount Street, following the opening of our first boutique in Burlington Arcade last November.

Meghan Markle always looks elegant and effortless. She mixes high-end designers with more affordable brands, which makes her style more relatable and approachable. It's also fantastic that she has been willing to support smaller brands, which in turn helps to promote and grow these labels. —Leeanne Hundleby, founder and co-owner of Strathberry

6/8

Nonie

Meghan Markle's style today has seen an incredible evolution as she’s embraced royal standards while still honoring her personal taste. She brings a modern, contemporary approach with regal flair. More than anything, I think she radiates her personality through her clothing. She knows who she is and isn’t afraid to be herself with her personal expression in fashion.

When Markle wore the classic Sleeveless Trench in Blush as a dress to the Nelson Mandela Centenary Exhibition in July 2018, it marked a monumental moment for both myself and the brand. Her effortless approach to style radiated impeccably through photos, and I think she styled it perfectly. I was tremendously honored to have her royal stamp of approval and see her nod to her previous home in Canada by supporting Canadian designers. Her unofficial endorsement helped change the future of the brand, something I'm forever grateful for.

I still feel the effect today—it's incredible. The moment she wore the trench, we sold out immediately and had a generous wait list. Because of the demand, we had to go to the mill and produce more fabric specifically for the trench dress. To this day, we're still producing the trench! Markle's support has aided in generating international recognition and global exposure for the brand on an expedited time frame. The global reaction was immediate. —Nina Kharey, founder and creative director of Nonie

7/8

Adina Reyter

The first time was the best. Meghan Markle wore the 3 Amigos Diamond post earrings to her first public engagement with the queen. I spotted my piece on the cover of a magazine—a profile of her face, a beautiful smile—and I felt a rush of excitement and shock. How did she get my earrings? Am I dreaming? We jumped through hoops in the office to figure out how this could have happened and figured out she had bought them on her own. Totally thrilling! Meghan has since worn two additional pieces, the Pavé Diamond Teardrop Necklace and Large Pavé Curve Wing Earrings, many times.

I loved the way she styled each piece—sometimes formal, most times casual. She seemed to have never taken them off, which is exactly how I designed them. Meghan’s style is simple, classic, chic, and most important, accessible. Fashion doesn’t have to be incredibly costly, and women are smart shoppers: They want to invest in pieces that are going to last. Meghan exemplifies the woman who trusts her own taste and doesn't chase trends. The fact that she chooses to wear us over and over is an honor and a testament to our brand identity: accessible fine jewelry that is designed for everyday wear.

Every time Meghan Markle appears in our jewelry, it immediately sells out on adinareyter.com and with our retailers. When Meghan wore our Diamond Pavé Teardrop Necklace, it sold out online within minutes and with all retailers nationwide by end of day. One of our most popular retailers reordered the necklace nine times and still can’t keep it in stock! —Adina Reyter

8/8

Theia

It was her royal highness's visit to the island nation of Tonga, where she wore a custom Theia gown to the state dinner hosted by the king and queen at Nuku'alofa. I felt like a six-year-old on Christmas morning! I was running around the house screaming with delight at 5:25 a.m.

It was a remarkable vote of confidence in Theia, to have been chosen to be included in that all-important royal tour, knowing every outfit would be scrutinized by the entire world. Her royal highness looked absolutely radiant, and the positive reviews she received the world over in our ivory gown were thrilling. She styled the gown with a black Givenchy clutch and the Aquazzura slingbacks. The icing on the cake was the fabulous aquamarine ring that once belonged to Princess Diana and was a gift to the duchess from her husband, the Duke of Sussex. I couldn’t have wished for a greater endorsement of my work and our brand.

Our brand was instantly talked about around the world. We're still trying to determine the long-term effect it had, but we saw huge spikes in our Instagram and web traffic. The day she wore it, we saw an additional 42,000 views on our Instagram profile and an additional 13,000 visits to our website.

