Cambodia in my mind

Friendship Gift Postcard, Sender: My twin (bestfriend)
Sent: 25 June 2015 from Phnom Pehn Airport

Should / If you have / had the time to check out my previous posts about Cambodia, you know that Cambodia was just a dream back in 2009.

Fast forward to this year, 2015 -- my mind has been constantly wandering into being back to that country. The possibility to witness the above with the magnificent silhouette of Angkor Wat during sunrise in Siem Reap is slim. But I would be happy, even just with the sunrise in Phnom Pehn, seen in this photo below. The photo is also from "my twin". He captured this while we're having breakfast on a wooden boat, cruising along the Tonle Sap River.

Check out an amazing collection of photos from around the world, by clicking here.

~maria

Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon

Sent: 20 May 2015 from Yangon International Airport, Myanmar
Received: 9 July 2015, Traveled 2,563 km in 50 days

I thought this postcard would never arrive at all! I was in Myanmar prior to my Japan trip. My postcards from Japan came last month, way ahead of this one.

While in Myanmar, I had the pleasure of experiencing a quick tour of the Shwedagon Pagoda. The whole pagoda complex was fantastic! At night, the temples were literally glowing gold. My room window at the Best Western Green Hill Hotel had an excellent view of this Myanmar architectural treasure. I had lovely evenings just watching the glow from afar.

This is a post I'm sharing for Our World Tuesday. Through my bloghop for this link-up, I discovered the lovely blog -- A Hole in My Shoe -- by travel enthusiasts, Lyn and Steve. They're running a #TheWeeklyPostcard Link-up. I'm not very sure whether my posts would qualify since I'm not able to talk extensively about my travel details here, but well -- let's try :)

~maria

B is for Bayon Temple, Cambodia

I am happy that for the first three letters of the alphabet, I am able to share Buildings and Structures that I've both visited and kept or received in the mail a corresponding postcard. Oh wait, I think not just for the first three letters but for the first five actually! ;-)

For the first three though, all are from Cambodia. Now for the second letter, "B" --

Bayon Temple looks a bit chaotic for me, judging from the view from the outside. On top is a photo I took in front of the temple. It is impressive nonetheless for the countless towers with carved Buddha faces. Our tour guide said there are around 200 but since a lot might have fell into ruin over the years, there is no actual count. Below are two close-up looks to two of the Buddha faces: one was courtesy of our tour guide and the other one is on a postcard.

~maria

A is for Angkor Wat, Cambodia

The Buildings and Structures on Postcards that I will be sharing for the April 2015 A-Z Challenge will be a mix of those I've had the pleasure to visit and those I have not. Although, fingers crossed for the latter that I'll have the chance to see them for real.

For the entry for letter "A" - 

Angkor Wat is one of the temples I've visited back in October 2014. I went with my bestfriend to fulfill a dream I had since 2009. 

We had the pleasure of being toured around the temples of a local, Mr. Vann Seila. The plan was to see the sunrise so we started off really early. Alas it was raining on the day we picked to go. Now, my feet are just itching to go back there during the dry season. I couldn't wait to experience the sight below in person.

Normally my postcards are labeled, with information about their travel through the post. Please check previous posts for reference. However, for these 2 and the ones I'll share for letters "B" and "C", I couldn't label. These Cambodia postcards were from a pack of 10 that were hand-delivered to me by a friend who visited Cambodia back in 2013.

~maria

J is for Japan's Saihō-ji Temple, Kyoto

JP-426642, Sender: blue-dream
Sent: 21 Jul 2013 from Tokushima, Japan
Received: 30 Jul 2013, Traveled 2,557 km in 9 days

Blue-dream filled me in about the details of the place, with her writing at the back of the card:

The picture is Saiho-ji temple, which is famous for its moss garden. So another name is The Moss Temple.  It is registered as a UWHS (in 1994), as part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto. 

Furthermore, she wrote:

By the way, you look like Japanese actress Akiko Hinagata. Please check her on the internet!

I did check on her but there isn't much resemblance. But thanks to Blue-dream, she gave me the confidence I got the looks for TV!! Haha, I can dream. After all, it's a dreamy day today -- Friday and I'm dreaming it's already Saturday :p

Aside from the A-Z April Challenge, I am also sharing this postcard for the Postcard Friendship Friday linky of my dear blogger friend Beth. Check out her page for more beautiful postcards! :)

~maria

D is for Djemila, Algeria

Postcrossing Direct Swap, Sender: Nessrine
Sent: 17 Nov 2013 from Ben Aknoun, Algeria
Received date not stamped on card, Traveled 12143.17 km

I specifically had to message members from Algeria in postcrossing.com to get a UNESCO card from there. There are not so many members from that country, compared to say, Germany from which I am already getting duplicate cards. This is the one and only postcard I have from Algeria so far I believe. 