The effect has been remarkable. The entire nation of Ireland collectively shared in my elation. "We" had dressed the Duchess of Sussex, and a wave of national pride swept across the nation. It truly was a remarkable day for me, my family, my colleagues here at Theia, and practically everyone on Ireland.

Her royal highness is chic, elegant, and modern. She’s a marvelous role model and an intelligent woman with an all-inclusive view of the world. And I love her clean, streamlined choices. —Don O'Neill, creative director of Theia

[southeastasianists]

Immediately to the north-west of Australia, occupying an area somewhat larger than our island-continent, are the heartlands of the pre-modern world’s most accomplished and farthest-ranging oceanic explorers, migrant settlers and traders. Today they occupy much of Southeast Asia, while their outlying settlements stretch from Madagascar to Easter Island and Hawai’i. Active and afloat across the Asian and Indian Ocean region for millennia, their maritime mercantile ventures reached northern Australia in pre-colonial centuries.

They are the diverse but culturally and linguistically related people who are collectively called Austronesians.

Both the term ‘Austronesian’ and these people’s identity as a distinct grouping are, it’s safe to say, very little recognised by most Australians or the wider world, except among specialist historians, archaeologists, ethnographers and linguists. Author Philip Bowring wants to change that with this book that is a detailed, multidisciplinary account of these quintessential seafaring and trading societies, from their prehistoric origins until now.

In particular Bowring wants the ‘general reader and public’, at whom this book is aimed, to appreciate their dynamic role in the networks of oceanic trading that stretched from Asia across the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean for thousands of years… networks that led directly to the last half millennium of European expansion, and that were the forerunners of today’s globalised economy.

Austronesians comprise most of the populations of modern Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, speaking hundreds of different but related languages. There are also minority Austronesian populations in Indochina, Burma, Thailand and Taiwan. Ethnic Thais, Cambodians, Laos, Vietnamese and Burmese of mainland South-East Asia are not Austronesians, nor were they primarily seafaring societies – the thing that most defines deep Austronesian heritage.

So to avoid confusion Bowring has coined a new term, Nusantaria, to describe Austronesian homelands on the islands and coasts of South-East Asia, from where they sailed and traded much more widely. The term comes from the Sanskrit-derived, Malay-Indonesian nusantara (‘the islands between’), referring to the archipelagos that stretch from China and South-East Asia towards Australasia. (In English this was sometimes ‘the Malay archipelago’, the title of Alfred Russell Wallace’s magnificent magnum opus published precisely 150 years ago.)

The Nusantaria concept keeps the focus on this vital maritime mercantile heartland, whereas some of the Austronesian family sailed so far away – to Micronesia, Polynesia and Madagascar – that they eventually lost contact with the ancestral sail-trading network.

The major defining feature of Nusantarian societies was their mastery of navigation with ingenious vessel technologies, which included outriggers, unique fore-and-aft sailing rigs and hull-construction techniques that distinguished them from the Arab, Persian, Indian, Chinese and (much later) European ships that also plied these seas. This was the key to their expansion and settlement of maritime Southeast Asia over the last four or five millennia, displacing or absorbing earlier migrants. Other original features of Nusantarian societies included ancestral cults and shamanism, headhunting, and the independence and high standing of their women.

Bowring takes an even-handed approach to the fascinating question of Nusantarian origins. He acknowledges the well-accepted ‘out of China via Taiwan’, north-to-south thesis of Peter Bellwood et.al., but seemingly gives equal credence to alternative, south-to-north theories of migrations that were forced by the last inter-glacial flooding of the Sundaland basin (Stephen Oppenheimer, William Sondheim).

From ancient times the islands of Nusantaria supplied key trade commodities including the rarest and most costly spices – cloves, nutmeg and mace – exported in its own ocean-going ships. But more crucially, these home waters were the cross-roads of all the extensive sea trade between East Asia and the Indian Ocean.

Controlling these sea lanes led to the rise of diverse Nusantarian trading centres and entrepôts, kingdoms and empires in Sumatra, Java, Malaya and elsewhere in their region. Bowring vividly depicts a cosmopolitan trading world exchanging ceramics, metals, gems, silks and other textiles, spices, forest products, slaves – the vast majority shipped by sea.

‘A Persian writing in Arabic in the tenth century,’ he tells us, ‘noted that parrots in Palembang [the Sumatran centre of the Srivijaya empire] could speak many languages including Arabic, Persian and Greek.’ Those polylingual parrots would certainly also have spoken Malay, the Austronesian language native to both shores of the Straits of Malacca – the narrow funnel through which most of this trade passed. It became the lingua-franca of the region’s sailors and traders well over a thousand years ago, and is the basis of the modern Indonesian national language.

The major religions of Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam entered the region from the Indian Ocean, spread peaceably by maritime trade and adopted through influence and prestige. Nusantarian societies transformed these religions, as much as they transformed Nusantaria. Rare seaborne invasions such as that of the Tamil-Indian Cholas in 1025, and later Mongol and Ming interventions, made no lasting impacts due to the dispersal of the islands and the skills of its sailors and traders.

European and Christian incursions began more forcibly five centuries ago, lured by the fabulous wealth of the ‘Spice Islands’ and advantaged by the superior gunnery of these aggressive newcomers. The shock is well expressed in the famous words of 17th-century Makassan Sultan Alauddin, refusing monopolist Dutch demands to exclude their rivals: ‘God made the land and the sea. The land he divided among men and the sea he gave in common. It has never been heard that anyone should be forbidden to sail the seas.’

This new era would lead eventually to a severe downturn of Nusantarian fortunes and a loss of common identity as they were fragmented into the post-colonial states we know today. Bowring makes the valuable point, however, that it’s easy to exaggerate the effect of the first few centuries of European activity, as disruptive as it was. It was not until ‘a final land-grabbing spasm around the turn of the 20th century that European imperialism reached its final apogee’, drawing Nusantaria’s modern borders.

Journalist, author and yachtsman Philip Bowring has lived in Asia for decades as a correspondent for leading financial and international newspapers, and was editor of the prestigious Far Eastern Economic Review. His earlier history book was about a distant ancestor, Sir John Bowring, who as Plenipotentiary in China in 1856 precipitated the Second Opium War, and who negotiated a key trade treaty between Britain and King Mongkut of Anna and the King of Siam fame.

Having read history at Cambridge and, during his working life, absorbed himself in the history and economy of maritime Asia, Philip Bowring is well placed to attempt this ambitious synthesis of vast amounts of scholarship and primary sources for a non-specialist readership. Its magnitude is attested by a nine-page bibliography. Given the breadth and depth of material consulted, errors (in this reviewer’s fields, at least) were few and minor.

At times the work suffers from the formidable weight of historical detail that it encompasses. There are occasions where condensing complex events and multiple players creates sentences that are rather too opaque, unless you’re already well-versed in that history. Places, people or processes can sometimes flash by, for the first and last time, unexplained.

This is less criticism than acknowledgement of the dilemma of treating an intricate subject encompassing so very many cultures, eras and episodes in a single volume – as best I know, for the first time. You could push the book out by an extra hundred or two pages – but then, good luck finding a publisher. Or do you simplify the story by sacrificing some of the richness and texture of complex events and processes? Any reader finding themselves a bit lost in the detail might return to the contents list, which has been well constructed with snappy chapter titles and a clever 30-word synopsis for each. This can usefully be returned to as a summary or a road map.

The attractive illustrations in both colour and mono have been very well selected for variety and quality, with many outstanding works of art, artefacts or historical sources. It might have been helpful to reference them more in the text, however, to make their relevance clearer to readers unfamiliar with the subject.

This hardcover book is handsomely produced with a beautiful dust jacket showing fine Nusantarian galleys in the Moluccas, recorded during the Louis de Freycinet expedition of 1817–20. It’s a volume that offers readers a deeper understanding of the vibrant maritime peoples and events that unfolded literally on Australia’s tropical northern doorstep, to better appreciate the complex development of the human, political and economic region that we inhabit.