Uncle Wiki said that Djemila became a UNESCO WHS in 1982 for its unique adaptation of Roman architecture to a mountain environment.

~maria

B is for Borobudur, Indonesia

Facebook Swap, Sender: Yenny
Sent: 3 Aug 2012 from Balikpapan-Kaltim, Indonesia
Received, 5 Sep 2012, Traveled ~2381.31 km in 32 days

Borobudur Temple Comppunds was listed as a UNESCO WHS in 1991. It is one of the greatest Buddhist monuments in the world; having the largest and most complete ensemble.

An excerpt from the UNESCO WHS page:

The vertical division of Borobudur Temple into base, body, and superstructure perfectly accords with the conception of the Universe in Buddhist cosmology. It is believed that the universe is divided into three superimposing spheres, kamadhatu, rupadhatu, and arupadhatu, representing respectively the sphere of desires where we are bound to our desires, the sphere of forms where we abandon our desires but are still bound to name and form, and the sphere of formlessness where there is no longer either name or form. At Borobudur Temple, the kamadhatu is represented by the base, therupadhatu by the five square terraces, and the arupadhatu by the three circular platforms as well as the big stupa. The whole structure shows a unique blending of the very central ideas of ancestor worship, related to the idea of a terraced mountain, combined with the Buddhist concept of attaining Nirvana.

~maria

Besakih Temple

To be sent to Finland

On Wednesday, we did one of the highlights of our Bali trip: temple visits. The best of the three temples we went to was the Purah Besakih. It is the holiest, largest, and most important temple for Hindu religion in Bali. Uncle Wiki has a nice article about the temple and also a photo gallery. Below, you can find some snapshots from my trip there. 

I find it difficult to leave today. Bali had been an amazing trip. Cross fingers, I can go back here five or ten years from now and I'll be able to find the place with it's quiet beauty and charm, maintained by its amiable people and unharmed by the seasons.

Happy Postcard Friendship Friday everyone! The postcard on top should be on its way now to my pen pal, Tuija in Finland. For more pretty postcards, check out Beth's linky party at her page by clicking here.

~ maria

Bagan Temples, Myanmar

Friendship Gift Postcard, Sender: My twin, Wan
Sent from Myanmar, Sent on August 2012
Received on September 2012, Traveled ~2664 km

I have two inspirations for sharing this postcard. First, I was with my twin, Wan, last week for the Holy Week vacation. We were talking about his trip to Myanmar and I was really hoping I was with him...I could have seen these majestic ancient temples...

Second, I was browsing the Instagram profile of a former officemate who loves to travel. I'm an avid follower of her travel adventures via her insta posts. Yesterday, I had some downtime and I ventured into her blogger page: http://itraveltolive.blogspot.com. I was greeted with a post about Myanmar. And the cover photo on her page, the Bagan temples! And so I excitedly dug up this postcard from my albums. :-)

The Bagan temples are found in the middle of Myanmar, the Mandalay Region. They're formerly known as Pagan. The fewer temples and pagodas surviving today are the remains of about 10,000 from the 11th and 13th centuries. 

Sharing this with Beth for the Postcard Friendship Friday.

Happy weekend everyone!

~maria

Salt Lake City Temple

The temple is the centerpiece in the 4 hectares land called the Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah. It is the largest and best known temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

The construction of the temple took 40 years. Works in the interior however, took only 1 year to finish. The exterior of the temple is richly adorned by symbolism depicting "mankind's journey from mortality to the eternal realms". One of these is the standing angel statue which can be seen atop the middle spire on the first card. The Salt Lake City Temple is the first Mormon temple to feature a standing angel Moroni statue. The angel Moroni is "the messenger of restoration of the gospel and the herald of the second coming" as mentioned in Revelation 14:6. For more Salt Lake City Temple symbolism, please visit the LDSChurchTemples.com.

Happy Postcard Friendship Friday everyone! Check out Bette's page for other cards for PFF!

~maria

TOP CARD                                                              BOTTOM CARD

Postcard ID: US-1318751                                          *Friendship Gift Postcard ;-)

Sender: Andrew                                                        Sender: Ken Carlson

Sent from Salt Lake City, UT                                     Sent from Eureka, CA                                

Sent on 22 Sep 2011                                                Sent on 22 Jun 2011

Received on 12 Oct 2011                                           No arrival postmark visible on card

Traveled 11,790 km in 20 days                                   Traveled 10,961 km

*Friendship Gift Postcard are received cards, which are not from arranged swaps/trades.